Extreme Dog Fuel Elite Nutrition Dog Food Review (Dry)

Mike Sagman  Julia Ogden

By

Mike Sagman
Mike Sagman

Mike Sagman

Founder

Dr Mike Sagman is the creator of the Dog Food Advisor. He founded the website in 2008, after his unquestioning trust in commercial dog food led to the tragic death of his dog Penny.

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&
Julia Ogden
Julia Ogden

Julia Ogden

Content Director

Julia is the content director at the Dog Food Advisor and responsible for the overall strategy of the website.

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Updated: October 9, 2024

Verified by Laura Ward

Laura Ward

Laura Ward

Pet Nutritionist

Laura studied BSc (Hons) Animal Science with an accreditation in Nutrition at the University of Nottingham, before working for eight years in the pet food and nutrition industry.

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Laura Ward

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Our Verdict

Rating:
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Extreme Dog Fuel Elite Nutrition product range is made up of four recipes with ratings varying from 3.5 to 5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 4.5 stars.

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
Extreme Dog Fuel Elite Pro-Athlete 30-20 5 U
Extreme Dog Fuel Elite Active Dog 26-18 4.5 U
Extreme Dog Fuel Elite Puppies and Active Dogs 26-14 4.5 U
Extreme Dog Fuel Elite Chicken and Brown Rice 22-12 3.5 U

Recipe and Label Analysis

Extreme Dog Fuel Elite Active Dog 26-18 was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Extreme Dog Fuel Elite Active Dog 26-18

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

28.9%

Protein

20%

Fat

43.1%

CarbsCarbohydrates

Chicken meal, brown rice, premium chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), sorghum, dried green peas, rice bran, pork meal, fish meal (source of omega 3 & 6), dried beet pulp, brewers dried yeast, flaxseed (source of omega 3), chicken by-product meal (source of glucosamine and chondroitin), natural chicken liver flavor, canola oil, dried egg product, salt, sunflower oil (source of omega 6 & 9), potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, zinc oxide, manganese amino acid chelate, manganese sulfate, copper amino acid chelate, copper sulfate, sodium selenite, niacin supplement (vit B3), biotin (vit B7), calcium pantothenate (vit B5), vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement (vit B2),thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12 supplement, calcium iodate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vit B6), vitamin D3 supplement, ascorbic acid (vit C), cobalt carbonate, folic acid (vit B9), probiotics (dehydrated lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, lactobacillus casei fermentation product bifidobacterium thermophilum fermentation product enterococcus faecium fermentation product)


Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.5%

Red denotes any controversial items

Estimated Nutrient Content
Method Protein Fat Carbs
Guaranteed Analysis 26% 18% NA
Dry Matter Basis 29% 20% 43%
Calorie Weighted Basis 24% 40% 36%

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The second 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 third 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 and although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality inclusion.

The next ingredient is sorghum. Sorghum (milo) is a starchy cereal grain with a nutrient profile similar to corn.

Since it is gluten-free and boasts a smoother blood sugar behavior than other grains, sorghum may be considered an acceptable non-meat ingredient.

The fifth ingredient includes dried peas, which are a good source of carbohydrates. Plus they’re naturally rich in dietary fiber.

However, dried peas contain about 27% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

The sixth ingredient is rice bran, a healthy by-product of milling whole grain rice. The bran is the fiber-rich outer layer of the grain containing starch, protein, fat as well as vitamins and minerals.

The seventh item is pork meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate.

The eighth ingredient is fish meal, yet another high protein meat concentrate.

Fish meal is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations.1

Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. Because various fish contain different types of fats, we would have preferred to have known the source species.

The ninth ingredient is beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient, a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.

Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.

We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.

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

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

With six notable exceptions

First, we find brewers yeast, which can be a controversial item. Although it’s a by-product of the beer making process, this ingredient is rich in minerals and other healthy nutrients.

Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system.

Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself.

In addition, a vocal minority insists yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is a claim we’ve not been able to scientifically verify.

In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, yeast can still be considered a nutritious additive.

What’s more noteworthy here is that brewers yeast contains about 48% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

Next, flaxseed is one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.

However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

In addition, we note the use of canola oil. Unfortunately, canola can be a controversial item. That’s because it can sometimes (but not always) be derived from genetically modified rapeseed.

Yet others cite the fact canola oil can be a significant source of essential omega-3 fatty acids.

In any case, plant-based oils like canola are less biologically available to a dog than fish oil as a source of quality omega-3 fats.

We also note the inclusion of dried fermentation products in this recipe. Fermentation products are typically added to provide enzymes to aid the animal with digestion.

Next, 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.

And lastly, 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.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Extreme Dog Fuel Elite Active Dog 26-18 appears to be an above-average dry dog food.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 29%, a fat level of 20% and estimated carbohydrates of about 43%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 29% and a mean fat level of 18%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 45% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 61%.

Which means this Extreme Dog Fuel product line contains…

Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical kibble.

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the dried peas, flaxseed and brewers yeast, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a notable amount of meat.

However, with 40% of the total calories in our example coming from fat versus just 24% from protein, some recipes may not be suitable for every animal.

Extreme Dog Fuel Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Extreme Dog Fuel through October 2024.

No recalls noted.

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

Our Rating of Extreme Dog Fuel Elite Nutrition Grain Inclusive Dog Food

Extreme Dog Fuel Elite Nutrition is a grain-inclusive dry dog food using a notable amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4.5 stars.

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.

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Highly Recommended

Sources

1: Association of American Feed Control Officials

A Final Word

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