Pinnacle Grain Free canned dog food receives the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of 3 stars.

The Pinnacle Grain Free product line includes 5 canned dog foods.

Each recipe below includes its related AAFCO nutrient profile when available on the product’s official webpage: Growth, Maintenance, All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

• Pinnacle Salmon and Pumpkin Grain Free [A]
• Pinnacle Turkey and Pumpkin Grain Free (3.5 stars) [A]
• Pinnacle Trout and Sweet Potato Grain Free (4 stars) [A]
• Pinnacle Chicken and Vegetable Grain Free (3.5 stars) [A]
• Pinnacle Duck and Sweet Potato Grain Free (2.5 stars) [A]

Recipe and Label Analysis

Pinnacle Salmon and Pumpkin Grain Free was selected to represent the other products in the line for this review.

Ingredient Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is salmon. Salmon is an oily marine and freshwater fish not only high in protein but also omega 3 fatty acids, essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life.

The second ingredient is salmon broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common addition component in many canned products.

The third ingredient includes 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 fourth ingredient is pumpkin. Pumpkin is a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, beta-carotene and dietary fiber.

The fifth 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 sixth ingredient lists canola oil. Unfortunately, canola can be a controversial item. That’s because it can sometimes (but not always) be derived from genetically modified rapeseed.

Yet others cite the fact canola oil can be a significant source of essential omega-3 fatty acids.

In any case, plant-based oils like canola are less biologically available to a dog than fish oil as a source of quality omega-3 fats.

The seventh 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.

The eighth ingredient is quinoa. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is not a true cereal grain but a plant prized for its gluten-free seeds.

Compared to most other grain-type ingredients, it is high in protein (about 12-18%), dietary fiber and other healthy nutrients.

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 product.

With 1 notable exception…

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.

Pinnacle Grain Free Canned Dog Food Review

Judging by its ingredients alone, Pinnacle Grain Free dog food looks like an above-average wet product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 34%, a fat level of 30% and estimated carbohydrates of about 28%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 36% and a mean fat level of 31%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 25% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 86%.

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

When you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas, flaxseed and quinoa, this looks like the profile of a wet product containing a moderate amount of meat.

However, with 53% of the total calories in our example coming from fat versus just 25% from protein, some recipes may not be suitable for every animal. In addition, this same finding also prevents us from awarding the brand a higher rating.

Bottom line?

Pinnacle Grain Free is a meat-based canned dog food using a moderate amount of named meats as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 3 stars.

Recommended.

Pinnacle Dog Food Recall History

The following list (if present) includes all dog food recalls since 2009 directly related to this Pinnacle product line. If there are no recalls listed in this section, we have not yet reported any events.

Notes and Updates