Which Genesis RAW Frozen Recipes Get Our Best Ratings?

Genesis RAW Dog Food receives the Advisor’s second-highest tier rating of 4.5 stars.

The Genesis RAW product line includes the 4 frozen dog foods listed below.

Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available… Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Genesis RAW Turkey Blend 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.

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Ingredient Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is turkey. Turkey is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of turkey”.¹

Turkey is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

In addition, this ingredient is inclusive of ground bone, an excellent source of natural calcium.

The second ingredient is turkey heart. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing to us humans, heart tissue is pure muscle — all meat. It’s naturally rich in quality protein, minerals and complex B vitamins, too.

The next ingredient is turkey gizzard, a low-fat, meaty organ found in the tract of birds and assists in grinding up a consumed food. This item is considered a canine dietary delicacy.

The fourth ingredient includes turkey liver, an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.

The fifth ingredient lists carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.

The sixth ingredient is spinach. Due to its exceptional vitamin and mineral content, spinach exhibits a remarkably high nutrient Completeness Score² of 91.

The seventh ingredient is celery. Although raw celery can be very high in water, it can still contribute a notable amount of dietary fiber as well as other healthy nutrients.

The eighth ingredient is apple, a nutrient-rich fruit that’s also high in fiber.

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 Maverick product.

With 4 notable exceptions…

First, garlic can be a controversial item. Although many favor the ingredient for its claimed health benefits, garlic has been linked to Heinz body anemia in dogs.³

So, one must weigh the potential benefits of feeding garlic against its proven tendency to cause subclinical damage to the red blood cells of the animal.

Next, we find salmon oil. 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, 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.

And lastly, although the vitamins and minerals added to this product are not detailed sufficiently here to permit us to judge their quality, we’re pleased to find a list of both naturally present as well as added nutrients detailed on the company’s website.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Genesis RAW Dog Food looks like an above-average raw product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 47%, a fat level of 36% and estimated carbohydrates of about 9%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 48% and a mean fat level of 38%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 6% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 80%.

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

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the flaxseed, this still looks like the profile of a product containing a generous amount of meat.

However, with 61% of the total calories in our example coming from fat versus just 33% from protein, some recipes may not be suitable for every animal.

Our Rating of Genesis RAW Dog Food

Genesis RAW is a grain-free frozen dog food using a generous amount of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4.5 stars.

Highly recommended.

Please note certain recipes are sometimes given a higher or lower rating based upon our estimate of their total meat content and (when appropriate) their fat-to-protein ratios.

Genesis Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Maverick Pet Foods through December.

No recalls noted.

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

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More Maverick Pet Foods Brand Reviews

The following Maverick dog food review is also posted on this website:

• Nature’s Kitchen Dog Food Review (Cooked Frozen)