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Canidae Under the Sun Grain Free canned dog food receives the Advisor’s second-highest tier rating of 4 stars.

The Canidae Under the Sun Grain Free product line includes the 4 canned dog foods listed below.

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

Use the links below to compare prices at an online retailer.

• Canidae Under the Sun Grain Free Duck Formula [A]
• Canidae Under the Sun Grain Free Salmon Formula (4.5 stars) [A]
• Canidae Under the Sun Grain Free Lamb Formula (3 stars) [A]
• Canidae Under the Sun Grain Free Puppy Chicken Formula (5 stars) [G]

Recipe and Label Analysis

Canidae Under the Sun Grain Free Duck Formula 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 duck. Duck is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of duck”.²

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

The next two ingredients are duck broth and turkey broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common component in many canned products.

The fourth ingredient is turkey. Turkey is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of turkey”.³

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

The next ingredient is turkey liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.

The sixth 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 seventh ingredient is agar agar, a natural vegetable gelatin derived from the cell walls of certain species of red algae. Agar is rich in fiber and is used in wet pet foods as a gelling agent.

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 Canidae product.

With 3 notable exceptions…

First, 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.

Next, we note the use of sunflower oil. This item is nutritionally similar to safflower oil. Since these oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids and contain no omega-3’s, they’re considered less nutritious than canola or flaxseed oils.

Sunflower oil is notable for its resistance to heat damage during cooking.

There are several different types of sunflower oil, some better than others. Without knowing more, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this ingredient.

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

Based on its ingredients alone, Canidae Under the Sun Grain Free looks like an above-average wet product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 41%, a fat level of 32% and estimated carbohydrates of about 19%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 39% and a mean fat level of 29%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 24% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 74%.

Which means that this Under the Sun product line contains…

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

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas, this looks like the profile of a wet product containing a moderate amount of meat.

However, with 56% of the total calories in our example coming from fat versus just 30% from protein, some recipes may not be suitable for every animal.

Our Rating of Canidae Under the Sun Grain Free Canned Dog Food

Canidae Under the Sun Grain Free is a canned dog food using a moderate amount of named meats as its main source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 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.

Has Canidae Under the Sun Dog Food Been Recalled?

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls since 2009 related to Canidae.

• Canidae Dog Food Recall (5/5/2012)

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

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More Canidae Brand Reviews

The following Canidae dog food reviews are also posted on this website:

• Canidae All Life Stages Dog Food Review (Canned)
• Canidae All Life Stages Dog Food Review (Dry)
• Canidae Pure Grain Free Dog Food Review (Canned)
• Canidae Pure Grain Free Dog Food Review (Dry)
• Canidae Under the Sun Grain Free Dog Food Review (Dry)