Rating: 
Royal Canin Giant Adult dog food gets the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.
Royal Canin Giant Adult 28 is designed for dogs weighing over 100 pounds and greater than 18 months of age. It’s been formulated to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.
Royal Canin Giant Adult 28
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken meal, brown rice, rice, chicken fat, corn gluten meal, natural chicken flavor, oatmeal, dried beet pulp, dried brewers yeast, anchovy oil (source of DHA), calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, soya oil, sodium tripolyphosphate, salt, dried egg powder, choline chloride, vitamins [dl-alpha tocopherol (source of vitamin E), L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), biotin, D-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A acetate, niacin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement], glucosamine hydrochloride, taurine, trace minerals [zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite], chondroitin sulfate, L-carnitine, rosemary extract, preserved with natural mixed tocopherols and citric acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.5%
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 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 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 ingredient lists 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 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 to sustain life.
This inexpensive plant-based ingredient can significantly boost the total protein content reported in this dog food.
After the natural chicken flavor, we find 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 eighth item lists dried 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 ninth ingredient is dried 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.
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, we find no mention of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
Next, soybean oil… red flagged here only due to its suspected (yet unlikely) link to canine food allergies.
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 Giant Adult Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Royal Canin Giant Adult appears to be an average dog food.
The three basic ingredients in just about every Royal Canin product we’ve reviewed thus far have been chicken meal, rice and either corn or wheat gluten (though not necessarily in that order).
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 20% and estimated carbohydrates of about 41%.
Near average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Yet when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the corn gluten meal as well as the brewers yeast, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a less than average amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Royal Canin Giant Adult is primarily 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.
Those looking for a not-so-giant large breed kibble from the same company may wish to visit our review of Royal Canin Maxi 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
10/22/2010 Original review
08/23/2010 Review updated
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.