Ingredient #1Lower
Brewers rice
Brewers rice is a refined carbohydrate source. It usually reads as a starch and energy source rather than a protein driver. It reads as an lower-tier carb source.
Label analysisGrade DListed ingredientsKibble (Extruded)
Royal Canin
Royal Canin German Shepherd Adult 5+ Dry Dog Food
Editor ingredient insight
Royal Canin German Shepherd Adult 5+ starts with brewers rice, chicken by-product meal, and brown rice, with higher fat plus chondroitin and EPA+DHA.
It is worth considering for mature Shepherds that need energy, not for low-fat senior feeding.
Plant booster present
01. NUTRIENT PROFILE
Key nutrients & mineral profile
Disclosed protein and fat
Protein 23%Fat 17%Other 60%Other includes moisture, ash and remaining components.
Position within the same processing type
Compare protein, fat and energy density in low, typical and high bands.
Protein positionLower
This food is on the lower side for crude protein among extruded foods.
Fat positionHigher
This food is on the higher side for crude fat among extruded foods.
Calorie densityHigher
This food is on the higher side for calorie density among extruded foods. The same serving can provide more energy, so check portion guidance.
Key guaranteed nutrientsAs-fed
CalciumNot disclosed
PhosphorusNot disclosed
Crude fiber5.4%
Omega-3Not disclosed
Omega-6Not disclosed
Undisclosed values are not treated as zero.
02. INGREDIENT QUALITY & DISCLOSURE
Disclosed ingredients & ingredient grade
The analysis uses the registered ingredients. Complete-panel coverage is not verified, so an unlisted ingredient cannot be assumed absent.
Listed ingredients
Read the listed ingredients below. Complete-panel coverage is not verified here; do not infer that an unlisted ingredient is absent.
Ingredient gradeConservative
Ingredient #1 · Brewers riceLower
Refined CarbIngredient #2 · cornMid
Refined CarbIngredient #3 · wheat glutenLowest
Processed Plant ProteinIngredient #2Mid
corn
corn is a refined carbohydrate source. It usually reads as a starch and energy source rather than a protein driver. It reads as an mid-tier carb source.
Ingredient #3Lowest
wheat gluten
wheat gluten is a processed plant-protein booster. It can lift crude protein without the same animal-protein share, so the animal-protein read should stay separate. It reads as an bottom-tier plant protein booster.
Available ingredient listIn disclosed order
Brewers rice — Neutral ingredientscorn — Neutral ingredientswheat gluten — High-caution ingredientschicken by-product meal — High-caution ingredientschicken fat — Neutral ingredientsnatural flavors — Support positive ingredientspowdered cellulose — Neutral ingredientsdried plain beet pulp — Support positive ingredientsvegetable oil — Neutral ingredientsfish oil — Support positive ingredientscoconut oil — Neutral ingredientsdried tomato pomace — Neutral ingredientssodium silico aluminate — Neutral ingredientspork digest — Support positive ingredientspotassium chloride — Support positive ingredientscalcium carbonate — Neutral ingredientsL-tyrosine — Neutral ingredientssalt — Neutral ingredientsL-lysine — Neutral ingredientssodium tripolyphosphate — Neutral ingredientsvitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), niacin supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), D-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A acetate, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement] — Support positive ingredientshydrolyzed yeast — Neutral ingredientscholine chloride — Support positive ingredientstaurine — Support positive ingredientsmonocalcium phosphate — Neutral ingredientsDL-methionine — Neutral ingredientstrace minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, copper proteinate] — Support positive ingredientsmarigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.) — Neutral ingredientsmagnesium oxide — Support positive ingredientsgreen tea extract — Neutral ingredientschondroitin sulfate — Support positive ingredientscarotene — Neutral ingredientsrosemary extract — Neutral ingredientspreserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid. — Neutral ingredients
Primary positive ingredientsSupport positive ingredientsAlternative proteinNeutral ingredientsCaution ingredientsHigh-caution ingredients
Protein sourceIngredient guide
Ingredient-label protein analysis
Animal protein · chicken by-product meal (#4), pork digest (#14)
Plant protein · wheat gluten (#3)
Even high crude protein can be strongly influenced by processed plant protein.
This is hard to read as meat-protein centered.
Included support ingredientsNutrient guide
Fish oilSkin and joint support ingredientTaurineHeart support ingredientLuteinEye support ingredientChondroitinJoint support ingredientEPA+DHASkin, joint, and heart support ingredient
03. CHOOSING FOR YOUR DOG
What to consider before feeding
chicken by-product meal supply animal protein, starting at ingredient 4. Brewers rice, corn supply carbohydrate energy. A carbohydrate source leads the list, a meaningful distinction when seeking a meat-led recipe.
wheat gluten supplement plant protein within the first three ingredients. The crude-protein figure includes both animal and plant contributions. chicken fat add fat and energy; fat content is a separate choice criterion from the protein sources.
Across the registered ingredients, multiple protein sources appear, including chicken, pork. If a protein must be excluded, any of these sources can change the decision; the first ingredient alone does not make this a single-protein diet.
What works well in this food
- Top ingredients do not show a prominent FDA-investigated non-hereditary DCM ingredient profile.
Check before feeding
- Refined carbohydrates lose fiber, vitamins, and minerals during processing, and mainly act as starch and energy sources. Because of that, our engine reads ingredient quality more conservatively than it would with whole grains.
- Processed plant protein sits in the top 3, so the crude-protein number clearly includes protein support beyond meat ingredients.
- Higher calorie density can raise daily intake in a gram-for-gram switch. Weight reduction needs portions and treat calories to be adjusted together.
When this food fits your dog
Among foods made the same way, protein is lower, fat is higher, and calorie density is higher. This combination provides more energy per gram. Compare it when smaller portions need to supply calories, and adjust grams first for a dog prone to weight gain. Higher calories do not establish a higher animal-protein share.
Consider it first when
- Public-data-first comparison
- Baseline shortlist building
- Conservative first-pass screening
Choose another food first when
- You want a stronger ingredient-quality story first
- You need dog-specific fit instead of public-review screening
High calorie density remains the clearest trade-off here.
04. COMPARE FOODS
Smart chicken alternatives
Exact protein-type matches come first, then close protein-family matches fill the comparison.
05. MANUFACTURING & DISCLOSURE
Manufacturer background & public information
Royal Canin background
Founded in 1968 in France.
Disclosure confidence C1
There is a usable disclosure baseline, but the public record is still fairly thin.
Recall information
This brand has a confirmed public recall history, with a recent 2023 mislabeling case in public sources.
May 12, 2026