Rating: 
ProSeries Dog Food receives the Advisor’s above-average rating of 3.5 stars.
The ProSeries Dog Food product line includes 5 kibbles. Although some formulations appear to be designed for a specific life stage, we found no AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these foods on the ProSeries website.
- ProSeries Puppy
- ProSeries Senior Lite
- ProSeries Performance
- ProSeries Adult Maintenance
- ProSeries Holistic Fish and Rice
ProSeries Adult Maintenance Dog Food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
ProSeries Adult Maintance
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken meal, fish meal (herring & anchovy), ground yellow corn, ground whole wheat, chicken fat preserved with mixed tocopherols (source of vitamin E), brewers rice, dried brewers yeast, kelp meal, dried beet pulp (sugarr removed), chicken liver, malted barley flour, salt, calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, calcium propionate, dl-methionine, flaxseed, dried yeast, Yucca schidigera extract, choline chloride, l-lysine hydrochloride, inactivated yeast, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C activity), vitamin E supplements, biotin, vitamin A supplement, zinc methionine, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, selenium selenite, manganese methionine, copper lysine, niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12 supplement, chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine hydrochloride, riboflavin, calcium iodate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, cobalt sulfate, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.9%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 26% | 15% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 29% | 17% | 46% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 25% | 35% | 40% |
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 is a fish meal… another protein-rich meat ingredient made from both herring and anchovy.
We are pleased to note that, unlike many fish meals, this particular item appears1 to be ethoxyquin-free.
The third ingredient is corn. Now, contrary to what you may have heard, corn isn’t necessarily a bad ingredient.
On the other hand, although there’s no way to know from the list entry itself, the corn used in making many pet foods can be similar to the kind used to make feed for livestock.
And that can sometimes be problematic.
What’s more, corn is commonly linked to canine food allergies2.
For these reasons, we rarely consider corn a preferred component in any dog food.
The fourth ingredient is wheat. Wheat is another problematic grain and subject to the same issues as corn (previously discussed).
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. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The sixth ingredient is brewers rice. Brewers rice represents the small grain fragments left over after milling whole rice.
This is an inexpensive cereal grain by-product and not considered a quality ingredient.
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 kelp meal… a dehydrated form of seaweed also used as a feed supplement or plant fertilizer.
The ninth item lists dried beet pulp. 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.
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 three notable exceptions…
First, we find no mention of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
Next, 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.
And lastly, this ProSeries dog food product contains menadione… a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.
ProSeries Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, ProSeries Dog Food looks to be an 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 17% and estimated carbohydrates of about 46%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 28% and a mean fat level of 17%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 47% for the overall product line.
Average protein. Near-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing moderate amount of meat.
However, it’s unfortunate the company chose to include menadione in its recipes. Without this controversial supplement or brewers rice and if these dog foods had included chelated minerals, we would have been compelled to award this brand a higher rating.
Bottom line?
ProSeries Dog Food is a grain-based kibble using a moderate amount of chicken and fish meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand 3.5 stars.
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
02/07/2011 Original review
02/07/2011 Last Update
- Per ProSeries comment dated 9/19/2011 ↩
- White, S., “Update on food allergy in the dog and cat”, World Small Animal Veterinary Association, Vancouver, 2001 ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.