Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
Essence dry product range consists of three recipes, each receiving the Dog Food Advisor’s rating of 5 stars.
These Essence Original recipes feature a blend of three real cuts of meat or fish, complemented by two additional meat or fish meals to boost protein and include pumpkin in each dish, an excellent source of fibre, plus it’s rich in nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin E, and potassium.
Pros
- High-quality ingredients
- 85% animal protein
- No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives
Cons
- Not budget-friendly
The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Essence Air and Gamefowl Recipe | 5 | A |
| Essence Ocean and Freshwater Recipe | 5 | A |
| Essence Ranch and Meadow recipe | 5 | A |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Essence Ranch and Meadow recipe was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Essence Ranch and Meadow Recipe
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Lamb, pork, goat, lamb meal, pork meal, red lentils, chickpeas, green lentils, pork fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), natural flavor, boar, navy beans, coconut meal, pumpkin, potassium chloride, choline chloride, salt, taurine, kelp, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, chia seed oil, vitamin E supplement, rosemary extract, l-carnitine, copper proteinate, magnesium proteinate, sodium selenite, niacin supplement, vitamin B5 supplement, riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, calcium iodate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D supplement
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 38% | 17% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 42% | 18% | 32% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 36% | 38% | 27% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient is lamb. Lamb is considered “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered” lamb and associated with skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.1
Lamb is naturally rich in all 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is pork. Pork can be defined as “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered pork” and includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.2
Pork is naturally rich in all 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The third ingredient is goat. Goat is considered “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered” goat and associated with skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.3
Goat is naturally rich in all 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life. In contrast to lamb, goat is a leaner meat.
The next ingredients are lamb and pork meal. They are considered meat concentrate and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh lamb. Yet pork can also be high in ash – about 25-30%.
However, the ash content of the final product is typically adjusted in the recipe to allow its mineral profile to meet AAFCO guidelines.
The following ingredients are legumes. Legumes are rich in natural fiber.
However, legumes can contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
- Red lentils
- Chickpeas
- Green lentils
The ninth ingredient is pork fat, a product from rendering pig meat.
Commonly known as lard, pork fat can add significant flavor to a dog food. And it can be high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life.
Although it may not sound very appetizing, pork fat (in moderate amounts) is actually an acceptable pet food 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 affect the overall rating of the product.
This recipe has one notable exception.
Taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.
We view the presence of taurine in this recipe as a positive addition.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Essence Ranch and Meadow recipe looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 42.9%, a fat level of 19% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 24.7%.
As a group, the brand features a protein content of 42.9% and a mean fat level of 19.4%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 23.8% for the overall product line, alongside a fat-to-protein ratio of 45%.
This means this Essence dry product range contains above-average protein,below-average carbohydrate, and above-average fat, when compared to typical dry dog food.
Essence Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Essence through December 2025.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Essence Dry Dog Food
Essence dry product range is a grain-free dog food using a significant amount of named meat and meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
About
The Essence pet food brand was launched on February 5th 2019, by Pets Global Inc., a California-based company that owns three other pet food brands: Zignature, Inception, and Fussie Cat.
Essence manufactures all its dog foods in the US at facilities in Minnesota and South Dakota.
Compare Essence Dog Food
How does Essence compare with The Dog Food Advisor's most recommended brands?
Sources
A Final Word
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