When you’re scouting the pet food aisle for a high-protein option, Crave Dog Food often catches the eye. Compared to brands like Whole Earth Farms, it seems like Crave is delivering more of what your carnivorous canine truly desires – meat protein. But let’s dig a little deeper into that ingredient list to see if it lives up to the hype.
Looking at some Crave formulas, it’s true that meat meals often take the lead as a primary ingredient. However, as you scan further down, you might notice a trend. Ingredients like chickpeas (garbanzo beans), pea protein, and split peas start appearing. In fact, Crave’s ingredient lists can be quite “pea-heavy.” This brings up the concept of “ingredient splitting,” a tactic where pet food manufacturers list similar ingredients in slightly different forms – like pea protein, pea flour, and pea fiber – to push them further down the ingredient list. If all these pea variations were simply listed as “peas,” they might rank much higher, potentially even as the first or second ingredient.
Ingredient lists are ordered by weight before cooking. While it’s positive to see Chicken Meal, Lamb Meal, and Salmon Meal listed, an even more meat-centric formula might read: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Lamb Meal, Salmon Meal, followed by vegetables. With the current formulations, while you might assume a protein percentage around 29% from meat, it’s more likely in the 20-24% range, with the remainder coming from plant-based proteins. Wouldn’t it be beneficial if pet food labels clearly stated both plant and meat protein percentages? It might reveal a surprising reality about how much actual meat protein is in many kibbles, especially these newer grain-free options loaded with chickpeas, lentils, and various pea derivatives used to boost protein levels.
To ensure your dog gets a balanced diet and avoids potential sensitivities, consider rotating between different limited-ingredient brands that agree with your dog’s system. Variety prevents overexposure to single ingredients. Instead of solely focusing on grain-free kibbles high in plant-based proteins and fiber from chickpeas and peas, explore options with three meat proteins listed as the top ingredients, followed by easily digestible carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, rice, or barley. Sometimes, a simpler, meat-focused approach is best for our canine companions.
