[Leslie R]

Any idea why Honest Kitchen didn’t make the Editor’s Preferred List? I would think that it would rate higher than a kibble?

[pugmomsandy]

It was on April’s list. The Editor’s Choice Preferred List is updated regularly, some are added, some are removed.

[theBCnut]

March list.

[Leslie R]

Do you know why it was removed?

[cindy q]

I was just going to come here and ask this same question? Must be a reason it was removed?

[cindy q]

Anyone that is feeding Honest Kitchen do you only feed that or are you using it as a topper? My one dog loves it and the other doesn’t seem to like the texture of it.

[crazy4cats]

I read on a previous reply that they do not explain why a food isn’t on the list. Only, that it didn’t meet their criteria at this time. I’m guessing that this is due to legal reasons. Most likely, avoiding any type of legal action from a company. But, again, that is just my guess. Now, to answer the other question. I am using the honest kitchen as a topper a couple times a week. I also think the texture is weird and looks and smells a little weird. But, my dogs eat it just fine. I’m trying to feed a variety of toppers with their kibble. This is a very convenient topper as all you do is scoop, add water and stir. It is a little expensive so I only use occasionally at this time. I’m not worried that it is not on the list at this time. My dogs do well with it. Good luck!

[Leslie R]

I’ve been feeding HK for a few years. My dogs love it. I use Embark & occasionally Love & Keen for my one pup who can’t have certain ingredients. But it is expensive even though I get a decent price at doggiefood.com, esp with their bulk discount. But if there’s a reason it’s off the list I feel stupid spending the $. Can someone from the website answer this question? Does being off tbe list mean that the kibbles listed are better to feed? Thanks for any answers you can provide.

[RescueDaneMom]

I have no clue why it was removed from the list but if your dogs are doing well on it, I wouldn’t stop feeding it because it is not on the Editor’s List. Keep in mind that the list is the opinion of a few people (granted they are knowledgeable). If I had to guess, I doubt it’s because of their company or practices. It may be because of price or availability issues. I really can’t think of any other issues that would keep it from the list. They are an impeccable company.

I have been feeding HK for 6 years. I first started using it as a topper. Now I use it as the base of my dog’s diet. I feed Max 50% HK (Embark, Love, and Keen). The other 50% is made of raw and additions like eggs and kefir. Occasionally I will make homecooked food for a change. In my personal opinion, HK is better for your dog than any of the kibbles on the EC list because it is less processed than kibble. It is dehydrated so it is exposed to low heat but dehydration is a much gentler process than extrusion which is what it takes to make kibble. I made the switch to feeding half HK because I didn’t want to feed kibble anymore and it is so much more convenient than homemade food.

I hope that this post is helpful to you. Also, if you are a regular user, I would contact HK about buying directly from them. They give a bulk discount as well and you earn points toward free food with every purchase.

[Leslie R]

Thanks RescueDaneMom! I agree that they are a responsible company. I like your idea of feeding half & half. I usually add extras also but in smaller amts. I have 5 Jack Russells. You must really go through a box with Danes :). Happy Mother’s Day!

[RescueDaneMom]

Thank you! Happy Mother’s Day to you as well. Max is my only baby so he is spoiled rotten. He will be 8 on the 22nd. As an old man, he doesn’t eat as much as he once did. Plus, he’s a couch potato so he doesn’t need a ton of calories. I go through a 10lb box in a month. I guess that’s probably a lot compared to what you use. 🙂

As far as the other 50%, I make sure it is close to balanced. If I give extra boneless meat I will add the appropriate amount of bone meal so I don’t throw off the Ca/P ratio. He gets one soft cooked egg (cooked white but runny yolk) with his breakfast every morning. I use Primal grinds that have ground bone. I also use complete and balanced raw formulas. If you add extras and don’t plan to balance them, then just make sure it is not more than 20% of your dog’s meal by volume.

[theBCnut]

I don’t know this, but I think THK was removed from the list right after someone posted here about finding matchstick sized pieces of alfalfa stem in a box of their food. She posted their response to an email and it was basically that they don’t have a problem until more people complain. However, this is a known problem from their past. That was lousy customer service.

[Leslie R]

Never had a problem with HK but thanks for the heads up.

[RescueDaneMom]

Interesting, Patty. I suppose that could be why HK was removed. Though, I personally think it’s a little extreme to remove them because of one person’s interaction with them. I’m sure the other companies on the list have had people that weren’t happy with their customer service. On the whole, HK has pretty good customer service compared to a lot of other companies. I didn’t experience the problems with the alfalfa and I was using Zeal at the time too. Oh well. That’s why I use everything on DFA as a guide to help me make my own decision about things.

[cindy q]

I have a box of love and force and I don’t see anything like that in them.

[crazy4cats]

I have a box of Thrive and don’t have any issues either. But, I don’t think it even contains alfalfa though. I think Patty’s right about them removing after the poster showed several pictures and responses from THK’s customer service. My guess is that it will be back on the list after they investigate. I ordered the sample boxes a few days ago. I’m hoping that they do not contain the alfalfa pieces like she was posting a while ago.

[cindy q]

I am hoping this isn’t correct, but I just read on dogforums.com that honest kitchen uses some things from China. It was a older post, but the poster said they contacted honest kitchen and they said while they try to get most things from the US they do get some from China, Thailand and I believe some where else.

[RescueDaneMom]

Hi cindy q,

I had to double check that because I refuse to use a food that has ANY ingredients from China. THK has a page that lists where all of their ingredients come from: http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/the-benefits/our-ingredients

They have a table on the right hand side of the page that says “where our food is from.” If you click on Asia & Africa, you will see that nothing comes from China (see below, copied and pasted from website). Personally, I am ok with where all of these products come from.

Papaya: Our papaya is grown in plantations in Thailand. Papaya is a rich source of proteolytic enzymes. These are the chemicals that enable the digestion of protein.

Banana: Our bananas are from the Philippines. Bananas contain all 8 essential amino acids and are filled with vitamin B6, C, carotenoids, fiber, magnesium, potassium (electrolytes) and another good source of phytonutrients.

Organic Coconut: Our certified organic coconuts come from Thailand. Coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It also has many wonderful nutrition benefits including anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.

Chicory: Our chicory is grown on the plains of India. It is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium and manganese.

Organic Basil: Our fragrant basil is from Egypt, and is now certified organic along with several of our other ingredients. Basil is high in vitamins and also possesses anti-bacterial properties.

Parsley: Our flat-leaf parsley is from Egypt. Parsley is high in vitamins, antioxidants and iron.

[cindy q]

I wonder if maybe they used China in the past? It was a older post.

[crazy4cats]

I don’t think it would have been on the original list if it had any ingredients from china.

[Hound Dog Mom]

They used to source some ingredients from China years ago, they’ve been China-free for awhile now though.

[Mike Sagman]

As we explain on our FAQ page:

“Members should not be surprised to see some changes to our Editor’s Choice list as new information is discovered or brought to our attention.

“So, in the spirit of keeping the list short enough to be useful to our readers, we may sometimes be compelled to remove one good company to make room for others that are more deserving.

“Of course, there are many reasons a particular brand may or may not be included. And these reasons are typically subtle.

“In any case, to ensure our freedom to make these opinion-based adjustments freely and as needed, we must reserve the right to keep some of the rationale we use to make these decisions private.”

In this particular case, our decision to not include THK in our latest Editor’s Choice list had absolutely nothing to do with any current report of the use of Chinese ingredients in this product. If that were true, our Editor’s Choice analysis would have clearly disclosed which ingredients they were.

Our decision here to not include THK (or many otherwise excellent brands) is not due to anything especially negative about the company or its products but rather our need to make room for others we feel might be more qualified.

By the way, you may also wish to read the thread of comments posted by readers beneath our THK review regarding undigested alfalfa as well as the company’s response. That thread begins with with this comment.

Hope this helps.

[RescueDaneMom]

So what I concluded from that is THK was removed because of their response to the alfalfa complaint. That seems to me what was said without actually being said.

[Mike Sagman]

Our decision here to not include THK or many otherwise excellent brands at this time is not due to anything specifically negative about the company (including their alfalfa response) but rather our belief that others might be more qualified. Adding or removing brands from our Editor’s Choice will likely happen many times throughout any given year and should be expected.

Editor’s Choice designation is based upon the subjective opinions of this editor and our research staff. Leaving a company off the list should not be interpreted as the discovery of some crucially important finding.

[USA]

I really appreciate all the work you do for the readers of Dog Food Advisor!!!

The editors choice section is not what what I expected. I don’t understand the purposeful vagueness that is part of the Editors Choice selection process. Part of the criteria for being picked for the Editors Choice section is disclosure. If a company does not disclose where they are made, where their ingredients come from and other things they will not be included in the list. I agree with this 100%. Full disclosure enables a consumer to make an informed decision about what foods to feed their dogs. That is all I ask from a dog food company. Make your food however you like as long as I can find out how it is made I can decide if I want to feed it to my dog or not.

I feel the same way about the Editors Choice section. You are asking for full disclosure from dog food companies yet you are not giving us full disclosure on how and why a dog food company is included or not included in your list. I hope this changes in the future.

[cindy q]

Well said!

[Mike Sagman]

I’m sorry to hear Editor’s Choice is not what you expected. For it has never been my intention to do anything but work hard for you and be helpful.

Choosing brands for Editor’s Choice is not so easy and is based (in good faith) on as many facts as I can put together. And I’m perfectly willing to disclose those facts when appropriate.

However, it’s also based upon subjective opinion and hunches based upon everything I might personally know. Yet sharing these unprovable notions publicly would be irresponsible — unfair to the companies and misleading to readers.

Please read our FAQ section carefully. Nothing has changed from the very first day it was published — or the day you joined. If you truly believe I’ve given you less than I promised you in that FAQ, then you have every right to cancel your membership. To do so, please follow the instructions in that same FAQ and I will be more than happy to refund your money.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Mike Sagman.

[cindy q]

I think if you could just tell us nothing has changed with the way Honest Kitchen is making their food, that everything is the same as when they did make the list then we would feel better. I think we are all here for the same reason, we want the best for our babies. I very much appreciate this forum and I am still trying to figure out what to feed my Standard Poodle puppy, my toy will eat anything (except kibble) the Standard was a good eater but suddenly has gotten quite picky. So I have been checking all the 5 star foods on here trying to find something she will eat. Thanks for all the time and work that you put into this.

[Mike Sagman]

I am not aware of any changes with the way Honest Kitchen is making their food. And everything appears to be the same as when they first made the list. Hope this helps.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Mike Sagman.

[InkedMarie]

I agree about THK and yes, while the FAQ does say that, I admit that I assumed if a food was removed, we’d have an explanation as to why. I realize it’s a moot point; we aren’t getting one. My mistake but I agree with what USA Dog Treats said about disclosure. Not all of us realized we couldn’t hear the reason why.

[cindy q]

That does help Mike. Thank you. I would be curious to know what food you use?

[Mike Sagman]

Sorry, Marie. I’ve already addressed everything you posted in your “me too” comment. So, it’s unfair for you or anyone else to “assume” something I’ve never ever said or implied.

For legal and ethical reasons, I will never publish an unprovable (non-factual) opinion about any company anywhere on this website just to appease a reader’s curiosity or expectations for an explanation.

And that’s not ever going to change.

[Mike Sagman]

Hi Cindy,

I’d love to be able to share with you my favorite dog food. However, I really don’t have one. Besides, it would be unfair to publicly endorse a specific brand while there are so many other excellent choices out there.

In any case, I can confirm we rotate Bailey’s and Molly’s diets among our Editor’s Choice dog foods. Two brands I really like and have been using for many years will soon be added to our current selections. So, keep an eye on Editor’s Choice over the next few months.

[cindy q]

Thanks for your reply!

[Leslie R]

What’s your opinion on kibble vs dehydrated food? And does anyone know of a very low carb food for a cancer diet. . Other than rx diet, of course.

[Mike Sagman]

Although dehydrating a dog food is certainly an appealing concept, assuming this kind of product is automatically better than a kibble might be presumptive.

Thanks to the help of one our knowledgeable veterinary consultants, I do question whether or not all the dehydrated nutrients are getting into a dog’s body in the levels needed.

Are companies that produce dehydrated products relying on the nutrients in ingredients (like alfalfa) to be bioavailable? So far, I’ve not been able to find a satisfactory answer to this important question.

Another example would be potatoes. I would hope companies that produce dehydrated foods are cooking the potatoes they’re using in their recipes. Otherwise, the starch might not be digested very well.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Mike Sagman.

[Leslie R]

Thank you. .as you say, answers make more questions 🙂

[RescueDaneMom]

leslie, I’m on my lunch break so I don’t have much time to write as much as I want. My family’s rottweitler battled lymphoma for 10 months with chemo treatments. I fed him THK Embark and Preference. When using Preference, I only gave him cooked protein. No raw for compromised immune systems. I also fed some low carb kibbles (Horizon Legacy and Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural) as well as homecooked food. Please let me know if you need more info. I’d be glad to share our experience if it can help someone else.
-Caroline

[Leslie R]

Caroline, thank you. I have been feeding Buster Embark & Love. Wasn’t sure if they were low enough in carbs. I add sardines or eggs, sometimes chicken. I only give him protein treats. I got an email from Only Natural Pets ( I think thats the name) for their air dried food. The dogfoodadvisor list has this food at 25 % carbs & HK embark higher..can’t remember the exact number. Do you think I should change? I also add salmon oil, tumeric and a probiotic. We’ve only had him 1 month & it’s killing me. I’ve known him for 6 years as he belonged to my friend who passed away..her husband didn’t want him. Any advice is truly appreciated. Thanks for your help.Leslie

[RescueDaneMom]

Hi Leslie,

Your welcome. On a dry matter basis, Embark is 38% carbs and Love is 37%. You could definitely achieve even lower carbs by using the Preference and adding meat at a 2:1 ratio (2 cups meat to 1 cup Preference). The ONP Max Meat has 26% carbs on a DM basis. You could certainly try it and see if he does any better on it.

I don’t want to hijack this thread to talk about a cancer diet (because there is SO much information on it). If you want we can start a new thread or you can email me at ccapobianco85(at)gmail(dot)com.

-Caroline

[Leslie R]

OK, thanks for your help!

[cindy q]

After Mike’s comment about the potatoes should be cooked in dehydrated food I was curious to see if Honest Kitchen does cook them first. I contacted them and they said no they do not cook them first. They said dehydrating them “technically” cooks them.

[aimee]

I too asked Honest Kitchen about the potato issue. I asked to what temperature they are brought to and they never specifically answered that question. They told me they are flash heated and “gently cooked” before dehydration. i didn’t know if that is enough to make them digestible or not as I don’t know how they define cooked as they say their foods are never cooked.

I also wonder if the same processing is used across all potatoes or if they ever use what would be the equivalent of “instant mashed potato” The potato in another companies dehydrated diet looks like instant potato.

I figured I’d ask my dog. I bought some Preference, hydrated it, counted the potato and pumpkin pieces and fed her a meal. I put 20 hydrated sweet potato pieces in and got 20 out virtually unchanged. I may have identified a pumpkin piece too. It was hard to tell but I think the pumpkin was digested. I’ll post the pics on the Honest Kitchen thread.

[cindy q]

Its funny they told you they are “gently cooked” they told me they are not cooked and that dehydrating “technically” cooks them. My puppy won’t eat it anyway and my 8year old liked it for a few days and now she won’t eat it either.

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