Solid Gold Holistique Blendz (Dry)

by Mike Sagman
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Rating: ★★★☆☆

Solid Gold Holistique Blendz dog food earns the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.

According to the company, Solid Gold Holistique Blendz is a dry dog food designed for less active adult or senior dogs and meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.

Solid Gold Holistque Blendz Adult

Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 20% | Fat = 7% | Carbs = 65%

Ingredients: Oatmeal, cracked pearled barley, millet, ocean fish meal, potatoes, canola oil, tomato pomace, flaxseed, natural flavor, salmon oil (source of DHA), choline chloride, taurine, dried chicory root, amaranth, parsley flakes, spearmint, almond oil, sesame oil, Yucca schidigera extract, kelp, thyme, blueberries, cranberries, apples, lentils, quinoa, 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 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

The first ingredient in this dog food lists 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 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 lists millet… gluten-free grains harvested from certain seed grasses. Millet is hypoallergenic and naturally rich in B-vitamins and fiber… as well as other essential minerals.

The fourth ingredient is ocean fish meal. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, fish meal contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself.

Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. The term “ocean fish” does little to adequately describe the source of this ingredient.

We are pleased to note that, unlike most fish meals, this particular item1 appears to be ethoxyquin-free.

The fifth ingredient is potato. Assuming they are whole, potatoes are a good source of digestible carbohydrates and other healthy nutrients.

The sixth ingredient includes canola oil. Most applaud canola for its favorable omega-3 content… while a vocal minority condemn it as an unhealthy fat.

Current thinking (ours included) finds the negative stories about canola oil more the stuff of urban legend than actual science.2

Tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient… a by-product left after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.

Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content… while others scorn it as a cheap pet food filler laden with pesticides found on the skin of the tomato before processing.

Just the same, there’s probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.

The eighth 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.

After the natural flavor, we find salmon oil. Like flaxseed, salmon oil is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. This is a welcome addition.

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 two notable exceptions…

First, we find no evidence 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 amino acids. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are generally found in better dog foods.

Solid Gold Holistique Blendz Dog Food
The Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredients alone, Solid Gold Holistique Blendz Dog Food appears to be a grain-heavy 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.

With four of the first five ingredients non-meat items, we have little confidence that there’s much animal protein in this dog food.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 20%, a fat level of 7% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 65%.

Low protein. Very low fat. And unusually high carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.

With no evidence of any plant-based protein concentrates, this is the profile of a kibble containing only a limited amount of meat.

Bottom line?

Solid Gold Holistique Blendz Dog Food is a plant-based dry kibble using a minimal amount of fish meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand three stars.

Recommended.

Those looking for a quality kibble from the same company may wish to visit our review of Solid Gold Barking at the Moon Dog Food.

A Final Word

This review is provided 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

02/07/2010 Original review
07/16/2010 Review updated
09/13/2010 Review updated

  1. About Solid Gold, 2/7/2010 ↩
  2. Mikkelson, B and DP, Oil of Ole, Urban Legends Reference Pages (2005), retrieved 12/05/2009 ↩
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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  • Terryann

    Veterinarians usually know very little about food, in my experience. My vet seems to push whatever her sales rep has pushed on her.

  • http://www.slideshare.net/flexmassager/plantar-fasciitis-quick-guide-to-stretch-it-away-for-treatment Harold Cordner

    I have been reading Solid Gold Holistique Blendz Dog Food | Review and Rating for a while, but I finally got around to posting. Thanks for all of the information, you have created a great resource here.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Robert… Canola’s only red flagged because it’s controversial. Not because I’m against it. But when it comes to beneficial fats, canola’s nowhere near as healthy as fish oil.

  • Robert

    I just switched my Dog to this food from Iams. He seems to like it and he hasn’t had any bouts with Diarrhea. So far so good.
    A girl I worked with who’s also a dog owner suggested I eliminate Wheat & Corn from his diet. She said it helped with her dogs itching and flaky skin.
    I see that Canola Oil is highlighted in Red. I have read elsewhere that Canola Oil is good for a Dog. Later on I see you mention most applaud Canola Oil while a vocal minority condemn it. I assume you’re in the vocal minority since you have it as a red item?

  • Michelle

    Hi Allyson, If I were you, I would look around for a LID – limited ingredient diet, for your dog with the sensitive stomach.Their are lots to choose from,but a few that come to mind are: California Natural, and Natural Balance.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Allyson… Not sure how to answer this question since I’m not privy to the manufacturing history of this product. Only the label. Unfortunately, due to the biological uniqueness of each pet, I cannot provide customized reviews and product comparisons for each reader. For more help, please check out my reviews and visit our FAQ page. Look for the topic, “Help Me Choose a Dog Food”. Or check back for a possible response from one of our other readers. Wish I could be more help.

  • Allyson

    I opened a new bag of Holistique blend yesterday and I noticed the kibble was much smaller than ever before. I tried serving to my dog (who has been eating Solid Gold for 10 years!) and he refused to eat it – no matter what I tried to mix it with.

    I called Solid Gold and they were very rude and said their manufacturing process has changed, not the formula and hung up on me!!!

    I don’t know what to do – my dog has a very sensitive stomach and I don’t know what food to try – any suggestions????

  • Jonathan

    Hey Solid gold user, this is a great example of why I favor product rotation. It’s amazing how “stubborn” a dog’s system can become from eating the same exact thing ever day for years… so stubborn that just a product source change can cause a problem. Maybe consider rotating proteins every bag (slowly at first with long mix times!) then getting him to where you can rotate on different brands every few months.

  • Solid Gold user for years

    I always thought Solid Gold made a good product. Even now, I wouldn’t say it is bad, just that there is a problem. My older dog has been eating solid gold for years. When we opened the latest bag, I noticed the food was lighter in color. I also noticed the kibble was slightly smaller. I didn’t think that much of it. When my dog had diarrhea, then later refused to eat the Holistique Blendz, I thought I should contact the company. Their response was very surprising to me. It was basically that the manufacturing had been changed. While the ingredients had not changed, the sourcing had. OK. Now, here’s the kicker. It went on to say “Pets that are a bit more sensitive may exhibit food refusal or minor digestive concerns such as soft stools, with changes in ingredient sourcing”. Well, to this I say — dogs don’t talk, they can’t say “the food is different” — I can see that it looks different, but I don’t know whether the ingredients have changed or just the sourcing of them — if my dog, (who by the way has never missed or refused a meal — ever) is having diarrhea — and is refusing to eat the food — I think (and this is just my conclusion) there is more to this than “sourcing”! Buyer beware.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Jody… Although we’ve not been impressed with quality of some of Hill’s ingredients or meat content, there are number of experts who endorse their urinary products.

    There’s an excellent article about urinary stones that discusses this problem and makes some practical suggestions for controlling the problem.

    In any case, since I’m not a veterinarian, I cannot provide specific health advice or product recommendations. Please see our FAQ page and our reviews for more information. Or check back for a possible response from one of our other readers. Wish I could be more help.

  • Jody

    Hi Roger,
    I have had my dog since he was a pup (almost 3 1/2 years) with no health problems and had fed him California Natural’s Lamb/Rice up until 3 months ago when the price at my local stores skyrocketed overnight, so I decided to switch him to a comparable food. I took the ingredient label to a local pet food seller (not the normal one I’d been using, but this stroe was simply a little more convenient) and was told Black Gold Lamb/Rice (the green label) would be comparable… Within that time he formed Urate stones in his bladder, one of which obstructed his urethra requiring surgery… I promptly started researching foods after being informed that stones could form in as little as a few weeks to months and diet could be a factor. It would appear (research on various review sights) that I downgraded my dog to a fairly crumby food to say the least. The vet recommended Hills Science Diet U/D (as a low purine diet), but after researching ingredients, this looks even worse (I don’t want to offend anyone who feeds this to their dog, as this food may work fine for them, but after researching the ingredients; I will simply say it does not appeal to me). I tried to explain my concerns of feeding corn and flour or brewers rice to my dog but all three of the vets I’ve talked to are VERY defensive of science diet for some reason. They seem mor interested in treating the symptoms versus the root cause of the problem. I am under the impression that a more balanced diet would be better than removing a dietary need all together.
    I have switched my dog to Solid Gold Holistique for the time being (back to where I was buying before) as I wanted to get him off the other food asap. I have read varrying ideas about feeding low protein diets versus feeding a normal level protein diet with simply higher quality ingredients. I wanted to know what (if any) low protein diet dry dog food would be of good quality and if you had an oppinion either way about feeding a low protein diet or normal level protein diet.
    Thanks,
    J.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Roger… The body is an amazing thing. It’s very likely your dog’s only kidney has compensated for the missing one by growing larger and more efficient. So, you’ll likely be OK if you simply feed your pet any good quality dog food. However, since I’m not a veterinarian, I cannot provide specific health advice or product recommendations.

    Please check back for a possible response from one of our other readers. Wish I could be more help.

  • Roger

    I have a two year old Standard Poodle that has one kidney what food do you reccomend to protect the healthy kidney?

  • Christi C

    I feed the Holistique because I have a dog with Addison’s and she is in need of a lower protein diet. She is doing quite well on this food, I do however supplement with a variety of quality treats containing more protein, such as Ziwi Peak jerky, and Dogswell treats.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Lori… The feeding method you speak of here I like to call “topping”. I’ve been topping Bailey’s dry dog food with a quality meat for some time now. Sometimes I use fresh meat but usually we simply top his kibble with a high quality canned dog food. Thanks for sharing your excellent feeding technique with the rest of our readers. This is an easy way to really improve the food quality of any dog’s life.

  • Lori A. K

    I use this food daily for the dogs but I add Quality beef to it from hearst ranch which is expensive. Solid gold’s bag used to say it was formulated so you can add another protein of your choice to it. I want to know where the meat is from when feeding my dogs. I don’t trust any meat source in human food let alone pet food. They’re also vegetarian 3 days a week they love avoderm, pet guard and natural balance canned food I use to feed calif natural but they prefer the vegetarian canned.