Taiga is a five-recipe kibble line built around pork and chicken, with pork meal or chicken meal listed first in every recipe. Pork appears in three recipes, chicken in two and egg in two. Three recipes use whole grains such as barley, rye and oats, while the two grain-free recipes rely on red lentils, peas, garbanzo beans and pea starch.
The recipes sit close together. Protein runs from 24% to 28% as fed, fat from 12% to 13%, and estimated starch from 40% to 43.6%. Calories range from 360 to 390 kcal per cup. Against our catalog average for kibble (1,834 foods), the line averages less protein (25.4% vs 26.9%), more estimated starch (42.2% vs 37.4%) and fewer calories per cup (370 vs 395).
The trade-off is a moderate-protein kibble with more starch than most. Only Taiga XL comes in above the catalog protein average. Owners who avoid legumes have three grain-inclusive choices, and owners who avoid grain have two that use legumes instead. No recipe lists potato.
| Recipe | Protein | Fat | Starch | Kcal / cup | First ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XL - | 28% | 12% | 42% | 390 | PORK MEAL, WHOLE GRAIN BARLEY, WHOLE GRAIN RYE |
| Grain-Free Pork Formula | 26% | 13% | 40% | 360 | Pork Meal, Red Lentils, Peas |
| Grain-Free Chicken Formula | 25% | 12% | 42.5% | 360 | Chicken Meal, Red Lentils, Peas |
| Whole Grain Pork Formula | 24% | 12% | 43.6% | 372 | Pork Meal, Whole Grain Barley, Whole Grain Rye |
| Whole Grain Chicken Formula | 24% | 12% | 43% | 367 | Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Barley, Whole Grain Oats |
| Line average | 25.4% | 12.2% | 42.2% | 370 |
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.
28% protein · 12% fat · 42% starch · 390 kcal/cup
Taiga XL has the most protein (28%) and the most calories (390 kcal per cup) in the line, with pork meal, whole grain barley, whole grain rye and pork leading the list, plus egg. It suits owners who want the line's most calorie-dense kibble, though its label lists no life stage.
Full review of XL -26% protein · 13% fat · 40% starch · 360 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
This grain-free pork recipe has the least estimated starch in the line at 40% and the most fat at 13%, with red lentils, peas, garbanzo beans and pea starch after pork meal. It suits owners avoiding grain who want pork as the only animal protein.
Full review of Grain-Free Pork Formula25% protein · 12% fat · 42.5% starch · 360 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
Grain-free with chicken as its only animal protein, this recipe lists chicken meal ahead of red lentils, peas, garbanzo beans and pea starch. At 25% protein, 42.5% estimated starch and 360 kcal per cup, it suits owners avoiding grain who prefer chicken over pork.
Full review of Grain-Free Chicken Formula24% protein · 12% fat · 43.6% starch · 372 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
This recipe has the most estimated starch in the line at 43.6%, with pork meal followed by whole grain barley, rye and oats, and pork as its only animal protein. It suits owners who want a grain-inclusive pork kibble at 372 kcal per cup.
Full review of Whole Grain Pork Formula24% protein · 12% fat · 43% starch · 367 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
The only grain-inclusive chicken recipe in the line, it pairs chicken meal and chicken with whole grain barley, oats and rye, and adds egg. At 24% protein and 367 kcal per cup, it suits owners who want chicken and whole grains together.
Full review of Whole Grain Chicken FormulaOnly two of the five recipes are: Grain-Free Pork Formula and Grain-Free Chicken Formula. Taiga XL, Whole Grain Pork Formula and Whole Grain Chicken Formula include grains such as barley, rye and oats.
Taiga XL, at 28% protein as fed and 390 kcal per cup. Whole Grain Pork Formula and Whole Grain Chicken Formula have the least, at 24%.
Two recipes do: Grain-Free Pork Formula and Grain-Free Chicken Formula, which list red lentils, peas, garbanzo beans and pea starch. The three grain-inclusive recipes have no peas or lentils, and no Taiga recipe contains potato.
Protein is close to the average kibble we review (28.2% on a dry matter basis).
Starch is higher than average, at 42% of the food as fed.
100% of recipes lead with a meat, fish or egg ingredient (89% across the site).
40% 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.
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