Our Recommendation
Gentle Giants is not a brand that many people have heard of. The packaging stands out first because it has a lot of pictures of happy dog parents and their dogs. At a closer look, and there are a lot of claims about dog longevity. This causes mixed feelings about a dog food company putting up pictures of dogs that are living to be up to twice the age of the normal life expectancy for their breed. If it was true, that’s great, but it makes critical reviewers hesitant to trust them when they make such extravagant claims.
Let’s talk about the contents of this dog food:
- No artificial colors or flavors.
- Probiotics added to help with healthy digestion and with immunity.
- Kelp powder adds valuable micronutrients and minerals to your dog’s diet.
- Chicken meal is the first ingredient.
- Whole flaxseed is a valuable source of Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids.
- Variety of fruits and vegetables help make this a complete dog food that offers a lot of flavor and balance for your dog. This is great for dogs that easily get bored of eating the same old dog food or are simply picky.
- Not grain free but does not contain any corn, wheat, or soy.
- Glucosamine added for joint and hip support. This is good to see in a dog food called “Gentle Giants.” I know my Great Pyrenees do best on a dog food that has good glucosamine levels.
This is a good quality dog food. It’s readily available online but doesn’t appear to be in brick and mortar stores. Strangely enough, this company was started by Burt Ward who played Robin in the Batman and Robin TV series.
Scout gives this dog food 4 Paws up out of 5. It contains some ingredients that are seen as fillers by some. Questionable fillers include beef pulp and potatoes.
Ingredients
Chicken Meal, Pearled Barley, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Natural Flavors, Whole Flaxseeds, Fish Meal, Dried Saccharomyces cerevisiae Fermentation Product, Salt, Dried Kelp, Dried Egg Product, Dried Tomatoes, Dried Sweet Potatoes, Whole Dried Peas, Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Dried Cranberries, Dried Blueberries, Dried Apples, Dried Carrots, Dried Celery, Dried Beets, Dried Parsley, Dried Lettuce, Dried Watercress, Dried Spinach, Dried Chicory, Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Chondroitin Sulfate, Zinc Methionine Complex, Manganese Methionine Complex, Copper Lysine Complex, Sodium Selenite, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide, Beta Carotene, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Cobalt Carbonate, Cobalt Glucoheptonate, Folic Acid, Citric Acid, Mixed Tocopherols (a source of Vitamin E), and Rosemary Extract.
Nutritional Analysis
Pet food ingredients, nutritional values, and the way they are labeled for consumers are monitored by several organizations in the United States including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the NGO, Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein 22.0% min
Crude Fat 9.0% min
Crude Fiber 4.0% max
Moisture 10.0% max
Vitamin E 250 IU/kg min
Vitamin C 60 MG/KG min
Glucosamine 600 mg/kg min
Chondroitin 300 mg/kg min
Omega-6 Fatty Acid 1.25% min
Omega-3 Fatty Acid 0.5% min
Caloric Content
3,323 kcal/kg, 358 kcal/cup
Feeding Amounts
Weight Daily Feeding (cup)
Less than 15 lbs 1/2 – 1
15 – 30 lbs 2
30 – 50 lbs 2 – 3
50 – 75 lbs 3 – 4 1/2
75 – 100 lbs 4 1/2 – 6
100 – 125 lbs 6 – 7 1/2
125 – 150 lbs 7 1/2 – 9
150 – 175 lbs 9 – 10 1/2 1
75 – 200 lbs 10 1/2 – 12
Add 1/2 cup per day for every 25 lbs of body weight over 200 lbs. Pregnant or nursing dogs may need three times the amount. Remember that the amounts listed are for average activity levels. You may need to reduce or increase amounts based on activity levels and other demands.
Transition Instructions
Over seven days gradually replace your dog’s kibble with Gentle Giants. Very sensitive dogs can be transitioned over ten days if desired but this is a rare need due to the high digestibility and quality of Gentle Giants.
The Bottom Line
Gentle Giants is great dog food for those that are looking for food specifically formulated for giant breeds. All the extended life expectancy claims aside; there is something to be said for feeding quality dog food. The healthier your dog is the longer and happier life they have the chance to lead.
Also worth mentioning: this dog food is not greasy so if you are tired of buying dog food that leaves an oil slick behind if it touches anything, then this is a good option. The price is reasonable too, and you can get discounts sometimes by setting up auto order. Gentle Giants has other flavors to consider too if your giant dog gets tired of chicken.
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