Go! Solutions Weight Management + Joint Care (Dry)

Go! Solutions Weight Management + Joint Care dry product receives the Dog Food Advisor’s rating 3.5 stars.

Please note: The criteria we use to rate foods is designed for foods which support the everyday feeding of healthy dogs. Foods which are designed for a particular nutritional purpose or veterinary condition can contain ingredients or nutritional values which align with a lower rating, but are necessary and appropriate in formulas which tackle certain issues or concerns. Despite the reserved rating, this is a great example of a weight management and joint support diet which is highly recommended.

The table below shows the recipe rating and  AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient is deboned chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.¹

Chicken is naturally rich in the 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

The second ingredient is peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.

However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

The third ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The fourth ingredient is potatoes. Potatoes can be considered a gluten-free source of digestible carbohydrates. Yet with the exception of perhaps their caloric content, potatoes are of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The fifth ingredient is chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. Like peas, beans and lentils, chickpea is a nutritious member of the fiber-rich legume (or pulse) family of vegetables.

However, chickpeas contain about 22% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

The sixth ingredient is tapioca, a gluten-free, starchy carbohydrate extract made from the root of the cassava plant.

The seventh ingredient is pea fiber, a mixture of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber derived from pea hulls. Aside from the usual benefits of fiber, this agricultural by-product provides no other nutritional value to a dog.

The eighth ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat 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 ninth ingredient is 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.

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, chicory root. Chicory is rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.

Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.

Next, 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.

This recipe also contains selenium yeast. Unlike the more common inorganic form of selenium (sodium selenite), this natural yeast supplement is considered a safer anti-cancer alternative.

We note the inclusion of dried fermentation products in this recipe. Fermentation products are typically added as probiotics to aid with digestion.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, this recipe looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 24.4%, a fat level of 11.1% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 56.4%, alongside a fat-to-protein ratio of 45%.

This means this Go! Solutions Weight Management + Joint Care cat food contains near-average protein, above-average carbohydrate, and below-average fat when compared to typical dry dog food.

Go! Solutions Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Go! Solutions through June 2024.

No recalls noted.

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

Our Rating of Go! Solutions Dog Food

This is a great example of a diet for managing weight and supporting joint health. It contains lean protein and beneficial ingredients such as L-carnitine to aid in fat burning, and glucosamine and chondroitin to promote healthy, flexible joints.

Recommended with Reservations

About

The Go! Solutions brand is owned by Petcurean, a family-owned Canadian company which was founded in 1999. 

Petcurean sources ingredients from North America with a focus on products grown or raised near its production facilities.  Exceptions to this rule include lamb and venison from Australia and New Zealand. 

Go! Solutions cat food is produced in multiple facilities in the United States and Canada.  All Go! kibble is manufactured in Ontario, Canada, while canned food production is divided between Ontario and New Jersey.  Go!’s Tetra Pak products are manufactured in the United States and their Meal Mixers are manufactured in British Columbia.

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