All the formulas (lamb, beef, venison and venison and fish) use no preservatives, fillers or grains. According to ZiwiPeak, real meat, heart, liver and kidney are used in their foods, so this is a 90% meat and organ diet. The remaining 10% consists of ingredients, like cold-washed green tripe and bone, plus essential vitamins and minerals.
The range contains around 3% of green-lipped mussels (sustainably farmed in NZ) which are recognised as a source of glucosamine, chondroitin (great for joints) as well as healthy Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids.
ZiwiPeak dog foods are AAFCO approved and they do not use products that contain ethoxyquin, BHA, BHT, or other artificial colours or preservatives.
The Air Dried Lamb Cuisine formula contains around 33% protein and the fat is around 27%. The fat provides a lot of the energy for your dog that is often provided by the carbs/fillers used in a typical commercial dog food.
The company says that this food is over 95 percent digestible for your dog. All of their ingredients are from New Zealand and the lamb is raised on farms where the livestock is grass-fed. The gentle air-drying process delivers a high quality diet while maintaining the nutritional integrity of the natural raw materials but food is best used within 30 days after opening.
'DAILY DOG' AIR-DRIED LAMB CUISINE INGREDIENTS
The first named ingredients in this food are: Lamb meat (56%), Lamb Liver, Tripe, Heart and kidney (34%), NZ Green Mussels and Chicory Inulin.
- Lamb meat is 59% protein, 36% fat, and 5% carbohydrates. Lamb provides these essential proteins and fats that dogs need in their diet for muscle and brain function. Lamb is also a relatively new and substantially different meat source, making it another fine option for an allergen-free product. It is also a good source of Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus and Manganese, Omega-6 fatty acid, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B12, Iron, Zinc, Copper and Selenium.
- Liver (from lamb) is a good source of Thiamin plus a source of Vitamin A, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Phosphorus, Zinc, Copper and Selenium.
- Tripe from lamb (stomach lining) is the third ingredient and a good source of protein, fat, and many of the same vitamins and minerals that are in lamb meat.
- Heart and kidney from lamb. These organ meats are usually considered offal however they're excellent foods when used in small amounts (very rich) as packed with vitamins and minerals for good nutrition.
- Chicory inulin. Inulin is a dietary fibre and a prebiotic that comes from the chicory root. It has become a new popular addition to many dog foods because of its prebiotic properties.
Ever since our Malinois Porthos joined our pack 2 years ago, we have had a hard time finding a food that his delicate stomach will tolerate. Even the occasional treat of raw chicken wing or meat loaf and vegetables would trigger a stomach upset, probably a legacy from having Parvovirus when he was abandoned as a puppy, followed by 2 weeks of intensive care at the vet and months of recovery at the shelter.
Ever since he's had issues putting on weight despite being fed a high-quality high-protein food in larger amounts than his siblings, which is why we were quite keen to try the ZiwiPeak 'Daily Cuisine' Air-Dried range.
Not following my own advice of introducing new foods progressively, I decided to start him on the full amount of ZiwiPeak from the get go, in order to assess its digestibility and I can honestly say that he surprised us by doing well on this food from day one.
This food is substantially different to any dry kibble I've ever bought, looking more like little squares of beef jerky (or in that case lamb) and it's also great for use as a training treat.
I was surprised by this lower amount as Porthos' previous kibble required feeding 300g daily to maintain the same weight but keep in mind that this is an air-dried (= dehydrated) food so a little goes a long way.
I always thought our dogs were happy eating the same food day in day out, but Porthos’ body language when opening this new bag and getting a waft of the air-dried lamb cuisine would suggest that something quite special was on the cards…
There’s much to like in this food, especially if you like the raw equivalent or prey diet for dogs. We found it to be of very high quality (only a few ingredients in the food, all from named sources and with no heavy processing) and we also liked the fact it was highly digestible for our sensitive dog.
We also liked the fact that ZiwiPeak provides full nutrient profiles for each formula on their site so you can check the nutrients in the food yourself. Do keep in mind that these foods are higher in fat, especially if your dog has any kind of problem with fat in his diet (e.g. diabetic dogs).
Our only disappointment is that the maximum bag size is 5kg which does not last very long when you feed large breed dogs especially in a multi-dog household.
Compared to other high-quality premium dog food brands, it is quite expensively priced which may put it out of reach of many dog owners.
PRICE & WHERE TO BUY
RRP: from $25 (454g pouch). Also available in 1kg, 2.5kg and 5kg bags.
For more information, please visit www.ziwipeak.com.au
Disclaimer: product supplied by Love That Pet for editorial consideration.
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