Rating: 
Nutro Max dry dog food receives the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of 3.5 stars.
The Nutro Max Dog Food product line lists 9 kibbles, 7 claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance and 2 for all life stages (Puppy).
The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review.
- Nutro Max Adult Beef Meal and Rice
- Nutro Max Adult Lamb Meal and Rice
- Nutro Max Adult Chicken Meal and Rice
- Nutro Max Puppy Chicken Meal and Rice
- Nutro Max Senior Chicken Meal and Rice
- Nutro Max Adult Mini Chunk Chicken Meal and Rice
- Nutro Max Adult Large Breed Chicken Meal and Rice
- Nutro Max Large Breed Puppy Chicken Meal and Rice
- Nutro Max Adult Weight Control Chicken Meal and Rice
Nutro Max Adult Chicken Meal and Rice dry dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Nutro Max Adult Chicken Meal and Rice
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken meal, ground whole wheat, wheat flour, ground rice, rice bran, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), corn gluten meal, dried plain beet pulp, natural flavors, potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, taurine, zinc sulfate, vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulfate, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), l-carnitine, potassium iodide, copper sulfate, niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, biotin, manganous oxide, thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), vitamin A supplement, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 24% | 14% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 27% | 16% | 50% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 23% | 33% | 44% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The second and third ingredients are both sourced from wheat. Like corn, wheat is an inexpensive and controversial cereal grain of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
For this reason, we rarely consider wheat a preferred component in any dog food.
The fourth ingredient is ground rice, another name for rice flour. Ground rice is made from either white or brown rice and is considered a gluten-free substitute for wheat flour.
The fifth ingredient is rice bran, a healthy by-product of milling whole grain rice. The bran is the fiber-rich outer layer of the grain containing starch, protein, fat as well as vitamins and minerals.
The sixth ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The seventh ingredient is corn gluten meal. Gluten is the rubbery residue remaining once corn has had most of its starchy carbohydrate washed out of it.
Compared to meat, glutens are inferior grain-based proteins lower in many of the essential amino acids dogs need for life.
This inexpensive plant-based ingredient can significantly boost the total protein reported on the label — a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The eighth ingredient is dried plain beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient, a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.
Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.
We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.
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, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Non-chelated minerals are usually associated with lower quality dog foods.
And lastly, we find no mention of probiotics, friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
Nutro Max Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Nutro Max kibble appears to be an average dry 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 27%, a fat level of 16% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 50%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 27% and a mean fat level of 15%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 50% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%.
Near-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-average carbohydrates when compared to a typical dry dog food.
When you consider the protein-boosting effect of the corn gluten meal, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing only a moderate amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Nutro Max dry dog food is a grain-based kibble using a moderate amount of chicken, beef or lamb as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 3.5 stars.
Recommended.
Those looking for a higher quality kibble from the same company may wish to check out our review of Nutro Ultra 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? Or maybe the review itself? Please know we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
12/16/2009 Original review
07/24/2010 Review updated
03/07/2012 Review updated
03/07/2012 Last Update
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.