DogFoodAdvisor is reader supported. If you buy using links on this page, we may earn a referral fee.

Canidae Grain Free Pure Dog Food Review (Canned)

Canidae Grain Free Salmon Can Dog Food

Rating:

Which Canidae Grain Free Pure Wet Recipes Get
Our Best Ratings?

Canidae Grain Free Pure canned dog food receives the Advisor’s second-highest tier rating of 4 stars.

The Canidae Grain Free Pure product line includes the 5 canned dog foods listed below.

Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available… Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Product Rating AAFCO
Canidae Grain Free Pure Duck and Turkey 4 M
Canidae Grain Free Pure Salmon and Sweet Potato 4 A
Canidae Grain Free Pure Lamb 3 A
Canidae Grain Free Pure Lamb, Turkey and Chicken 3 A
Canidae Grain Free Pure Puppy Chicken Recipe 4.5 G

Recipe and Label Analysis

Canidae Grain Free Pure Salmon and Sweet Potato was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.


Canidae Grain Free Pure Salmon and Sweet Potato

Canned Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 41% | Fat = 27% | Carbs = 24%

Ingredients: Salmon, fish broth, vegetable broth, peas, pea protein, sunflower oil, sweet potatoes, agar-agar, tricalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, salt, vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, niacin supplement, ferrous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, zinc proteinate, manganese sulfate, vitamin A supplement, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, iron proteinate, d-calcium pantothenate, copper sulfate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, manganese proteinate, potassium iodide, riboflavin supplement, copper proteinate, folic acid, cobalt proteinate, sodium selenite, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 6.8%

Red denotes controversial item

Estimated Nutrient Content
MethodProteinFatCarbs
Guaranteed Analysis9%6%NA
Dry Matter Basis41%27%24%
Calorie Weighted Basis31%51%18%
Protein = 31% | Fat = 51% | Carbs = 18%

Ingredient Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is salmon. Salmon is an oily marine and freshwater fish not only high in protein but also omega 3 fatty acids, essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life.

The next two ingredients are fish broth and vegetable broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common component in many canned products.

The fourth ingredient includes peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.

However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

The fifth ingredient is pea protein, what remains of a pea after removing the starchy part of the vegetable.

Even though it contains over 80% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.

And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label — a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

The sixth ingredient lists sunflower oil. Sunflower oil is nutritionally similar to safflower oil. Since these oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids and contain no omega-3’s, they’re considered less nutritious than canola or flaxseed oils.

Sunflower oil is notable for its resistance to heat damage during cooking.

There are several different types of sunflower oil, some better than others. Without knowing more, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this ingredient.

The seventh item is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates in dog food. They are naturally rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene.

The eighth ingredient is agar agar, a natural vegetable gelatin derived from the cell walls of certain species of red algae. Agar is rich in fiber and is used in wet pet foods as a gelling agent.

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other ingredients.

But realistically, items located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Canidae product.

With 3 notable exceptions

First, 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.

Next, we find no mention of probiotics, friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing to help with digestion.

And lastly, this recipe includes sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Canidae Grain Free Pure canned dog food looks like an above-average wet product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 41%, a fat level of 27% and estimated carbohydrates of about 24%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 39% and a mean fat level of 31%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 23% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 78%.

Which means this Canidae product line contains…

Near-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to other wet dog foods.

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the pea protein and peas, this looks like the profile of a wet product containing a moderate amount of meat.

Our Rating of Canidae Grain Free Pure Canned Dog Food

Canidae Grain Free Pure is a limited ingredient wet dog food using at least a moderate amount of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein, thus receiving 4 stars.

Highly recommended.

Please note certain recipes are sometimes given a higher or lower rating based upon our estimate of their total meat content and (when appropriate) their fat-to-protein ratios.

Canidae Grain Free Pure Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Canidae through March 2024.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

Get Free Recall Alerts

Get free dog food recall alerts sent to you by email. Subscribe to The Advisor’s recall notification list.

More Canidae Brand Reviews

The following Canidae dog food reviews are also posted on this website:

A Final Word

The Dog Food Advisor does not accept money, gifts, samples or other incentives in exchange for special consideration in preparing our reviews.

However, we do receive a referral fee from online retailers (like Chewy or Amazon) and from sellers of perishable pet food when readers click over to their websites from ours. This helps cover the cost of operation of our free blog. Thanks for your support.

For more information, please visit our Disclaimer and Disclosure page.

References

Share via
Copy link
Powered by Social Snap