Royal Canin Breed-Specific Puppy (Dry)

by Mike Sagman
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Rating: ★★★☆☆

Royal Canin Breed-Specific Puppy foods earn the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.

The Royal Canin Breed-Specific Puppy product line includes four dry dog foods… each designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for growth.

  • Royal Canin Chihuahua Puppy (8 weeks to 8 months)
  • Royal Canin Yorkshire Terrier Puppy (8 weeks to 10 months)
  • Royal Canin German Shepherd Puppy (8 weeks to 15 months)
  • Royal Canin Labrador Retriever Puppy (8 weeks to 15 months)

Royal Canin Chihuahua Puppy 30 was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

Royal Canin Chihuahua Puppy 30

Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 33% | Fat = 21% | Carbs = 38%

Ingredients: Chicken meal, rice, corn gluten meal, chicken fat, oatmeal, brown rice, dried beet pulp, wheat gluten meal, natural chicken flavor, anchovy oil (source of EPA/DHA), sodium silico aluminate, soya oil, fructo-oligosaccharides, dried egg product, potassium chloride, sodium tripolyphosphate, salt, taurine, dried brewers yeast extract (source of mannan-oligosaccharides), 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, trace minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite], marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.), rosemary extract, preserved with natural mixed tocopherols (source of vitamin E) and citric acid

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.1%

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 nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The second ingredient is rice. 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 third item is corn gluten meal. Gluten is the rubbery residue remaining once corn 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 inexpensive plant-based ingredient can significantly boost the total protein content reported in this dog food.

The fourth 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 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 item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient. It’s a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.

The seventh ingredient lists 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 entirely acceptable.

The eighth item is wheat gluten meal. Like corn gluten meal (just discussed), this is yet another grain-based protein booster (meat substitute). Wheat gluten is not a quality ingredient.

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, the yeast extract included here is likely 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.1

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

Thirdly, 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 Puppy Food
The Bottom Line

Although there are differences between the various breed-specific formulas, there are also notable similarities, too. All four puppy products share some combination of the same four ingredients… chicken meal, rice, chicken fat and corn gluten.

In any case, judging by its ingredients alone, Royal Canin Breed-Specific Puppy 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 33%, a fat level of 21% and estimated carbohydrates of about 38%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 34% and a mean fat level of 18%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 40% for the overall product line.

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

However, when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the corn and wheat gluten meals, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing only a moderate amount of meat.

Bottom line?

Royal Canin Breed-Specific Puppy is a plant-based kibble using 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 adult product from the same company may wish to visit our review of Royal Canin Breed-Specific Adult 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 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
08/27/2010 Review updated

  1. 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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  • http://lnoel@lnoel.com Louise NOËL

    How I came to use Tee Tree Oil to prevent ear infections (otitis) in my dog

    I live in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. In 2002 I had a 6 and a haft years old female golden retriever named Fanny. I got her in April 1996, at the age of seven weeks. In May 1996, a few weeks after her first vaccine, she developed an ear infection, which came back many times during that summer and every summer since then, except for the last summer. The triggers seem to be the vaccine she receives or swimming, either in soft or salt water. I have been told that dog with falling ears are more subject to develop ear infections because their ears are less exposed to the drying quality of air. The inside of ears stays constantly humid and this environment is favourable to recurrent ear infections. The hot and humid temperature of summer increases this situation which could explain why all of Fanny’s ear infections have happened in the summer. It seems that after a dog has had a first ear infection, she is more susceptible to have more, even if the first was well treated with antibiotics.

    Until spring of 2002, each time Fanny had an ear infection, I treated her with the antibiotic prescribed by the veterinary. This medication is excellent to cure ear infections. However it can’t be use as prevention and it has a disadvantage: it is an oily product that stick to the hairs of the dog’s ears and then spread to the hairs of the head and neck. When the dog plays outside, dust and dirt also stick to this oily stuff. After a few days the dog’s head gets very dirty and must be wash. I have tried alcohol to clean the hairs with little success. Moreover the repetitive use of an antibiotic (in Fanny’s case: 2 – 3 times each summer!) seems to me questionable, without taking into account the cost implied. It is know that bacteria develop with time a resistance to antibiotics. I am afraid that this antibiotic being use very often will become less and less effective. And anyhow, I think preferable on the medical and social perspective to limit as much as possible the utilisation of antibiotics: they become less and less effective, they must be replaced constantly and this is dangerous for the animal as well as the human health.

    For all the reasons mentioned before, I was very happy when I came upon an article by Jonathan Margolis titled L’huile miracle (The Miracle Oil) in an issue of the October 2001 Reader’s Digest (French Canadian edition, pp.: 96 – 100). This article described the antiseptics effects of Tee Tree Oil for a variety of infections. I decide to try it as prevention for Fanny’s recurrent ear infections.

    Many companies produce Tee Tree Oil and it comes in various presentations.
    After a research on Internet, I chose a company which produces are available in the health stores of the city where I live: Montreal (Quebec, Canada).
    I then e-mailed this company to ask if this produce could be useful in Fanny’s case or, in the contrary, if it could be harmful. In their answer they cited Cynthia Olsen in her book First Aid Handbook – 101 Plus ways to use Tee Tree Oil who recommend this produce for ear infections. (Note that I do not know Ms Olsen and that I have not read her book.)
    Ms Olsen suggest mixing pure Tee Tree Oil with olive oil before putting it in the ear. However I did not want to use oil because I did not want to use a produce that would make the hair oily (See the part: How I tried to solve this problem until spring of 2002.)
    Since I was afraid that the use of pure Tee Tree Oil would cause irritation in the ears, I chose a Water soluble solution with 15% Tee Tree Oil with lavender (Optional – lavender also has antiseptics qualities):
    Being water-soluble this lotion can be mix with the liquid that I use regularly to clean Fanny’s ears. This liquid does not make the hairs oily.
    With lavender, this lotion has a very pleasant odor. Without lavender, the Tee Tree Oil odor is good too.
    This solution is offered in two size: 10ml (about 6.75$ Canadians) and 50ml (about 13.45$ Canadians). So it was possible to try it at minimum cost.

    How I used it
    In a small dark glass bottle,
    I put about ⅓ (1 volume) of tee Tree Oil,
    For ⅔ (2 volumes) of cleaning liquid (Bought from the veterinary).
    The result is a lightly milky liquid. It is important to use a dark glass bottle to protect the mix from the light. Jonathan Margolis in his article mentioned that Tee Tree Oil can lose it’s efficacy if it is not sold in dark glass containers, kept out of light’s way in the house and rapidly used once open.

    Since what I wanted was a preventive effect and that one of Fanny’s ear infections trigger is the vaccines she receive each spring, I started the application of the mix about two weeks before she received those vaccines, in the beginning of April 2002.
    I applied the mix every two days.
    I applied the content of about one dropper in each ear.
    Since swimming is another trigger, I applied the mix every evening of the days where Fanny went swimming.
    In August, we spent two weeks at the lake and during this period she swam every day. I cheeked her ears every day and, when I saw some redness, I applied the mix twice a day.
    Back from those vacations, for one or two weeks, I had to continue the twice a day application.
    In October 2002, I was back to an application every two days.
    Note that I have tried to use the Tee Tree Oil lotion by itself. The result was not as satisfactory. The mix of the Tee Tree Oil with the cleaning liquid is better because the ears stay cleaner.
    On the other hand the cleaning liquid alone does not prevent ear infections in Fanny. I have tried it before with no success.

    Results
    NO EAR INFECTIONS THREW ALL SUMMER!
    The ear hairs do not become oily or dirty.
    I am completely satisfied.
    I have use this process until Fanny’s death in January 2010 at 14 years old with the same good result. I did not have to use antibiotics for this problem again.

    Warning
    I am a dog owner only. I have no formation in veterinary medicine or in any other allied sciences. I have tried the 15% Tee Tree Oil water-soluble solution with lavender and it worked on my dog the way I have described in this text. I did not observed any negative secondary effect on my dog. This is not a guaranty that this produce will function for other dogs with the same problem. Also, this is not a guaranty that this produce could not be detrimental.

    I am very happy to have found this way to prevent ear infections in my dog and I am please to share it with you. However, if you decide to try this produce yourself, It will be at your own risks. I decline all responsibility.

    I have no financial or other interest in this produce or in the companies mentioned here.

    Louise Noel

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Sandra… Have you tried going grain-free? You may want to read my previous post about “Dangerous Canine Diseases Linked to Grains in Dog Food“. Be sure to read the whole article… especially the part about mites and their causal relationship to atopic dermatitis.

    If you decide to make the switch, be sure to do so very gradually and with your pet’s blessing. Hope this helps.

  • Sandra Kay

    As you may remember our “Eli Red” standard poodle puppy is now 10 months old. For the past 2-3 months he has had an on-going (comes and goes) ear infection. The same condition occured in our last (2) standards during this same time of life. The groomer sterilizes the ear hair pulling equipment between each dog. It seems to me that the Vet doesn’t use enough or the right kind of treatment ($150 per visit) to get ride of the ear infection (fungus and bacteria) until it lingers. I believe they don’t want to use drugs over a prolonged period of time, cut treatment off after a week or two and the infection re-surfaces, even though the ears are being kept clean and dry each day.
    This last visit the Vet suggested that it might be the food we are feeding (a mixture of dry and canned Ultra Puppy and Wellness puppy/turkey/chicken/sweetpotatoe). I don’t want to switch to a lower quality food. Our Vet also sells the Science Diet products, so I am suspecious of a suggestion to switch foods as a potential cure.
    With our other (2) dogs we feed them junk grocery store food because we didn’t know any better and they had the same ear infection problem from 7-12 month of age.
    Any suggestions?