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Dog Food Insiders Rating
4 1/2 PAWS
You can find detailed information aboutCanidae Pet Food Corporation in our main review of Canidae Dog Food. There you will also find information about how the food is made, recalls, and their quality control. This review will cover the Pure Sea blend in the line of Canidae Dog Food products.
Canidae relies on an All Life Stages approach to feeding dogs. Most of their products are formulated for all life stages. They produce kibbles and canned food in several formulations: all life stage formulas, senior formula, and several grain free formulas. They also produce cat foods. Canidae is considered to be a premium pet food and can be found at pet stores and for sale online.
Ingredients in Canidae Grain Free Pure Sea Dog Food
Salmon, salmon meal, menhaden fish meal, sweet potatoes,peas, canola oil, suncured alfalfa, potatoes, natural flavor, minerals (iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite), vitamins (vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), choline chloride, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, mixed tocopherols (a natural source of vitamin E).
Top 5 Ingredients Breakdown
The first five ingredients in this food are: salmon, salmon meal, menhaden fish meal, sweet potatoes, peas. As you can see, there is a great abundance of fish protein in these first few ingredients, which is excellent for your dog. Fish is typically a wonderful source of protein as well as omega-3 fatty acids which are needed for your dog’s skin and coat, along with his other organs. Sweet potatoes are one of the most nutritious vegetables and provide lots of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. We are less happy about the peas as a source of plant-based protein which can be hard for some dogs to digest.
The first and second ingredients are salmon and salmon meal. Salmon includes the moisture while the salmon meal has had most of the moisture removed so it is a concentrated form of the fish. This means it contains several times as much protein as salmon normally contains. These ingredients are excellent for your dog. Salmon is 46 percent protein and 54 percent fat. It is a good source of Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6 and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Vitamin B12 and Selenium. It’s also a good source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Menhaden fish meal is the third ingredient. This kind of fish is frequently used in dog foods but it was once a staple food for American Indians. They are an excellent source of fish oil and provide a wonderful source of omega-3 fatty acid.
The fourth ingredient in the food is sweet potatoes. While sweet potatoes are 93 percent carbohydrates, 6 percent protein, and 1 percent fat, they are also considered to be something of a “super food” because of their vitamin and mineral content. They are a good source of dietary fiber, Vitamin B6 and Potassium, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Manganese. Plus, most dogs really like the taste of them.
The fifth ingredient here is peas. Peas are a problematic ingredient in dog food for some dogs. Although they boost the protein percentage in food, containing about 24 percent protein, they are also a source of dietary fiber. Peas are not always easily digested by dogs and can result in increased waste and some gastrointestinal issues. Plant-based proteins are generally not as easy for dogs to digest or absorb as animal-based proteins.
Overall, the first five ingredients in this food show a very good supply of fish protein, along with vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber from the sweet potatoes. We are less happy with the plant-based protein from the peas which can be hard for some dogs to digest.
Additional Ingredients of Interest
Of concern, the food contains“natural flavor.” This is a deceptive term that often indicates the presence of MSG or monosodium glutamate used for flavoring. This isn’t something that you generally want to add to your dog’s food unless you have a particular object in mind, such as discouraging your dog from eating his own poop. MSG is sometimes recommended as a supplement to make your dog’s waste taste bad to him so he won’t try to eat it. Otherwise, when a food has “natural flavor,” it usually has a lot of salt which isn’t good for your dog. However, in some cases “natural flavor” can indicate the presence of liver broth or beef broth. We just don’t know. But when you see this term listed in the ingredients, it usually sends up a red flag.
We also note that the food contains a number of beneficial ingredients such aschelated minerals (“proteinates”). These are minerals that have been bonded to proteins so they are easier to absorb. They are more expensive for the dog food manufacturer to buy so you usually see them in better dog foods.
The food features canola oil as a source of fat. Canola oil is a good source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
The food also has potatoes as another source of carbohydrates. Considering the amount of protein and fatty acids in the food, this is probably a good idea. Your dog is going to need something to help absorb everything. Potatoes are not quite the super food that sweet potatoes are but they are similar in other ways. They are 92 percent carbohydrates, 7 percent protein, and 1 percent fat. They’re a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium and Manganese.
The food also features suncured alfalfa. Canidae uses this ingredient in just about all of their foods. It likely provides some additional calcium in the diet but it’s debatable how much it really adds to the nutritional value of the food.
The food also contains several dried fermentation products. These products have been shown to be beneficial in aiding animal digestion, though some of them are probably best understood because they have been used for many years in agricultural production. It’s common to give these products to cattle and other animals to help them gain weight from their food. Of these ingredients the one that people are probably most familiar with is lactobacillus acidophilus, a culture found in yogurt. It’s a probiotic that helps turn sugars into lactic acid (read more here). Many people use it to encourage the growth of “good” or beneficial bacteria in the gut. All of the fermentation products listed in the food have similar purposes to help with digestion.
The food uses mixed tocopherols (a form of vitamin E) as a preservative. This is a natural preservative.
Guaranteed Analysis
- Crude Protein (min.) 32.00%
- Crude Fat (min.) 18.00%
- Crude Fiber (max.) 4.00%
- Moisture (max.) 10.00%
- Linoleic Acid (Omega 6) (min.) 3.70%
- Vitamin E (min.) 50.00 IU/kg
- Alpha Linolenic Acid (Omega 3)** (min.) 1.00%
- Lactobacillus acidophilus** (min.) 100 million CFU/lb.
- Cellulase** (a) (min.) 100 CMCU/kg
**Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.
Calories Content
496 calories per 8 oz cup
Nutritional Adequacy Statement
CANIDAE® PURE Sea® formula is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for adult maintenance.
Dry Matter Basis
On a dry matter basis, this food contains approximately 35.6 percent protein and 20 percent fat. These are considered moderately high percentages of protein and fat for a premium dog food today. Fiber makes up about 4.4 percent of the food which is average for most kibbles. The food contains an estimated 31.1 percent carbohydrates which is very low compared to most kibbles today.
Summary
Overall, this looks like an excellent food. We love all the fish protein and the essential fatty acids in the food. The carbohydrate percentage is also very low if that is important to you. Highly recommended.
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