Diamond Dog Food

Diamond Dog Food Overview

Diamond dog foods are manufactured by Schell & Kampeter, Inc., headquartered in Meta, Missouri. The company, founded in 1970, has three main plants located in Meta, Missouri, Lathrop, California and Gaston, South Carolina. Diamond makes dog and cat food. Their dog food lines include: Diamond, Diamond Naturals, and Diamond Naturals Grain Free. Other products manufactured by Diamond include Taste of the Wild dog food and 4Health brand dog food for the Tractor Supply Company. They also manufacturer many well-known dog foods for other companies ranging from basic dog foods to premium and grain free foods.

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Diamond Recalls 2017

Diamond has a long history of pet food recalls affecting not just their own products but also some of the products they make for other companies. Many of these recalls have been centered around the Gaston, SC plant, but not all of them. Most of the recalls have been due to concerns about Salmonella and aflatoxins. The last major Diamond dog food recall was in May 2012 when they recalled Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul, Country Value, Diamond, Diamond Naturals, Premium Edge, Professional, 4Health, Taste of the Wild, and a number of Kirkland Signature products. Any dog food manufacturer can have a recall. Nearly every major company has had one at some point, even some of the most respected natural companies with the highest standards. But it is unusual for a company to have repeated outbreaks of Salmonella or problems with aflatoxins and numerous recalls.

Diamond recently settled a class action lawsuit stemming from their 2012 recalls.

Diamond Dog Food Coupons

Diamond Dog Food Reviews

How would you rate Diamond dog food? Have you fed your dog Diamond? Tell us what you thought of the food. Take a moment to rate one of these Diamond dog foods. Should people their dog this food?

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Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete Dog Food Review:

Despite the frequent recalls in the past and the bad publicity, Diamond has many loyal customers. In particular, many people love Taste of the Wild, Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul, Diamond Naturals, and Diamond Naturals Grain Free, as well as the Kirkland Signature foods. Most Diamond foods provide good nutrition at a reasonable cost, though they do not provide quite the same superior quality ingredients as some of the super premium foods. They don’t claim to provide grass fed beef or free range chicken in their food, for example. But their food is much better than average dog food. As long as there are no recalls, Diamond makes good pet foods.

We have chosen Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete Dog Food for this review. Since there is no corn, wheat, or soy in this food, it seems less likely that it would be involved in any Diamond pet food recalls. The same is true of many of the Diamond Naturals and Diamond Naturals Grain Free products, though no products are immune to recall.

Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete is a food that might appeal to many people who like a higher protein percentage for their dogs while avoiding corn, soy, and wheat. The first five ingredients in the food are chicken meal, chicken, ground rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), and cracked pearled barley. It’s always good to see meat protein as the first and second ingredients in a dog food. People debate whether chicken meal or chicken is better but they are both good ingredients. Chicken meal has had most of the moisture and fat removed so it is mostly protein from the chicken. Chicken still has the moisture before cooking. If the moisture were removed this ingredient would likely be placed lower in the list but it’s still a great ingredient here. Chicken is about 80 percent protein and 20 percent fat. It’s a good source of Vitamin B6 and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Niacin and Selenium and omega-6 fatty acid. As long as your dog has no allergies to chicken, these would be excellent ingredients in a dog food.

The third ingredient is ground rice. Rice is about 89 percent carbs, 7 percent protein, and 4 percent fat. It’s a good source of Folate and Manganese. White rice is usually considered to be a high glycemic food and when it’s ground it will be a little higher so this ingredient provides a dog with more quick energy. It is easier and faster for dogs to digest than some other starches.

The fourth ingredient is chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherals). Chicken fat is a perfectly good ingredient for dogs. While it’s 100 percent fat, it’s high in omega-3 fatty acids and extremely high in omega-6 fatty acids. Dogs who use up lots of energy and some older dogs who have trouble holding their weight can benefit from chicken fat in their diet.

The fifth ingredient is cracked pearled barley. Barley has plenty of soluble fiber, even when it is more polished and processed. Barley is a low glycemic food so it breaks down and puts sugar into your dog’s bloodstream slowly. Dogs eating barley will feel fuller for a longer time. Barley is about 90 percent carbs, 7 percent protein, and 3 percent fat. It’s a very good source of dietary fiber and Manganese.

Other notable ingredients in the food include egg product which increases the protein percentage of the food. You should pay attention to this ingredient if your dog has an allergy or food sensitivity to eggs. The food also contains powdered cellulose which is problematic. Cellulose in pet foods is often derived from wood products (this is true throughout the industry in many different brands). It’s a structural carbohydrate found in trees and other plants.   It is often used in weight control dog foods but it is also found as a fiber in some foods. It does have benefits in some pet foods. However, it can be hard to digest, result in voluminous stool and flatulence, and we suspect that some companies use it as a filler ingredient.

The food also contains flaxseed which can be an issue for dog breeders, especially if they have female dogs. Flaxseed is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acid and other nutrients. However, it is also a phytoestrogen meaning that it can mimic estrogen in a dog’s body, resulting in some hormonal problems.

The food has chelated minerals which are often used in higher quality, more expensive dog foods. Chelated minerals are minerals where proteins have been bonded to the minerals, making them easier for your dog to digest. Chelated minerals are often added to foods that contain lots of grains because some grains can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb minerals. Chelated minerals have an extra “oomph” so the body can absorb them even when grains are present – “grains” here being rice and barley. We also note that the food contains several fermentation products. It’s not clear if these are added because of the cellulose, in order to make the plant fiber easier to digest, or because it’s become popular for many dog foods to add fermentation products lately.

Otherwise, the food contains a number of vegetables, berries, and fruits which could provide some nutrients but probably don’t affect the food much in small amounts. We note the presence of natural preservatives, glucosamine and chondroitin for joints, the amino acid L-Carnitine (which helps turn fat into muscle), and beta carotene, as well as dried beet pulp for fiber and dried chicory root which is a good prebiotic.

The food contains 470 calories per cup. This is rich dog food in terms of calories, which you would expect since it is for active dogs.

Nutrition Statement:

Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:

The dry matter basis figures for this food are: 35.6 percent protein; 27.8 percent fat; 4.4 percent fiber; 23.3 percent carbohydrates.

This food has a moderate amount of meat protein and a very high percentage of fat. The fiber content is average for most kibbles whie the carb percentage is low compared to other commercial kibbles.

Final Thoughts

We like a lot of things about this food, including the meat protein percentage and many of the ingredients. The fat percentage is very high so this food would only be recommended for very active dogs or dogs who need to gain weight. We are somewhat concerned about the cellulose in the food – not a favorite ingredient. Some dogs may have trouble digesting it or it might cause dogs to produce lots of stool and flatulence. If your dog has problems with this food, it will probably be because of the cellulose so simply look for a similar food without the cellulose.