Optimal Line is built around poultry meals. Turkey appears in all three recipes and chicken in two, and chicken meal or turkey meal is the first ingredient every time. All three recipes are kibble, and our ingredient read found peas and potato in each one.
Protein runs from 40% in Optimal Senior to 50% in Optimal Performance, as fed, against a kibble catalog average of 26.9% across 1,834 foods. Estimated starch runs from 13.5% to 25%, well under the 37.4% catalog average. Fat sits at 14 to 15% and fiber at 5 to 5.5%, so the recipes differ mainly in protein and starch.
The trade-offs are worth weighing. The high protein figures sit alongside pea protein or potato protein in the first four ingredients of every recipe. Every recipe name says Grain-Free, yet our ingredient read flagged grain in all three. Owners who avoid peas or potato will find no option in this line.
| Recipe | Protein | Fat | Starch | Kcal / cup | First ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimal Performance Grain-Free | 50% | 15% | 13.5% | -- | Chicken Meal, Organic Chicken, Turkey Meal |
| Optimal Adult Grain-Free | 42% | 14% | 22.5% | -- | Chicken Meal, Organic Chicken, Turkey Meal |
| Optimal Senior Grain-Free | 40% | 14% | 25% | -- | Turkey Meal, Turkey, Pea Protein |
| Line average | 44% | 14.3% | 20.3% | -- |
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.
50% protein · 15% fat · 13.5% starch · Adult
Optimal Performance is the only recipe in the line with potato protein among its first five ingredients, after chicken meal, organic chicken and turkey meal. Sold for performance, it has the line's most protein at 50% and least estimated starch at 13.5%, suiting adult dogs whose owners want both extremes.
Full review of Optimal Performance Grain-Free42% protein · 14% fat · 22.5% starch · Adult
Optimal Adult shares the chicken meal, organic chicken and turkey meal lead of Performance but lists pea protein where Performance lists potato protein. At 42% protein and 22.5% estimated starch it sits in the middle of the line, fitting adult dogs eating chicken and turkey.
Full review of Optimal Adult Grain-Free40% protein · 14% fat · 25% starch · Senior
Optimal Senior is the only chicken free recipe here, built on turkey meal and turkey, and the only one made for senior dogs. It has the line's least protein at 40%, most estimated starch at 25% and lowest fiber at 5%, suiting older dogs in homes avoiding chicken.
Full review of Optimal Senior Grain-FreeOptimal Performance, Optimal Adult and Optimal Senior all carry Grain-Free in their names. However, our ingredient read flagged grain in all three, so owners strictly avoiding grain may want to check the ingredient list on the bag.
Optimal Performance Grain-Free has the most protein at 50% as fed, along with the line's lowest estimated starch at 13.5%. Optimal Adult follows at 42% and Optimal Senior at 40%.
Yes. Our ingredient read found peas and potato in Optimal Performance, Optimal Adult and Optimal Senior. Optimal Performance lists potato protein, while Optimal Adult and Optimal Senior list pea protein.
Protein runs higher than the average kibble we review (48.9% vs 30.1% on a dry matter basis).
Starch is lower than average, at 20% of the food as fed.
100% of recipes lead with a meat, fish or egg ingredient (89% across the site).
100% 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.
Our log holds FDA dog food recall notices from 2012 on, so this is not a guarantee that Wysong has never had one. See the recall log
Ten everyday foods. Safe, In Moderation or Never. No googling, no second guesses. Then share your score with your friends, however embarrassing it turns out to be.
115 foods in the deck. Grapes are in there. So is cheese.
Ten foods, one at a time. Call each one Safe, In Moderation or Never, then flip the card to see if you had it right. The ones you miss are listed at the end.
Keys: 1 Safe 2 Moderation 3 Never Enter Next
Copied. Paste it anywhere your friends will see it.
Want the reason behind every answer? The 80-page e-book, $7.99
Now, is your dog's food any good?
Look it up: estimated starch, calories per cup and every ingredient, for 3,207 foods.
