pawTree Grain Free Dry Dog Food Review

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: November 26, 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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pawTree Grain Free Dog Food receives the Advisor’s highest tier rating of 5 stars.

Pros
  • Vet formulated
  • No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives
  • Two poultry-free recipes
Cons
  • Some plant-based proteins
  • Contains sodium selenite

The pawTree grain free product line includes the seven 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 line Rating AAFCO
pawTree Grain Free Real Chicken and Sweet Potato 5 A
pawTree Grain Free Real Lamb, Chickpeas and Lentils (Poultry Free) 5 A
pawTree Grain Free Real Turkey and Sweet Potato 5 A
pawTree Grain Free Real Trout, Sweet Peas and Lentils (Poultry Free) 5 A
pawTree Grain Free Real Salmon, Peas and Sweet Potato 5 A
pawTree Grain Free Real Duck and Chickpeas 5 A
pawTree Grain Free Real Turkey and Garbanzo Beans 5 A

Recipe and Label Analysis

pawTree Grain Free Real Duck and Chickpeas 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.

PawTree Grain Free Real Duck and Chickpeas

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

31.8%

Protein

11.4%

Fat

48.8%

CarbsCarbohydrates

Duck, turkey meal, dried chickpeas, dried peas, dried sweet potatoes, tomato pomace, natural flavor, flaxseed, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potato protein, dried egg product, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), sea salt, fructooligosaccharides, coconut oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), vitamins (vitamin E supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, niacin, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A acetate, biotin, vitamin D3 supplement, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid), taurine, choline chloride, minerals (ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, calcium carbonate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, iron amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, zinc amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, cobalt carbonate, ethylenediamine dihydriodide), dried apples, dried blueberries, dried cranberries, dried pumpkin, dried spinach, dried parsley, Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast culture, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, mixed tocopherols, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, l-carnitine, rosemary extract


Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4%

Red denotes any controversial items

Estimated Nutrient Content
Method Protein Fat Carbs
Guaranteed Analysis 28% 10% NA
Dry Matter Basis 32% 11% 49%
Calorie Weighted Basis 29% 26% 45%

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is duck. Although it is a quality item, raw duck 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.

The second ingredient is turkey meal. Turkey meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh turkey.

The next two ingredients include dried chickpeas and dried peas. Chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) and peas are good sources of carbohydrates. Plus they’re naturally rich in dietary fiber. However, both items contain about 27% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

The fifth ingredient is dried sweet potato, a dehydrated item usually made from the by-products of potato processing. In most cases, dried sweet potato can contain about 10% dry matter protein which can have a slight affect on our estimate of the total meat content of this recipe.

The sixth ingredient is tomato pomace. Tomato pomace is a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup. Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content, while others say it merely an inexpensive pet food filler.

After the natural flavor, we 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.

The ninth 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.

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 pawTree product.

With six notable exceptions

First, we find potato protein, the dry residue remaining after removing the starchy part of a potato. 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 actual meat content of this dog food.

Next, salmon 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, salmon oil should be considered a commendable addition.

In addition, coconut oil is a natural oil rich in medium-chain fatty acids.

Medium-chain triglycerides have been shown to improve cognitive function in older dogs.1

Because of its proven safety2 as well as its potential to help in the treatment of canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) and chronic skin disorders, MCT can be considered a positive addition to this recipe.

We also 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.

Since taurine deficiency appears to be more common in pets consuming grain-free diets, we view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.

Next, this recipe contains 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 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, pawTree Grain Free dog food looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 32%, a fat level of 11% and estimated carbohydrates of about 49%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 33% and a mean fat level of 15%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 44% for the overall product line. And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 45%.

Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.

However, when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the dried chickpeas, dried peas, dried potato, flaxseed and potato protein, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.

pawTree Dog Food Recall History

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

No recalls noted.

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

Our Rating of pawTree Dog Food

pawTree Grain Free is a dry dog food which includes a moderate amount of named meat sources in its recipes, along with some plant-based proteins. Developed by veterinarians and PhDs in animal and science nutrition, these recipes are highly digestible and nutritionally-dense; suitable for dogs at all life stages.

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Highly Recommended

About

pawTree was founded by Roger Morgan. After nearly a decade as a CEO in the pet industry, Roger decided to set up his own premium pet food brand in 2012, partnering with a team of expert veterinarians and nutritionist to ensure the quality of all the products.

Sources

1: Pan Y et al, Dietary supplementation with medium-chain TAG has long-lasting cognition-enhancing effects in aged dogs, British Journal of Nutrition, Volume 103, Issue 12, June 2010, pp 1746-1754

2: Matulka RA et al, Lack of toxicity by medium chain triglycerides (MCT) in canines during a 90-day feeding study,Food Chem Toxicol, Jan 2009, 47(1) 35-9.

A Final Word

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