Proportions Stew (Canned)

Rating:

Proportions Stew earns the Advisor’s highest rating of five stars.

Currently, the Proportions product line includes just one canned dog food… Proportions Hand Carved Chicken in Pumpkin Soup.

Although we categorize it as canned, Proportions Stew is actually supplied in a foil pouch. The company claims the product meets AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.

The first item in this dog food is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.¹

Like most meats, chicken is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life. This is a quality ingredient.

The second ingredient is water… which (of course) adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a common finding in most canned dog foods.

The third ingredient is pumpkin. Pumpkin is a nutritious addition… high in complex carbohydrates, beta-carotene and dietary fiber.

The fourth item lists carrots. Like pumpkin, carrots are also loaded with beta-carotene, minerals and healthy fiber.

The fifth ingredient includes peas. Peas are considered a quality source of carbohydrates. What’s more, peas contain about 25% protein.

The sixth item details tapioca. Tapioca is an all-natural extract made from the root of the cassava plant. It is starchy carbohydrate that is not only grain-free… but also gluten-free.

There are no known allergies to tapioca. And that makes it perfect for use in any hypoallergenic diet. Tapioca is a quality ingredient.

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’s difficult to judge the quality of this ingredient.

Fish oil is naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Guar gum is a thickening agent found in many canned dog foods.

Surprisingly, 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.

Proportions Stew… the Bottom Line

The ingredients used to make this Proportions Stew appear to be of above-average quality.

But quality (by itself) cannot tell the whole story about any given dog food. It’s also important to estimate the amount of meat present in the product, too.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 75%, a fat level of 8% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 10%.

Very high protein. Low fat. And very low carbohydrates… compared to a typical canned dog food.

This is the profile of a wet dog food containing an abundance of meat.

Bottom line?

Proportions Stew is primarily a meat-based wet dog food using a liberal amount of deboned chicken as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand a well-deserved five stars.

Even though Proportions Stew qualifies for adult maintenance, that is not it’s intended use.

For a peek at a unique custom feeding program optimized for your pet, be sure to read our review of Proportions Dog Food.

Enthusiastically recommended.

Some Final Advice

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.

Tagged as: adult, canned, maintenance