Nature’s Logic (Canned)

Rating:

Nature’s Logic Canned Dog Food receives the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.

The Nature’s Logic product line includes six canned dog foods. However, since we’re unable to locate AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these dog foods on the company’s website, it’s impossible for us to report specific life stage recommendations for these recipes.

The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review.

• Nature’s Logic Canine Beef Dinner Fare
• Nature’s Logic Canine Lamb Dinner Fare
• Nature’s Logic Canine Sardine Dinner Fare
• Nature’s Logic Canine Venison Dinner Fare
• Nature’s Logic Canine Chicken Dinner Fare
• Nature’s Logic Canine Duck and Salmon Dinner Fare

Nature’s Logic Canine Duck and Salmon Dinner Fare was selected to represent the other products in the line for this review.

The first ingredient in this dog food is 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 is duck broth. Broths are nutritionally empty. But because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.

The third ingredient is poultry liver. This is an organ meat sourced from identified animals and thus considered a beneficial component.

The fourth ingredient is salmon. Salmon is an oily marine and freshwater fish not only high in protein but also omega 3 fatty acids, essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life.

The fifth ingredient is poultry 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 complex B vitamins, too.

The sixth ingredient is dried 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 ingredient is porcine 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 montmorillonite clay, a naturally occurring compound rich in many trace minerals. Montmorillonite has been approved for use in USDA Organic Certified products.

Reported benefits include the binding of certain mold-based toxins and even controlling diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The ninth ingredient is cottage cheese. Compared to other dairy products, cottage cheese is high in protein yet contains 70% less lactose than whole milk.

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 five notable exceptions…

First, cod liver oil, is a fish oil known to be rich in both EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids as well as vitamins A and D.

Next, brewers yeast can be a controversial item. Although it’s a by-product of the beer making process, this ingredient is rich in minerals and 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.

In addition, a vocal minority insists yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is a claim we’ve not been able to scientifically verify.

In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, yeast can still be considered a nutritious additive.

What’s more noteworthy here is that brewers yeast contains about 48% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

In addition, chicory root is rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.

Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.

Next, we note the inclusion of egg shell meal, used here as a natural source of dietary calcium.

And lastly, although we find no mention of added vitamins or minerals on the ingredients list, we’re reassured to find a detailed list of naturally present nutrients on the company’s website.

Nature’s Logic Canned Dog Food
The Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredients alone, Nature’s Logic looks like an above-average canned dog food.

But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 43%, a fat level of 43% and estimated carbohydrates of about 6%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 45% and a mean fat level of 40%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 7% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 90%.

Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical canned dog food.

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the brewers dried yeast, this looks like the profile of a canned product containing a significant amount of meat.

Bottom line?

Nature’s Logic is a meat-based canned product using a significant amount of various named meats and sardine as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.

Enthusiastically recommended.

However, it’s important to note that some of the recipes in this product line appear to be all meat in design. And that could make them suitable for supplemental feeding only.

Since we could not locate an AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement posted on the company website, readers should check the label to be sure a food is “complete and balanced” before feeding it on a long term basis.

Special Alert

Rice ingredients can sometimes contain arsenic. Until the US FDA establishes safe upper levels for arsenic content, pet owners may wish to limit the total amount of rice fed in a dog's daily diet.

A Final Word

The descriptions and analyses expressed in this and every article on this website represent the views and opinions of the author.

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However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in specific health benefits for your pet.

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Notes and Updates

06/19/2010 Original review
01/19/2011 Review updated
10/07/2012 Last Update