Rating: 
Purina Pro Plan Selects dry dog food receives the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.
Currently, the Purina Pro Plan Selects product includes six kibbles… one designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for growth (puppies) and five for adult maintenance.
- Purina Pro Plan Selects Natural Beef and Barley
- Purina Pro Plan Selects Natural Turkey and Barley
- Purina Pro Plan Selects Natural Salmon and Brown Rice
- Purina Pro Plan Selects Natural Chicken and Brown Rice
- Purina Pro Plan Selects Puppy Natural Turkey and Barley
- Purina Pro Plan Selects Senior Natural Turkey and Barley
Purina Pro Plan Selects Natural Beef and Barley Dog Food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Purina Pro Plan Selects Natural Beef and Barley
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Beef, barley, brewers dried yeast, brewers rice, chicken meal (natural source of glucosamine), dried egg product, oat meal, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of vitamin E), dried beet pulp, pea protein, fish oil, natural flavor, salt, potassium chloride, calcium phosphate, dried carrots, dried tomatoes, dried sweet potatoes, calcium carbonate, vitamin E supplement, l-lysine monohydrochloride, zinc proteinate, dl-methionine, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), manganese proteinate, ferrous sulfate, niacin, copper proteinate, vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), sodium selenite
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.5%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 27% | 17% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 31% | 19% | 42% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 26% | 39% | 35% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is beef. Although it is a quality item, raw beef contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the meat content to just 20% of its original weight.
To reflect its lighter mass, this item should more accurately occupy a lower position on the list.
Which brings us to barley… the second and (more likely) the dominant ingredient in this dog food.
Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. Unlike grains with a higher glycemic index (like rice), barley can help support stable blood sugar levels in dogs.
The third ingredient mentions brewers dried yeast. Although it is a by-product of the beer making process, brewers yeast contains about 45% protein… and is rich in other healthy nutrients.
The fourth 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 fifth ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The sixth ingredient is dried egg product… a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries… from eggs that have failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The seventh ingredient is oatmeal… a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally rich in B-vitamins, fiber and is (unlike many other grains) mostly gluten-free.
The ninth item is 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 stuff could come from almost anywhere… restaurant grease, slaughterhouse waste, diseased cattle… even euthanized pets.
Needless to say, generic animal fat is not a quality ingredient.
The tenth ingredient is 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 have much of an effect on the overall rating of this product.
With two exceptions…
Unfortunately, this Purina Pro Plan food also contains menadione… a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.
We also note this food contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Purina Pro Plan Selects
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Purina Pro Plan Selects appears to be at least a decent 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 31%, a fat level of 19% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 42%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 32% and an average fat level of 19%. Together, these figures suggest an overall carbohydrate content of 41% for the full product line.
Moderate protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs… when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Yet when you consider the (non-animal sourced) protein-boosting effect of the brewers dried yeast, this is the profile of a kibble containing only a moderate amount of meat.
What’s more, we believe it’s unfortunate the company chooses to include a low-quality generic animal fat and a controversial form of vitamin K in its recipes.
Bottom line?
Purina Pro Plan Selects is a plant-based dry dog food using only a moderate amount of poultry, beef or salmon as its main sources of animal protein… thus barely earning the brand three stars.
Recommended.
Those looking for a wet food from the same company may wish to visit our review of Purina Pro Plan Selects Canned 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 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 brand… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Other spellings: Proplan
Notes and Updates
12/02/2009 Original review
07/13/2010 Review updated
08/21/2010 Review updated
08/21/2010 Last Update
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.