In the dog food segment, there are many leading brands which are vying for customers’ attention. Comparing dog food prices is one of the criteria of selecting the right food for your German Shepherd or your Pomeranian. But apart from that there are the ingredients which compose the food and are a more reliable guide for making a choice. Given below is a review of two specific dry dog foods – Royal Canin Maxi Adult and Solid Gold Sundancer belonging to two of the top selling dog food brands in India. Go through it to get a better understanding of the elements which make up your furry buddy’s diet.
Major Ingredients of Solid Gold Sun Dancer Dog Food Formula:
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Tapioca and Peas, Whitefish Meal, and Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols) constitute at least 65% of the food composition. Additives like Tomato Pomace, Quinoa, Dried Eggs, Potatoes, Sweet Potato enhance the palatability for dogs and formula’s nutritional value, Other Ingredients include Chia Seed, Flaxseed, Carrots, Pumpkin, Apples, Cranberries, Blueberries, Broccoli, Parsley, Spearmint and essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Click here for complete list of Ingredients.
1. Chicken makes the primary component of the food. The quantity of moisture in raw chicken is around 80%. After cooking, water content gets down significantly, and the overall weight of the ingredient as a whole would also decrease. As a result, chicken would be represented by small amount in the finished product.
2. Chicken Meal is a dry product which is derived through rendering process and contains the chicken flesh, skin, with or without bones, taken from a complete carcass minus feathers, entails, heads and feet. Normally, chicken meal contains much more protein than whole chicken. Rendering helps to process waste animal tissue into useful, value-added materials.
3. Tapioca is a starch extract from the cassava plant. It offers gluten-free carbohydrates to the body of your dog.
4. Peas supply good quality carbohydrates and are rich in natural fibre as well. They also possess 25% protein to enhance the suitability of the ingredient in a dog food.
5. Whitefish meal is a dry end product of cooking whitefish through the process of rendering and adds to the protein quotient of the dry dog food. Fish meal refers to the clean, dry ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish or fish cuttings.
6. Canola Oil supports digestion, enhances protein absorption and also boosts overall immunity. It is derived from rapeseed, and if the plant is genetically modified, as it sometimes is, then the quality and goodness of canola oil could be suspected.
7. Tomato pomace is a by-product of tomato which remains after it is processed into soup, ketchup and juice. It contains lycopene, which is a super antioxidant. Tomato pomace is also considered for its high level of fibre. It is looked upon by some people as cheap pet food filler; however, the quantity of this ingredient is insufficient to make much of a difference.
8. Quinoa is a plant which is not completely identified as a cereal grain and has gluten-free seeds to offer which are of great nutrient value for the dog. As compared to most grains, Quinoa has more protein, fibre and other healthy components to offer.
9. Dried egg is a dehydrated powder derived from shell-free eggs. Providing high quality protein, fats, vitamins and minerals, eggs are easily digested by a canine.
Other important ingredients
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Healthy omega 3 fatty acids are supplied from finest plant sources such as flax seed and chia seed. Flax and chia seeds also provide soluble fibres if they were first grounded in to a meal.
Salmon oil presents the dog with DHA and EPA omega 3 fatty acids which promote cognitive function, support cardiovascular system, vision, reduce dermatitis and allergies, etc. The finer the quality of the oil is more fruitful it becomes for the dog.
Chicory root contains inulin which is a natural soluble dietary fibre and also promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut with its prebiotic properties.
Lentils supply carbohydrates along with natural fibre.
Having chelated minerals raises the standard of food to above average. Such minerals are chemically combined with protein, assuring their absorption by the body of a dog.
Royal Canin Maxi Adult
Ingredients: Dehydrated Poultry Protein, Maize, Maize Flour, Animal Fats, wheat, brown rice, chicken fat, corn gluten meal, natural flavors, dried plain beet pulp, fish oil, grain distillers dried yeast, calcium carbonate, salt, potassium chloride, sodium silico aluminate, monocalcium phosphate, choline chloride, L-lysine, taurine, glucosamine hydrochloride, vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), biotin, D-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A acetate, niacin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin supplement, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement], trace minerals (zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, copper proteinate), chondroitin sulfate, rosemary extract, preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid.
1.DeHydrated Poultry Protein is a relatively high protein source but is generally considered of lower nutritional value than Whole Chicken Protein or the protein that is derived from the prime cuts.
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2. Brown rice is easy to digest, gives energy, but otherwise it has got only regular nutritional value for the dog.
3. Brewers rice is a cereal grain by-product which is actually a portion which is left after milling whole rice. It provides energy and is at best a modest ingredient in the nutritional chart.
4. Wheat is considered a low-cost and controversial grain and offers ordinary nutrition.
5. Oat groats are whole grains which are a slightly processed form of oats. Energy giving and gluten-free, oat groats are average source of nutrition of a dog.
6. Corn gluten meal – It is what remains after most of the starchy carbohydrate is washed away from corn. The rubbery remains contain about 60% protein but have lower nutritional worth as compared to meat.
7. Chicken fat is extracted in somewhat the same manner in which fat is skimmed from the surface of a soup. It is a rich source of linoleic acid which is an omega 6 essential fatty acid. The process of preparing it may not sound that great but it has a high nutritional value for a dog.
8. Natural flavour
9. Wheat gluten is the rubbery substance which remains after starchy carbohydrate is nearly washed out of the wheat. It possesses 80% protein but has a low nutritional value for the dog.
Other important ingredients
Beet Pulp is a by-product of sugar beet processing and is rich in fibre. Though slightly controversial ingredient, it is considered good for its role in intestinal health and blood sugar.
Grain distillers dried yeast is a grain by-product which goes though many stages. It consists of over 40% of protein but has low nutritional value than meat.
Vegetable oil is a generic oil of nameless origin and thus cannot be judged as a quality ingredient.
Fructooligosaccharide functions as a prebiotics and supports the growth of healthy bacteria in the large intestine.
Chelated minerals are designed to attach themselves with the protein facilitating their absorption by the body. They are considered a desirable and an excellent addition to the dog food.
Conclusion
Solid Gold Dog Food - The protein content of the Solid Gold Sun Dancer is higher. Though it does contain some protein from plant-based sources like peas, lentils, flax seed, chia seed, quinoa and peas, the food contains a considerable amount of meat. Meat-based diets are always considered a preferred food for dogs.
Royal Canin Dog Food - The Royal Canin Maxi Adult contain moderate amount of meat, and a good percentage of its protein is sourced from plant-based elements. Plant-based protein and nutrition is not the most ideal for the health and wellness of a dog.