Rating: 
Vom Daxi Hundefutter dog food gets the Advisor’s highest rating of five stars.
The Vom Daxi Hundefutter product line lists two dry dog foods… one meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages and the other for growth (Junger Hundefutter).
The company sells Vom Daxi Hundefutter (German for “dog food”) for “small breeds and dogs with sensitive stomach and digestive issues” and the Junger recipe for puppies.
- Vom Daxi Hundefutter
- Vom Daxi Junger Hundefutter
Vom Daxi Hundefutter dog food was selected to represent both products in the line for this review.
Vom Daxi Hundefutter
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken meal, potato product, field pea, ground grain sorghum, lamb meal, canola oil, carrots, celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, watercress, spinach, fish [catfish] meal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of vitamin E), natural flavor, whole ground flax seed, chicken cartilage, lecithin, fish oil, salt, dl-methionine, choline chloride, Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product dehydrated, l-lysine, cranberry, Yucca schidigera extract, fructooligosaccharide (fos), glucosamine hcl, kelp meal, vitamin E supplement, ascorbic acid, vegetable oil, biotin, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A acetate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, citric acid, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, potassium chloride, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%
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 ingredient is potato product… a leftover of the potato processing industry containing about 71% carbohydrates.1 Potato product is commonly associated with cattle feeds.
Potato product is equal to corn in energy value yet contains 50% more protein.2
The third ingredient lists field peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
The fourth ingredient is sorghum. Sorghum is a starchy cereal grain with a nutrient profile similar to corn.
Since it is gluten-free and boasts a smoother blood sugar behavior than other grains, sorghum may be considered an acceptable non-meat ingredient.
The fifth ingredient mentions lamb meal… another high-protein meat concentrate.
The sixth ingredient lists 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.3
The seventh ingredient includes carrots. Carrots are loaded with beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The next few ingredients list a number of healthy vegetables…
- Celery
- Beets
- Parsley
- Lettuce
- Watercress
- Spinach
Catfish meal is yet one more protein-rich meat concentrate.
We are pleased to note that, unlike many fish meals, this particular item4 appears to be ethoxyquin-free.
The next 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. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
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, the manufacturer appears to have applied friendly bacteria to the surface of the kibble after cooking. These special probiotics are used to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.
Next, a non-digestible prebiotic has been included in this recipe. Prebiotics are special carbohydrates designed to naturally stimulate the growth of helpful bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
And lastly, this dog 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.
Vom Daxi Hundefutter Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Vom Daxi Hundefutter appears to be a quality dry dog food.
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 33%, a fat level of 18% and estimated carbohydrates of about 41%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 32% and a mean fat level of 18%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 42% for the overall product line.
Above-average protein. Average fat. And below-average carbs… as compared to a typical dry dog food.
With no evidence of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a dry dog food containing an above-average amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Vom Daxi Hundefutter is a vegetable-based dry dog food using a notable amount of chicken meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand five stars.
Enthusiastically 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 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
09/01/2010 Original review
10/06/2010 Review updated (new formula)
- Premier AG Resources, 7/19/2010 ↩
- Dried Potato Product, 7/19/2010 ↩
- Mikkelson, B and DP, Oil of Ole, Urban Legends Reference Pages (2005) ↩
- Vom Daxi website, 9/1/2010 ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.