Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
ShoreWay Dog Food product range is made up of ten recipes with ratings varying from 3 to 5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 4.5 stars.
The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| ShoreWay Water Buffalo & Brown Rice | 4.5 | A |
| ShoreWay Grain-Free Whitefish & Duck | 5 | A |
| ShoreWay Grain-Free Water Buffalo & Duck | 5 | A |
| ShoreWay Grain-Free High-Protein Select | 5 | A |
| ShoreWay Chicken for Puppy & Growth | 5 | G |
| ShoreWay Chicken Lean Adult Formula | 3 | M |
| ShoreWay Chicken & Brown Rice | 4.5 | A |
| ShoreWay Adult Maintenance Chicken & Brown Rice | 3.5 | M |
| ShoreWay Salmon & Brown Rice | 4.5 | A |
| ShoreWay Lamb & Brown Rice | 4.5 | A |
Recipe and Label Analysis
ShoreWay Chicken for Puppy & Growth was selected to represent the other products in the line for this review.
ShoreWay Chicken for Puppy & Growth
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken meal, brown rice, ground grain sorghum, dried plain beet pulp, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), oat groats, whitefish meal, egg product, pearled barley, natural flavor, brewers dried yeast, pea protein, menhaden fish oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), whole ground flaxseed, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), lecithin, chicken cartilage (source of chondroitin sulfate), potassium chloride, salt, dl-methionine, calcium carbonate, l-lysine, choline chloride, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, fructooligosaccharide, turmeric powder, dried carrots, dried spinach, mixed tocopherols (a natural preservitive), zinc sulfate, vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulfate, zinc proteinate, yucca schidigera extract, manganese sulfate, iron proteinate, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, copper sulfate, niacin supplement, kelp meal, manganese proteinate, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, sodium selenite, biotin, copper proteinate, vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A acetate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, citric acid, vitamin D3 supplement, calcium iodate, folic acid, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, dried lactobacillus reuteri fermentation product
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.5%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 28% | 17% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 31% | 19% | 42% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 26% | 39% | 35% |
Ingredients 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 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 fourth 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.
The fifth 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 sixth 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 seventh ingredient is whitefish, a marine or freshwater species native to Canada and the California coast.
The eighth ingredient is egg product, an unspecified (wet or dry?) form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries – from eggs that have failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The ninth ingredient is pearled barley is produced when the seed hull and bran is removed from barley grain. Fiber is distributed throughout the barley grain, rather than being contained within the hull meaning that pearled barley is still a source of fiber. However, aside from its energy content, this cereal grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
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 six notable exceptions…
First, 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 that canola oil can be a significant source of 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.
Next, 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.
We find brewers dried yeast, which can be a controversial item. Although it’s a by-product of the beer making process, this ingredient is rich in minerals and other healthy nutrients.
Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system.
Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself.
In addition, a vocal minority insists yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is a claim we’ve not been able to scientifically verify.
In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, yeast can still be considered a nutritious additive.
In addition, 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.
This recipe also contains, sodium selenite this recipe contains sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.
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
Judging by its ingredients alone, ShoreWay Chicken for Puppy & Growth looks like an above-average dry product.
But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 31.1%, a fat level of 18.9% and estimated carbohydrates of about 42%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 28.8% and a mean fat level of 15.6%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 47.9% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 53%.
Near-average protein. Near-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
ShoreWay Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to ShoreWay through February 2025.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of ShoreWay Dog Food
ShoreWay is a dry dog food using a moderate amount of named meat meals as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4.5 stars.
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.
Compare ShoreWay Dog Food
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