Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
The Real Meat Company Air-Dried product range is made up of six recipes with ratings varying from 2 to 5 stars.
Please note: Some of these foods achieve a lower star rating due to them being very high in fat, making them suitable only for very active dogs.
Pros
- No added fillers, colors or artificial preservatives
- Quality ingredients
- Gently air-dried to lock in nutrients
Cons
- No probiotics
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 |
|---|---|---|
| The Real Meat Company Air-Dried Beef | 3 | A |
| The Real Meat Company Air-Dried Chicken | 4 | A |
| The Real Meat Company Air-Dried Lamb | 2 | A |
| The Real Meat Company Air-Dried Venison | 5 | A |
| The Real Meat Company Air-Dried Lamb and Fish | 4.5 | A |
| The Real Meat Company Air-Dried Turkey | 4.5 | A |
Recipe and Label Analysis
The Real Meat Company Air-Dried Turkey was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
The Real Meat Company Air-Dried Turkey Formula
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Turkey, turkey liver, turkey heart, turkey gizzard, turkey neck, vegetable glycerin, pumpkin powder, parsley powder, inulin (from chicory root), rosemary powder, mixed tocopherols (used as a preservative), dried apple, ground turkey bone, marine microalgae oil, potassium chloride, taurine, choline chloride, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, vitamin E supplement, selenium yeast, biotin, l-tyrosine, copper proteinate, niacin supplement, manganese proteinate, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, calcium iodate, folic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 17%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 30% | 23% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 31% | 24% | 38% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 24% | 45% | 30% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is turkey. Turkey is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of turkey”.1
Turkey is naturally rich in the 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is turkey liver, an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.
The third ingredient is turkey heart. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, heart tissue is pure muscle – all meat. It’s naturally rich in quality protein, minerals and complex B vitamins, too.
The fourth ingredient is turkey gizzard. The gizzard is a low-fat, meaty organ found in the digestive tract of birds and assists in grinding up a consumed food. This item is considered a canine dietary delicacy.
The fifth ingredient is turkey neck, raw turkey neck consists of muscle meat and bone and is a source of chondroitin which supports joint health.
The sixth ingredient is glycerine. Glycerine is used in the food industry as a natural sweetener and as a humectant to help preserve the moisture content of a product.
The seventh ingredient is pumpkin powder, pumpkin is a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, beta-carotene and dietary fiber.
The eighth ingredient is parsley powder, due to its exceptional vitamin and mineral content, parsley exhibits a remarkably high nutrient Completeness Score2 of 91.
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 Real Meat Company product.
With four notable exceptions…
First, we find 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.
Next, we note the use of 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.
Since taurine deficiency appears to be more common in pets consuming grain-free diets, we view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.
In addition, chicory root. Chicory is rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
And lastly, this recipe includes selenium yeast. Unlike the more common inorganic form of selenium (sodium selenite), this natural yeast supplement is considered a safer anti-cancer alternative.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, The Real Meat Company Air-Dried Turkey looks like an above-average air-dried product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 36.2%, a fat level of 27.6% and estimated carbohydrates of about 26.3%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 37.2% and a mean fat level of 29.9%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 23.1% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 81%.
Which means this product contains…
Below-average protein. Above-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a dry product containing a generous of meat.
The Real Meat Company Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to The Real Meat Company through December 2025.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of The Real Meat Company Dog Food
The Real Meat Company Air-Dried dog food uses a notable amount of named meat as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars.
About
The Real Meat Company is a small, independent, family-owned business that was established in 2003 by Glen Gorham and is located in California. The pet food is crafted with a focus on high-quality ingredients. The meat products come from animals that are raised humanely without the use of growth hormones or antibiotics.
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