Purina One SmartBlend (Dry)

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Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Purina One SmartBlend dry dog food receives the Advisor’s below-average rating of 2 stars.

The Purina One SmartBlend dog food product line lists six kibbles… three claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages, two for adult maintenance (Senior and Healthy Weight) and one for growth (Healthy Puppy).

The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review.

  • Purina One SmartBlend Vibrant Maturity 7+ Senior
  • Purina One SmartBlend Small Bites Beef and Rice
  • Purina One SmartBlend Chicken and Rice
  • Purina One SmartBlend Healthy Weight
  • Purina One SmartBlend Lamb and Rice
  • Purina One SmartBlend Healthy Puppy

Purina One SmartBlend Chicken and Rice was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

Purina One SmartBlend Chicken and Rice

Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 30% | Fat = 18% | Carbs = 44%

Ingredients: Chicken (natural source of glucosamine), brewers rice, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, poultry by-product meal (natural source of glucosamine), whole grain wheat, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of vitamin E), soy flakes, soybean meal, animal digest, glycerin, calcium phosphate, caramel color, calcium carbonate, salt, potassium chloride, vitamin E supplement, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, l-lysine monohydrochloride, ferrous sulfate, sulfur, manganese sulfate, niacin, vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, garlic oil, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), sodium selenite

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.4%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

Estimated Nutrient Content
MethodProteinFatCarbs
Guaranteed Analysis26%16%NA
Dry Matter Basis30%18%44%
Calorie Weighted Basis25%38%38%

The first ingredient in this dog food lists chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.

After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.

Which brings us to brewers rice… the second and (more likely) the dominant ingredient in this recipe.

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 third item is corn gluten meal. Gluten is the rubbery residue remaining once corn has had most of its starchy carbohydrate washed out of it.

Compared to meat, glutens are inferior grain-based proteins lower in many of the essential amino acids dogs need for life.

This inexpensive plant-based ingredient can significantly boost the total protein content reported in this dog food.

The fourth item is corn. Corn is an inexpensive and controversial cereal grain of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

For this reason, we do not consider corn a preferred component in any dog food.

The fifth ingredient is poultry by-product meal… a dry rendered product of slaughterhouse waste. It’s made from what’s left of slaughtered poultry after all the prime cuts have been removed.

In a nutshell, poultry by-products are those unsavory and inedible leftovers deemed “unfit for human consumption”.

This stuff can contain almost anything… feet, beaks, undeveloped eggs… you name it.

We consider poultry by-products slightly lower in quality than a single-species ingredient (like chicken by-products).

On the brighter side, by-product meals are meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh poultry.

The sixth ingredient is wheat. Wheat is another problematic grain and subject to the same issues as corn (previously discussed).

The seventh ingredient includes animal fat. Animal fat is a generic by-product of rendering… the same high-temperature process used to make meat meals.

Since there’s no mention of a specific animal, this item could come from almost anywhere… restaurant grease, slaughterhouse waste, diseased cattle… even euthanized pets.

We do not consider generic animal fat a quality ingredient.

The next two ingredients include soy flakes and soybean meal. Both products are actually useful by-products (what remains of soybeans after all the oil has been removed).

Soybean meal contains 48% protein. However, compared to meat, this item is considered an inferior plant-based protein providing a lower biological value.

Animal digest is a chemically hydrolyzed concoction of unspecified body parts… from unspecified animals. This product is usually sprayed onto the surface of a dry kibble to improve its taste.

We’re always disappointed to find coloring used in any dog food. The caramel color mentioned here is probably used to make the product more appealing to you. Not your dog.

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 microorganisms 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, Purina One SmartBlend also contains menadione… a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.

Purina One SmartBlend Dog Food
The Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredients alone, Purina One SmartBlemd Dog Food looks to be a below-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 30%, a fat level of 18% and estimated carbohydrates of about 44%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 30% and a mean fat level of 17%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 45% for the overall product line.

Near-average protein. Average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.

In addition, when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the soy ingredients, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a modest amount of meat.

Bottom line?

Purina One SmartBlend Dog Food is a grain-based kibble using a modest amount of poultry, lamb or beef as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand 2 stars.

Not 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

09/09/2011 Original review
09/09/2011 Last Update

Dog Food Advisor IconThe Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.


  • LabsRawesome
  • Tom

    We recently found some sort of bugs in our dogfood. Very disurbing. We keep the food bag in the house so it was not an issue of something crawling into the bag from the garage per say. The bugs were burrowed into the food with a white webbish thing covering it. When the web was pushed aside there were live bugs inside. They looked like small beetles.

  • Ruinedmascra1985

    Bob k. Vet recommend that I change food because both were having skin problems and ear infections contastly from another purina brand called beneful.. So switched to the chicken and rice smartblend… That is when the stomach problems started… Both at the same time… They would turn away from the food. I have found several other complaints and even pet smart where I shop said they have had numerous complaints and have tried to contact purina directly as I did too with no response. My dogs are up to date on all there medical stuff seeing as how I have been to the vet with numerous skin problems… That developed from using purina. Actually just made another trip yesterday because both of my dogs are now urinating blood. Which was another complaint several other people had made.. So yes I am sure. Now that they have been of the food for a little over a week and I have been cooking for them… Skin problems have cleared… No ear infections….no explosive diarehha… And no vomiting. Now I am just dealing with the toll the food did on there body. Still getting it out of their system . It has been a nightmare… I just wanna make sure people research and know what they are feedin there dogs…

  • SH_86

    I am absolutely shocked after reading the comments below. My dog recently stopped eating her Purina One food. She had eaten the Lamb and Rice formula with no problem, but we switched to the Beef and Rice and she would not touch the stuff… We started “masking” it by adding a few of her favorite things to it, thinking she was just getting picky. She started vomiting after almost every meal and became lethargic. We have switched to Blue Buffalo and have had no problems since.

  • Johnandchristo

    Hi Bob K…

    I like your post. very complete and to the point.
    I agree with what you said. I would not feed purina
    but that is a different story. what you posted is on the money.

  • Bob K

     Ruinedmascra1985 – Several questions  1.) What were you feeding your dogs before?   2.) Why the change in dog foods?  3.) Did you transition slowly to a new food?  4.) If you are so concerned about your dogs health, how did you pick this food?  5.) What else is your dog eating and drinking?  Are you sure?   6.)What proof do you have that it was bad food?  7.)When was the last time your dogs had a complete fecal test including Giardia, Crypto and coccidia?   8.) Any herbicides or pesticides being used in your neighborhood?  Are you sure?  How would you know?  Are your dogs eating any lake or river water?  How about grass ,sticks, or dirt?  They sell tons of this stuff a week.  Seldom do dogs get sick on dog kibble as you describe when it is transitioned properly. 

  • http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

    Sorry to hear about your dogs.  You can put in a complaint here: 

    http://www.fda.gov/petfoodcomplaints 

  • Ruinedmascra1985

    Well I have been feeding my dogs..one a small Boston terrier and one American bulldog purina one smartblend chicken and rice. Horrible decision …both of my dogs have been terribly sick going on 4 days now… Vomitting and diarehha.. Uncontrolable diarehha …where it is pretty much running out of them. Green and yellow mucus …also from straining they have also had blood come out. I am beyond mad and disgusted with this company….and the lacking of care and importance they have for animals…I have lost sleep …lost money …and most importantly I have had to watch my animals suffer from the poison this company considers dog food. My animals are like my children and I feel horrible for feeding them this food even after they would walk away from there bowls… I just thought the we’re adjusting to the change of diet. They knew something wasn’t right. I have been researching this food the past few days …one site alone had 421 complaints just from this month with exact same reactions ..some older pets had died..and other pulled through but my point is NO ONE seems to be held accountable for this…I returned the food..and warned the grocery store where I purchased it…I have tried. Along the number on the bag only to get the run around or put on hold. Please take this very serious. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone…

  • LabsRawesome

     Hi Hbears, sounds like your little guy is falling apart, at the young age of nine. Could be part genetic, but Purina’s foods sure didn’t do him any good either. Glad you didn’t put him on the Vet foods, ingredients are horrid. Good luck finding him a new food. Quality canned is a much better option than dry.  :)

  • Hbears2002

    I’ve had my dachshund on Purina his whole life (he’s 9 now). He’s Allergic to Grass, so I dress him, has Chronic ear infections, his toenails grow too fast, has a heart murmur, and now has chronic uti. I’ve been told by the vet to put him on Hills veterinary diet, which I had in the past, but it takes a week to get him to eat it.  when he’s finally eating it, then the vet told me that he can’t stay on it because he’s not getting nutrition.  I thought, then why put him thru that of switching him to it to begin with?! so back to Purina One he went.  He loves it!  but, back to the urinary tract infection again, and all his other health issues.  Thanks to your guides, I’m now trying better dog foods with him.  the only thing he likes is wet dog food that looks like meat.  Real chicken pieces, not mush.  so far, its Natural Choice Food trays.  I contacted Nutro and yelled at them about the Vitamin K, and now I don’t see it listed in the dry dog food ingredients.  I appreciate review articles, it really helps me decide on what to try with my very very finicky dog.  The interesting part to me is I bought Beef & Rice dog food, but there is no beef in it.  its all chicken.  Purina lied

  • ACrowley

    I have two Chihuahua mixed breeds.  We were feeding them Purina One, then switched to the SmartBlend.  Here we were thinking that we were giving them a great food.  Yeah, they stopped eating it 1.5 wks ago. I thought they were just being picky, since I recently changed my family over to organic, naturally grown food. My dogs were always very hungry when they were called to eat, so their behavior of looking at their bowls then walking away was foreign.  Figuring that I can wait as long as they can, there their food sat until the hunger game won and they finally ate it. They were intermitently throwing up here and there, but I considered that normal. They are Chihuahuas.   I truly had no idea what was going on with them.  So, after finally realizing that their hold out wasn’t merely an attitude issue, I looked into it.  Turns out that they did want a higher quality of food, they wanted REAL food and were actually telling me that the “food” that I was giving them would actually harm them, so they weren’t going to eat it.  I changed their food to Blue Buffalo Holistic and I haven’t had any problems. Never underestimate the intellegence of your animals, people. They are happy and their bellies are full.

  • Nick

    Amy,

    I had a very similar issue with my 12 year old Collie.  I was feeding him Purina Smart Blend Lamb and Rice and he suddenly started puking and not wanting to eat. This began in early January of 2012 and on February 18th, 2012 I had to put him to sleep because he could barely walk anymore.  In just a month he became skin and bones, drooling, puking up clear fluid and unable to bark. It was horrible and I see all these similar conditions with other owners of dogs who at Purina and it makes me sick and very angry! I filed a complaint with the Consumer Affairs website which is where I first learned of this issue.  

    Hopefully justice will be served for all the pets that have died because of Purina.

  • Getrude Hungunt

    I have been feeding my large breed dog Purina One large breed formula for two years without issue.  When they changed the formula to smart blend he got very sick.  vomiting, diarrhea, etc.  I thought it might have been a bad batch, so when they ran out of the old formula, I tried smart blend again.  Nope.  The smart blend makes him VERY sick. I want to let Purina know, but they have no ratings and reviews on their site.  I’m going to have to switch to another brand.  It’s too bad, I’ve had dogs on purina one for years and it’s been a great food.

  • David

     I have had almost the exact same problems with my dog. She’s a 13-year-old black lab/German Shepard mix and last week had diarrhea, loss of appetite and occasional vomiting. After switching her diet for a week at the recommendation of the vet she got all better. I stupidly didn’t realize it was her food that was making her sick and put her right back on the same diet. Two days later she is getting back to the same condition… I’m taking her off this immediately and buying something else. Definitely not worth saving the money on the brand at your dogs expense!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Laura-Hugi/1538263198 Laura Hugi

    I beg you to research this food. Granted Ol’ Roy is worse. Purina is not good for animals.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Laura-Hugi/1538263198 Laura Hugi

    Today I changed my dogs food forever. We have been purchasing Purina One Smart Blends for years, and Purina One before that. We have 3 German Shepard Dogs. Our mixed breed old lady died last summer at 16. We have been having intermittent issues with our white GSD suffering colitis (straining, not eating, bloody diarrhea) on and off since Sept 2011. She has lost weight, usually refuses her food and is just not “right”. Our 110lb boy GSD goes through vomiting in cycles. Always a green/yellow foam. The other GSD female has issues with vomiting, diarrhea on and off. Our vet warned us last year about this food being the cause of all this. The Taste of the Wild sold at my vet is expensive (30lb for $52) and the Purina is 35lb for $30. I started reading about Purina today, I am horrified by the number of pet deaths in just the month of Feb 2012 due to Purina dog/cat food. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/ralston The cost of the medicines we are giving the dogs to combat the diarrhea and vomiting is far beyond the cost of just feeding them the good food.
    Purina is denying there is a problem with their food. I opened a new bag on Thursday. By Friday evening we had 3 GSDs with vomiting and diarrhea, shaking, fever, lethargy. We didn’t put it together until today. I called the vet and went to buy food. I will NEVER purchase from this company again.

  • sandy

    The ingredients are just about the same except for it being lamb so – it’s not any better.

    Lamb, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal, whole grain corn, oat meal, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), soy flakes, soybean meal, glycerin, animal digest, calcium phosphate, fish oil (source of DHA), calcium carbonate, salt, potassium chloride, caramel color, Vitamin E supplement, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, ferrous sulfate, sulfur, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, garlic oil, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite

    Protein 28%, fat 16%

  • Lynda Burgiss

    Do you have a review for Purina One Smartblend Puppy food(a)? Thanks!

  • Lori S

    Amy, you are describing exactly what happened to my 14 yr old Pit Bull after I fed her food from a newly opened bag of Purina One Smartblend Chicken and Rice. I thought I was going to lose her but she pulled through. Did you report your case to Purina? I did and they offered me a coupon for a replacement bag. Uh, thanks but no thanks. I returned the bag to the store for a refund.

  • Robby

    I should say my Dog only gets dry food occasionally. He eats canned the majority of the time. He does love this food however & I’m not taking it away from him.
    I’ve gone through too many Dry foods he wouldn’t eat & I ended up throwing them away or giving them away.
    I also wanted to say how much I appreciate the information this site provides to Dog Lovers. Thx.

  • Robby

    It’s not trash. Ol’ Roy is trash. This…well this is not.

  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja Dog Food Ninja

    Robby, in the high school cafeteria, I remember plenty of my friends who ate nothing but chocolate chip cookies and pizza. Every day. While they certainly appeared healthy, we all know good and well that eating cookies and pizza every single day is not healthful, and given a long enough time-line and average genetics, such a diet would ruin their bodies.

    This food is the dog equivalent of cookies and pizza. If not worse. Again, I must beseech you to look at the listed ingredients and their subsequent definitions. Sometimes it’s not just about “this is what I feed him and he does fine”. How can you look at these ingredients and not just be upset that this is what you’ve been paying 20 or 30 bucks a bag for? It’s trash.

  • Robby

    Bob K. I see no reason to switch really. My dog has no issues w/this food. He loves eating it & it doesn’t upset his stomach.
    His skin allergies are environmental. Has nothing to do w/this food.
    Which isn’t nearly as bad as this “Dog Food Ninja” makes it out to be. Not sure what his diatribe was about.
    Hope he felt better about himself afterwards anyway.