bigdiezel79
UKC Forum Member
Registered: Jan 2008
Location: norlina nc
Posts: 566 |
Found this guys
Rating:
Diamond Naturals dog food receives the Advisorfs second-highest rating of four stars.
The Diamond Naturals product line includes 12 dry dog foodsc seven designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages and five for adult maintenance.
¡Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Chicken and Rice
¡Diamond Naturals Lamb Meal and Rice Lite (3 stars)
¡Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Lamb and Rice
¡Diamond Naturals Large Breed Lamb and Rice
¡Diamond Naturals Lamb Meal and Rice Adult
¡Diamond Naturals Beef Meal and Rice Adult
¡Diamond Naturals Large Breed 60+ Adult
¡Diamond Naturals Chicken and Rice Adult
¡Diamond Naturals Senior 8+ Formula
¡Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy
¡Diamond Naturals Small Breed Puppy
¡Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete
Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Lamb and Rice Formula was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Lamb and Rice
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Lamb, lamb meal, cracked pearled barley, whole grain brown rice, egg product, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), millet, beet pulp, potatoes, flaxseed, natural flavor, fish meal, potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, Yucca schidigera extract, 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, L-Carnitine, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dry dog food lists lamb. Although it is a quality item, raw lamb contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lostc reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably occupy a lower position on the list.
Which brings us to lamb mealc the second and more likely the dominant meat ingredient in this dog food.
Lamb meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh lamb.
The third ingredient lists barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. Unlike grains with a higher glycemic index (like rice), barley can help support stable blood sugar levels in dogs.
The fourth item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredientc a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The fifth item lists dried egg productc a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheriesc from eggs that have failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The sixth ingredient lists chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chickenc 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 acidc an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesnft sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The seventh ingredient is milletc gluten-free grains harvested from certain seed grasses. Millet is hypoallergenic and naturally rich in B-vitamins and fiberc as well as other essential minerals.
Once cooked, millet can be easily digested by a dog.
The eighth ingredient lists beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredientc 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.
The ninth ingredient is potato. Assuming theyfre whole, potatoes are a good source of digestible carbohydrates and other healthy nutrients.
The tenth ingredient is flaxseedc one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Flax seeds are rich in soluble fiber.
However, we find it unusual to see flaxseed here in its whole seed form. Whole flax seeds are almost impossible to digest (at least for us humans) unless they are first ground to a usable powder before they are consumed.
After the natural flavor, we find fish mealc another protein-rich meat concentrate.
Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. The term gfishh does little to properly describe this ingredient. What species? What parts?
Fish meal is commonly made from the by-products of commercial fish operations.
We are pleased to note that, unlike many fish meals, this particular item1 appears to be ethoxyquin-free.
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 have much of an effect on the overall rating of this product.
With two notable exceptionsc
First, we find no evidence of probioticsc friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
Finally, this food does contain chelated mineralsc minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Diamond Naturals Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Diamond Naturals appears to be an above-average dry dog food.
But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the productfs meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 28%, a fat level of 17% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 48%.
If we exclude the lower-rated Lite product, the brand features an average protein content of 29% and a mean fat level of 18%.
Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate proportion of 45% for the overall product line.
Average protein. Above-average fat. And below carbohydratesc when compared to a typical dry dog food.
With no evidence of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a dry dog food containing a respectable amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Diamond Naturals is a grain-based dry dog food using a notable amount of chicken, beef or lamb meals as its main sources of animal proteinc thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly recommended.
Those looking for a nice wet product from the same company may wish to check out our review of Diamond canned dog food.
A Final Word
This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in a specific health benefit for your pet.
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog foodc or maybe the review itself? Please knowc we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
01/05/2010 Original review
08/13/2010 Review updated
1.Diamond Pet Foods Customer Service, 8/13/2010 ↩
Tagged as: active, adult, all life stages, dry, growth, large breed, maintenance, puppy, senior, small breed, weight control
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This was the only 4 star feed i could find...
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Jeremy Harris
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12-23-2010 02:45 AM
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