Unrefined is a four-recipe kibble line built around a named animal protein listed first, followed by quinoa and buckwheat, with pumpkin or butternut squash in the top five ingredients. Every recipe contains grain, and none contains peas, lentils or potato. Egg and fish appear in all four recipes, alongside turkey, lamb or rabbit.
The recipes sit close together. Protein runs 23 to 24%, fat 15 to 17% and estimated starch 34.5 to 38%, all as fed. Calories range from 345 to 380 kcal per cup. The line averages 23.8% protein, 36.3% starch and 366 kcal per cup, against a catalog average for kibble of 26.9% protein, 37.4% starch and 395 kcal per cup.
The trade-offs: protein is below the kibble average in every recipe, and starch is near the average rather than low. All four are labeled for adults only, and the Smoked Turkey recipe is discontinued. Fish in every recipe, and lamb in the rabbit recipe, matter for owners trying to avoid a specific protein.
| Recipe | Protein | Fat | Starch | Kcal / cup | First ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoked Turkey with Ancient Grains & Superfoods | 24% | 17% | 34.5% | 380 | Turkey, Quinoa, Pumpkin |
| Roasted Lamb with Ancient Grains & Superfoods | 24% | 15% | 37% | 370 | Lamb, Lamb Meal, Quinoa |
| Smoked Salmon with Ancient Grains & Superfoods | 24% | 15% | 35.5% | 345 | Salmon, Quinoa, Pumpkin |
| Roasted Rabbit with Ancient Grains & Superfoods | 23% | 15% | 38% | 370 | Rabbit, Quinoa, Butternut Squash |
| Line average | 23.8% | 15.5% | 36.3% | 366 |
All figures as fed, from the guaranteed analysis on each label. Starch is our estimate, since no bag prints it. Highest in the line is marked in bold, lowest in italics.
24% protein · 17% fat · 34.5% starch · 380 kcal/cup · Adult
The only turkey recipe in the line and the richest one, with 17% fat, 380 kcal per cup and the lowest estimated starch in the line at 34.5%. It suits active adults, though it is discontinued, so stock may be limited.
We believe this recipe has been discontinued.
Full review of Smoked Turkey with Ancient Grains & Superfoods24% protein · 15% fat · 37% starch · 370 kcal/cup · Adult
The only recipe that lists both lamb and lamb meal ahead of quinoa, with 24% protein, 15% fat and 37% estimated starch. It suits adult dogs whose owners want lamb as the lead protein and are fine with egg and fish also in the recipe.
Full review of Roasted Lamb with Ancient Grains & Superfoods24% protein · 15% fat · 35.5% starch · 345 kcal/cup · Adult
The only recipe whose animal proteins are just fish and egg, and it has the fewest calories in the line at 345 kcal per cup plus the most fiber at 9.5%. It suits adults needing fewer calories per cup, or owners avoiding turkey, lamb and rabbit.
Full review of Smoked Salmon with Ancient Grains & Superfoods23% protein · 15% fat · 38% starch · 370 kcal/cup · Adult
Rabbit leads the ingredient list, but lamb, egg and fish are also included, and it has the most estimated starch in the line at 38% and the least protein at 23%. It suits owners wanting rabbit as the main protein who accept lamb in the mix.
Full review of Roasted Rabbit with Ancient Grains & SuperfoodsNo. All four Unrefined recipes contain grain, with quinoa and buckwheat among the first ingredients. None of them contains peas, lentils or potato.
Smoked Turkey, Roasted Lamb and Smoked Salmon tie at 24% protein as fed, while Roasted Rabbit has 23%. Smoked Turkey also has the most fat in the line at 17%.
Smoked Salmon has the fewest at 345 kcal per cup. Smoked Turkey has the most at 380 kcal per cup, and Roasted Lamb and Roasted Rabbit each have 370.
Protein runs lower than the average kibble we review (26.4% vs 30.1% on a dry matter basis).
100% of recipes lead with a meat, fish or egg ingredient (89% across the site).
0% of recipes are grain-free.
this range, lowest to highest its average average of all 3,205 foods we review
Starch is our estimate from the guaranteed analysis, since no manufacturer prints it. How we work it out
Share of recipes that list each animal protein as an ingredient, not counting oils, fats or flavorings. Useful if your dog has a food sensitivity.
These are not unsafe. They are listed because readers ask about them.
MOST PROTEIN
Earthborn Holistic Unrefined Smoked Turkey with Ancient Grains & Superfoods Dry Dog Food
26.7% dry matter
LEAST STARCH
Earthborn Holistic Unrefined Smoked Salmon with Ancient Grains & Superfoods Dry Dog Food
36% as fed
FEWEST CALORIES
Earthborn Holistic Unrefined Roasted Lamb with Ancient Grains & Superfoods Dry Dog Food
370 kcal per cup
Our log holds FDA dog food recall notices from 2012 on, so this is not a guarantee that Earthborn Holistic has never had one. See the recall log
We keep reviews of discontinued recipes online, each with suggested replacements, because bags stay on shelves and in pantries for months.
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