Rating: 
PetGuard Canned Dog Food receives the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
The PetGuard product line includes fourteen canned dog foods… three meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages, one for puppies, nine for adults and one for seniors.
- PetGuard Turkey and Barley
- PetGuard Lamb and Brown Rice
- PetGuard Chicken Stew in Gravy
- PetGuard Gumbo in Savory Gravy
- PetGuard Vegetarian Feast (2 stars)
- PetGuard Venison and Rice (3 stars)
- PetGuard Turkey and Sweet Potatoes
- PetGuard Chicken, Liver and Vegetables
- PetGuard Puppy Chicken and Vegetables
- PetGuard Chicken and Herbed Brown Rice
- PetGuard Organic Chicken and Vegetables
- PetGuard Beef, Vegetables and Wheat Germ
- PetGuard Liver, Vegetables and Wheat Germ
- PetGuard Organic Vegetarian Entree (2 stars)
PetGuard Turkey and Sweet Potato was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
PetGuard Turkey and Sweet Potato Dinner in Gravy
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Turkey, turkey broth, sweet potatoes, dried cranberries, carrots, guar gum, ground flaxseed, sunflower oil, potassium chloride, sea salt, inulin, vitamin A acetate, alpha tocopherols (source of vitamin E), ergocalciferol (source of vitamin D2), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), choline chloride, inositol, niacin, calcium pantothenate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), zinc amino acid chelate, calcium amino acid chelate, folic acid, manganese amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, cobalt amino acid chelate, sodium selenite
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.5%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is turkey. Turkey is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of turkey”.1
Turkey is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life. This is a quality ingredient.
The second ingredient lists turkey broth. Broths are nutritionally empty. But because they add moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.
The third ingredient is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a good source of complex carbohydrates. They are naturally rich in fiber, beta carotene and other healthy nutrients.
After the cranberries and carrots, we find guar gum… a gelling 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.
The seventh ingredient includes ground flaxseed… one of the best plant-based sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Flax meal is particularly rich in soluble fiber.
The eighth ingredient lists sunflower oil. Sunflower oil is high in linoleic acid… an essential omega-6 fatty acid needed by every dog to sustain life.
But the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in a food is nutritionally critical… and can vary significantly (depending on the quality of the source ingredient itself).
There are several different types of sunflower oil… some better than others. Without knowing more, it is impossible to judge the quality of this ingredient.
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, we note the inclusion of 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.
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.
PatGuard Canned Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, PetGuard Canned Dog Food looks like an above-average product.
However, ingredient quality alone cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the meat content of the product 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%.
Because of their apparently lower meat content (zero in the vegan products), the venison and vegetarian recipes have been downgraded to a lesser category (as noted above).
Not counting the three lower-rated dog foods, the remaining group features an average protein content of 39% and an average fat level of 27%.
Together, these figures suggest an overall carbohydrate content of 26% for the full product line.
Average protein. Above-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical canned dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this is the profile of a wet food containing a moderate amount of meat.
In addition, it’s important to acknowledge the brand’s absence of any Red Flag items.
Regarding the vegetarian products…
Please understand we do recognize the need for some dog owners to provide (for whatever reason) a completely meat-free diet.
However, we also respect a dog’s natural carnivorous bias. For this reason, the highest rating awarded any vegetarian dog food found on this website can never exceed two stars.
Bottom line?
PetGuard canned dog food is a meat-based wet product using a moderate amount of meat from assorted species as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly recommended.
Those looking for a comparable kibble from the same company may want to check out our review of PetGuard 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 brand… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
06/22/2010 Original review
01/22/2011 Review updated
- Adapted by the Dog Food Advisor and based upon the official definition for chicken published by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, Official Publication, 2008 Edition ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.