Nulo Frontrunner DRY DOG FOOD Review

With an average score of 3.6, Nulo Frontrunner Dry is considered a high risk dog food. There are 6 recipes that average 27% protein and 36% average carbohydrate as calculated. 

This line loses food quality points for its high carbohydrate content in all recipes. Dogs have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrate but starch is required for extrusion in dry foods like these. Excessive carbohydrate is an indicator of food quality as it can be used to reduce manufacturing cost. Large amounts of starch can increase insulin levels, cause obesity and negatively impact gut balance. 

This line also loses significant ingredient quality points for added amino acids plus vitamin and mineral premix. Ideally, these nutrients should come from whole food sources and their inclusion  is usually due to poor quality or overly processed raw ingredients. Vitamin and mineral excesses, especially vitamin D and copper, can also result from vitamin premixes.

The food safety score is lower because, like all kibbles, Nulo Frontrunner Dry is ultra-processed. The individual ingredients in dry dog foods are heated several times during processing, which can cause a significant loss of enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients. Ultra processed foods are often supplemented as we see here. Processed foods are also linked to higher mortality rates in many species. 

Rounding out the food safety scores, the line  loses points for high pesticide or herbicide foods like oats and barley in the top 5 ingredients, plus millet and dried apples lower on the list. This line also loses points for added natural flavor. This ingredient is often animal digest or MSG, which are both low quality ingredients with limited safety studies. The inclusion of rice is also a concern as there is potential for arsenic contamination.

It’s also worth noting that the line contains sodium selenite as a source of selenium. Dogs need selenium, and it’s usually added in very small amounts. However some research suggests that sodium selenite may be associated with potential toxicity, so selenium yeast is the preferred form of this mineral.  

Some recipes include “glam” ingredients like blueberries and spinach which is also a concern. These ingredients are added to make consumers think the food has healthy produce rich in antioxidants. But they’re listed below the salt, which means they’re present in tiny amounts and won’t benefit your dog. 

It’s worth noting that Nulo adds and guarantees a decent amount of probiotics in the food. 

There’s no indication whether fish ingredients are farmed or wild-caught. Farmed fish is less nutritious, with a less favorable fatty acid balance. The label does not provide the omega-6:omega-3 ratio, which is a concern since AAFCO allows a very inflammatory ratio of 30:1.