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This Review Has Been Merged with
Wysong Archetype Burgers
Wysong Archetype Buffet Dog Food receives the Advisor’s above-average rating of 5 stars.
The Wysong Archetype Buffet product line includes one dry dog food, a recipe claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
Wysong Archetype Buffet
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, chicken hearts, chicken livers, ground chicken bone, flax seed, ground brown rice, ground oat groats, ground wheat, ground corn, cane molasses, tomatoes, sun-cured alfalfa, apple, blueberry, sweet potato, celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, watercress, spinach, carrots, green beans, potato, chlorella, barley grass powder, wheat grass powder, organic mung bean sprouts, organic quinoa sprouts, organic millet sprouts, artichoke, dried seaweed, milk calcium, coral calcium, dicalcium phosphate, fish oil, coconut oil, yeast culture, sesame seeds, taurine, dl-methionine, sea salt, garlic, black pepper, artichoke, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, Bacillus subtilis fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus lactis fermentation product, dried yeast culture, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation product, dried Aspergillus niger fermentation product, sage extract, rosemary extract, choline chloride, ascorbic acid, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, manganese proteinate, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper proteinate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, vitamin A acetate, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.24%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 29% | 18% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 32% | 20% | 40% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 27% | 40% | 33% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
The second ingredient is chicken heart. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing to us humans, heart tissue is pure muscle — all meat. It’s naturally rich in quality protein, minerals and complex B vitamins, too.
The third ingredient is ground chicken bone, an excellent source of natural calcium.
The fourth 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.
The fifth 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 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 item is wheat. Like corn, wheat is an inexpensive and controversial cereal grain of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The eighth ingredient is corn. Corn is another cereal grain and subject to the same issues as wheat (previously discussed).
The ninth ingredient is molasses. Although it’s rich in mineral nutrients, molasses is a less-refined form of sugar with a glycemic index in humans similar to maple syrup.
Like table sugar (and in excessive amounts), molasses has the potential to raise a dog’s blood sugar.
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, wheat grass is prized for its vitamin and mineral content. Yet unlike wheat, wheat grass is gluten-free. So, please ignore our software’s unfavorable treatment of this nutritious ingredient.
Next, garlic can be a controversial item. Although most experts favor the ingredient for its numerous health benefits, garlic (in rare cases) has been linked to Heinz body anemia in dogs.1
However, the limited professional literature we surveyed provided no definitive warnings regarding the use of garlic — especially when used in small amounts (as it likely is here).
Thirdly, the company appears to have applied friendly bacteria to the surface of the kibble after cooking. These special probiotics are used to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.
And lastly, this food also 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.
Wysong Archetype Buffet Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Wysong Archetype Buffet looks to be an above-average dry dog food.
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 32%, a fat level of 20% and estimated carbohydrates of about 40%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing an above-average amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Wysong Archetype Buffet is a grain-based dry dog food using an above-average amount of chicken as its main source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Notes and Updates
01/20/2012 Original review
08/22/2013 Review Merged
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