Ultimates Sensitive Dog Food Review (Dry)

Ultimates Sensitive product range is made up of two recipes which each receive the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 4.5 stars.

This sensitive range has a healthy balance of omega fatty acids, which helps keep sensitive skin healthy and the coat shiny, also free from peas, lentils or legumes to make it easier to digest and fiber from ancient grains to support digestive health.

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.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Ultimates Sensitive with Salmon Protein All Life Stages was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient is salmon meal. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, fish meal contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself.

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

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 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 fourth ingredient is pearled barley, which is produced when the seed hull and bran is removed from barley grain. Fiber is distributed throughout the barley grain, rather than being contained within the hull meaning that pearled barley is still a source of fiber. 

However, aside from its energy content, this cereal grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The fifth ingredient is whitefish meal, whitefish includes a range of both freshwater and saltwater species of fish. As a fish meal, this whitefish meal is considered a meat concentrate. It contains around 60-65% protein, which is almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself. Aside from it’s protein contribution, whitefish meal contributes omega 3 DHA and EPA essential fatty acids.

Whitefish meal is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations.².

The sixth ingredient is ground rice, another name for rice flour. Ground rice is made from either white or brown rice and is considered a gluten-free substitute for wheat flour.

The seventh 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 eighth ingredient is 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 that canola oil can be a significant source of  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.

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 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 four notable exceptions.

First, 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, dried yeast, which can be a controversial item. Dried yeast contains about 45% protein and is rich in 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.

What’s more, a vocal minority insist yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is something we’ve not been able to scientifically verify.

In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, we feel yeast should be considered a nutritious addition.

We also note 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.

Lastly 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.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Ultimates Sensitive with Salmon Protein All Life Stages looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 26.6%, a fat level of 14.1% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 45.9%.

As a group, the brand features a protein content of 26.6% and a mean fat level of 14.7%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 45.3% for the overall product line, alongside a fat-to-protein ratio of 55%.

This means this Ultimates product line contains near-average protein, near-average carbohydrate and near-average fat, when compared to typical dry dog food.

Ultimates Dog Food Recall History

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

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

Our Rating of Ultimate Sensitive Dog Food

Ultimates Sensitive is a dry dog food using a moderate amount of named meat meals as its primary source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4.5 stars.

Highly Recommended

About

Midwestern Pet Foods owns and manufactures Ultimates dog food in the USA. They are a family-owned company that has been in the pet food business since 1926, now in their 4th generation.

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