Essence is an exciting new brand of dog Food from the same company behind Zignature, a favorite dog food at Woof Whiskers. The brand offers high-protein food from sustainable sources for both dogs and cats, creating recipes based on the philosophy that modern pets are designed from wild carnivores and are biologically designed to consume meat.
Quality Of Ingredients
All Essence dog foods start with meat as their primary ingredients. This includes poultry like guinea fowl and turkey, fish such as salmon and herring, and red meat – think boar and lamb. Each recipe contains a different combination of these animal protein sources, making it easy to choose a food that meets your dog’s needs and restrictions.
The ingredients used in Essence are sourced from all over the world, which is a necessity since some of the types of meat used are specific to certain regions and not found in the United States. However, all the food is made domestically in factories located in Montana and South Dakota.
One common dog food ingredient you won’t find in Essence is probiotics. These are live bacteria and yeasts that are beneficial to your dog in aiding healthy digestion. Essence chooses not to include probiotics in its recipes as its food has an 18-month shelf life, longer than these cultures could survive. If this is a concern for you, you might consider adding a probiotic supplement to your dog’s diet if you do decide to switch to Essence.
Full Ingredients And Analysis
Analyzing the first 10 ingredients in a dog food is a great way to understand the overall nutrient content of the dog food because AAFCO requires all dog food ingredients to be listed in order of predominance by their weight. Here’s a closer look at what’s inside Air & Gamefowl Recipe:
Full Ingredients: Guinea Fowl, Duck, Turkey, Chicken, Duck Meal, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Red Lentils, Garbanzo Beans, Navy Beans, Coconut Flour, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavors, Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Salt, Pumpkin, Calcium Carbonate, Taurine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Selenium Yeast, Calcium Iodate), Chia Seed Oil.
We calculated the dry matter percentages to get a better idea of the final nutrients. Overall this Air & Gamefowl formula is excellent – high protein with ideal levels of fat and carbohydrates.
Ingredients You May Wonder About:
Guinea Fowl: According to Essence, guinea fowl is a hypoallergenic type of poultry that contains high protein and low fat, along with essential minerals. Guinea fowl is native to Africa and is closely related to pheasants. Reference
Duck: Duck contains iron, amino acids, and easily digested protein. Reference
Red Lentils: A common plant-based protein source for humans, red lentils are great for dogs, too. They’re low in calories but high in iron and fiber. Reference
Garbanzo Beans: More commonly known as chickpeas, these legumes are another fantastic source of plant protein and fiber. Reference
Coconut Flour: There are many benefits to giving your dog coconut. It reduces inflammation, supports a strong immune system, and has even been known to contribute to healthy skin. Reference
Potassium Chloride: Electrolytes potassium and chloride are essential to your dog’s diet. Reference
Choline Chloride: You might not recognize this name at first, but it’s actually vitamin B4. Reference
Pumpkin: Pumpkin is much more than a tasty filling for holiday pies – it’s great for your dog, too! It supports urinary and digestive health and contains tons of vitamins.
Taurine: This amino acid is extremely important for canine cardiovascular health. Reference
Riboflavin Supplement: Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is essential for dogs. Reference
Thiamine Mononitrate: Thiamine deficiency is potentially fatal for dogs, so many food brands add it to their recipes. Reference
Selenium Yeast: Selenium, an important mineral, is required to be included in pet foods by the American Association of Feed Control Officials. Reference
Chia Seed Oil: Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for healthy joints and a shiny coat. They also contain other vitamins and minerals, including calcium and potassium. Reference
Essence Raw Dog Food Product Line
Essence offers two main product lines: Essence Original and Essence Limited Ingredients. Each line is made up of three recipes, available as both dry and wet food.
Essence Original
The dog foods in the Essence Original line each contain multiple types of animal protein from one major group: poultry, fish, or red meat.
Air & Gamefowl
This food made from poultry includes guinea fowl and duck from France and chicken and turkey from Minnesota.
Ocean & Freshwater
Oceatn & Freshwater is Essence’s fish-based food. Its main ingredients are salmon, whitefish, and herring from across the United States and Canada.
Ranch & Meadow
If you’re searching for a dog food made primarily from red meat, this one is for you. You’ll find boar, goat, lamb, and pork on the ingredients list.
Essence Limited Ingredient Recipe
In the Limited Ingredient Recipe foods, you’ll find two types of animal protein, two types of meal, and two plant-based fiber sources. They’re perfect for dogs with food sensitivities to grains, gluten, legumes, or certain types of meat.
Landfowl Recipe
The Landfowl Recipe contains chicken and turkey for animal protein and quinoa and pumpkin for fiber.
Ocean Recipe
The protein sources in this food are herring and whitefish. It also includes quinoa, pumpkin, and olive oil.
Ranch Recipe
The Ranch Recipe is made up of United States-sourced lamb and pork.
About Essence
Essence is a dog food brand owned by California-based Pets Global, Inc. The company also operates Zignature, Fussie Cat, and Inception pet foods.
Pets Global formulates its recipes to meet the standards of the Association of American Feed Control Officials. This means that the nutritional levels in the food are sufficient to meet your pet’s needs without any further supplements. Kitchens are regularly inspected by the FDA to meet strict guidelines.
Pets Global refrains from performing any invasive animal testing, conducting all their trials in stress-free environments for the pets involved.
Where To Buy
Essence is available across the United States at a variety of pet stores. It can also be purchased in store or online from Pet Supplies Plus.
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