Precise Dog Food (Dry)

by Mike Sagman
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Rating: ★★★★☆

Precise Dog Food gets the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.

The Precise product line includes nine dry dog foods. Since we could not locate AAFCO nutritional adequacy recommendations for these products on the Precise website, we’re unable to report specific life stage recommendations.

  • Precise Endurance Formula
  • Precise Competition Formula
  • Precise Light Formula (3 stars)
  • Precise Senior Formula (3 stars)
  • Precise Chicken Meal and Rice Adult
  • Precise Large and Giant Breed Puppy
  • Precise Small and Medium Breed Puppy
  • Precise Chicken Meal and Rice Foundation
  • Precise Lamb Meal and Rice Sensicare (hypoallergenic)

Precise Dog Food Chicken Meal and Rice Adult Formula was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

Precise Canine Chicken Meal and Rice Formula

Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 28% | Fat = 17% | Carbs = 48%

Ingredients: Chicken meal, ground brown rice, rice bran, ground oats, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and ascorbyl palmitate), flaxseed, chicken cartilage (source of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate), beet pulp, lecithin, natural chicken flavor, dried kelp, fish oil, calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, salt, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product and dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, Yucca schidigera extract, dl-methionine, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, calcium ascorbate (source of vitamin C), choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, cobalt amino acid chelate, riboflavin supplement, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese amino acid chelate, folic acid, biotin, thiamine mononitrate (B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride (B6), sodium selenite, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, calcium iodate

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.9%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

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 lists rice bran… a by-product of rice milling. Though not as nutritionally complete as whole grain rice, brans are still high in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals.

The fourth item is ground oats. In addition to B-vitamins, oats are also rich in fiber… and (unlike many other grains) mostly gluten-free.

The fifth 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. Though it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is a quality ingredient.

The sixth ingredient lists flaxseed… one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.

Chicken cartilage is considered a natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate… two nutrients added here to support joint health.

Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient… a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.

Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.

We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.

Lecithin is a waxy substance obtained from soybeans. Although it is commonly used to make fats more blendable, lecithin is believed to improve a dog’s skin and coat.

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 amino acids. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are generally found in better dog foods.

Precise Dog Food… the Bottom Line

Judging by the ingredients alone, Precise Dog Food has all the looks of an above-average dry dog food.

But estimating how much meat is present here can play a pivotal role in determining a fair rating for this product.

The dashboard reports a dry matter protein reading of 28%, a fat level of 17% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 48%.

When you eliminate the lower-rated Senior and Light products, protein content was 29% for the group. Fat averaged 16% and carbs were estimated to be about 49%

Moderate protein. Average fat. And average carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.

Yet with no plant-based protein enhancers, this is the profile of a kibble containing moderate amount of meat.

Bottom line?

Precise Dog Food is essentially a grain-based dry kibble using a moderate amount of a named meat meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.

Highly recommended.

Those looking for a higher-grade kibble from the same company may want to check out our review of Precise Plus 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 a specific health benefit 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

03/03/2010 Original review
05/29/2010 Review updated (added probiotics and menadione-free recipe, upgraded from 3 to 4 stars)
10/06/2010 Review updated

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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  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Ann… Thanks for stopping by. We’ve already reviewed your Precise Holistic Complete product line. You can find it on our Search by Brand list on the left navigation bar of every page of our website. Since our ratings are always based upon the government-regulated product label only, the information you shared may be useful to some of or readers. Thanks again for your comment.

  • Ann Flanigan

    Precise Pet Foods (http://precisepet.com/tag/ingredients/)
    Curious about where ingredients found in Precise pet food are sourced? We are happy to explain.

    All of our products are naturally preserved and come from trusted distributors. Our chicken products (meal, chicken fat, chicken flavor) all originate from birds that are raised with the same standards and practices as those raised for human consumption.

    Botanical ingredients (vegetables and fruits) found in Precise Holistic Complete also come from the same sources that stock your local grocery store. Additionally, the grains used are purchased based on specific USDA standards. When they are received, we check them very closely to make sure they meet our standards before we even unload them from the truck!

    Our chicken products come from Arkansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma, while our lamb meal is from New Zealand and Australia. Our fresh-caught salmon in Precise Holistic Complete is imported from Norway. Additionally, the grains and botanicals we use are both of U.S. origin.
    ******************
    Just wondering Mike, have you had a chance to review the Precise Holistic Complete Line? I’m particularly interested in your thoughts of the Precise Holistic Complete Sm/Md Breed food. Thank you.

  • Sandy

    I had a walker hound that developed a serious staph infection of the skin with open sores, scabs, loss of hair and a terrible stink. The vet claimed flea allergy and put him on prednesone. I spoke to a breeder of bichons and she suggested Precise Sensicare because some dogs are allergic to bone ash, an ingredient that is not even mentioned in any of the lists. I asked how long it might take to see results and she suggested 2 months. I bought the dog food and started him on it. WOW! Within a week, the sores had healed and hair was growing back and within 3 weeks he looked like a new dog. Now I’m dog sitting for my grand dog and noticing some allergy issues. I’m going to hunt down the nearest retailer and start him on it as soon as possible. I can’t recommend this product enough. It saved us from having to put down our Buster many years ago.

  • Bob K

    PAT – Why would you want to pay a premium for a 3 star dog food when you can often drive a short distance and get a better more nutritious food at a lower cost. The dog kibble Jonathan mentioned are expensive for what you get. Other options include: Costco (Kirkland Brand), Menards (Diamond Natural), Farm & Fleet, Tractor Supply (TSC). local farm coop often have a variety of foods.

  • Jonathan

    Pat, the short answer is “not really”. There is NO decent dog foods in Walmart unless the one you shop at has started to carry Purina One Beyond or Iams Premium Protection. Those are okay. At up-scale grocery stores you can usually find something like Evolve, Harmony Farms, Lassie Natural Way, Newman’s Own and a few others. The best thing you as a consumer can do is educate yourself about ingredients by reading up on sites like this and knowing what to look for (and look out for!) on dog food labels. Good luck.

  • PAT

    IS THERE A DECENT DOG FOOD THAT IS SOLD IN
    SUPERMARKETS OR WALMART?
    THANKS SO MUCH

  • Bob K

    Dawn – Its near impossible to track what you call the “quality of ingredients” Manufacturers of most products have multiple sources of materials and minimum quality stds. to maintain for their products and in order to manage costs and quality multiple sources are required.

    For a real insight to our food supply for humans read the book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals is a nonfiction book by Michael Pollan published in 2006, Its a real eye opener.

    The way foods are graded and sold by mfgs can also be a real eyeopener.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Dawn… Please see our FAQ page and look for the topic, “How We Rate Dog Food”. By the way, as difficult as it is to accept, the country of origin is in no way an absolute predictor of quality. Many overseas manufacturers use superior ingredients and manufacturing practices to produce some of the finest products I’ve reviewed (check out Weruva or Orijen, for example).

    Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but some of the very worst foods I’ve ever encountered are made right here in the USA.

  • dawn

    I have done A LOT of rotating. Would you like the list? Try feeding a dog that is disgusted with the smell of fish and fish oil. Oh, and I have done the multiple foods. Pretty interesting when she picks out the kibble she wants and leaves the rest. Then your just wasting food. when I offered up the latest 2 dog foods side by side, the dog completely refused the one and dives into the other, over and over and over again, trial after trial, I guess I’m going to go with the one she “thrives” on rather than force her to eat a food she doesn’t find appealing. My whole point is that you have to go with what works for your individual dog(s). Don’t try to cram ideas and opinions down everyone elses throats. And if you are so into low carb diets and getting back to what a wolf 15,000 years ago would have eaten, why aren’t you feeding a raw or BARF diet? Wolves also actually had 5 useful toes both front and rear back then too… they evolved, just like our domesticated versions have. Maybe their intestinal tracts did too. I came to this web site to get various reviews on different foods not to argue about how to feed my own dog.
    To Mike, I’ll check back when you have updated the site to include the additional individual foods rather than lump summing an entire line together for a review, but I do believe you also need to take into account not only the written ingredients but the quality of those ingredients as well when rating a food. Another thing people may be interested in is whether or not the company gets all of their ingredients here in the US or has specific ingredients shipped from overseas, and where overseas. That is actually where the 2007 tragedy started.

  • Jonathan

    So why don’t you try rotating the food you feed your dogs so that they don’t become intestinaly stubborn to one product? My dog eats three foods mixed together and is in perfect health and has no trouble with new foods.

    Oh, and one of the foods in her current mix is Nutro Natural Choice Herring. I have no problem with using a bag of Nutro. I would just never keep her eating it forever.

  • Dawn

    Jonathan, just so you know. I did also try Precise for my dogs, it was on the very short list after researching brands. The finicky one wasn’t interested but the others ate it just fine. As it is cheaper per # than Nutro Natural Choice I will probably feed this to the retired dogs in my kennel but the ones actively showing, we’ll see. Eating over starving is always better.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi JP… Haven’t yet reviewed Medi-Cal but it’s currently on our To Do list. You may wish to find a dog food that contains above-average omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil or flax). Like with humans, chondroitin and glucosamine are known to be helpful to dogs with joint problems. Unfortunately, pet food manufacturers do not usually publish the amount contained in each product. Most dog foods do not contain enough of these two neutraceuticals to be considered a therapeutic dose.

  • JP

    My vet recently tried to push Medi-Cal Mobility Support to assist my aging dog with her hips. Second ingredient is…corn. Would this brand be a good alternative for joint support, or would there be something else that someone can recommend?
    Thank you!

  • Laurie M.

    I previously fed my 3 dogs the Precise Chicken Foundation formula for quite a while until the store I got it from stopped carrying it (they said it wasn’t selling well.) The only other way I could have continued to feed this great brand would have been to order it on-line and pay shipping costs. So I had to wean my dogs off the Precise. This is an excellent food, I just wish it was more readily available at stores in my area.

  • JASTECH

    Correction: I had jumped too soon on ordering w/o looking at the ingrediants, shame on me! I called and changed order to Fromm 4Star dog food. I will post this in the Fromm section too.

  • JASTECH

    I had to sub dog food while new things were done and used Diamond out here. The dogs look really bad! I have 2 Int. Champs and 7 Champs so far. I called my vendor today and ordered 10 bags of Precise Endurance to start with. New website comming soon.

  • Jonathan

    Joe Patrick, what, exactly, are you basing your rude, three sentence, insulting critique of this site on? If you wish to argue a point using facts and theories, go ahead. But popping up on a review and making baseless, condescending statements does nothing to enhance the discussion.

  • Jonathan

    See? Told ya. ;-)

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Alex… Since each dog responds to a particular food in its own unique way, it would be impossible for me to compare two or more dog foods and predict which one would be the better choice for your dog.

    Since the products you mention here have been awarded favorable ratings, I don’t see how you could go wrong with either one. Unfortunately, selecting the right dog food still involves at least some trial and error.

  • Jonathan

    Given that Mike has rated both the products you are asking about as 4 starts, then I assure you he will not have a preference. You should get a small bag of each and see which your dog likes!

  • alex

    Which would you say is better precise chicken meal and rice foundation or Diamond naturals chicken and rice???

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Joe… Precise contains probiotics, chelated minerals, no corn, no chemical preservatives and no by-products. These are considered by many to be desirable features. Lower quality foods (like Bil Jac) tend to omit these favorable attributes from their designs. In reviewing a food, this is something we simply cannot ignore.

  • Joe Patrick

    Well, Joe check this out. Precise is listed as 4 star dog food. Bil-Jac is a 2 star dog food. So much for reviews.

  • elizabeth yates

    Hi Mike,
    I sent an e-mail a few weeks back about my chocolate lab mix and his multiple allergies. He has been on Precise Sensicare and has made a complete turnaround. His coat looks great, no flaking, and no odor. I highly recommend this dog food. FYI, he is also on “Nzymes” granules. I also highly recommend this product. The website is great and the help provided is excellent. I am so thrilled to see the improvement after searching for over 2 years to get the help that he needed.
    Thank you for your website and your up-to-date information.

    Elizabeth Yates