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Inukshuk isn’t the most popular dog food brand, so you might have never heard of it before. They promise potent formulas with varying macronutrient levels for very active dogs, but do the Inukshuk professional dry dog food recipes hold up?
To follow up on my series of dog food reviews, I’ll look at Inukshuk in this post. I’ll break down everything from the company’s history, its recipes, an ingredient analysis of each, and more. So stick around for my Inukshuk dog food reviews!
Rating
I rate Inukshuk highly due to the great quality of dog food they provide. However, based on the lack of variety and the difficulty of finding their products, I have to take my rating down to 4/5.
I rate Inukshuk highly due to the great quality of dog food they provide. However, based on the lack of variety and the difficulty of finding their products, I have to take my rating down to 4/5.*Find out more about our editorial & review standards
Inukshuk Overview
Inukshuk Professional Dog Food is a brand owned by Corey Nutrition Company, a family-owned business in New Brunswick, Canada. Their dog food line started to accommodate the extreme nutritional demands of Yukon’s sporting dogs but later evolved to accommodate all dogs.
Currently, Inukshuk professional dog food sells wholesale in Canada and the US, though some undisclosed locations aren’t serviced according to their FAQ section.
Is Inukshuk Dog Food Good?
Inukshuk Professional Dog Food has five solid recipes that can fulfill the demanding nutritional needs of dogs at various life stages. The formulas include several sources of animal protein through different meat meals, such as chicken meal and fish meal.
All the Inukshuk recipes are quite heavy on grains, though, with some ingredients that might be considered low-quality, such as ground whole-grain corn, whole-grain barley, and other cereal grain byproducts.
In terms of macronutrients, Inukshuk dog food recipes are quite high in protein and fat but low in carbs. Some recipes are way too high in fat, though, at over 50% of the calorie-weighted basis, so this won’t suit every dog.
Pros
- High in protein
- Quality animal protein sources
- Recipes are nutritionally complete
Cons
- Fat content is too high in some recipes
- Unavailable in regular stores; inconvenient for most US-based pet owners
- Doesn’t service all ZIP codes
Best of Inukshuk Professional Dry Dog Food Products
Inukshuk only offers five recipes as of the time of writing, so I didn’t have to look around too much to find the five best ones as I usually do. So, here’s my opinion on each of them.
1. 26/16 Formula
The dry dog food 26/16 formula contains 26% protein and 16% fat using guaranteed analysis. Most of the protein comes from chicken and fish meal, which is a great source for dogs at all life stages. As such, this formula is also excellent for puppies as they grow up.
Nutrient Content
Method | Protein | Fats | Carbs |
Guaranteed Analysis | 26% | 16% | N/A |
Dry Matter Basis | 29% | 18% | 41% |
Calorie Weighted Basis | 26% | 38% | 36% |
Ingredients List: Chicken meal, herring meal, ground whole grain barley, ground whole grain corn, ground whole grain wheat, wheat shorts, whole brown rice, chicken fat, dried beet pulp, dried brewer’s yeast, herring oil, chicken liver, salt, kelp meal, flaxseed, taurine, chicory root, malted barley flour, selenium yeast, yucca schidigera extract, and more.
Ingredients Analysis
As with all Inukshuk recipes, chicken meal is the top ingredient here over fresh chicken. This is good for active dogs as meat meals are often nutrient-dense, especially with protein. Fish meal from herring is also present for extra protein.
This recipe contains plenty of ground grains, such as corn, wheat, and brown rice.
Lastly, a healthy mix of vitamins and minerals ensures a complete canine diet. And thanks to the chicken fat, your dog will get its fair share of essential fatty acids.
- Controversial Ingredients: None.
- Estimated Meat Content: Chicken meal, herring meal, and chicken liver.
2. 30/25 Formula
The Inukshuk 30/25 formula is more nutrient-dense than the previous one, making it a good option for adult dogs maintaining their weight, working dogs looking for an energy boost, and even large-breed puppies.
Since this recipe contains more protein and fat, there are much fewer carbs here, at 26% of the dry matter basis, which is just enough to satisfy a healthy dog.
Nutrient Content
Method | Protein | Fats | Carbs |
Guaranteed Analysis | 30% | 25% | N/A |
Dry Matter Basis | 33% | 28% | 26% |
Calorie Weighted Basis | 26% | 53% | 21% |
Ingredients List: Chicken meal, chicken fat, herring meal, ground whole grain corn, ground whole grain wheat, whole brown rice, wheat shorts, dried beet pulp, dried brewer’s yeast, herring oil, salt, chicken liver, kelp meal, niacin supplement, folic acid, selenium yeast, vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, calcium carbonate, and more.
Ingredients Analysis
The ingredient list of the 30/25 formula is very similar to the 26/16’s but at varying concentrations. For instance, chicken fat is more prevalent here while grains are available in slightly lesser quantities, hence the lower carbohydrate content.
The taurine also satisfies your dog’s need for essential amino acids.
- Controversial Ingredients: None.
- Estimated Meat Content: Chicken meal, herring meal, and chicken liver.
3. 32/32 Formula
The Inukshuk 32/32 formula is, as the company claims, the highest-energy dog food available in the world. I couldn’t verify this, but I wouldn’t be surprised given the very high protein and fat content in this recipe.
Because this is a nutrient bomb, it’s only suitable for maintaining weight in high-energy dogs, but not for puppies, even large-breed ones.
Nutrient Content
Method | Protein | Fats | Carbs |
Guaranteed Analysis | 32% | 32% | N/A |
Dry Matter Basis | 36% | 36% | 17% |
Calorie Weighted Basis | 26% | 62% | 12% |
Ingredients List: Chicken meal, chicken fat, herring meal, ground whole grain corn, ground whole grain wheat, wheat shorts, dried beet pulp, dried brewer’s yeast, herring oil, salt, chicken liver, kelp meal, malted barley flour, potassium chloride, calcium propionate, calcium pantothenate, yucca schidigera extract, L-lysine hydrochloride, and more.
Ingredients Analysis
Again, the ingredient makeup of this recipe is similar to the previous two but at varying densities. In fact, the 32/32 recipe has the exact same ingredients as the 30/25 one, with just one exception: no whole brown rice.
- Controversial Ingredients: None.
- Estimated Meat Content: Chicken meal, herring meal, and chicken liver.
4. Marine 16 Formula
If you’re looking for a chicken-free recipe, then the following two have you covered. To start, the Marine 16 formula is a fish meal-based recipe that’s comparable to the 26/16 formula above in terms of macronutrients, making it suitable for dogs at all life stages.
Nutrient Content
Method | Protein | Fats | Carbs |
Guaranteed Analysis | 26% | 16% | N/A |
Dry Matter Basis | 29% | 18% | 41% |
Calorie Weighted Basis | 26% | 38% | 36% |
Ingredients List: Salmon meal, herring meal, whole oats, whole barley, brown rice, millet, canola oil, salmon oil, herring oil, dried beet pulp, dried brewer’s yeast, whitefish meal, kelp meal, salt, vitamin E & vitamin C supplements, cobalt sulfate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, and more.
Ingredients Analysis
Instead of chicken meal, Marine 16 relies on salmon meal and herring meal to deliver 29% protein on a dry matter basis.
It also contains much fewer grains, so there are no corn, wheat, or soy products here. But it’s still a grain-inclusive recipe, with ingredients like whole-grain barley and brown rice.
Lastly, the formula is rich in vitamins and minerals and is the only Inukshuk recipe that contains vitamin C.
- Controversial Ingredients: None.
- Estimated Meat Content: Salmon meal, herring meal, and whitefish meal.
5. Marine 25 Formula
Our last formula, the Marine 25, is unsurprisingly similar to the Marine 16, but instead of 16% fat, it offers 25% fat (guaranteed analysis).
The lower carb content here makes it unsuitable for puppies, so only serve it to adult dogs.
Nutrient Content
Method | Protein | Fats | Carbs |
Guaranteed Analysis | 30% | 25% | N/A |
Dry Matter Basis | 33% | 28% | 26% |
Calorie Weighted Basis | 26% | 53% | 21% |
Ingredients List: Salmon meal, herring meal, whole oats, whole barley, brown rice, whitefish meal, herring oil, salmon oil, canola oil, dried beet pulp, dried brewer’s yeast, salt, kelp meal, zinc methionine, ferrous sulfate, and more.
Ingredients Analysis
In terms of protein sources, the ingredients are identical to the Marine 16 formula, with various kinds of fish meals.
However, this recipe uses grains very sparingly. The only grains it contains are whole oats, whole barley, and brown rice.
- Controversial Ingredients: None.
- Estimated Meat Content: Salmon meal, herring meal, and whitefish meal.
Product Recalls – 0 Recall
I searched for any Inukshuk professional dry dog food recalls and haven’t found any, so that’s always a good sign in my book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Inukshuk AAFCO Compliant?
Yes. Despite being a Canadian dog food company, Inukshuk is compliant with the safety regulations of the Association of American Feed Control Officials.
Are Chicken Fat and Whole-Grain Corn Good for Dogs?
Yes, these two ingredients are useful for providing your dog with a complete diet that nourishes healthy skin, coat, immune system, and more, as long as they’re not allergic. That’s why they’re found in many recipes, including the Inukshuk dry dog food 26/16 formula.
The Bottom Line
Inukshuk produces excellent dog food suitable for high-energy dogs, but there are also recipes for maintaining dogs and even puppies. Their recipes use high-quality ingredients to provide high protein, high fat, and low carbs while meeting the nutritional demands of dogs.
However, there’s little flavor variety, so you might want to add something new to your dog’s diet now and then to keep it fun. Also, the dry food isn’t available in regular stores and must be ordered through the website, which is a bit inconvenient and is why I’ll give it 4 stars.