Darwin’s Intelligent Design Dog Food Review (Raw)

Darwin’s Intelligent Design product range is made up of four recipes which are not rated due to their intentional therapeutic design. All the recipes in Darwin’s Intelligent Design product range are designed for specific health conditions.

The table below shows each recipe in the range. They are not rated because they are intended for supplementary feeding only. This means the product does not meet AAFCO standards for complete and balanced nutrition.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Darwin’s Intelligent Design Kidney Support Formula was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient is beef. Beef is defined as “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered cattle” and includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.¹

Beef is naturally rich in all 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

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

The third ingredient is beets, the root portion of a sugar beet plant. As the name implies, beets contain a high concentration of sucrose (sugar).

The fourth ingredient is beef liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.

The fifth ingredient is beef heart. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing to us humans, heart tissue is pure muscle – all meat. It’s naturally rich in quality protein, minerals and complex B vitamins, too.

The sixth ingredient is dried egg whites. Eggs are highly digestible and an excellent source of usable protein.

The seventh ingredient is cabbage. Like broccoli and cauliflower, cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable rich in protective anti-oxidants and fiber.

The eighth ingredient is squash. Squash is a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.

The ninth ingredient is beef kidney, an organ meat low in fat and rich in protein and essential minerals.

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 two notable exceptions.

First, fish oil. Fish oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high-quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.

Depending on its level of freshness and purity, fish oil should be considered a commendable addition.

Next we find, we note the inclusion of inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and typically sourced from chicory root. 

Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a  used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.

Nutrient Analysis

Although this is a prescription product, our review has nothing to do with the accuracy of claims made by the manufacturer as to the product’s ability to treat or cure a specific health condition.

So, to find out whether or not this Darwin’s dog food is appropriate for your particular pet, it’s important to consult your veterinarian.

With that understanding…

Based on its ingredients alone, Darwin’s Intelligent Design Kidney Support Formula looks like an above-average raw product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 43.9%, a fat level of 30.3% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 15.1%.

Darwins Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Darwins through May 2025.

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

Our Rating of Darwin's Intelligent Design Dog Food

Intelligent Design recipes are specialized meals designed to support dogs with certain health conditions, using only the highest quality raw meats and vegetables.

Darwin’s is a premium brand that we highly recommend.

About

Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, specializes in raw dog food, was founded in 2004 by Gary Tashjian and named after Charles Darwin, whose work to understand the diversity of life on Earth embodied the approach of being Inspired by Nature and informed by Science.

The headquarters is near Seattle, Washington, with additional shipping facilities in Pennsylvania and California.

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