I love it when an envelope drops through the letterbox and it smells of food.
During my last website review I mentioned that we could get some free food called Kronch. Well two samples have arrived and I am really excited to try some.
The two plastic bags of food arrived very quickly with a covering letter, price list and leaflet in a brown envelope.
Made in Denmark
Kronch dog food is made in Denmark by a company called Henne Pet food. They use the tails and cheeks of salmon as the source for their fish oil.
My samples were of the Basic range that Kronch produce. They also make a Main, Active and Optimal range of foods. These are designed for differing lifestyles.
- Kronch Basic: is perfect for dogs with above average energy needs. It contains Fish (16% fresh salmon, fish meal), rice, maize, barley, lard (food grade), blood meal, brewer’s yeast, sugar, lecithin, garlic, vitamins and minerals.
- Kronch Active: is ideal for dogs in need of extra energy. This includes working dogs, sporting dogs, hunting dogs, service dogs, and certain races of dog that require additional energy.
It is also suitable for youngsters and puppies from 4-6 weeks of age. - Kronch Main: has been carefully balanced for all dogs with normal energy needs. It contains Barley, wheat, fish meal, lard (food grade), fresh salmon (16%), maize, blood meal, sugar, brewer’s yeast, garlic, vitamins and minerals.
- Kronch Optimal: is ideal for whelping and lactating females. It is also suitable for youngsters.
More details including a nutritional breakdown for each product a can be found on the website. The dog food does does not contain artificial colouring, flavouring or soya protein.
Taste test first impressions
The small 1cm x 2cm pressed lozenge shaped pellets were ideal for me to chew on as they fitted easily into my mouth.
As with all dry food I find I can only eat a few then need to take a drink of water. So mum helped out by putting some water in the bowl with my food.
This had two advantages. One was that the pellets became easily chewable and secondly that I found I could eat a few more without needing to stop for a drink.
One disadvantage of wetting the food is that they no longer help remove any tartar from my teeth. So possibly I need a few wet and a few dry in my bowl in the future.
With a fragrance something like old grass soaked in yeast extract, the dog food was slightly on the stronger smelling side. So I did leave the bowl of food for a time to let the smell ease a little before eating it.
Recommended daily consumption of the basic range for my weight is around 170-260g. Or both of my sample packets.
Ingredients include sugar
Looking closer at the ingredients shown on the website I noticed that there seems to be some inconsistency.
On the packet I received, the list of ingredients includes sugar beet. However on the website only sugar is listed. This got me wondering as my vet says sugar can be bad for my health.
It turns out that the inclusion of sugar and sugar beet in pet food is the subject of much discussion on the internet.
According to the Pet Food Manufacturers Association website, sugar maybe used as a source of energy or for meat colouring during the cooking process. It goes on to say that: “If sugar is included in addition to that which naturally occurs in the ingredients, levels are carefully controlled to ensure nutritional balance and palatability.”
Greg Aldrich, PhD explains on the PetfoodIndustry.com website that Sugar Beets are used in pet food as a supplemental fibre source to promote bowel regularity, stool consistency and overall gastrointestinal (GI) health.
Without going into all the science it would appear the jury is out on the subject of sugar in pet food and you will need to draw your own conclusions.
This product is aimed mainly at the working dog market. So this is possibly why the inclusion of lard and sugar in the ingredients. It is there to provide a source of energy as we run this way and that across fields and over long distances.
In conclusion, The ‘Main’ variety would be better for my normal energy levels as I am not a working dog. However, as a tool to recovery after illness or if I was a farm or working dog then the ‘Basic’ could possibly be ideal.
The price for a 15kg bag of Kronch Basic food is around £35 which is very reasonable for a premium pet food.
Let me know your thoughts and if you have tried Kronch food via the comments area below.
Until next time
Meaty licks and wags
Charlie