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Our Recommendation
I am going to come right out and say that reading up on this dog food has made me realize that you really need to look at labels and not just descriptions. For starters, this formula of Iams claims to have no fillers. Sorry, Iams but I consider corn and chicken by-product meal to be fillers especially when combined with a lot of another grain. Sorghum is a better choice than corn but when you combine that with the by-product meal too it seems to me that there are a lot of fillers in this food.
There are some good things about this food though so please read on so you can make the choice to feed or not based on the full picture.
- Chicken is the first ingredient which is better than dog foods that have a grain as the first ingredient on the list.
- Prebiotics help promote good digestion.
- Fruits and veggies like tomatoes, blueberries, and spinach provide immunity and antioxidant protection. I like that these are included for another reason which is that dogs like to have a variety of foods and flavors. They get tired of cheap meat and grains and not much else in their food.
- The small kibble size is easier for dogs to eat. This means you could feed this kibble in a household with dogs of varying size from tiny to large. It can be convenient to not have to feed several brands or formulas in a multiple dog household.
While Iams does not have artificial flavoring agents it does have caramel color. While this is not as bad as Red 40 I still feel that they need to hear from pet parents about how dogs don’t need coloring agents to eat food well. It really gets me that companies often say that they use coloring agents to satisfy the people that are buying the dog food. I think a lot of dog parents would rather they didn’t. Dog food makers need to be more responsible about that because dog parents are relying on them to look out for their dog a bit.
Iams is not a good value for the amount it costs. While I would let my dog eat it if they had to, I am not going to be ordering it any time soon.
Ingredients
Chicken, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken By-Product Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Flavor, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols), Dried Egg Product, Potassium Chloride, Flaxseed, Caramel Color, Salt, L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, Choline Chloride, Carrots, Tomatoes,Calcium Carbonate, Fructooligosaccharides, Spinach, Green Peas, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Potassium Iodide), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 supplement, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement (source of Vitamin B2), Inositol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Dried Brewers Yeast, DL-Methionine, Dried Apple Pomace, L-Carnitine, Dried Blueberry Pomace, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract.
Caloric Content
3,650 kcal/kg, 380 kcal/cup
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).
Each year the AAFCO publishes two sets of nutritional minimum standards for dog food intended to help specify if a food is suitable for:
1. Dogs in the growth & reproduction phases of life
2. Adult dogs maintaining a healthy weight and activity level
Guaranteed Analysis
| Nutritional Component | Value | Meets AAFCO Growth & Reproduction Standards | Meets AAFCO Adult Maintenance Standards |
|---|---|---|---|
| ____________________________ | ____________________ | ____________________ | ____________________ |
| Crude Protein | 25.0% min | – | – |
| Crude Fat | 14.0% min | – | – |
| Crude Fiber | 4.0% max | – | – |
| Moisture | 10.0% max | – | – |
| Calcium | 1.05% min | ||
| L-Carnitine | 30 mg/kg min | ||
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 2.14% min |
* – indicates not yet analyzed
Transition Instructions
Dogs should be transitioned from their regular brand over the course of 3-5 days. Very sensitive dogs may need 7-10 days. Start out by gradually replacing the old brand with the Iams until your dog is just eating the Iams. If any sensitivities develop, ask your vet. Most dogs handle transitions quite well.
Feeding Amounts
| Weight | Daily Feeding |
| 3 LBS | 3/8 – 1/2 |
| 10 LBS | 3/4 – 1 |
| 20 LBS | 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 |
| 30 LBS | 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 |
| 40 LBS | 1 3/4 – 2 1/4 |
| 50 LBS | 2 – 2 1/2 |
Feeding Instructions
Pregnant or nursing mothers may need 2-3 times or more the recommended amounts on the feeding chart above. This formula is intended for dogs over 1 year of age.
The Bottom Line
Iams has a few good things going for it but I just don’t think it is a good value for the quality pet parent’s are getting. With a few improvements, it could be a good dog food. I think that Diamond Naturals is a much better value for what you get and the overall ingredients.
Iams is a lot better than generic dog food or some of the budget brands like Alpo Cookouts. If this formula was $10 less per bag it would be a bargain.
While there are prebiotics listed in the ingredients, I saw no indication that probiotics were included. I expect more supplementation for the money.
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