Evanger’s Dog Food Review (Dry)
Highly Recommended
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Which Evanger’s Recipes Get Our Best Ratings?
Evanger’s Dog Food earns the Advisor’s second-highest tier rating of 4.5 stars.
The Evanger’s product line includes the 2 dry 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Evanger’s Chicken and Brown Rice | 5 | A |
| Evanger’s Game Bird Recipe with Coconut Oil | 4.5 | A |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Evanger’s Chicken and Brown Rice was selected to represent both products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.
Evanger's Chicken and Brown Rice
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, chicken fat [preserved with mixed tocopherols], oatmeal, dried egg, carrots, celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, watercress, spinach, dried kelp, cranberries, blueberries, potassium chloride, vitamins [vitamin E supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, niacin supplement, vitamin A supplement, d-calcium pantothenate (source of vitamin B5), thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), biotin, riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), vitamin D3 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), and folic acid], chelated minerals [zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate, copper sulfate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese sulfate, manganese amino acid chelate, magnesium amino acid chelate, and cobalt carbonate], calcium iodate, dried chicory root, hydrolyzed yeast (Actigen™ - probiotic), selenium yeast (Selplex™), lecithin, l-carnitine, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus fermentum fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product (Lactosacc™ - probiotics), taurine, Yucca schidigera extract, citric acid preservative, rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4%
Red denotes any controversial items
Ingredient Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
The second ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The third ingredient is brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The next ingredient is chicken fat. This item is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The fifth ingredient is oatmeal, a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally rich in B-vitamins, dietary fiber and can be (depending upon its level of purity) gluten-free.
The next ingredient is dried egg, a dehydrated powder made from shell-free eggs. Eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The seventh ingredient includes carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The eighth ingredient is celery. Although raw celery can be very high in water, it can still contribute a notable amount of dietary fiber as well as other healthy nutrients.
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 Evanger’s product.
With 4 notable exceptions…
First, chicory root 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.
Next, 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.
In addition, 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.
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, Evanger’s Dog Food appears to be an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 29%, a fat level of 17% and estimated carbohydrates of about 46%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 28% and a mean fat level of 16%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 48% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 58%.
Which means this Evanger’s product line contains…
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to other dry dog foods.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a recipe containing a notable amount of meat.
Our Rating of Evanger’s Dog Food
Evanger’s is a grain-inclusive dry dog food that uses a notable amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4.5 stars.
Highly recommended.
Evanger’s Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Evanger’s through April.
- Evanger’s and Against the Grain Dog Food Recall Expands (2/28/2017)
- FDA Cautions Pet Owners Not to Feed Certain Dog Food Products Due to Adulteration with Pentobarbital (2/17/2017)
- Evanger’s Dog Food Recall of February 2017 (2/3/2017)
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
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More Evanger’s Brand Reviews
The following Evanger’s dog food reviews are also posted on this website:
- Evanger’s Classic Dinners Dog Food Review (Canned)
- Evanger’s Grain Free Dog Food Review (Dry)
- Evanger’s Grain-Free Game Meats Dog Food Review (Canned)
- Evanger’s Hand Packed Dog Food Review (Canned)
- Evanger’s Hi Bio Dog Food Review (Dry)
- Evanger’s Organics Dog Food Review (Canned)
- Evanger’s Signature Series Dog Food Review (Canned)
- Evanger’s Super Premium Dog Food Review (Canned)
Compare This Dog Food
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