Rating: 
PeopleFud frozen dog food receives the Advisor’s highest rating of 5 stars.
The PeopleFud product line includes three wet frozen dog foods.
However, since we’re unable to locate AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these dog foods on the PeopleFud website, it’s impossible for us to report specific life stage recommendations for these recipes.
- PeopleFud Stu’s Beef Stew
- PeopleFud Gunther’s Gluten-Free Beef Stew
- PeopleFud Maverick’s Grain Free Beef Stew
PeopleFud Gunther’s Gluten-Free Beef Stew frozen wet dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
PeopleFud Gunther's Gluten Free Beef Stew
Frozen Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Beef, beef hearts, beef stock, carrots, vegetable stock, beans, sweet potato, potato, green beans, mixed vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, yellow carrots), buckwheat flour, flax, nutritional yeast, lecithin, bone meal, kelp powder, garlic
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 11.4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 8% | 4% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 40% | 18% | 35% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 34% | 37% | 30% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is beef. Beef is defined as “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered cattle” and includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.1
Beef is naturally rich in all ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is beef 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 third item mentions carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The fourth item lists vegetable stock, a broth made from various vegetables simmered in water. Stocks are nutritionally empty. Yet because they add moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in canned and wet products.
The fifth item lists beans, legumes naturally high in dietary fiber and other healthy nutrients.
The sixth item is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates in a dog food. They are naturally rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene.
The seventh item is potato. Potatoes can be considered a gluten-free source of digestible carbohydrates. Yet with the exception of perhaps their caloric content, potatoes are of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
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 four notable exceptions…
First, we note the use of buckwheat, a carb-heavy fruit similar to rhubarb and notable for its gluten-free seeds.
Contrary to popular belief, buckwheat is not a true cereal grain.
Next, we also find bone meal. Although it’s considered a quality source of calcium, magnesium and essential trace minerals, even human-grade bone meal supplements can contain higher levels of mercury, lead and other metals.2
Thirdly, garlic can be a controversial item. Although most experts favor the ingredient for its numerous health benefits, garlic (in rare cases) has been linked to Heinz body anemia in dogs.3
However, the limited professional literature we surveyed provided no definitive warnings regarding the use of garlic — especially when used in small amounts (as it likely is here).
And lastly…
We find no added vitamins or minerals on the ingredients list. We would hope these essential nutrients are provided by the food ingredients in the recipe.
PeopleFud Wet Frozen Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, PeopleFud appears to be an above-average wet dog food. The brand is unique in that all its ingredients are human-grade and cooked fresh at low temperatures — then frozen.
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 40%, a fat level of 18% and estimated carbohydrates of about 35%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 40% and a mean fat level of 20%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 32% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 49%.
Near-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-average carbs when compared to a typical canned dog food.
With no sign of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a wet food containing a significant amount of meat.
In addition, we note both the Gunther and Maverick products are completely grain free.
Unfortunately, since we find no added vitamins or minerals and no AAFCO statements, we have some reservations as to whether or not these products are nutritionally “complete and balanced”.
Bottom line?
PeopleFud frozen dog food is a meat-based wet product using a generous amount of beef or bison as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
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.
Although it's our goal to ensure all the information on this website is correct, we cannot guarantee its completeness or its accuracy; nor can we commit to ensuring all the material is kept up-to-date on a daily basis.
Each review is offered in good faith and has been 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 analyze each product, please 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 qualified veterinary professional for help.
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Notes and Updates
10/19/2010 Original review
07/11/2012 Review updated
07/11/2012 Last Update
- Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
- Bone meal, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 2009 ↩
- Yamato et al, Heinz Body hemolytic anemia with eccentrocytosis from ingestion of Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum) and garlic (Allium sativum) in a dog, Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 41:68-73 (2005) ↩
