Rating: 
Perfectly Natural Dog dry dog food receives the Advisor’s second-highest rating of 4 stars.
The Perfectly Natural Dog product line includes 3 kibbles.
Although the product names clearly target specific life stages, we could not locate AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these products on the company’s website.
- Perfectly Natural Dog Puppy Formula
- Perfectly Natural Dog Performance Formula
- Perfectly Natural Dog Mature Formula (3 stars)
Perfectly Natural Dog Performance Formula dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Perfectly Natural Dog Performance
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken meal, brown rice, white rice, chicken fat (preserved with natural mixed tocopherols), white fish, potato product, brewers dried yeast, barley, oats, organic sunflower oil (preserved with natural mixed tocopherols), organic flaxseed meal, egg product, sea salt, calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, dried carrots, dried cranberry, dried tomato, natural flavors, Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, Bifido bacterium fermentation product, Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, biotin, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A acetate, riboflavin, vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, citric acid, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese oxide, selenium yeast, calcium iodate
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 26% | 16% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 29% | 18% | 45% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 25% | 37% | 39% |
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 item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The third ingredient is white rice… a less nutritious form of rice in which the grain’s healthier outer layer has been removed.
The fourth 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 fifth ingredient is whitefish… a marine or freshwater species native to Canada and the California coast. Raw fish contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
The sixth ingredient is potato product… a leftover of the potato processing industry containing about 71% carbohydrates.1 Potato product is commonly associated with cattle feeds.
Potato product is equal to corn in energy value yet contains 50% more protein.2
The seventh ingredient is brewers dried yeast. 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.
The eighth ingredient is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. Unlike grains with a higher glycemic index (like rice), barley can help support stable blood sugar levels in dogs.
The tenth ingredient lists oats. Oats are rich in B-vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
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 manufacturer appears to have applied friendly bacteria to the surface of the kibble after cooking. These special probiotics are used to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.
And lastly, this food also contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Perfectly Natural Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Perfectly Natural Dog appears to be an above-average kibble.
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 29%, a fat level of 18% and estimated carbohydrates of about 45%.
At just 24% protein and 9% fat, the Mature recipe’s meat content is likely to be a bit on the lean side. For this reason, we have elected to downgrade this recipe’s rating.
Excluding the Mature formulation, the brand features an average protein content of 31% and a mean fat level of 20%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 41% for the overall product line.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Free of any notable plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a respectable amount of meat.
However, without assurances from the company its fish meals are naturally preserved, ethoxyquin phobics may want to ignore our rating and pass on this purchase.
Bottom line?
Perfectly Natural Dog is a grain-based kibble using a respectable amount of chicken meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly recommended.
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
11/19/2010 Original review
02/07/2011 Review updated (new recipe)
11/19/2010 Last Update
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.