Rating: 
Royal Canin Cynotechnique Energy 4800 dry dog food receives the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.
According to the manufacturer, Royal Canin Cynotechnique Energy is designed for “adult dogs who need to make sustained physical effort”.
These working animals would include “sheepdogs, hunting dogs, sled dogs, emergency rescue dogs and greyhounds”.
We found no AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for this dog food on the Royal Canin website.
Royal Canin Cynotechnique Energy 4800
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken meal, chicken fat (preserved with natural mixed tocopherols, rosemary extract, and citric acid), corn gluten meal, ground corn, rice, natural chicken flavor, beet pulp, salmon oil, sodium silico aluminate, ground psyllium seed, potassium chloride, rice hulls, fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), sodium chloride, monocalcium phosphate, choline chloride, brewers yeast extract (Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation solubles), L-lysine, Vitamins [dl-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), biotin, d-calcium pantothenate, niacin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), folic acid], taurine, trace minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate], glucosamine hydrochloride, marigold extract, chondroitin sulfate, L-carnitine
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.8%
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 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 third ingredient mentions 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 to sustain life.
This inexpensive plant-based ingredient can significantly boost the total protein content reported in this dog food.
The fourth ingredient lists corn. Now, contrary to what you may have heard, corn isn’t necessarily a bad ingredient.
On the other hand, although there’s no way to know for sure here, the corn used in making many pet foods can be similar to the kind used to make feed for livestock.
And that can sometimes be problematic.
What’s more, corn is commonly linked to canine food allergies1.
For these reasons, we rarely consider corn a preferred component in any dog food.
The fifth 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.
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.
The salmon oil listed here is naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids… essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life.
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 three notable exceptions…
First, the yeast extract listed 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 Cynotechnique Dog Food
The Bottom Line
This strangely-named blend is actually a type of product commonly known as a high energy dog food… a formula designed especially for active or working animals.
And it has the caloric credentials to prove it… nearly 600 calories per cup!
Judging by its ingredients alone, Royal Canin Cynotechnique Energy 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 36%, a fat level of 33% and estimated carbohydrates of about 23%.
Above-average protein. High fat. And low carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.
In any case, when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the corn gluten meal, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing an average amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Royal Canin Cynotechnique Energy 4800 is a plant-based dry dog food using a moderate amount of chicken meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand three stars.
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 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
01/21/2010 Original review
08/22/2010 Review updated
- White, S., Update on food allergy in the dog and cat, World Small Animal Veterinary Association, Vancouver, 2001 ↩
- L-Glutamic Acid, FDA Select Committee on GRAS Substances ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.