Sportmix Premium (Dry)

by Mike Sagman
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Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Sportmix Premium Dog Food receives the Advisor’s second-lowest rating of two stars.

The Sportmix Premium product line includes seven dry dog foods.

Since we could not locate AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these products on the Sportmix website, we’re unable to report life stage recommendations.

  • Sportmix Premium Large Breed Adult
  • Sportmix Premium High Energy Adult Chunk
  • Sportmix Premium Lamb Meal and Rice (3 stars)
  • Sportmix Premium High Energy Adult Mini Chunk
  • Sportmix Premium Energy Plus Adult Mini Chunk
  • Sportmix Premium Maintenance Adult Mini Chunk
  • Sportmix Premium Hunters Select Adult Mini Chunk

Sportmix Premium Large Breed Adult was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

Sportmix Premium Large Breed Adult

Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 26% | Fat = 16% | Carbs = 50%

Ingredients: Chicken by-product meal, ground yellow corn, ground brewers rice, meat meal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of natural vitamin E), dried beet pulp, menhaden fish meal, dried egg product, flaxseed, salt, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulfate, riboflavin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, niacin supplement, choline chloride, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, thiamine moninitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, biotin, calcium iodate, copper sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganous oxide, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken by-product meal… a dry “rendered” product of slaughterhouse waste. It’s made from what’s left of a slaughtered chicken after all the prime cuts have been removed.

In a nutshell, chicken by-products are the unsavory and inedible leftovers deemed “unfit for human consumption”.

This stuff can contain almost anything… feet, beaks, undeveloped eggs… you name it.

On the brighter side, by-product meals are meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The second ingredient is 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 from the list entry itself, 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 third ingredient is brewers rice. Brewers rice represents the small grain fragments left over after milling whole rice.

This is an inexpensive cereal grain by-product and not considered a quality ingredient.

The fourth ingredient includes meat meal… “the rendered product from mammal tissues, exclusive of blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices”.2

Since in this case the source animal is not known, this meat can come from anywhere. Road kill, dead zoo animals, diseased or dying livestock… even euthanized cats and dogs.

Meat meal is considered a lower quality generic ingredient.

The fifth item 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 sixth ingredient lists 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 next ingredient is menhaden fish meal. Menhaden are small ocean fish related to herring. They are rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

Menhaden fish meal is another high protein meat concentrate.

Unfortunately, the controversial chemical ethoxyquin is frequently used as a preservative in many fish meals.

But because it’s usually added to the raw fish before processing, the chemical does not have to be reported to consumers.

Without knowing more, and based upon this fish meal’s location on the list of ingredients, we would expect to find at least a trace of ethoxyquin in this product.

The eighth ingredient is dried egg product… a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary greatly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries… from eggs that have failed to hatch.

In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.

The ninth item mentions 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 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 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.

Sportmix Premium Dog Food
The Bottom Line

If you’re willing to settle for basic meat content (with no concern about the quality of that meat), then Sportmix Premium Dog Food might do it for you.

But conscientious canine caretakers will probably find themselves disappointed with the mediocre nature of the components used to make these products.

In any case, 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 26%, a fat level of 16% and estimated carbohydrates of about 50%.

Due to its better quality ingredients, the Lamb Meal and Rice recipe has been upgraded to 3 stars.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 26% and a mean fat level of 18%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 48% for the overall product line.

Below-average protein. Above-average fat. And 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.

Yet it’s difficult to ignore the presence of so many notable Red Flag items.

Bottom line?

Sportmix Premium Dog Food is a grain-based kibble using a moderate amount of generic meat and chicken by-product meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand two stars.

Not 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

05/16/2010 Original review
12/16/2010 Review updated

  1. White, S., Update on food allergy in the dog and cat, World Small Animal Veterinary Association, Vancouver, 2001 ↩
  2. Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
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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  • Bob K

    Whitney – This food is nothing special and there are dozens of dog foods from different mfgs. with similar formulas. You said, “mine just happen to be allergic to Soy meal, corn meal, wheat meal” How did you come to this conclusion? How was the allergy diagnosed? Are you saying your dog is allergic to ground corn meal but not ground yellow corn?

    Here are the first several ingredients for the Sportmix Premium Large Breed Adult: Chicken by-product meal, ground yellow corn, ground brewers rice, meat meal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of natural vitamin E), dried beet pulp, menhaden fish meal, dried egg product, flaxseed,

    Remember to transition slowly to a new dog food.

  • Whitney

    Teresa Stahl – one you should quit breeding your dog. There are too many out there without homes because of people like you who I am sure just breed to make money. Shame on you for using a defensless animal to make more money.
    I have three Pit Bulls and this is the only dog food we can put them on due to many allergies our one male has. We just experienced the worst with him when the place we get the Large Breed bags from ran out and they accidently suggested the wrong bag that had Soy Meal in it. We went back to him itching and digging his feet and ears. We also experienced my other male pooping every hour or so. When before they were accidently switched due to a screw up at the store we never had this issue. Pit Bulls have many skin issues and mine just happen to be allergic to Soy meal, corn meal, wheat meal, and the metal in the collars. I LOVE this dog food and was disappointed when the store told me on accident they were no longer carring the food. I personally feel that this food is amazing for ones with Pit Bulls that need that high in Protein to keep up with their energetic life styles and that extra satisfaction for the owner that the cost is affordable.

  • Michelle

    Teresa, you should put your dogs on a better food. This food is a 2*. I would not use this food at all, especially for a pregnant dog. It also sounds like you are stressing your bitches by breeding them each time they come into heat.

  • melissa

    Teresa-

    I would consult your vet as to other causes-and be sure that they have been tested for diseases that can cause re-absorption etc like brucellosis, and I would never feed a food that contains or MIGHT contain ethoxyquin to a female used for breeding.

  • Teresa Stahl

    I do want to add in all fairness, our Chihuahuas did have great coats, small amounts of stool, we didn’t have c-sections and our litters were much larger. But, all litters had something wrong with one or more puppies. None of us had ever had problems like this before. It is a nightmare. Praying my litter due in 2 weeks has no lasting effects of this food. I did forget to mention a litter of 7 born to a 4 1/2# Chihuahua a couple weeks ago. They were 3 days over the due date from last breeding. All puppies were born looking like “pinkie” mice. they were the size of your thumb, hairless and only two had life after the birthing process. All 7 died.

  • Teresa Stahl

    Two friends and I started using Sportmix in March 2011. We started breeding our female Chihuahuas in April 2011. In June 2011 litters started arriving. We got cleft palates, hydrocephalus, bitches that didn’t take (thank God!), a bitch that spontaneously aborted her litter, fading puppies, etc. I called the Midwest Pet Foods sales rep for our region. He said that this food is NOT intended for breeding dogs. It has no DHA in it. He said it was formulated for outdoor hunting dogs not used for breeding. I told him the bag needs to be labeled. Another call to the main office and I am told the sales rep misinformed me. It is an all life stage food. We had a hydro litter from a repeat breeding on a young bitch that 7 months earlier had a litter of 4 that were all healthy. This litter was a litter of 4…all hydro puppies.

  • http://burnemupkennels.blogspot.com/ Burn Em Up Kennel

    I raise hunting Beagles and also field trial in AKC and ARHA. I am also a guide for Dry Creek Outfitters. My hounds must perform on a daily basis, for 8 hours or more a day. I have fed it all (whats available to me) over the years Diamond, Diomand Naturals, Black Gold, Sportsmans Pride, and just finished a trial run of Victor (4 star rated). The SportMix is by far the best food I have fed my kennel. My hounds perform and look great on this feed. Clean up is one black hard turd a day. The Victor has the best lable but my hounds started dropping weight, dull coats and more clean up. Sportsmans Pride was equally good to the SportMix, but I cant get it close by anymore. I too use to be a dog food nazi, but after a few years I just had to feed what my hounds did best on, and that is SportMix and Sportsmans Pride.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Meagan… I never select the “best” formula. Or the worst one either. I always try to choose the recipe that best typifies the overall product line.

  • Meagan

    Thanks Mike. One more thought. Should it be the display formula instead of the large breed? I had thought you always chose the better formulas in the product line for that part. Thanks again have a great day!

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Meagan… I’d tend to agree with your assessment here. The Lamb Meal and Rice appears to be made with better quality ingredients than its siblings. So, I’ve upgraded this product to 3 stars. Thanks for the tip.

  • Meagan

    But wouldn’t the meals out weigh the rice?

  • Meagan

    I realize this food doesn’t appear to be the greatest but the lamb meal rice formula looks a hell of a lot better than the one that was chosen for the whole line of the premiums. No by products and two named meals. The rice is splitting I get that.

  • Jonathan

    Meagan, if your bf’s dad can get Sportmix, then chances are really good that the place he buys from has Pro Pac too. Pro Pac is made by the same company, but it is a 3-star food. And it’s not super expensive… $25.99 for 33lb’s. Maybe you should show him with website! :-)

  • Meagan

    My bf’s dad feeds this to their dogs. (2 coyote hounds, 2 Border Collies and a JRT.) I would recommend he change them to Diamond Naturals, but it is 40 min drive to get it around there and the Sportmix is 5 min away. I know he would not change. :(

  • Jonathan

    Ashleigh… I’m sure you are a lovely puppy mom and you probably love your dogs like they were your own kids (who are all very cute I might add!) but I would love for you to read Mike’s article on the dangers of low quality cereal grains (which are most certainly the ones being used here) and his article on what “meat meal” is made from. Your anecdotal evidence of healthy puppies is great… and it speaks to the fact that Sportmix, at the very least, doesn’t use any dangerous chemical preservative or artificial colors. Hence its higher rating than, say, Puppy Chow. But being that nutrition is so important for lactating bitches and (especially) for brand new baby animals, you may want to reconsider you chosen food after reading those articles. Pro Pac makes a lovely puppy food (and is made by the same company that makes Sportmix!) and it usually come to around 30 bucks a bag. So if price is an issue, Pro Pac is a good compromise. And if price isn’t an issue, why not try a really high quality food like Blue Buffalo or Wellness? If your dogs are strong and healthy on this stuff, just imagine how energetic and handsome they could be on a 4 or 5 star food!

  • Ashleigh

    Hello everyone. We have been breeding, showing, and guiding our German Shorthaired Pointers for a few years now and we love this food. Before we were using Black Gold and they had some issues with mold in thier packaging plant where we purchased ours from, so we were forced to find something else. We tried the Diamond Naturals food and our dogs did not do well with it. We had dull coats and very runny and large amounts of stools even sveral weeks later. We were recommended to try SportMix’s Maintenance Mini Chunk formula, as it was summer time, by our trainer. The dogs have done well with it ever since. We use the Maintenance over the warmer months and the Energy Plus over the colder, winter months. Our dogs coats are shinny and healthy, thier teeth aren’t perfect, but are still clean from buildup, and thier energy levels are where they should be four thier breed. So far, after two years of SportMix use, we are very happy.