By Dana King Your dog's health is directly related to their diet. If you hope to keep your furry friend happy and active at every stage of their life, you should choose quality, nutritious food.
Unfortunately, buying premium dog food every day can take a toll on family finances. Many people want nothing but the best for their dog, but they simply cannot afford to buy expensive food month after month.
Absolutely yes! Healthy dog food doesn't have to break the bank, and Kirkland Signature Dog Food is a great example. Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons. Kirkland Signature Dog Food Variety (Chicken, Rice and Vegetables…
Review of Costco Kirkland dog food
Evaluation:
Costco Kirkland Signature Dog Food Receives Consultant's Top Rating of5 Sterne.
What is the best Costco dog food recipe?
The Kirkland product line includes the6 dry dog foodlisted below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile where available...Grow (puppy),Mmaintenance (adult),All phases of life,Ssupplementary orUnspecified.
| Product | Evaluation | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Costco Kirkland Signature Adult Lamb, Rice and Vegetables | 4 | M |
| Costco Kirkland Signature Adult Chicken, Rice and Vegetables | 5 | M |
| Costco Kirkland Signature-Welpe | 5 | A |
| Costco Kirkland Signature Small Dog | 5 | M |
| Costco Kirkland Signature mature dog | 5 | M |
| Costco Kirkland Signature Healthy Weight | 3 | M |
Costco Kirkland Signature Adult Chicken, Rice and Vegetableswas selected as a representative of the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
The label and nutritional information below is calculated on a dry matter basis.
Estimated dry matter nutrient content Protein =
Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Brown Rice, Barley Grain, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Egg Product, Beet Pulp, Potato, Fish Meal, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Brewer's Yeast, Millet, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, Carrots, Peas, Dried Kelp, Apples , Cranberries, Rosemary Extract, Parsley Flakes, Dried Chicory Root, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Reuteri Fermentation Product, Vitamin E Dietary Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Iron Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Oxide, Chondroitin Sulfate, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Vitamin D Supplement, fol glacial acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%
| Estimated nutrient content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | protein | Fett | carbohydrates |
| Guaranteed analysis | 26% | 16% | THE |
| dry matter basis | 29% | 18% | 45% |
| Calorie weighted basis | 25% | 37% | 39% |
The first ingredient in this recipe isChicken. Despite being a quality product, raw chicken contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of the moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would likely make up a smaller portion of the total content of the finished product.
The second ingredient ischicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains almost 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The third point isBrown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easily digested. Aside from its natural energy content, however, rice has only modest nutritional value for a dog.
The next ingredient isbarley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate that provides fiber and other healthy nutrients. Aside from its energy content, however, this grain has only modest nutritional value for a dog.
The fifth ingredient ischicken fat. This item is gained by rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup, skimming the fat itself from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is rich in linoleic acid, an essential omega-6 fatty acid. While it doesn't sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a high-quality ingredient.
The sixth ingredient isegg product, an unspecified (wet or dry?) form of shell-less eggs. The quality can vary greatly. Poor quality egg products can even come from commercial hatcheries — from eggs that haven't hatched.
In any case, eggs are easily digestible and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The seventh ingredient isbeet pulp, a controversial ingredient, a high-fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.
Some tout beet pulp as an inexpensive bulking agent, while others cite its excellent gut health and blood sugar benefits.
We're just bringing the controversy to your attention here, believing that the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts is the case in most dog foodstotally acceptable.
The next ingredient isPotato. Potatoes can be considered a gluten-free source of digestible carbohydrates. But aside from perhaps their calorie content, potatoes are of modest nutritional value to a dog.
The ninth ingredient isfish meal, another high-protein meat concentrate.
Fishmeal is typically derived from the "clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish offal" from commercial fish operations.
Unfortunately, this particular article is anonymous. Since different fish contain different types of fats, we would have preferred to know the species of origin.
From here the list goes on to anumber of other inclusions.
But to be realistic, ingredients that are so far down the list (other than supplements) areprobably not affectthe overall rating of this Costco product.
Notable at 5exceptions…
First,linseedis one of the best plant-based sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseeds are also high in soluble fiber when first ground into a meal.
However, flaxseed contains around 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when assessing the actual meat content of this dog food.
Next,brewing yeastcan be a contentious issue. Although a by-product of the beer-making process, this ingredient is rich in minerals and other healthy nutrients.
Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system.
Critics argue that yeast components can be linkedallergies. This may be true, but (as with all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself.
Additionally, a vocal minority insists that yeast can increase your risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloating. However, this is a claim that we have not been able to scientifically verify.
In any case, yeast can still be considered a unless your dog is specifically allergic to itnutritious supplement.
It's worth noting that brewer's yeast contains around 48% protein, a factor that must be taken into account when assessing the actual meat content of this dog food.
In addition, we findPeas, which are a high-quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they are rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain around 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when assessing the meat content of this dog food.
Next,chicory rootIs rich onInulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating carbohydrate units found in certain roots and tubers.
Inulin is not only a natural source of soluble fiber, it is oneprebioticUsed to encourage the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog's digestive tract.
And finally, this feed contains chelated minerals,mineralschemically bound to protein. This makes them easier to pick up. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Based on its ingredients alone, Kirkland Signature Dog Food looks like oneabove average dry product.
The dashboard shows a dry matter protein value of 29%, fat content of 18% and estimated carbohydrates of around 45%.
As a group, this Kirkland brand has an average protein content of 28% and an average fat content of 15%. Taken together, these numbers suggest a 49% carbohydrate content for the entire product line.
And a fat to protein ratio of about 54%.
This means that this line of Kirkland products contains...
Above average protein. Almost average fat. And almost average carbs compared to other kibbles.
Even taking into account the protein boosting effects of flaxseed, peas and brewer's yeast, this looks like the profile of a dry dog food that contains asignificant amount of meat.
Who makes Kirkland dog food?
Kirkland dog food is private label and manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods. This dog food is actually produced for the wholesaler Costco.
Diamond Pet Foods was founded by Schell and Kampeter in 1979 and has been in the industry for decades. They currently have offices in Gaston, South Carolina; Meta, Missouri; and Lathrop, California.
After establishing new plants in California in 1999 and South Carolina in 2002, their production grew exponentially and they became famous across the United States.
FAQ
How Much Food Should I Feed My Dog?
Kirkland Signature Adult Formula Dog Food with Chicken, Rice and Vegetables40 pounds.
How many pounds does Kirkland dog food weigh?
Based on the result, Kirkland adult dog food most closely resembles:Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula™ Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe. Diamond Naturals All Life Stages Dog Chicken & Rice Formula. Kindfull dry dog food recipe with chicken and brown rice.
What is Kirkland Dog Food?
We give Kirkland dog food a super premium4.5 out of 5 starsEvaluation.
How does Kirkland rate puppy food?
We give Kirkland dog food a super premium4.5 out of 5 starsEvaluation.