Royal Canin Breed-Specific Adult (Dry)

by Mike Sagman
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Rating: ★★★☆☆

Royal Canin Breed-Specific Adult dog foods receive the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.

The Royal Canin Breed-Specific product line includes thirteen dry dog foods… each designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.

The numbers at the end of each name denote the product’s protein content1.

  • Royal Canin Pug 25 (over 10 months)
  • Royal Canin Boxer 26 (over 15 months)
  • Royal Canin Poodle 30 (over 10 months)
  • Royal Canin Bulldog 24 (over 12 months)
  • Royal Canin Shih Tzu 24 (over 10 months)
  • Royal Canin Chihuahua 28 (over 8 months)
  • Royal Canin Dachshund 28 (over 10 months)
  • Royal Canin Cocker Spaniel 25 (over 12 months)
  • Royal Canin Golden Retriever 25 (over 15 months)
  • Royal Canin Yorkshite Terrier 28 (over 10 months)
  • Royal Canin German Shepherd 24 (over 15 months)
  • Royal Canin Labrador Retriever 30 (over 15 months)
  • Royal Canin Miniature Schnauzer 25 (over 10 months)

Royal Canin Boxer 26 dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

Royal Canin Boxer 26

Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 29% | Fat = 21% | Carbs = 43%

Ingredients: Chicken meal, brown rice, rice, chicken fat, oatmeal, wheat gluten meal, pork meal, natural chicken flavor, dried beet pulp, sodium silico aluminate, pea fiber, anchovy oil (source of EPA/DHA), soya oil, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, potassium citrate, sodium tripolyphosphate, DL-methionine, dried brewers yeast extract (source of mannan-oligosaccharides), taurine, Vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), inositol, niacin supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), D-calcium pantothenate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A acetate, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement], choline chloride, glucosamine hydrochloride, L-carnitine, marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.), trace minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite], L-tyrosine, tea (green tea extract), lycopene, chondroitin sulfate, rosemary extract, preserved with natural mixed tocopherols (source of vitamin E) and citric acid

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%

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 almost 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 is yet another rice component. Is this whole grain rice, brown rice or white rice? Since the word “rice” doesn’t tell us much, it’s difficult to judge the quality of this item.

The fourth item is chicken fat… a product obtained from rendering chicken… a process similar to making soup in which the fatty layer 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, this is considered a quality addition.

The fifth ingredient is oatmeal… a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally rich in fiber, B-vitamins and (unlike many other grains) is mostly gluten-free.

The sixth ingredient lists wheat gluten meal… the rubbery residue remaining once wheat has had most of its starchy carbohydrate (the good stuff) washed out of it.

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

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

The seventh ingredient lists pork meal… another protein-rich meat concentrate

Delivering the same concentrated protein as chicken meal, this item may be a little too far down the list to have much effect on this product.

After the natural chicken flavor, we find 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 four notable exceptions…

First, we note the listing of soybean oil… red flagged here only due to its suspected (yet unlikely) link to canine food allergies.

Secondly, the yeast extract mentioned here is probably used as a flavor and immune system enhancer. Although you may have heard otherwise, the glutamic acid found in yeast extract is a food additive generally recognized as safe by the USFDA.2

Next, we find no mention of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.

And lastly, this food does contain 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.

Royal Canin Breed-Specific Adult Dog Food
The Bottom Line

We’re aware that using one breed-specific dog food as an example for all the others might be a bit of a stretch.

Just the same, most of the differences we observed between the foods were subtle. Plus the first four or five items on nearly every list were dominated by the same basic ingredients.

With the sole exception of the Miniature Schnauzer product, each product lists chicken meal as its first ingredient. And rice as its second (or third) component.

So, judging by its ingredients alone, Royal Canin Breed-Specific Adult appears to be an average dry dog food.

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 21% and estimated carbohydrates of about 43%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 29% and a mean fat level of 16%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 47% for the overall product line.

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

Yet when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the corn or wheat glutens as well as the soy, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing only a moderate amount of meat.

Bottom line?

Royal Canin Breed-Specific Adult is a plant-based dry dog food using only a moderate amount of chicken meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand three stars.

Recommended.

Those looking for a similar kibble for puppies from the same company may wish to visit our review of Royal Canin Breed-Specific Puppy 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… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.

Notes and Updates

01/23/2010 Original review
08/26/2010 Review updated

  1. Guaranteed Analysis on an “As Fed” basis ↩
  2. L-Glutamic Acid, FDA Select Committee on GRAS Substances ↩
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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  • sandy

    Misty,

    Dogs don’t chew! Their teeth are designed to rip flesh and swallow whole! Kibble shapes don’t do anything special. It’s a rip off.

  • Rebecca

    I would go back to Earthborn. It is better quality than RC. Most vets learn little about nutrition and what they do learn comes from pet food companies themselves. If your dog is eating fast and gulping his food, you could place a ball in his dish that he has to eat around or feed him from a “slow feed” dog bowl.

  • melissa

    Rachelle-0

    Given that your dog came with not one, but TWO foods that are limited purpose/ingredients, I suspect that your dog has stomach issues and you may not want to “rock the boat” with switching him off of it. I would stick with the Natural Balance-easier to pay the price for the food, then for a flare up of whatever the dogs’ condition is.

  • sandy

    Better food, better nutrition, less vet bills!!

  • Bob K

    Rachelle Cashion – What dog foods are available near you? Do you live near a Menards, Costco or Farm & Fleet? Costco has a Kirkland brand (4stars), Menards sells Diamond Natural (4 Stars) and Nutro Max (3 stars), Blains Farm and Fleet has Taste of The Wild (4 Stars) and a few other brands.

    Remember to transition sowly to new dog foods, also take him to the vet for a full checkup including a full Fecal test for parasites including: Giardia, Crypto and Coddidia along with a Heartworm test. I suspect somewhere in your adoption contract you also need obedience class.

    Rather than skimp on quality dog food, how about eating lunch out one less time a week or one less Starbucks a week so your dog can eat a great food.

  • Rachelle Cashion

    Thank you for an amazing compilation of information! We are the proud new adoptive owners of a German Shepherd who is TWO today! We received two dry dog foods for him: Hills I/D Gastrointestinal Health and Natural Balance LID (Lamb & Brown Rice). He also “came” with a love of cheese sticks (treat) and chicken added to his meal.
    I appreciate how much I’ve learned about dog food from your site! I will not continue with Hills and cannot continue with Natural Balance (a bit pricey). Any thoughts/advice? We have yet to introduce Guinness to the vet but will also seek his recommendation. Thank you again! I am studying as fast as I can…before I run out of Natural Balance! ;)
    ~Rachelle

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  • Bob K

    Debbie – Its not all that hard to get a dog to loose weight. 1.) Exercise more for both you and the dog, 2.) Cut down half the snacks and treats 3.) Feed what is recommended for a dog your size (Yes – Measure or weigh it) 4.) Play more with your dog 5.) Cut down half the table scraps and left overs.

    Diamond Natural Lite is a 3 star food without corn that is a third the price of what you are currently feeding your dog. A few other 4 star options: Premium Edge lite, Professional Adult Dog Rice & Chicken Low-Fat Formula, Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Adult Dog Light Formula, Vet’s Choice Holistic Health Extension Lite, NutriSource® Weight Management Chicken & Rice Formula

  • sandy

    Debbie,

    All the dogs that were on a diet here at my house lost weight on the foods I listed above, not DIET foods!! I feed them a food with at least 30% protein and grain free and watch the calories. My dog that still needs to lose maybe 3 pounds is eating 2/3 cup a day. He’s 30 lbs down from 38. One of my other pugs was eating half & half Merrick Wilderness with Blue Buffalo Wilderness and lost weight as well. Went from 28 to 24 pounds eating 1 cup a day and walking daily. It’s too hot and humid right now in TX for walks so everyone is eating 2/3 cup. The pug vet said weight loss of just 2-5% per month is good for them. I lean towards the lower end and don’t push them too hard at losing weight fast since it’s more like a lifetime diet change, healthy eating change. When cooler weather comes, we’ll be walking daily for sure. Just keep their calories in check and take into account all treats. Maybe start your pug diet at 350 calories (treats included!)

  • Debbie

    thank you everyone for your input…its just I have an over weight pug and was looking for something for her to get her weight down but not something thats almost all corn….the Iams I was getting is a large bag of food…not the little one… I was curious as to what other people fed theres..and I was going on the vets recommendation of the breed specific Royal Canin and she also mentioned Blue Buffalo…

  • melissa

    Sounds like Debbie is paying Ny prices! In this area, Iams is fairly “expensive” depending on where you get it. Its amazing how eye opening it is when you look for higher rated foods and discover that they are not so much more. I personally steer away from anything that claims “breed specific” because no matter what the breed, dogs typically require the same nutrition, unless a medical issue is present. I do not think the breed specific RC warrants any type of higher pricing, and I personally would look for others.

    Debbie-

    A higher price does not equal better quality as I think most of us here have learned. If you can afford the Iams prices, you can afford without stretching the budget many of the 4 star or higher foods.

  • Jonathan

    And all those foods Sandy mentioned are less per pound then the little 2.5 pound bag of Royal Canin. :-) That was my point above, Debbie. It doesn’t need to be expensive to be better. $17 bucks for Iams?? Jeeze!

  • sandy

    Debbie,

    My pugs have eaten several brands. Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream, Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon and Duck formulas, Core Reduced Fat, Natures Variety Prairie Salmon and Prairie Chicken formulas, Natures Variety Instinct Duck & Turkey, Amicus, Brothers fish formula, Merrick Turducken and Wilderness formulas, Natures Select Salmon & Sweet Potato and Natures Select Grain Free and the Natures Select Hi Protein (only 27%, not high at all). No GI issues with any of these. I feed mine 2/3 to 1 cup a day depending on the calorie count of the food. I keep their calories at 350-400 a day.

  • Bob K

    Debbie – There is a big difference in dog food prices and more money is does not mean better food. You need to do your homework and be a smart educated consumer. For a rough idea of prices check out: https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmNw5KB82-n_dGtyOEpVVXhPQ2tfeU1FUGdEdjVnTkE&hl=en#gid=0

    Of course prices may have changed in the last 6 months and depending where you live and what stores are available, your options may be different.

  • Debbie

    thanks Jonathon but I wanted to know if anyone had any problems with it ? All dog foods are high priced if you want a quality one…right now I am feeding mine Iam’s proactive weight control a two star that cost me 17.00 a bag so if I’m gonna feed my pugs a better food at a high price it will be worth it to spend a little more…

  • Jonathan

    Sure, Debbie, I can give you some feedback on the entire breed-specific line. It’s a gimmicky, over-priced 3-star food that costs more than twice as much per pound than Earthborn Primitive Natural or Taste of the Wild. :-)

  • Debbie

    Any one out there have any feed back on the Royal Canin for pugs?

  • Bob K

    V – There are lots of supplements for dogs perhaps an Omega 3 (fish) and Omega 6 (safflower) combo pill or there are also some food supplements such as PETCO Omega Plus Skin & Coat Supplement for Dogs.

    Bathing every 2 weeks is pretty frequent, Why? Does he smell? Back off to bathing three weeks or a month if you can. Make sure you get all the shampoo off, rinse him good. Does he scratch or bite himself? Lots of dogs have dandruff but a good diet helps greatly for most dogs.

    As I stated in the previous posting, there are lots of dog foods that use chicken meal, rice, brown rice, oatmeal,……. You’ll have to do some research on whats available in your area. A few possibilities: 1.) Diamond Naturals Chicken & Rice Adult Dog Formula, 2.) HealthWise Chicken Meal & Oatmeal Adult 3.) Premium Edge Adult Dog Chicken, Rice & Vegetables Formula 4.) NutriSource Adult Chicken & Rice 5.) CANIDAE® Chicken & Rice formula Best of luck, reading the dog food bags.

  • V

    Bob K- can’t remember the type of food cause it has been a long time. Yes, I did transition the food slowly instead of replacing it. I bathe him every 2 weeks with Vets Best shampoo. We do pay alot for his food and it would be great if we could change it something less expensive.

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