Rating: 
Solid Gold dry dog food earns the Advisor’s above-average rating of 4 stars.
The Solid Gold Dog Food product line includes nine dry kibbles, six meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance, two for growth (puppy recipes) and one for all life stages (Just a Wee Bit).
- Solid Gold Sun Dancer
- Solid Gold Wolf Cub Puppy
- Solid Gold Barking at the Moon
- Solid Gold Holistique Blendz Adult
- Solid Gold Hundchen Flocken Puppy
- Solid Gold WolfKing Large Breed Adult
- Solid Gold Hund-n-Flocken Adult (3 stars)
- Solid Gold MMillennia Beef and Barley Adult
- Solid Gold Just a Wee Bit Small Breed All Life Stages
With the exception of Barking at the Moon and Sun Dancer (which received a higher rating) and Holistique Blendz (a lower one), Solid Gold Wolfcub Puppy was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Solid Gold Wolfcub Puppy
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Bison, ocean fish meal, brown rice, millet, cracked pearled barley, rice bran, canola oil, tomato pomace, flaxseed, natural flavoring, salmon oil (source of DHA), choline chloride, taurine, dried chicory root, parsley flakes, pumpkin meal, almond oil, sesame oil, Yucca schidigera extract, thyme, blueberries, cranberries, carrots, broccoli, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium panthothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid
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 lists bison. Bison is a highly digestible and remarkably lean meat. Like all meats, it is notably rich in all ten amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is ocean fish meal. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, fish meal contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself.
Fish meal is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations.1
Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. Because various fish contain different types of fats, we would have preferred to have known the source species.
We are pleased to note that, unlike many fish meals, this particular item appears2 to be ethoxyquin-free.
The third ingredient is brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The fourth ingredient is millet, a gluten-free grain harvested from certain seed grasses. Millet is hypoallergenic and naturally rich in B-vitamins and fiber as well as other essential minerals.
The fifth ingredient lists barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. Unlike grains with a higher glycemic index, barley can help support more stable blood sugar levels.
The sixth ingredient is rice bran, a healthy by-product of milling whole grain rice. The bran is the fiber-rich outer layer of the grain containing starch, protein, fat as well as vitamins and minerals.
The seventh ingredient is canola oil. Many applaud canola for its favorable omega-3 content while a vocal minority condemn it as an unhealthy fat.
Much of the objection regarding canola oil appears to be related to the use of genetically modified rapeseed as its raw material source.
Current thinking (ours included) finds the negative stories about canola oil more the stuff of urban legend than actual science.3
In any case, plant-based oils like canola are less biologically available to a dog than fish oil as a source of quality omega-3 fats.
The eighth ingredient is tomato pomace. Tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient, a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.
Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content, while others scorn it as an inexpensive pet food filler.
Just the same, there’s probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.
The ninth ingredient is flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.
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 three notable exceptions…
First, chicory root is naturally rich in a substance called inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
Next, salmon oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.
Depending on its level of freshness and purity, salmon oil should be considered a commendable addition.
And lastly, this food also contains 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.
Solid Gold Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Solid Gold Dry 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 an estimated carbohydrate content of 50%.
Excluding the higher-rated Barking at the Moon, the brand features an average protein content of 27% and an average fat level of 13%.
Together, these figures suggest an overall carbohydrate content of 52% for the full product line.
Near-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-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?
Solid Gold dry dog food is a grain-based kibble using a moderate amount of named meat meals as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars.
Highly recommended.
Those looking for a meatier food from the same company may wish to visit our review of Solid Gold Barking at the Moon Dog Food.
Special Alert
Rice ingredients can sometimes contain arsenic. Until the US FDA establishes safe upper levels for arsenic content, pet owners may wish to limit the total amount of rice fed in a dog's daily diet.
A Final Word
The descriptions and analyses expressed in this and every article on this website represent the views and opinions of the author.
Although it's our goal to ensure all the information on this website is correct, we cannot guarantee its completeness or its accuracy; nor can we commit to ensuring all the material is kept up-to-date on a daily basis.
Each review is offered in good faith and has been 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 analyze each product, please 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 qualified veterinary professional for help.
In closing, we do not accept money, gifts or samples from pet food companies in exchange for special consideration in the preparation of our reviews or ratings.
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Notes and Updates
12/05/2009 Original review
06/11/2011 Review updated (added Sun Dancer)
03/03/2012 Review updated (example changed to Wolfcub Puppy)
03/03/2012 Last Update
- Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
- Solid Gold Customer Service, 4/24/2012 ↩
- Mikkelson, B and DP, Oil of Ole, Urban Legends Reference Pages (2005) ↩
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