Blue Seal Dog Food Review
Company Information
Blue Seal Dog Food was founded by Henry K. Webster, who actually began the H.K. Webster Company in 1868 when he rented a grist mill in Lawrence, Massachusetts. That business grew into one of the largest feed manufacturing companies in the Northeast. In 1988 that family-owned business became a subsidiary ofMuscatine Foods Corporation of Muscatine, Iowa and has since been known as Blue Seal Feed Incorporated.
Originally, the business supplied horse feed. Today, Blue Seal provides feeds for dairy cattle, beef cattle, horses, sheep, goats, llamas, pigs, deer, dogs, cats, rabbits, caged birds, wild birds, poultry, herbivore zoo animals, and fish as well as products for the lawn and garden.
The Blue Seal Feed Incorporated Headquarters is located in Londonderry, New Hampshire. It also operates nine manufacturing facilities and eleven company-owned feed stores, with four being in New Hampshire, and the rest spanning from Maine to New York.
In 1992 the company bought 5.020 acres of land, located on Buttrick Road, to be the future headquarters site for Blue Seal. The building, finished in 1994, is 25,080 square feet. The company sells its products through its stores in New Hampshire, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, and Maine; and via a network of dealers in the United States, as well as online.
Recall And Quality Control History
Blue Seal Feeds has achieved its certification from the Safe Feed/Safe Food Certification Program, which is administered by the American Feed Industry Association. Becoming certified means the company has gone above and beyond federal requirements to ensure that the highest standards in the manufacturing and processing of their products are followed every day. It also means the company has demonstrated continuous improvements to deliver safe and wholesome feed.
In 2007, Blue Seal was having some of their canned foods (Blue Seal – The Loaf Style wet) made by Menu Foods, the company at the center of the melamine problem which had to recall so much food. Despite the fact that some of Blue Seal’s products did contain wheat gluten, which was involved in the recall, none of Blue Seal’s products, canned or dry, had to be recalled. Blue Seal was not involved in the 2007 pet food recall and we could not find that any of their pet food products have been involved in any recalls since that time. They have had an occasional recall of poultry feed, as far as we can tell, but nothing else.
Blue Seal also makes the brands By Nature and Canine Whites dog biscuits and treats.
Product Overview
Blue Seal makes two lines of dog food and a line of treats. They make Life Stages wet and dry foods, Classics wet and dry, and treats for dogs.
Dry Foods
- Life Stages
- Active Dog
- Adult Dog
- Lamb & Rice
- Low Calorie Dog
- Performance Dog
- Pork & Barley
- Puppy
- Senior Dog
- Classics
- Krunchies
- Natural 26
Canned Foods
- Life Stages
- Beef & Vegetable (Wet Formula)
- Chicken & Vegetable (Wet Formula)
- Lamb & Vegetable (Wet Formula)
- Pork & Barley (Wet Formula)
- Salmon & Ocean Fish (Wet Formula)
- Senior Dog – Chicken & Rice (Wet Formula)
- Classics
- Beef & Liver (Wet Formula)
- Beef Slices (Wet Formula)
- Chunky Chicken (Wet Formula)
Snacks
- Assorted Biscuits (Medium)
- Assorted Biscuits (Small)
- Lobster Bisque-It Biscuits (Medium)
- Original Biscuits (Mini)
- Peanut Butter Biscuits (Medium)
- Peanut Butter Biscuits (Small)
- Plain Biscuits (Large)
- Plain Biscuits (Medium)
- Plain Biscuits (Small)
Review of Blue Seal Life Stages Performance Dog Formula
Ingredients in Blue Seal Life Stages Performance Dog Formula
Chicken Meal, Ground Corn, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Corn Gluten Meal, Ground Barley, Ground Oats, Rice Bran, Ground Beet Pulp, Natural Flavor, Ground Flaxseed, Fish Meal, Calcium Carbonate, Yeast Culture, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Sweet Potatoes, Dried Chicory Root, Blueberries, Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Selenium Yeast, Sodium Selenite, DL-Methionine, L-Ascorbyl-2 Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C)
This food is going to turn a lot of people off right away because it has corn in it and corn gluten. However, it compares favorably to a food like Purina ProPlan Sport. So, if you feed ProPlan or if you like the ProPlan foods, you might like this food.
First 5 Ingredients Breakdown
The first ingredient is chicken meal so it’s a named meat protein and it’s the concentrated version – meal. This is fine since chicken meal has several times as much protein in it as whole chicken. It’s had the moisture removed. It’s a good first ingredient for any food.
The second ingredient isground corn. I know. Many people will throw their hands up in despair at this point but as long as your dog doesn’t have an allergy to corn, most dogs can digest it without any problem. It’s about 50 percent digestible which is very good for a plant protein. It also provides good dietary fiber, iron, and vitamin B6, along with some other minerals. It’s come to have a bad reputation today because it’s been overused as a filler in dog foods, but we need to remember that it’s a very nutritious vegetable and dogs can digest it. In addition, it’s important to remember that this is a performance dog food. The corn delivers fast energy, as a performance dog food should. This is mostly used for dogs that are working, hunting, or nursing puppies so, theoretically, the dogs eating this food need quick energy. Sure, if your dog runs and plays a lot he could benefit from this kind of food, too.
The third ingredient is chicken fat preserved with a form of vitamin E. This is a good named source of animal fat that is naturally preserved. Very good.
Next we have corn gluten meal as the fourth ingredient and, honestly, this is usually added to up the protein percentage, so that’s not so good.
Additional Ingredients Of Interest
The next three ingredients are carbs: ground barley, ground oats, and rice bran. These three ingredients provide slower burning carbs so they won’t spike your dog’s blood sugar as much as the corn does. They help him feel full. They also provide some good minerals and are good sources of dietary fiber.
Ground beet pulp is another good source of dietary fiber. Some people don’t like it but it’s actually a very good ingredient. It’s insoluble fiber and it’s very good for the colon. Ground flaxseed is a good source of fiber and minerals. It’s also a good source of omega-3 fatty acid. The only drawback with flaxseed is if you’re a dog breeder. It’s been linked to problems with conception and breeding so you should be careful feeding foods that contain flaxseed and flaxseed oil. Fish meal is an excellent protein source as well as providing more omega-3 fatty acid. It’s also a good source of taurine for the heart.
The food has both vitamin E and sources of vitamin C for natural preservatives, which is good. And it has DL-Methionine which is used to reduce the pH of the urine so it won’t burn the grass when your dog urinates. You can also notice that the food uses chelated minerals which means the minerals are attached to amino acids which makes them easier for your dog to absorb them when he eats. That’s often found in better dog foods.
The food also has some sweet potatoes which are a good carb and fiber full of vitamins and minerals; and blueberries which are a good antioxidant. Finally, it contains dried chicory rootwhich is a good pre-biotic to help your dog digest the food.
Quality Of Ingredients
The quality of the ingredients looks very good and this food compares very favorably to a food like ProPlan Sport. This food does contain ground corn and corn gluten which obviously increase the amount of protein in the food, but if your dog doesn’t have a problem with corn, this shouldn’t be a problem. Otherwise, the food uses a good named protein, good named fat, no by-products or digests, no artificial color, sweeteners, or preservatives. It’s a very nice food if you need a high protein food for energy and you don’t mind the corn.
Special Concerns
The ground corn and corn gluten will increase the protein percentage and the calories in this food. This is not necessarily harmful to your dog but you should be aware that all of the protein in the food isn’t coming from the chicken meal. Remember, this is a performance food and the ingredients are designed as such.
Guaranteed Analysis
- Crude Protein (min) ……….. 30%
- Crude Fat (min) ……………… 20%
- Crude Fiber (max) ……………. 4%
- Moisture (max) …………….. 10%
- Calcium (min) ……………. 1.65%
- Phosphorus (min) ………….. 1.0%
- Copper (min) ………….. 20 mg/kg
- Manganese (min) ……. 70 mg/kg
- Zinc (min) ……………. 180 mg/kg
- Vitamin A (min) …. 11,000 IU/kg
- Vitamin E (min) ……… 220 IU/kg
- Taurine (min)* …………….. 0.03%
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids (min)* …. 0.32%
- Omega-6 Fatty Acids (min)* …… 4.0%
*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.
Calorie Content Metabolizable Energy (ME): 475 kcal/cup
Blue Seal Performance Dog Formula is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages.
Analysis Breakdown
Blue Seal Life Stages Performance Dog Formula provides 30 percent crude protein (Minimum), which is well above the government’s recommendations (18 percent for adult dogs). Some of this protein is coming from the ground corn and the corn gluten in the food but the chicken meal (and the fish meal) is undoubtedly providing a great deal of the protein. The 20 percent fat in Blue Seal Life Stages Performance Dog Formula is also well above the government’s recommendations (9 to 15 percent for an adult dog) but the fat is from chicken fat, a good source of fat that is naturally preserved; and from the ground flaxseed. Good sources of fat are good for your dog, especially in a performance dog food.
Company Reputation
Blue Seal appears to have an outstanding reputation and good manufacturing practices. They have not been subject to any pet food recalls that we could find. They have been in business for over 100 years and seem to be well-respected in their community.
Bottomline
Blue Seal Life Stages Performance Dog Formula appears to be a very good quality food for anyone who doesn’t object to feeding corn. The other ingredients in the food are very good. If you need a performance dog food, this one compares very well to Purina ProPlan’s foods.
Blue Seal Dog Food : 2017 Review, Recalls & Coupons
The Blue Seal brand of dog food states that their products are “formulated for a lifetime of health and happiness.” This brand understands that pets hold a special place in the hearts of their parents and, as such, they should be treated not as pets but as members of the family. In return for their undying love and dedication, dogs deserve to be fed a high-quality diet made from nutritious ingredients that nourish their bodies from the inside out. This may not be the largest or the most popular brand on the market, but it is one worth considering if you have a limited budget but still want to offer your dog a decent quality product. This brand adheres to high standards for quality and safety, offering an assortment of recipes formulated to match your dog’s life stage as well as his preferences.
Manufacturer Information:
The Blue Seal brand of dog food is manufactured by the Kent Nutrition Group, Inc. This company has their general offices located in Muscatine, Iowa but the website doesn’t provide specific information about where the brand’s products are actually manufactured except to say that their plants are located in the USA. According to a brochure offered on the brand’s website, this company is committed to the quality of their products and they hold them to the highest standards from start to finish. Each product is formulated by animal nutritionists and tested in a rigorous process carried out in their award-winning, certified-safe pet food facilities.
Made in the USA?
All Blue Seal dog foods are made in the USA in manufacturing facilities run by the Kent Nutrition Group, Inc. The brand speaks to the quality of their products in relation to safety of their manufacturing facilities, stating that they are certified-safe – they do not, however, provide specific information about where these manufacturing facilities are located. All we know is that these products are made in the USA somewhere.
Ingredient Sourcing:
Not only does Blue Seal fail to mention exactly where they manufacture their products, but they also don’t provide any specific information about where they get their ingredients. The brand itself began as a grist mill in 1868 in Lawrence, Massachusetts and grew into one of the largest feed manufacturing countries in the Northeast United States. As a feed supplier, you can expect this brand to use a number of different grains in their products, though they do have some grain-free options. This brand uses some corn and wheat products as well as barley, rice and other digestible carbohydrates. Most recipes include some fresh fruits and vegetables for nutritional balance, but there are also a lot of synthetic supplements on the list for most products.
Blue Seal Recall History:
The Blue Seal brand states that they, “strive to be the most trusted and preeminent regionally focused animal nutrition brand in the East” and they speak to the quality and safety of their products on their website. Every product is rigorously tested for safety before release and the brand offers a complete satisfaction guarantee. These dog foods are manufactured in U.S. facilities, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a high-quality brand. It bodes well, however, that there aren’t any Blue Seal recalls in recent history. It does look like some of their products were being made by Menu Foods at the time of the 2007 recall, but none of their products were taken off pet store shelves.
Save Money with Blue Seal Dog Food Coupons 2017
Because this brand is made by the Kent Nutrition Group, you can find it in Kent feed stores throughout the Midwest, Southwest, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic states – simply put your zip code into the company website to find the location nearest you. You can also find Blue Seal dog foods at Tractor Supply Company stores and other feed stores. This brand usually isn’t available in national pet store chains or independent retailers, though you might be able to find it for sale online. You can also purchase them online at the Blue Seal Country Store. The only place you are likely to find Blue Seal dog food coupons is in weekly flyers from your local feed store or on the brand website.
How Expensive Are Their Products?
This brand is sold primarily at feed stores, so it is one of the more affordable pet foods on the shelf. The average cost for a 30-pound bag of dry food is between $35 and $55, depending on the recipe. You might be able to save a little money with Blue Seal coupons, if you can find them.
List of Current Products Available:
The Blue Seal brand of dog food has a more limited assortment of product choices than many brands, but their products are formulated for dogs in different life stages so you can choose the one that is right for your dog. Most of their products belong to the EnTrust line of kibbles which are precisely balanced with quality ingredients including concentrated meat proteins and the NutriVantage nutrition optimizer, a proprietary supplement designed to ensure complete and balanced nutrition. There are also two classic dry formulas for dog food and an assortment of biscuits.
Dry Products – This brand offers two product lines of dry dog food – Classics and EnTrust. The Classics line only includes two recipes – Krunchies and Natural 26. The EnTrust line, on the other hand, includes ten recipes for dogs in all life stages and with different activity levels. Each formula begins with a concentrated source of meat protein and they are all supplemented for nutritional balance. Here is a list of their dry recipes:
- Classics Kruniches Recipe
- Classics Natural 26 Recipe
- EnTrust Puppy Chicken Meal & Barley Recipe
- EnTrust Large Breed Puppy Chicken Meal & Barley Recipe
- EnTrust Active Dog Chicken Meal & Barley Recipe
- EnTrust Adult Dog Chicken Meal & Barley Recipe
- EnTrust Adult Dog Lamb Meal & Rice Recipe
- EnTrust Adult Dog Lamb Meal, Rice & Pea Recipe
- EnTrust Adult Dog Pork & Barley Recipe
- EnTrust Senior Dog Chicken Meal & Barley Recipe
- EnTrust Weight Control Chicken Meal & Barley Recipe
- EnTrust Grain-Free Chicken Meal, Pea & Sweet Potato Recipe
Wet Products – This brand currently doesn’t offer any wet food products for dogs.
Treats – In addition to their complete and balanced dog food products, this brand also offers an assortment of dog treats in the form of biscuits. These biscuits come in several different sizes so you can choose the one that is best suited for your dog. Here is a list of their dog treat recipes:
- Original Biscuits (Mini)
- Plain Biscuits (Medium)
- Plain Biscuits (Large)
- Peanut Butter Biscuits (Small)
- Peanut Butter Biscuits (Medium)
- Lobster Bisque-Its (Medium)
- Assorted Biscuits (Small)
- Assorted Biscuits (Medium)
Blue Seal Dog Food Reviews
This brand makes it their mission to provide high-quality pet food products that give pets the nutrients they need to live along, healthy and happy life. They say of their products that they “adhere to the highest standards of pet nutrition that not only match their stage of life, but the activities they enjoy”. This brand offers a decent variety of products, though Blue Seal reviews are not always entirely complimentary. Regardless, it is important for you to take the time to evaluate the quality of any dog food product before you buy it for your dog. Keep reading to find our Blue Seal dog food reviews below for one classic dry food and one EnTrust dry food product.
Dry Review:
Blue Seal Classics Krunchies Recipe Dry – This Classics Krunchies Recipe dry food is made with the natural taste of poultry in a high-quality, protein-rich formula enriched with essential vitamins and minerals. It is formulated for normally active adult dogs, designed to provide the wholesome nutrition your dog needs for a lifetime of fitness and health. This recipe doesn’t contain any artificial colors or flavors and it is naturally preserved – you’ll also be glad to know that it is free from soy products. It contains chelated minerals for metabolic health and strong immunity, plus yeast culture to improve nutrient uptake.
The first ingredient in this Classics Krunchies Recipe dry food is ground corn and this is a problem for a number of reasons. For one thing, you never want to buy a dog food that lists anything but high-quality source of animal protein as the first ingredient. Also, corn offers limited nutritional value for dogs and it comes with a high risk for triggering food allergies or sensitivities. It is also worth noting that this isn’t the only corn ingredient – corn gluten meal is also listed. There is some protein in ground corn, but corn gluten meal is much higher in protein. The thing to remember here, however, is that plant proteins are much less biologically valuable for your dog than animal proteins. This recipe does include animal proteins but it comes in the form of poultry by-product meal. Not only is this a low-quality by-product, but it doesn’t even come from a named source like chicken or turkey.
In addition to the ground corn that is listed first, this Classics Krunchies Recipe dry food also includes another grain – ground wheat. Similar to corn, wheat is difficult for many dogs to digest, offers limited nutritional value, and comes with a high risk for triggering food allergies. The total crude fiber content of this recipe is only 4% which puts it within the recommended range of 1% to 5%, but most of the fiber seems to come from those corn and wheat ingredients as well as beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient as well. While there is no hard and fast evidence to suggest that it is dangerous, many dog owners prefer not to feed it to their dogs. The only good things about this recipe are the chicken fat and the chelated minerals. Chicken fat is a highly nutritious ingredient for dogs and a rich source of essential fatty acids. Chelated minerals are minerals that have been bound to protein molecules which makes them easier for your dog’s body to utilize.
This Classics Krunchies Recipe dry food has a guaranteed analysis as listed below:
- Crude Protein (Min) – 21%
- Crude Fat (Min) – 10%
- Crude Fiber (Max) – 4%
- Moisture (Max) – 12%
- Calorie Content –354 kcal/cup
This Classics Krunchies Recipe dry food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.
Dry Rating: 3/5 Stars
Overall, this Classics Krunchies Recipe dry food probably not something you want to feed your dog. Not only does it start with a low-quality grain as the first ingredient, but it includes multiple corn and wheat ingredients. Add to that the fact that the only source of protein comes from an unnamed by-product meal, and you can see the problem. This recipe does include chicken fat as the main source of fat and it is supplemented with chelated minerals, but these things are not enough to redeem the recipe as a whole. All in all, this recipe contains too many low-quality ingredients and it relies too heavily on synthetic supplements to ensure nutritional balance.
Wet Review:
Blue Seal EnTrust Adult Dog Lamb Meal, Rice & Pea Recipe Dry – This EnTrust Adult Dog Lamb Meal, Rice & Pea Recipe dry food is described as a specially formulated recipe featuring “highly-digestible lamb protein and moderate levels of fat to support an ideal body condition”. This formula contains no corn, wheat, or soy products and it is free from artificial additives. In addition to being rich in animal protein, this formula is supplemented with digestible carbohydrates like brown rice, barley, and oats plus plenty of healthy supplements. It is also made with Blue Seal’s NutriVantage supplement to support your dog’s total body health and wellness.
The first ingredient in this recipe is lamb meal. Whereas fresh meats contain up to 70% moisture by volume, meat meals like lamb meal have been cooked down to about 10% moisture which makes them a very highly-concentrated source of animal protein. This recipe also includes supplementary proteins in the form of fish meal and pea protein concentrate. The latter of these ingredients is a little troubling because plant proteins are less biologically valuable for your dog than animal proteins. This ingredient appears in the seventh slot, however, so it is unclear how much it actually contributes to the total protein content of the recipe.
After the lamb meal comes brown rice, ground barley, and ground oats. All of these are considered highly digestible carbohydrates for most dogs, though they may cause a problem for dogs that are allergic or sensitive to grains. There are also supplementary sources of fiber such as ground peas, ground flaxseed, rice bran, and dried beet pulp. The main source of fat in this formula is chicken fat, a highly nutritious ingredient and a concentrated source of energy for your dog. It is supplemented by ground flaxseed and fish oil as well for a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The remaining ingredients in this recipe consist primarily of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as synthetic supplements. The fresh fruits and veggies help to provide natural sources for key nutrients, though supplements are still needed to ensure complete and balanced nutrition. It is good to see that several of the minerals are chelated as well – this helps to improve their uptake.
This EnTrust Adult Dog Lamb Meal, Rice & Pea Recipe dry food has a guaranteed analysis as listed below:
- Crude Protein (Min) – 22%
- Crude Fat (Min) – 12%
- Crude Fiber (Max) – 4%
- Moisture (Max) – 11%
- Calcium (Min) – 1.6%
- Phosphorus (Min) – 1.0%
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Min) – 0.21%
- Omega-6 Fatty Acids (Min) – 2.2%
- Calorie Content – 3,400 kcal/kg (338 kcal/cup)
This EnTrust Adult Dog Lamb Meal, Rice & Pea Recipe dry food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Nutrient Profiles for adult maintenance.
Wet Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Overall, this EnTrust Adult Dog Lamb Meal, Rice & Pea Recipe dry food falls somewhere between a 3-star and a 4-star rating. It starts off strong with a highly-concentrated source of named animal protein as the main ingredient and continues with three highly digestible complex carbohydrates. This formula is also rich in animal fats, especially chicken fat which is highly nutritious. Where this recipe goes downhill is in the use of plant proteins like ground peas and pea protein concentrate as well as some questionable ingredients like rice bran, dried beet pulp, and yeast culture. The formula could benefit from some probiotics and a few more of the mineral supplements could be chelated. It is good, however, to see some fresh fruits and vegetables as natural sources for key nutrients, though they appear far enough down the list that it’s hard to tell how much is actually used. All in all, this recipe wouldn’t be the worst choice for your dog but you can probably still find something better within the same price range, if you wanted to.
There are many kinds of food that humans eat which are unsafe for dogs. Onions are not an exception. Feeding your pooch onions can make him seriously ill, whether they are raw, cooked, or in powdered form.
