Things To Consider When Buying Dry Dog Food
Finding a quality, well-balanced dry dog food for your pet can sometimes be headache-inducing with literally thousands of varieties to choose from, how does one decide?
Fortunately, you dont have to be an expert on canine nutrition, you just need to know the basics, which we cover right here. Before buying any dog food, consider the following.
- The health condition of your pet
The current health condition of your dog is of utmost importance. Healthy dogs who eat whatever is served in front of them have the most options quality protein, healthy carbohydrate sources such as whole grains, veggies, fruits and seeds, as well as some good fat sources should all be present in your dogs food. Although some pet parents avoid grains, theres really no reason to do that unless your pet has grain allergies or sensitivities.
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Sensitive dogs, on the other hand, have fewer options, as they should avoid the ingredients that cause them digestive upset and/or other health problems. These may or may not be grains, though the only way to know for sure if grains are the problem is to have your pet checked by your veterinarian. Grains, especially whole grains, are a great source of fiber, plant protein, and vitamins and minerals and you really shouldnt exclude them from your dogs diet just because of the grain-avoidance trend.
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- The age and size of your pet
Related Post: Puppy Food
Review Of Diamond Naturals Lamb Meal & Rice Adult Dog Formula
Ingredients in Diamond Naturals Lamb Meal & Rice Adult Dog Formula
Lamb meal, ground rice, cracked pearled barley, millet,chicken fat , egg product, rice bran, dried plain beet pulp, flaxseed, natural flavor, fish meal, potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride , vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.
Diamond states that they dont use wheat, corn, or soy in their foods, and you wont find those ingredients in this lamb meal and rice dog food. In addition, their meats are hormone and antibiotic-free and they use natural preservatives. Fish meal is found in this food but Diamond says they dont use any fish meal preserved with ethoxyquin. That gives you an idea of the kind of ingredients you will find in Diamond Naturals Lamb Meal & Rice.
How We Chose Our Top Picks
Our team, with the help of experts, established a set of main criteria that we deemed important when evaluating dog food brands. This is what a good dog food formula should encompass:
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Diamond Dog Food Reviews
| Price Range | $$ |
| *Diamond Naturals Chicken & Rice Adult Dog Formula was selected as the recipe for this ingredient list |
- Quality meats, but better on the canned products
- Gluten free
- Dry products have by-products
Our Analysis
Diamond Dog Food gets an average rating for its great canned food, but slightly below average dry food. The company prides itself on producing healthy dog food at reasonable prices, and this is definitely true for their canned wet food.
The Diamond canned food comes in three flavors, Beef and Rice, Lamb and Rice, and Chicken and Rice. For each variety, the first ingredient is meat, meaning the mix is rich in protein. Broth is added for moisture, and the use of rice flour is a good gluten-free addition. Overall, this is a good blend of amino acids, protein and fats, and very low in carbohydrates.
A few of the dry versions lists animal by-products, corn, wheat and brewers rice as ingredients. Although these are not harmful to dogs, they are also not entirely nutritious or beneficial to a dogs health.
Our Diamond Dog Food Review verdict is that the canned product is a great choice for healthy and happy dogs, but some of the dry version is a slightly below average blend. You will need to read the ingredient list carefully on the dry foods, to make sure that it includes only ingredients that you are happy with.
The Word on the Street…
Some of the dry formulas, though, contain less than ideal ingredients so customers do not give high ratings to those lines.
Audra Texas Diamond Naturals
I was given a Maltipoo by my boyfriend last year. Right off, he had allergies. He itched and bit the hair off his hips and scratched constantly. My boyfriend was feeding his pit bulls Diamond, which had been recommended by a breeder. After looking at all your products, we saw you had a small breed puppy formula. Our vet was encouraging us to send my puppy to a dermatologist for shots and testing. One week after starting him on the small breed formula, the itching stopped! He began to grow hair and it is sooo soft. Everyone comments on his hair and nails. Thank you for saving him from allergy shots! What an excellent product. Im a customer for life. Audra, Texas
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Twin Pet Dry Dog Food
Twin Pet dog food is a plant-based dry dog food utilizing a limited amount of unnamed and unidentified meat as its primary source of animal protein.
Twin Pet contains cheap ingredients of poor quality that do not provide the necessary nutrition to dogs.
Like the dog food brands we already discussed, the first ingredient is corn, so you already know how we feel about that.
The second ingredient is wheat middlings, also known as wheat mill run. It is a cheap by-product that remains after cereal grain processing.
Unfortunately, the disparities in nutrient content in the wheat middlings can be a critical concern in determining their aptness for being used in any dog food or even livestock feeds.
In actuality, wheat middlings is just the milling dust as well as floor sweepings. It is an ingredient that is typically associated with low-quality pet foods.
The third ingredient is the meat and bone meal, a rendered product from the mammal tissues. It has lower digestibility in comparison with the other meat meals.
Other unhealthy, non-nutritional ingredients in this dog food include unspecified animal fat and salt. The quantity of salt is also unknown, making it difficult to determine the nutritional value of this ingredient.
Altogether this product is one of the worst dog food brands.
Diamond Naturals Dog Food Review
Based on its ingredients alone, Diamond Naturals Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 28%, a fat level of 17% and estimated carbohydrates of about 48%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 28% and a mean fat level of 17%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 47% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 59%.
Which means this Diamond Naturals product line contains
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 dried yeast, quinoa, flax and chia seeds, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a notable amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Diamond Naturals contains both grain-inclusive and grain-free dry dog foods using a notable amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus receiving 4.5 stars.
Highly recommended.
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Blue Diamond Dog Food Recall History
While there have not been any recent recall issuances, that does not mean that the food is harmless. Many people believe a recall should have been issued this past summer after many pets were sick, but there was not one.
In 2012, the company had to issue six or more recalls. There have not been any publicly issued since then, but the company does not have a good track record. Most of the recalls were due to poor manufacturing conditions causing problems with the food, not the food itself. The recalls also affected other brands that the company packs in the facility that had issues.
The company claims to run 151 quality tests now, but I am still wary. You can see that they have made promises before but have not always followed through.
Best Dry Dog Food Buying Guide & Faq
Every pet parent who loves their dog like a member of their family wants the best for them. But when it comes to canine nutrition, finding the best food is tricky. Are grains healthy or should you avoid them? Are by-product meals ok in well-balanced formulations or should you steer clear from brands that use them? Should you feed your pup breed-specific foods or regular kibble? With so many different options on the market, its no wonder most dog owners feel overwhelmed and confused!
To make the process of finding the best dry dog food for your pet easier, weve put together this buying guide. Here, we cover everything you need to know about proper dog nutrition, including the things to consider and maybe avoid when shopping for dog foods. Weve also answered some of the frequently asked questions about dog diet in general down below, so stay tuned until the very end.
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Q: How Can I Stop My Dog From Gulping His Food
If your pet swallows their food whole without much of chewing, there are a few things you can do to help them eat slower.
Hand feed: if you have the time, hand-feed your pup whenever possible. Take a small amount of dry food into your hand and offer it to your dog. Do not offer seconds immediately after your dog eats the first offering, wait a few moments and then offer more food. Turn the dish upside down: to make your dog work for his food, pour kibble into a bowl thats been turned upside down. This creates an obstacle and will slow their eating. Put a toy/rock in their bowl: another way you can create obstacles for your pet while eating, is to place a softball or a large rock right in the center of their dish.
Is Diamond A Good Food For Older Dogs
Diamond recipes that contain ample amounts of protein and below-average fat and calorie content can be safe for seniors. But they must meet AAFCO nutrient guidelines for adult maintenance. Diamond Naturals Senior Formula can be a healthy option for older pets. View The Advisors best senior dog foods here.
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Diamond Naturals Dog Food Reviews Ingredients Recall History And Our Rating
This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
The dog food aisle at almost any retail outlet is packed to the rafters with choices. It can be very confusing as an owner who just wants to bring home the best food for his or her dog!
Following is our detailed Diamond Naturals dog food review, taking a look at the ingredients quality, company reputation and details, recall history and more.
At a Glance: 3 Formulas Featuring Heavily in our Diamond Naturals Dog Food Review
Advantages Of Diamond Dog Food:
- The ingredients of the product are combined efficiently which prevents your dog pets skin to be dried. And give protection to puppy fur and, skin
- The products have an awesome formula that gives a boost to the mental and as well as physical faculties of the dogs
- All of the ingredients are very beneficial for the mental health of the dog and also improve the eyesight of the dogs
- The products have a grain-free formula which optimizes digestion and also prevents the allergy triggers
- All of the products are made with natural ingredients with no corn, wheat and, artificial colors
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Q: How Much Should I Feed My Dog
This depends on the current weight of your pet. Generally though, adult dogs require around 25 to 30 calories per pound of body weight to maintain their weight. But, if your dog is underweight, theyll need more than that, if theyre overweight less than that. Bear in mind that this is a rough approximation puppies and nursing dogs, for instance, need more food than adult dogs, while sedentary pets, no matter their age, require less.
Faqs Regarding General Dog Nutrition
- What is the best vet recommended dog food? The truth is, there is no real consensus among vets on which food is the best. This is because all dogs are different and unique. There is no one catch-all formula that would be perfect for any dog. We would, therefore, recommend searching for a well-regarded food that is high in protein and fat, and that your dog likes the taste of!
- What foods should dogs avoid? There are more foods that dogs should avoid than could ever be listed here. Some common human foods that are poisonous to dogs are chocolate, caffeine, onions, garlic, and sweetcorn. Check with a veterinary website before you feed your dog anything that isn’t marketed as canine food.
- Is Grain Free Dog Food Really Better? Dogs have been found to have trouble digesting grains and therefore grain-free foods can help aid digestion. A grain-free diet for your dog will also mean that you are likely buying formulas with higher levels of vegetables, fiber, and proteins. This will help the development of your dog’s coat and skin, as well as provide your dog with more energy. A grain-free diet has however recently been linked to a small increase in canine heart disease.
- What dog foods are causing heart problems? The FDA has recently begun to investigate how grain-free canine formulas might increase the risk of canine heart disease. It’s still too early to come to any major conclusions, but we will keep an eye out on this story as it develops.
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Diamond Recipesdiamond Dry Recipes:
- Diamond Naturals Chicken & Rice Adult Dog Formula
- Diamond Naturals Beef Meal & Rice Adult Dog Formula
- Diamond Naturals Lamb Meal & Rice Adult Dog Formula
- Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete
- Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Dog Chicken & Rice Formula
- Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Dog Lamb & Rice Formula
- Diamond Naturals Large Breed 60+ Adult Dog Formula
- Diamond Naturals Large Breed Lamb & Rice Formula
- Diamond Naturals Lamb & Rice Lite Dog
- Diamond Naturals Senior 8+ Dog Formula
- Diamond Naturals Small Breed Puppy Formula
- Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy Lamb & Rice Formula
- Diamond Premium Adult Formula for Dogs
- Diamond Maintenance Formula for Dogs
- Diamond Performance Formula for Dogs
- Diamond Hi-Energy
- Diamond Chicken & Rice Formula for Dogs
- Diamond Beef & Rice Formula for Dogs
- Diamond Lamb & Rice Formula for Dogs
The Wet Diamond Dog Food Reviews
Diamond makes canned options for both adults and puppies. Here, we couldnt resist reviewing the tasty-sounding lamb pâté for adults, but rest assured the chicken and beef flavors are puppy-friendly. And, theyll get those little tails wagging!
- Besides lamb, youll notice that the protein in here comes from quinoa, too!
- This is alongside other vitamin-rich ingredients like pumpkin and berries
- 5% is a good protein serving in wet doggy foods
- Uses no synthetic preservatives and
- Comes as a tantalizing pâté deliciously difficult for dogs to resist!
Cons
- Includes rice flour.
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Diamond Dog Food Recall History
There have been a couple of cases in which Diamond Naturals dog food was removed from store shelves. These followed after the presence of bacteria was shown during the testing procedures.
- May 2012 Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Dog Lamb & Rice Formula, with Production Code #DSL0801. The potential risk for salmonella was again the reason for the recalling of this product.
- May 2012 This was the expansion of the previous recall. It encompassed products made in Gaston facility, South California
- Diamond Naturals Lamb and Rice recalled because of potential contamination with salmonella
Additional Ingredients Of Interest
There are relatively few other ingredients in the food, beyond vitamins andchelated minerals. Chelated minerals mean that the minerals have been bound to amino acids so that they are easier for your dog to absorb and use them. You often see this in better dog foods.
The food also contains egg products. Eggs are high in protein and easy for dogs to digest. They are a good source of nutrients. The food also has rice bran. In conjunction with the ground rice earlier in the food, this is borderline troubling as it suggests the practice of splitting having more than one source of the same ingredient, in this case rice. Rice bran is high in fiber and it contains lots of manganese, magnesium and other vitamins like thiamin, niacin, and vitamin B6, and but it adds to the rice content of the food. Of course, the food is lamb meal & rice, so people should probably expect that.
Finally, the food has flaxseed and fish meal. Both of these ingredients are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, though fish meal is considered the better source. Flaxseed is also an excellent source of fiber and it contains many important minerals. But if youre a dog breeder you should be careful. Flaxseed also has phytoestrogens which can cause it to interfere with conception and make for problems with breeding. Fish meal is a good source of protein as well, though this far down the ingredient list it probably doesnt add too much protein to the food.
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