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Our Verdict
The Spot Farms Grain-Free product line includes the one dehydrated dog food which receives the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 5 stars. A recipe claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
Spot Farms Grain Free Chicken Recipe
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Dehydrated chicken, dried potatoes, flaxseed, dried apples, dried carrots, dried blueberries, dried spinach, dicalcium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, dried sweet potatoes, dried yeast, salt, fish oil, choline chloride, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, selenium yeast, copper proteinate, dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, ascorbic acid, natural flavors, manganese proteinate, vitamin A acetate, dried bacillus coagulans fermentation product, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, vitamin D3 supplement, potassium iodide, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 26% | 16% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 29% | 18% | 45% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 25% | 37% | 39% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is dehydrated chicken. Dehydrated chicken is considered a meat concentrate and contains more than four times as much protein as fresh chicken.
Plus (unlike chicken meal) dehydrated chicken is not exposed to high temperatures during processing, so it preserves more of the meat’s natural nutrients.
The second ingredient is 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 third 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 next ingredient is dried apple, a dehydrated, nutrient-rich fruit that’s also high in fiber.
The fifth ingredient lists carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The sixth ingredient includes blueberries, which are a good source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
The seventh ingredient is spinach. Due to its exceptional vitamin and mineral content, spinach exhibits a remarkably high nutrient Completeness Score1 of 91.
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 four notable exceptions…
First, 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.
Next, we find fish oil. Fish 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, fish oil should be considered a commendable addition.
In addition, this recipe contains selenium yeast. Unlike the more common inorganic form of selenium (sodium selenite), this natural yeast supplement is considered a safer anti-cancer alternative.
And lastly, 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, Spot Farms Grain Free Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 29%, a fat level of 18% and estimated carbohydrates of about 45%.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 62%.
Which means this Spot Farms product line contains…
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the flaxseed, this looks like the profile of a dry product containing a significant amount of meat.
Spot Farms Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Spot Farms through December 2024.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Spot Farms Grain-Free Dog Food
Spot Farms Grain Free is a dry dog food using a significant amount of named dehydrated meat as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Compare Spot Farms Grain-Free Dog Food
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