Rating: 
Nature’s Logic Canned Dog Food receives the Advisor’s top rating of five stars.
The Nature’s Logic product line includes five canned dog foods… each meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for intermittent or supplemental feeding only.
- Nature’s Logic Canine Beef Dinner
- Nature’s Logic Canine Lamb Dinner
- Nature’s Logic Canine Chicken Dinner
- Nature’s Logic Canine Venison Dinner
- Nature’s Logic Canine Duck and Salmon Dinner
Nature’s Logic Canine Duck and Salmon Canned Dog Food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Nature's Logic Canine Duck and Salmon
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Duck, duck broth, duck liver, duck heart, salmon, egg product, animal plasma, flaxseeds, montmorillonite, cottage cheese, brewers yeast, cod liver oil, egg shell, apple, suncured alfalfa meal, tomato powder, parsley, blueberry, cranberry, apricots, spinach, artichoke, broccoli, carrots, pumpkin, kelp, chicory root, rosemary
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 10.7%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food lists duck. Duck is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of duck”.1
Duck is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient includes duck broth. Broths are nutritionally empty. But because they add moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.
The third ingredient lists duck liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal. So long as it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, duck liver is a beneficial component.
The next ingredient is duck heart. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing to us humans, heart tissue is pure muscle… all meat. It’s naturally rich in quality protein, minerals and B-complex vitamins.
The fifth item is salmon. Salmon is a fatty marine and freshwater fish not only high in protein but also omega-3 fatty acids… essential oils needed by every dog. These fatty acids aren’t just for life but also for healthy skin and coat.
The sixth item is egg product… a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries… from eggs that have failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The seventh item lists animal plasma. Plasma is what remains of blood after the blood cells themselves have been removed. Plasma can be considered a nutritious addition.
The eighth ingredient is flaxseed… one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.
The ninth ingredient is montmorillonite… a naturally occurring clay rich in nutritious minerals. Montmorillonite clay has been approved for use in USDA Organic Certified products.
Reported benefits include the binding of certain mold-based toxins and even controlling diarrhea.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.
With two notable exceptions…
First, brewers yeast can be a controversial item. Although it’s a by-product of the beer making process, this ingredient contains about 45% protein… and is rich in other healthy nutrients.
Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system.
Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself.
What’s more, a vocal minority insist yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is something we’ve not been able to scientifically verify.
In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, yeast can be considered a nutritious additive.
And lastly, although we find no mention of additional vitamins or minerals on the ingredients list, we are reassured to see a detailed list of naturally included nutrients (for each recipe) on the company’s website.2
Nature’s Logic Canned Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Based upon its ingredients alone, this Nature’s Logic Canned Dog Food looks to be an above-average product.
However, ingredient quality by itself does not necessarily make for a great dog food. We still need to estimate the amount of meat present before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 39%, a fat level of 25% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 28%.
However, the company actually reports a chemically sampled dry matter analysis for each product on its website.
Using these more accurate numbers, the brand features an average protein content of 45% and an average fat level of 40%. Together, these figures suggest an overall carbohydrate content of just 7% for the full product line.
High protein. High fat. And very low carbs… when compared to a typical canned dog food.
With no sign of any plant-based protein concentrates, this is the profile of a wet food containing an abundance of meat.
By the way, based on our projected figures, the fiber reported by our dashboard is almost certainly too high compared to its actual value.
Bottom line?
Nature’s Logic Dog Food is a meat-based wet product using an abundance of poultry, beef, venison or lamb as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand five stars.
Enthusiastically recommended (as a supplement only).
Because they probably lack some essential nutrients, supplemental dog foods like these should not be fed continuously as the sole item in a dog’s diet. We prefer to use a food like this as a special treat. Or as an appetizing topper to be served over dry kibble.
In any case, those looking for a complete and balanced kibble may want to read our review of Nature’s Logic Dry Dog Food.
A Final Word
This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in specific health benefits for your pet.
For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to read our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews”
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food brand… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
06/19/2010 Original review
01/19/2011 Review updated
- Adapted by the Dog Food Advisor from the official definition for chicken published by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, 2008 Edition ↩
- Nature’s Logic, 6/19/2010 ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.