Highly Recommended
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Dave’s Dog Food receives the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.
The Dave’s Dog Food product line includes the 6 dry dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available… Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
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| Product | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Dave’s Naturally Healthy Adult Dog | 3.5 | M |
| Dave’s Naturally Healthy Puppy | 5 | G |
| Dave’s Simply the Best | 5 | A |
| Dave’s Grain Free Pork Meal and Sweet Potato | 4 | A |
| Dave’s Chicken Meal and Brown Rice Delicate Dinner | 4.5 | M |
| Dave’s Grain Free Countryside Blend | 5 | A |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Dave’s Chicken Meal and Brown Rice Delicate Dinner 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.
Dave's Chicken Meal and Brown Rice Delicate Dinner
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken meal, brown rice, oat groats, sorghum, millet, dried potatoes, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), spray dried egg product, dried plain beet pulp, natural flavor, flaxseed, salt, potassium chloride, dicalcium phosphate, dl-methionine, calcium carbonate, l-lysine, fructooligosaccharides, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation extract, dried kelp, vitamin E supplement, ascorbic acid, vegetable oil, biotin, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A acetate, riboflavin, vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, citric acid, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 25% | 10% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 28% | 11% | 53% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 26% | 25% | 49% |
Ingredient Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
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 includes oat groats, a whole grain, minimally processed form of oats. With the exception of their caloric content and the fact they’re also gluten free, oat groats can be considered average in nutritional value.
The next 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 fifth 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.
The sixth ingredient includes dried potato, a dehydrated item usually made from the by-products of potato processing. In most cases, dried 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 seventh ingredient is chicken fat. This item 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 eighth ingredient is dried egg product, a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries — from eggs that failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
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 ingredients.
But realistically, items located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.
With 4 notable exceptions…
First, flaxseed is 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.
Next, this recipe contains fructooligosaccharide, an alternative sweetener1 probably used here as a prebiotic. Prebiotics function to support the growth of healthy bacteria in the large intestine.
In addition, we note the use of vegetable oil, a generic oil of unknown origin. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in any oil is nutritionally critical and can vary significantly (depending on the source).
Without knowing more, it’s impossible to judge the quality of an item so vaguely described. However, compared to a named animal fat, a generic vegetable oil cannot be considered a quality ingredient.
And lastly, this food contains 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, Dave’s Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 28%, a fat level of 11% and estimated carbohydrates of about 53%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 29% and a mean fat level of 16%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 47% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 55%.
Which means this Dave’s 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 potato and flaxseed, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a significant amount of meat.
Our Rating of Dave’s Dog Food
Dave’s includes both grain-free and grain-inclusive dry dog foods that incorporate a significant amount of named meat meals as their main source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Has Dave’s Dog Food Been Recalled?
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls since 2009 related to Dave’s.
- Dave’s Dog Food Recall of June 2018 (6/13/2018)
- Dave’s Dog Food Recall of December 2015 (12/3/2015)
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
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More Dave’s Pet Food Brand Reviews
The following Dave’s dog food reviews are also posted on this website:
- Dave’s 95% Premium Meats Dog Food Review (Canned)
- Dave’s Grain Free Dog Food Review (Canned)
- Dave’s Naturally Healthy Dog Food Review (Canned)
- Dave’s STEWlicious Dog Food Review (Canned)
Compare This Dog Food
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A Final Word
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