Element Series is built around mixed animal proteins. Every recipe lists several, with fish, turkey and egg each in four of the five ingredient lists and pork and chicken each in three. First ingredients range from quail and rabbit to haddock, deboned lamb and deboned turkey.
All five recipes are kibble. Protein runs 34% to 38% as fed (average 35.2%), fat 16% to 18%, and estimated starch 24% to 30% (average 27.4%). Against the catalog kibble average of 26.9% protein and 37.4% starch, the line sits higher in protein and lower in starch. Calories run 490 to 510 kcal per cup, compared with a catalog kibble average of 395.
The trade-offs are clear on the labels. The two grain free recipes, Upland Stream and Wild Range, carry the most protein and least starch, but both contain peas or lentils and potato. The three grain inclusive recipes skip peas, lentils and potato but have more starch. No recipe is single protein, and with every recipe at 490 kcal per cup or more, portion size matters for less active dogs.
| Recipe | Protein | Fat | Starch | Kcal / cup | First ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grain Free Upland Stream Recipe | 38% | 17% | 24% | 510 | quail, rabbit, trout |
| Grain Free Wild Range Recipe | 36% | 18% | 25% | 490 | chicken, pork, bison |
| Open Waters Recipe | 34% | 16% | 29% | 504 | haddock, trout, duck |
| Outback Trails Recipe | 34% | 16% | 29% | 494 | Deboned Lamb, Kangaroo, Deboned Wild Boar |
| Coastal Plains Recipe | 34% | 16% | 30% | 493 | Deboned turkey, salmon, whitefish |
| Line average | 35.2% | 16.6% | 27.4% | 498 |
All figures as fed, from the guaranteed analysis on each label. Starch is our estimate, since no bag prints it. Highest in the line is marked in bold, lowest in italics.
38% protein · 17% fat · 24% starch · 510 kcal/cup · Adult
Quail, rabbit and trout lead the list, and this grain free adult recipe is the only one in the line with rabbit. It has the line's most protein at 38% and least estimated starch at 24%, and suits owners comfortable with lentils and potato.
Full review of Grain Free Upland Stream Recipe36% protein · 18% fat · 25% starch · 490 kcal/cup · Adult
Chicken, pork and bison lead the list, making this the only recipe in the line with bison or beef. This grain free adult recipe has the line's most fat at 18% and 4,113 kcal per kg, and contains peas or lentils and potato.
Full review of Grain Free Wild Range Recipe34% protein · 16% fat · 29% starch · 504 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
Haddock, trout and salmon lead the list with duck in fourth, and fish, duck and egg are its only listed animal proteins. It is grain inclusive with no peas, lentils or potato, is sold for all life stages, and suits owners wanting a fish focused kibble.
Full review of Open Waters Recipe34% protein · 16% fat · 29% starch · 494 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
Deboned lamb, kangaroo and wild boar lead the list, and this is the only recipe in the line with lamb. At 34% protein and 3,960 kcal per kg, the lowest in the line, it is a grain inclusive, all life stages option without peas, lentils or potato.
Full review of Outback Trails Recipe34% protein · 16% fat · 30% starch · 493 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
Deboned turkey leads, followed by salmon and whitefish, with turkey, fish and egg as its listed animal proteins. It has the line's most estimated starch at 30% and lowest fiber at 4%, and is a grain inclusive, all life stages recipe built on turkey and fish.
Full review of Coastal Plains RecipeOnly two of the five recipes are grain free: Grain Free Upland Stream and Grain Free Wild Range. Open Waters, Outback Trails and Coastal Plains include grain.
Grain Free Upland Stream has the most, at 38% as fed, followed by Grain Free Wild Range at 36%. Open Waters, Outback Trails and Coastal Plains each list 34%.
Grain Free Upland Stream and Grain Free Wild Range contain peas or lentils, and both also contain potato. Open Waters, Outback Trails and Coastal Plains contain no peas, lentils or potato.
Protein runs higher than the average kibble we review (39.1% vs 30.1% on a dry matter basis).
Starch is lower than average, at 27% of the food as fed.
100% of recipes lead with a meat, fish or egg ingredient (89% across the site).
40% of recipes are grain-free.
this range, lowest to highest its average average of all 3,215 foods we review
Starch is our estimate from the guaranteed analysis, since no manufacturer prints it. How we work it out
Share of recipes that list each animal protein as an ingredient, not counting oils, fats or flavorings. Useful if your dog has a food sensitivity.
These are not unsafe. They are listed because readers ask about them.
Pure Vita Salmon Entrée Dog Food
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