Protein source
CautionUnclear animal protein source
Top 3: Brewers Rice, Brown Rice, Chicken By-Product Meal
Animal-based does not always mean clearly sourced.
Unspecified animal protein is read conservatively.
Public ReviewGrade DKibble (Extruded)Manufacturing: Kibble (Extruded)
Royal Canin
Royal Canin Shih Tzu Adult Dry Dog Food
1.0★Public ScoreManufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety
Key points
Ingredient guide
Included support ingredients
Nutrient guideFish oilSkin and joint support ingredientFOSGut support ingredientLuteinEye support ingredientGlucosamineJoint support ingredientTaurineHeart support ingredientL-carnitineHeart and weight support ingredientChondroitinJoint support ingredientEPA+DHASkin, joint, and heart support ingredient
Caution
Ingredient grade
D
Grade D
Top ingredient profile
Brewers Rice
Brown Rice
Chicken By-Product Meal
Plant booster present
Crude protein22%
Crude protein22%
Crude fat18%
Other 60%
Protein position, fat position, and calorie density position are relative to foods in the same processing type cohort.
biotechProtein position
Lowerquery_statsFat position
Higherlocal_fire_departmentCalorie density
HigherThis food can stay in comparison, but ingredient quality still needs a more conservative read.
There is enough public data to keep this food in comparison, but the top ingredient structure does not support a stronger positive claim yet.
Nutritional strengths
- Top ingredients do not show a prominent FDA-investigated non-hereditary DCM ingredient profile.
What still needs work
- By-product meal is a rendered ingredient that can include parts such as heads, feet, and organs. It can still provide protein, but it is harder to tell exactly what parts are included and in what proportion, so ingredient transparency is read more conservatively.
- Plant proteins can lift crude protein on the label, but the real animal-protein share still needs a closer check.
- By-product meal and grains both sit high in the recipe, so this does not read as a meat-centered formula.
Brand context
Brand background availableRecall history confirmed
Founded in 1968 in France. This brand has a confirmed public recall history, with a recent 2023 mislabeling case in public sources.
Ingredient analysis
This section matters more than usual because the ingredient read is not strong enough to summarize in one line.
restaurantIngredient Quality Analysis
Ingredient Grade
Conservative
1Brewers Rice
Refined Carb · Lower
2Brown Rice
Whole Grain · Upper
3Chicken By-Product Meal
By-product Meal · Lowest
Ingredient Analysis Comments
- •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.
- •Brown Rice is a whole or coarse grain ingredient. It usually plays more of a carbohydrate and fiber role than a core protein role. It reads as an upper-tier carb and fiber source.
- •Chicken By-Product Meal is a by-product meal. It can still contribute protein, but the primary-ingredient read should stay conservative. It reads as an bottom-tier protein source.
restaurantIngredient Grade DConservative
Full collected ingredient list
33 ingredientsbrewers ricebrown ricechicken by-product mealchicken fatoat groatswheat glutennatural flavors (Only for mexico: including pork, poultry and cow milk)dried plain beet pulppowdered cellulosefish oilvegetable oilsodium silico aluminatecalcium carbonatepotassium chlorideDL-methioninefructooligosaccharidessodium tripolyphosphatevitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), niacin supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), D-calcium pantothenate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A acetate, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement]L-tyrosinecholine chloridesaltL-lysinemarigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.)trace minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, copper proteinate]glucosamine hydrochlorideGLA safflower oiltaurinemagnesium oxidegreen tea extractL-carnitinechondroitin sulfaterosemary extractpreserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid.
Primary positive ingredients
Support positive ingredients
Neutral ingredients
Caution ingredients
High-caution ingredients
Why processed plant proteins are reviewed cautiously
Ingredient lists are ordered by input weight, not protein contribution. Fresh meat 100g and Soybean Meal 50g can both contribute about 20g of protein, and Pea Protein can deliver a similar amount at around 30g. So these ingredients can materially lift crude protein even outside the top three. The review treats processed plant-protein boosters cautiously because they can weaken the animal-protein-centered profile most guardians expect from a high-protein food.
Why did the base review land here?
Ingredient qualityNutrient disclosure levelManufacturing & trust
This review score combines ingredient composition, nutrient disclosure, manufacturing trust, and core nutrient caution signals.
Nutrient disclosure
Partial disclosure
Core guaranteed analysis is usable, but deeper rows still need a more cautious read.
Safety verification
No fails
No major red flag jumps out first, though undisclosed rows still define the limits of this safety read.
Public data trust (ETF)
C1 tier
There is a usable disclosure baseline, but the public record is still fairly thin.
Where it sits in the same processing cohort
Kibble (Extruded) cohortCompare-first
Within the Kibble (Extruded) cohort, this recipe sits in the compare-first band.
Final word
Treat this review as an early screen. If the food stays interesting, verify it again with your dog-specific context before acting.
What to compare next
Criteria to compare with this food
These criteria come from the product name, brand, veterinary purpose, and disclosed nutrients, so you can compare similar foods after reading the review.
Brand analysis
Royal Canin dog food analysis: veterinary diets, breed lines, and label checks
Royal Canin spans veterinary, breed, and daily lines, so product purpose matters first.
Kidney criteriaBest dog food for kidney disease: phosphorus, protein quality, sodium, and appetite checks
Kidney or renal intent means phosphorus, protein, and sodium disclosure should come first.
Heart criteriaBest dog food for heart disease: sodium, taurine, L-carnitine, omega-3, and DCM context
Heart context should connect sodium, taurine, L-carnitine, and omega-3 disclosure.
Joint criteriaBest dog food for joint support: weight control, EPA/DHA, glucosamine, and mobility checks
Joint context should connect weight control, EPA+DHA, and disclosed support ingredients.
Label basicsBest dog food criteria: ingredients, calories, disclosure, and health context
Before the brand claim, compare top ingredients, guaranteed analysis, kcal/kg, and disclosure.