Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
Instinct Be Natural Dog Food product range consists of four recipes which each receive the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 5 stars.
Minimally processed meals, rich in protein, antioxidant ingredients for immune health, and natural probiotics for healthy digestion.
Pros
- Partners with veterinary experts
- No fillers - made without corn, wheat, soy, chicken or poultry by-product meal, brewer's rice, artificial colors or preservatives
- 1st ingredient is responsibly sourced meat raised without antibiotics or added hormones
Cons
- More expensive than other options
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Instinct Be Natural Real Chicken and Brown Rice | 5 | A |
| Instinct Be Natural Real Beef and Barley | 5 | A |
| Instinct Be Natural Real Lamb and Oatmeal | 5 | A |
| Instinct Be Natural Real Salmon and Brown Rice | 5 | A |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Instinct Be Natural Real Lamb and Oatmeal was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Instinct Be Natural Real Lamb and Oatmeal
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Lamb, chicken meal, oatmeal, barley, sorghum, brown rice, turkey meal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), millet, fish meal, ground flaxseed, natural flavor, salt, carrots, montmorillonite clay, potassium chloride, apples, blueberries, cranberries, dried yeast, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin), choline chloride, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, ethylenediamine dihydriodide), dl methionine, freeze-dried pollock, yeast culture, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, pumpkin
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 26% | 16% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 29% | 17% | 46% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 25% | 36% | 39% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is lamb. Although it is a quality item, raw lamb 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 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 barley, a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. However, aside from its energy content, this cereal grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The fifth 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 sixth 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 seventh ingredient is turkey meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate.
The eighth ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat 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 ninth item is millet, a gluten-free grain harvested from certain seed grasses. Millet is hypoallergenic and naturally rich in B-vitamins and fiber as well as other 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 this Nature’s Variety product.
With four notable exceptions…
First, we find montmorillonite clay, a naturally occurring compound rich in many trace minerals. Montmorillonite has been approved for use in USDA Organic Certified products.
Reported benefits include the binding of certain mold-based toxins and even controlling diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Next, we note the inclusion of dried fermentation products in this recipe. Fermentation products are typically added as probiotics to aid with digestion.
We also find flaxseed, 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.
And lastly, this food includes 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, Instinct Be Natural Real Lamb and Oatmeal looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 29.4%, a fat level of 18.4% and estimated carbohydrates of about 41.2%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 28.6% and a mean fat level of 17.3%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 44.3% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 60%.
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to other dry dog foods.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the alfalfa meal and flaxseed, this looks like the recipe of a kibble containing a notable amount of meat.
Instinct Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Instinct through April 2026.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Instinct Be Natural Grain Inclusive Dog Food
Instinct Be Natural 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 5 stars.
About
Instinct is owned by Natures Variety of Lincoln, Nebraska. All Instinct recipes are made at the company’s own facilities in Lincoln.
Each Instinct dog food is formulated by the company’s on-staff professionals. This includes a veterinarian who is board-certified in both veterinary nutrition and integrative medicine.
Compare Instinct Be Natural Dog Food
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