Rating: 
Pinnacle Holistic Dog Food (canned) earns the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
Currently, the Pinnacle Holistic product line includes three canned dog foods… each claimed to be “allergen-free” and designed for dogs of “all life stages”.1
- Pinnacle Holistic Chicken and Oats Formula
- Pinnacle Holistic Trout and Sweet Potato Formula
- Pinnacle Holistic Duck and Potato Formula
Pinnacle Holistic Trout and Sweet Potato Formula was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Pinacle Holistic Trout and Sweet Potato Formula
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Trout, fish broth, herring, oatmeal, oat bran, sweet potato, canola oil, flax seed, rosemary, sage, papain, vitamin E supplement, zinc oxide, sodium selenite, copper sulfate, vitamin B12 supplement, niacin, vitamin A acetate, d-calcium pantothenate, manganous oxide, riboflavin supplement, d-biotin supplement, potassium iodide, folic acid supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin D3, pyridoxine hydrochloride
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 11.5%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is trout. Trout is a marine and freshwater fish naturally high in protein.
The second ingredient mentions fish 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 includes herring. Herring is a fatty marine fish naturally rich in protein as well as omega 3 fatty acids… essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life.
The fourth item is oatmeal… a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally high in fiber, B-vitamins and is (unlike many other grains) entirely gluten-free.
The next item is oat bran… a by-product of oat milling. But unlike most grain by-products, brans consist of the healthiest part of a cereal grain. Oat bran is particularly rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
The sixth ingredient is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a good source of complex carbohydrates in a dog food. Along with other healthy nutrients, they are especially rich in beta carotene.
The seventh item includes canola oil. Most applaud canola for its favorable omega-3 content… while a vocal minority condemn it as an unhealthy fat.
Current thinking (ours included) finds the negative stories about canola oil more the stuff of urban legend than actual science.2
The eighth ingredient lists flaxseed… one of the best vegetable sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. And it is naturally rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber.
However, we find it strange to see flaxseed here in its whole seed form. Whole flax seeds are almost impossible to digest (at least for us humans) unless they are first ground to a usable powder before they are consumed.
Also, 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.
Pinnacle Holistic Canned Dog Food… the Bottom Line
Just looking at the ingredients, Pinnacle Holistic Canned Dog Food looks to be a good performer. But that same list also includes a notable number of non-meat items, too.
To help determine a fair rating for this brand, we need to take a serious look at the product’s protein-fat-carb proportions.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 33%, a fat level of 29% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 31%.
Moderate protein. Slightly higher fats. And moderate carbohydrates (when compared to a typical canned dog food).
Based upon the nutrient numbers alone, this Pinnacle product looks to hover between three and four stars.
But the quality of its ingredients as well as a lack of any serious Red Flag items tend to tip that score in favor of the higher grade.
Bottom line?
Pinnacle Holistic Dog Food is mostly a meat-based canned product using a variety of quality animal ingredients as its main source of protein… thus qualifying it for our four-star rating.
Highly recommended.
Some Final Thoughts
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult your veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food brand… or maybe the review itself?
Please feel free to share your comments below.
- Breeder’s Choice Pinnacle, 2/17/2010 ↩
- Mikkelson, B and DP, Oil of Ole, Urban Legends Reference Pages (2005), retrieved 12/05/2009 ↩
