Party Animal Dog Food (Canned)

by Mike Sagman
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Rating: ★★★★☆

Party Animal Canned Dog Food earns the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.

Currently, the Party Animal product line lists ten organic canned dog foods… each designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.

  • Party Animal Ducked Up Recipe
  • Party Animal Blazin’ Beef Recipe
  • Party Animal Chillin’ Chicken Recipe
  • Party Animal Kickin’ Chicken Recipe
  • Party Animal Luscious Lamb Recipe
  • Party Animal Jammin’ Salmon Recipe
  • Party Animal California Turkey Recipe
  • Party Animal Heavenly Venison Recipe
  • Party Animal California Chicken Recipe
  • Party Animal Turn Up Da’ Turkey Recipe

All except California Chicken and California Turkey are grain free.

Party Animal Chillin’ Chicken Recipe was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

Party Animal Chillin' Chicken Recipe

Canned Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 36% | Fat = 23% | Carbs = 33%

Ingredients: Organic chicken, organic chicken broth, organic sweet potatoes, organic blueberries, organic egg, organic broccoli, organic peas, organic guar gum, organic olive oil, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), thiamin mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, biotin, vitamin D2 supplement), minerals (zinc sulfate, iron sulfate, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, selenium yeast, potassium iodide)

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 6.8%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

The first ingredient in this dog food is organic chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.1

Chicken is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

The second item is organic chicken broth. Broths are nutritionally worthless. But because they add moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.

The third ingredient is organic sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a good source of complex carbohydrates in a dog food. They are naturally rich in fiber, beta carotene and other healthy nutrients.

The fourth ingredient lists organic blueberries. Blueberries are a good source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.

The fifth ingredient is organic egg… a desirable addition. Eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.

The next two ingredients include organic broccoli and peas, both healthy vegetables rich in natural fiber.

Peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when evaluating the total protein reported in this food.

The eighth ingredient is organic guar gum… a gelling or thickening agent found in many wet pet foods. Refined from dehusked guar beans, guar gum can add a notable amount of dietary fiber to any product.

We note the minerals 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.

Party Animal Canned Dog Food
The Bottom Line

Since Party Animal Dog Food contains an abundance of top quality organic ingredients, we feel compelled to accord this line favored status as we consider its final rating.

That’s because organic ingredients are produced under remarkably strict government standards… standards which greatly restrict the use of any synthetic pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, hormones or antibiotics.

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 36%, a fat level of 23% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 33%.

As a group, all ten foods report the same nutrient readings.

Below-average protein. Average fat. And above-average carbs… as compared to a typical canned dog food.

In addition, when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas, this is the profile of a wet food containing a moderate amount of meat.

Just the same, it’s important to note the complete absence of any critical Red Flag items.

Bottom line?

Party Animal is primarily a meat-based organic canned dog food using a moderate amount of assorted animal species as its main source of protein… thus earning the brand four stars.

Highly recommended.

Those looking for a another organic wet food with which to make a comparison may wish to check out our review of Castor and Pollux Organix Canned 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

07/12/2010 Original review

  1. Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
Dog Food Advisor IconThe Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.


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  • Kim

    This is an amazing product. It doesn’t smell like dog food but like actual food. I’d probably eat it myself in the event of some sustained disaster or perhaps the rapture.

    My dog loves it. When I ran out, he would eat nothing else – including most of my cooking. I finally had to make him a meat loaf and he’s been eating that. Luckily he only weighs about 5 pounds so I can splurge on his food. But I felt bad telling my husband not to eat my dog’s food.

    Also, Party Animal is wonderful to do business with. Great people.

  • Jonathan

    Good point, Mike.

    Iams Low residue wet – 257 kcal/cup
    Solid Gold Dry – 417 kcal/cup

    So, the question is, how many calories of the old food versus new food are you feeding to the dog? If you went from, say, 1 cup of the old food to 1 cup of the new food, your dog’s caloric intake would be down 33%.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    By the way, for both humans and dogs, the sense of hunger is not determined by how full the stomach feels but by the blood glucose level. Whenever you switch products (even within the same brand), be sure to check the caloric content. When you move from one can food to another of the same size, each may contain a radically different amount of energy (calories). And this can affect your dog’s feeling of hunger.

  • Jonathan

    That I couldn’t tell you. Here is the ingredients…

    Water, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Beef By-Products, Brewers Rice, Whitefish, Corn Grits, Fish Meal (source of fish oil), Dried Egg Product, Dried Beet Pulp (sugar removed), Potassium Chloride, Fructooligosaccharides, Calcium Carbonate, Brewers Dried Yeast, DL-Methionine, Monosodium Phosphate, Taurine, Mannanoligosaccharides, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (source of Vitamin B2), Potassium Iodide, Folic Acid, Menadione Dimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfite (Vitamin K3).

    and the dry-matter GA…
    Protein-41%
    fat-13%
    ash-9%
    carbs- est 37%

    So it’s not “horrifying”. Sure, there are some completely unnecessary low-quality ingredients in there (like why is brewer’s rice and corn grits needed other than to save money?) but it seems to have an OK amount of meat.

    And maybe he does just likes it.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Bonnie… Unfortunately, only your vet knows what meets his/her own guidelines. There are plenty of by-product-free dog foods out there. That’s why I created this website. Our 4 and 5-star dog foods are a great place to start.

    Since I’m not a veterinarian, I cannot provide health advice or specific product recommendations. Please see our FAQ page. Or check back for a possible response from one of our readers.

  • Bonnie

    One other thing I noted. Since starting on the iams low red canned she seems hungry all the time coming to get me and take me to her dish. She had been on solid gold dry and never noticed before. Is the behavior valid or greed. Minister schnauzer at 12 pounds.

  • Jonathan

    Bonnie, you can also ask you vet about using a gentle plant-based laxative like senna if he doesn’t already have you dog on one. I would almost wonder if giving your pup a whole raw chicken wing once a day could help keep the ol’ pooper moving better.

    After all, their digestive tract was designed, by millions of years of evolution, to break down raw animal protein and bones. Now we feed them baked pellets from a bag. Go figure they have all these problems.

    And it’s the conceit that we can just make a different version of the same trash to fix the problems that bugs me. I think when a dog starts having food related problems, vets should be prescribing raw diets, or at least high meat content food.

    They would be if they actually did any of their own research beyond what Hill’s and Purina teaches them on the all expense paid weekend nutrition seminar resorts.

    Did you know that Hill’s gives free dog or cat food to vet students for the entire time they are in school?

    Hmm.

  • Bonnie

    Thanks! That was my take on it as well. Is it correct thinking that brands such as the previous two and Wellness which contain no byproducts,fillers etc would be a good choice. The vet ordered the nutritional info from the companies and “will get back to me”. My take is that it is about absorption of nutrients and high moisture content to promote healthy movement.

  • Jonathan

    Bonnie, the “reason” why is that this food hasn’t been formulated for that problem by some big multi-national profit-first corporation that tells your vet it’s good for a particular problem.

    While the Low Res. formula may “work” for it’s intended purposes, it certainly isn’t real food. You should research some all natural remedies on line from reputable pet nutritionists.

    Mike won’t be able to recommend anything because he reviews dog foods based on ingredient quality only. Please see the new FAQ section.

    But, in any account, good luck.

  • Bonnie

    My girl was prescribed IAMS lw residue fir megacolon and obstipation. I’m concerned
    About byproducts but was told both party animal and solid gold did not meet the guidelines the vet recommends. I’d like to know why and if there is something out there to use with no by products.

  • BoBo’s mom

    Hi Mike,

    Thank you for your help and share those useful information to us! I really enjoyed finding this website it is so helpful.

    Thank you again for taking the time to response.

    BoBo’s mom

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi BoBo’s Mom… Yes, when you see the word “proteinated” attached to a mineral (like zinc or copper), it means the ingredient is chelated. But his has nothing to making a food more digestible. It only improves the absorption of the minerals themselves. Hope this helps.

  • BoBo’s mom

    Hi Mike,

    Thank you so much for your response and let me know that “Crude protein” is an estimate protein.

    One more question about Party Animal ‘s “Dry” Dog Food – California Chicken Recipe.

    Can you do me a favor to analyze this dry food when you are available?

    I found Zin Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, and Copper Proteinate in California Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food, is that a chelated minerals? Will this help dogs to digest the food?

    Thank you again!

    Happy Holidays!

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi BoBo’s Mom… Crude protein isn’t a special kind of protein. It’s a special “indirect” method that’s used to measure the protein content of a food. Instead of reporting the true protein content of a food (an expensive and time consuming process), a manufacturer measures the nitrogen content of the formulation and then multiplies that number by 6.25

    Hope this helps.

  • BoBo’s mom

    Hi Mike,

    Thank you so much for sharing those information to us.

    Can you please tell me what different between crude protein/fat and protein/fat?

    I found the list on Party Animal dry dog food it showed crude protein/fat, and I don’t know how much protein and fat in this food.

    Thank you so much!

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi P Jacob… Although not impossible, these exact same figures sound very unlikely. I’d recommend contacting Party Animal customer service department for an answer. If you do, please be sure to share what you find out.

  • P. Jacob

    I’m suspicious of Party Animal since ALL of their canned products have the exact same calorie content – according to what is stated on their cans. So no matter if it is beef or chicken or turkey or fish, etc. they say the calorie content is exactly 378.6 calories. What do you think?