Stella & Chewy's Grain Free Wild Red Raw Coated Dry DOG FOOD Review

With a score of 5.3/10, these foods are considered moderate risk There are 4 recipes that average 34% protein and 26% carbohydrate as calculated.

This is a line of baked kibble that’s been coated with freeze-dried raw proteins that aren’t a main constituent of the food. In theory the addition of minimally processed ingredients should boost the nutrients, but that will be reflected in the Guaranteed Analysis numbers, including the protein amount.  

This line loses ingredient quality points for its high carbohydrate content. This is a grain-free line yet it includes high starch ingredients like sweet potatoes, potatoes and tapioca that boost the carb content. Dogs have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrate but starch is required for extrusion in dry foods like these. Excessive carbohydrates are an indicator of low quality foods as they keep costs down. Large amounts of starch can increase insulin levels, cause obesity and negatively impact gut balance.

Like all of Stella & Chewy’s lines, there are added vitamins, minerals and, in this line, amino acids. This often indicates a lower quality food that’s lacking naturally occurring nutrients from whole food sources. One recipe also uses sunflower oil, which is a highly processed and inflammatory oil. Seed oils are an inexpensive alternative to higher quality animal fats and oils. 

Plant proteins are also used as a less expensive substitute for quality animal protein. You want to see animal sources because they are more digestible and contain a wider array of amino acids than plant based protein sources. 

The ingredient safety score is lower because, like all kibbles, these foods are 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. Processed foods are also linked to higher mortality rates in many species. 

This line also loses points for added natural flavor. This ingredient is often animal digest or MSG, both low quality ingredients with limited safety studies.

It’s good to see that probiotics are included in these foods and in this line the CFU is guaranteed. 

It’s worth noting that these recipes contain 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.  

Stella & Chewy’s uses wild-caught fish which is good to see, because it’s more nutritious, with a better fatty acid balance. 

However, 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.