Rating: 
Skoki Dog Food earns the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
The Skoki Dog Food brand includes just one kibble which meets AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
This dog food is intended “for maintenance feeding, a dry skin and coat and can be used to address common allergies”.1
Skoki kibble is produced by the same company that manufactures FirstMate Dog Food.
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=2509&action=edit
Skoki
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken meal, pearled barley, oat meal, rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), fish meal, potassium chloride, methionine, choline chloride,calcium propionate, minerals (zinc, iron, manganese, copper, iodine, cobalt, selenium), vitamins (vitamin E,vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, dpantothenic acid, thiamine, vitamin A, pyridoxine, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12, vitamin D3), glucosamine
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 26% | 12% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 29% | 13% | 50% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 26% | 29% | 45% |
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 barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. Unlike grains with a higher glycemic index (like rice), barley can help support stable blood sugar levels in dogs.
The third ingredient is oatmeal… a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally rich in fiber, B-vitamins and is (unlike many other grains) mostly gluten-free.
The fourth item is rice. Is this whole grain rice, brown rice or white rice? Since the word “rice” doesn’t tell us much, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this item.
The fifth 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. Though it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is a quality ingredient.
Fish meal is another protein-rich meat concentrate.
Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. Because various fish contain different types of fats, we would have preferred to have known the source species.
Fish meal is commonly made from the by-products of commercial fish operations.
We are pleased to note that, unlike many fish meals, this particular item appears2 to be ethoxyquin-free.
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 affect the overall rating of this product.
With two notable exceptions…
First, we find no mention of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
And lastly, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Non-chelated minerals are usually associated with lower quality dog foods.
Skoki Dog Food… the Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Skoki Dog Food appears to be an above-average kibble.
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 13% and estimated carbohydrates of about 50%.
Average protein. Below-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Skoki Dog Food is a grain-based kibble using a moderate amount of chicken meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly 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 specific health benefits 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
05/09/2010 Original review
12/09/2010 Review updated
12/09/2010 Last Update
- FirstMate Pet Foods, 5/9/2010 ↩
- Skoki website FAQ page, 5/9/2010 ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.
Pingback: Best Dry Dog Foods « winnipegfashion