Rating: 
Royal Canin Breed-Specific Adult Dog Foods receive the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.
Currently, the Royal Canin Breed-Specific line-up includes thirteen kibbles… each designed for adult dogs. The numbers at the end of each name denote the product’s protein content1.
- Royal Canin Boxer 26 (over 15 months)
- Royal Canin Bulldog 24 (over 12 months)
- Royal Canin Chihuahua 28 (over 8 months)
- Royal Canin Cocker Spaniel 25 (over 12 months)
- Royal Canin Dachshund 28 (over 10 months)
- Royal Canin German Shepherd 24 (over 15 months)
- Royal Canin Golden Retriever 25 (over 15 months)
- Royal Canin Labrador Retriever 30 (over 15 months)
- Royal Canin Miniature Schnauzer 25 (over 10 months)
- Royal Canin Poodle 30 (over 10 months)
- Royal Canin Pug 25 (over 10 months)
- Royal Canin Shih Tzu 24 (over 10 months)
- Royal Canin Yorkshire Terrier 28 (over 10 months)
It’s important to acknowledge there are (of course) differences between these breed-specific recipes.
But there are also notable similarities, too. All thirteen products contain some combination of the same four ingredients… chicken meal, rice, chicken fat and gluten.
Royal Canin Boxer 26 was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Royal Canin Boxer 26
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
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 ingredient is brown rice… a nutritious grain. Once it is cooked, this complex carbohydrate is fairly easy to digest.
The next ingredient is yet another rice component. Since the word “rice” doesn’t really tell us much, it’s difficult to judge the quality of this relatively generic ingredient.
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 entirely gluten-free.
The sixth item is wheat gluten. Gluten is what remains once after wheat has had all its starchy carbohydrate (the nutritious stuff) rinsed out of it. The rubbery residue that’s left is the gluten.
Glutens are inferior (difficult-to-digest) grain-based proteins lacking some of the essential amino acids dogs need for good health.
This inexpensive plant-based ingredient can noticeably boost the protein content reported in this dog food. Wheat gluten is not a quality ingredient.
The seventh item is pork meal. 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” (whatever that is), you’ll come to an item listed as 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 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 completely acceptable.
Soya oil is another term for soybean oil. This soy product is “red flagged” here for its potential connection to canine food allergies.
This dog food also contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to proteins. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
The Bottom Line
Royal Canin Boxer 26 Dog Food boats a solid design. However, it’s still important to take a closer look at the product’s nutrient profile to help determine a final rating.
The dashboard reports a dry matter protein reading of 29%, a fat level of 21% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 43%.
We are aware that making one breed-specific dog food a stand-in for all the others might be a bit of a stretch.
Just the same… most of the differences we observed 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 and every dog food lists chicken meal as its first ingredient. And rice as its second and/or third component.
However, we must recognize Royal Canin here for its well-intended use of specific nutrients in an attempt to address various health issues known to be associated with each breed.
In any case, it’s still hard to ignore the protein-enhancing influence and the low biological value of the inferior gluten meals. We’ve just never been fans of these second-rate meat substitutes.
All things considered, the Royal Canin breed-specific adult product line earns a respectable three stars and is certainly worth a serious look.
Recommended.
Some Final Thoughts
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult your veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food brand… or maybe the review itself?
Please feel free to share your comments below.
- Guaranteed Analysis on an “As Fed” basis ↩
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks, Mike, for recommending a lower fiber food to stop gas in our 2yo Bullmastiff. The Boxer and Bulldog formulas stopped the flatulence. However, we have been on the Bulldog food for the past 5 days and she has been throwing all her food up once a day 6-8 hours after she eats. It is all undigested food. Any thoughts?
Hi Dave… vomiting a completely undigested meal 6-8 hours after eating concerns me. Looks like you need the help of a vet to solve this one. Wish I could help.
When your dog vomits regularly, immediately stop the dog food and give it cooked boiled chicken and rice instead. If he stops vomiting, it was probably the dog food, if he keeps vomiting, rush him to a vet and pay for the test to check for pancreatic problems, a very serious condition, probably caused by food.