Rating: 
Weruva Kurobuta Dog Food receives the Advisor’s highest rating of five stars.
The Weruva Kurobuta product line lists two canned dog foods… each claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.1
- Weruva Kurobuta Pagoda
- Weruva Kurobuta Hero
Weruva Kurobuta Pagoda Dog Food was selected to represent both products in the line for this review.
Weruva Kurobuta Pagoda
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Organic chicken, organic chicken broth, Kurobuta Berkshire pork, water, guar gum, vitamin A acetate, vitamin D2 supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, thiamin mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, biotin, folic acid, zinc proteinate, ferrous proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 6.8%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is organic chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.2
The second ingredient includes organic chicken broth. Broths are nutritionally empty. But because they add moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.
Organic ingredients like these are produced under notably strict government standards… standards which significantly restrict the use of any synthetic pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, hormones or antibiotics.
The third item lists Kurobuta pork. Pork is defined as the “clean flesh of slaughtered (pork) and is limited to… the striate muscle… which is found in the tongue, in the diaphragm, in the heart, or in the esophagus; with or without the accompanying and overlying fat and the portions of the skin, sinew, nerve and blood vessels which normally accompany the flesh”.3
But this isn’t just pork. It’s Kurobuta Berkshire pork… a Japanese delicacy considered by many to be the finest pork in the world.
Kurobuta pork is raised in an organic antibiotic-free environment and is a major component of both Weruva Kurobuta products.
The fourth item lists water… which (of course) adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most canned dog foods.
The fifth ingredient lists guar gum… a gelling or thickening agent found in many wet pet foods. Refined from dehusked guar beans, guar gum can add a notable amount of dietary fiber to any product.
We also note this food 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.
Weruva Kurobuta Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Weruva Kurobuta looks to be an exceptional canned 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 36%, a fat level of 23% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 33%.
Both Weruva Kurobuta dog foods demonstrate the same nutrient percentages as our Pagoda example.
Near-average protein. Average fat. And near-average carbs… when compared to a typical canned dog food.
Yet after closely examining the ingredients here, we believe these numbers (as reported by Weruva) are extremely conservative… and notably understated.
With no sign of any plant-based protein concentrates, this is the profile of a canned food containing a generous amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Weruva Kurobuta Dog Food is a grain-free wet product using an abundance of quality named meats as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand five strong.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Those looking for a comparable beef version of this product line may want to check out our review of Weruva Kobe Dog Food.
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 brand… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
06/17/2010 Original review
01/17/2011 Review updated
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.