This post may contain affiliate links to our partners like Chewy, Amazon, and others. Purchasing through these helps us further the A-Z Animals mission to educate about the worlds species..
Victor Performance Dog Food is one of the best foods we’ve encountered. The ingredient list is high in quality and proportions we recommend for healthy dog food. Victor performance dog food is produced by an American-owned company established to provide high-quality dog food using ingredients that reflect their standards. They aim at providing the best nutrition for dogs, regardless of their stage in life.
Victor performance dog food has a recipe that uses quality ingredients without common food allergens. The Victor company offers a variety of recipes, with each recipe having a different source of protein, enabling you to choose the product ideal for your dog.
This article discusses the features, benefits, pros, and cons of Victor Performance Dog food. We have also reviewed the ingredients of this product, where it is made, and how it stacks up against other dog foods.
We have included a section that specifies which types of dogs this product is suited for and another section that discusses product recalls. To help you get easier access to this product, we have included a section that discusses where you can buy this product.
The specifications of this product, such as its design, safety, durability, and price, are also clearly discussed. This is done to help provide you with all the information you need to know about Victor Performance Dog Food. Our Top Pick
Which Victor Classic Recipes Get Our Best Ratings?
Victor Classic Dog Food receives the Advisor’s second-highest tier rating of 4.5 stars.
The Victor Classic product line includes the 5 dry dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available… Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
Victor Classic Hi-Pro Plus was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient ContentProtein =
Ingredients: Beef meal, grain sorghum, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), pork meal, chicken meal, menhaden fish meal (source of DHA-docosahexaenoic acid), blood meal conventionally dried, whole grain millet, dehydrated alfalfa meal, yeast culture, natural flavor, potassium chloride, carrot powder, tomato pomace, salt, organic dried seaweed meal, taurine, choline chloride, calcium stearate, zinc methionine complex, vitamin E supplement, dl-methionine, iron amino acid complex, hydrolyzed yeast, manganese amino acid complex, silicon dioxide, l-carnitine, selenium yeast, brewers dried yeast, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, copper sulfate, niacin supplement, vitamin b12 supplement, vitamin a supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, Yucca schidigera extract, calcium carbonate, riboflavin supplement, calcium iodate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, vegetable oil, rosemary extract, green tea extract, spearmint extract, inulin, lecithin, folic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.2%
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 30% | 20% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 33% | 22% | 37% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 27% | 43% | 30% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is beef meal. Beef meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh beef.
The second ingredient is sorghum. Sorghum (milo) is a starchy cereal grain with a nutrient profile similar to corn.
Since it is gluten-free and boasts a smoother blood sugar behavior than other grains, sorghum may be considered an acceptable non-meat ingredient.
The third ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The fourth ingredient is pork meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate that can also be high in ash — about 25-30%.
However, the ash content of the final product is typically adjusted in the recipe to allow its mineral profile to meet AAFCO guidelines.
The next two ingredients listed are chicken meal and menhaden fish meal, yet more high protein meat concentrates.
Fish meal is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations.
The seventh ingredient is blood meal. Blood meal is a by-product of slaughter and used to make high-protein (very low ash) animal feeds.
Yet even though some consider it a controversial ingredient, blood meal can still be considered a quality source of animal protein.
The eighth ingredient is millet, a gluten-free grain harvested from certain seed grasses. Millet is hypoallergenic and naturally rich in B-vitamins and fiber as well as other essential minerals.
The ninth ingredient is alfalfa meal. Although alfalfa meal is high in plant protein (about 18%) and fiber (25%), this hay-family item is more commonly associated with horse feeds.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Victor product.
With 7 notable exceptions…
First, tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient, a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.
Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content, while others scorn it as an inexpensive pet food filler.
Just the same, there’s probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.
Next, dried seaweed meal is a product made from a family of brown algae known as Fucaceae (Rockweed). Although it does contain a number of healthy nutrients, seaweed meal is primarily used as a source of inexpensive carbohydrates (about 60% dry matter).
This item is only rarely used to make pet food and is more typically found in feeds for cattle, horses, hogs, hens and sheep.
In addition, we note the use of taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.
Since taurine deficiency appears to be more common in pets consuming grain-free diets, we view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.
Next, this food contains chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Additionally, brewers yeast can be a controversial item. Although it’s a by-product of the beer making process, this ingredient is rich in minerals and other healthy nutrients.
Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system.
Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself.
In addition, a vocal minority insists yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is a claim we’ve not been able to scientifically verify.
In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, yeast can still be considered a nutritious additive.
What’s more noteworthy here is that brewers yeast contains about 48% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
We also find some vegetable oil, a generic oil of unknown origin. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in any oil is nutritionally critical and can vary significantly (depending on the source).
Without knowing more, it’s impossible to judge the quality of an item so vaguely described. However, compared to a named animal fat, a generic vegetable oil cannot be considered a quality ingredient.
And lastly, this product includes selenium yeast. Unlike the more common inorganic form of selenium (sodium selenite), this natural yeast supplement is considered a safer anti-cancer alternative.
Based on its ingredients alone, Victor Classic Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 33%, a fat level of 22% and estimated carbohydrates of about 37%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 28% and a mean fat level of 18%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 46% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 64%.
Which means this Victor product line contains…
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the alfalfa meal and brewers yeast, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a notable amount of meat.
At a Glance: 3 Formulas Featuring Heavily in our Victor Dog Food Review
Note: The links above take you to more information, current prices and customer reviews on Chewy.
Victor offers consumers a reasonable selection of what it calls “Super Premium” pet food. They predominantly make dry kibble, but have recently added a small range of wet, canned food. Blends purporting to target different nutritional requirements are available, including several grain-free blends.
You might be wondering about their ingredients:
As much as possible, Victor uses locally-sourced ingredients and meat is their prime source of protein, though they appear to always use meal instead of fresh meat (with the exception of the salmon). Fruits, berries and vegetables are almost entirely absent from Victor dog food.
The corporate is very non-corporate and they are focused on being a family business. They do maintain a decent website and have all the requisite social media feeds, though updates are few and far between.
To be fair, however, this is a rather small company compared to many. The sample size of customer reviews is small, but most seem to be more than happy with their purchase. We do recommend this food for most dogs.
#2 Yukon River Canine
This formula has premium-quality protein sources such as dehydrated salmon and menhaden fish meal. Its also free of grains and glutens, making it suitable for canines who are allergic to the likes of soy, wheat, and corn.
You can feed this dog food to adult dogs of all breed sizes, from large dogs such as Boxers to small or toy dogs like Yorkshire Terriers!
If your pooch doesnt require a specific diet to help with joint problems, we recommend this dry kibble.
FAQ
Is Victor dog food made in China?
At the time of writing, there have been no recalls for Victor Dog Food. While they have not been in production for long, this is still commendable.
Is Victor good for dogs?
Where does Victor dog food get their meat from?