Talentail have two ranges of dog food – a Premium range and an Ultimates range.
The Premium range seems on par with Advance, so could offer a suitable alternative if that’s what you’re currently feeding your dog.
The Ultimates range is pricier, but out of the two the best option given it’s more meat, less carbohydrates. To give a quick comparison, the Premium range offers 24% protein and 13% fat, and the Ultimate range around 32% protein and 16% fat – much better.
Let’s take a look at both, but the review rating will be for the Ultimate range.
Talentail Premium Dog Food Review
The word “Premium” is often plastered on pet foods but rarely means anything – it’s nothing more than a marketing word, with no regulations to ensure the product is any better than other dog foods.
It’s better to look at the ingredients and analysis to get a true idea of how good a dog food is. If we do that, it would seem Talentail is the better alternative to Advance Adult.
What the marketing says
According to the Talentail website, the Premium dog food (Adult Dog Food Chicken with Brown Rice) is made from 98% Australian ingredients, and 50% meat and oils. By oils they mean those from animal products such as fats.
The front of the bag makes a big deal of Kakadu Plum being included as a native Australian superfood, but on the ingredients we find this to be a small amount (less than 1%).
It seems the formulas in the Premium range are only suitable for adult dogs, so if you have a puppy you should look at the Ultimate Premium Puppy formulas (see below).
What the ingredients really say
I find the ingredients a good balance for a meat and rice dog food, with the main ingredients being chicken meal, faba beans, and brown rice. Likely in equal amounts.
Faba beans and brown rice are pretty good non-meat inclusions. Brown rice is more nutritious than white rice (often listed on dog foods just as “rice”), and faba beans (broad beans to most of us) are a source of protein and fibre as well as vitamins and minerals.
If we continue our comparison with Advance Adult, which at the time of writing has (white) rice, sorghum, and rice flour as main ingredients alongside one meat ingredient, we can see Talentail Premium is the better option in terms of ingredients.
Let’s take a look at the Ultimate range. It’s more money per kilo, but also the better option for your dog.
Talentail Ultimate Dog Food Review
At the time of writing Talentail Premium is only available in 1.8kg bags, but hopefully larger bags will be on offer as the brand develops.
What the marketing says
The first notable point to mention with Talentail Ultimate is it covers all life stages, inclusive of puppy phase and senior years. That’s a good thing as puppies have stricter nutrient requirements, which means an all life stages formula is better all round, including for older dogs.
We also find the Ultimate range uses ingredients from New Zealand as well as Australia. Usually when it comes to dog food, New Zealand tends to be a better quality than Australia (whether we like it or not).
I mentioned earlier the high protein of 32% in Talentail Ultimate. This is great for your dog for two reasons – they depend on protein for health, wellbeing, and maintaining strong muscles, and it also means lower carbohydrates which are pretty much unnecessary for your dog.
What the ingredients really say
Compared with the 50% meat and oils in Talentail Premium, in the Ultimate range we have 75% – so significantly more.
We also find whole lentils and whole peas make up two of the top four ingredients, with the other two being chicken meat and poultry meal (a dried form of poultry protein).
It’s a decent combination of main ingredients and really nice to see an emphasis on meat over non-meat ingredients.
We also see a great deal more on offer in comparison to the standard Talentail Premium range. There’s more kakadu plum in the mix, but also the wonderful green lipped mussels which are fantastic for joint support.
It doesn’t end there either, with minor inclusions in the Ultimate formulas adding various vegetables, turmeric (an anti-inflammatory), plus ingredients for gut health and digestion.
It’s clear to see the Talentail Ultimate is a really decent dog food. If you’re on a tighter budget, Talentail Premium is still a pretty decent mid-range food.
You could always mix both, giving you best of both worlds.
Where to buy Talentail dog foods
Talentail Premium and Ultimate are available at a few retailers. Expect to see the brand available at larger retailers in the near future.
Talentail Dog Food Ingredients
Talentail Premium ingredients
The ingredients of Talentail Premium Chicken With Brown Rice Adult Dog Food:
Chicken meal, Faba Beans, Oats, Brown Rice, Chicken Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols & rosemary extract), Chicken Gravy, Alfalfa, Apple, Essential Vitamins & Minerals (including Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Iron, Copper, Manganese, Zinc, Iodine, Selenium, Vitamin A, D3, C, E, K3, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, Biotin, Choline), Fish Oil, Sea Salt, Chicory, Kakadu Plum powder, Taurine.
Guaranteed analysis
The guaranteed analysis of Talentail Premium Chicken With Brown Rice Adult Dog Food:
| Protein | (min) 24% |
| Fat | (min) 13% |
| Crude Fibre | Not stated |
| Carbohydrates * | Estimated 45% |
Talentail Ultimate ingredients
The ingredients of Talentail Ultimate New Zealand Chicken Dry Dog Food:
Chicken meat, poultry meal, whole lentils, whole peas, poultry fat, tapioca starch, beef hydrolysate, potato protein, monosodium phosphate, calcium carbonate, sugar beet pulp, fish oil, green lipped mussel, potassium chloride, choline chloride, sodium chloride, natural citric acid, DL-methionine, natural acetic acid, taurine, vitamin C, yeast extract (MOS), fructooligosaccharide (FOS), chicory root powder, vitamin E, yucca schidigera extract, ground pumpkin, dried sweet potato, ground carrot, kakadu plum, natural mixed tocopherols, zinc, ground turmeric, rosemary extract, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, copper, vitamin B1, iron, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, manganese, vitamin A, iodine, folic acid, menadione, D-biotin, vitamin B12, selenium, vitamin D3.
Guaranteed analysis
The guaranteed analysis of Talentail Ultimate New Zealand Chicken Dry Dog Food:
| Protein | (min) 32% |
| Fat | (min) 16% |
| Crude Fibre | (max) 4% |
| Carbohydrates * | Estimated 32% (based on stated ash of 10% and estimated moisture of 10%) |
Full ingredients breakdown (Talentail Ultimate)
For any pet food nerds, here is the full ingredient breakdown of Talentail Ultimate New Zealand Chicken Dry Dog Food:
- Chicken meat: High-quality animal protein source, essential for muscle development and overall health.
- Poultry meal: Concentrated source of poultry protein, providing amino acids for energy and tissue repair.
- Whole lentils: Rich in fiber and plant-based protein, supporting digestive health and providing sustained energy.
- Whole peas: Nutrient-dense legume, offering vitamins, minerals, and additional protein.
- Poultry fat: Source of essential fatty acids for skin and coat health, as well as a concentrated energy source.
- Tapioca starch: Carbohydrate source providing energy and aiding in kibble formation.
- Beef hydrolysate: Pre-digested protein for dogs with sensitivities, aiding in easier digestion.
- Potato protein: Plant-based protein source with amino acids, contributing to overall protein content.
- Monosodium phosphate: Provides phosphorus, essential for bone health.
- Calcium carbonate: Source of calcium, crucial for bone and teeth development.
- Sugar beet pulp: Source of dietary fiber, promoting digestive health.
- Fish oil: Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, supporting skin, coat, and joint health.
- Green-lipped mussel: Natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin, supporting joint health.
- Potassium chloride: Essential electrolyte for nerve and muscle function.
- Choline chloride: Important for brain function and metabolism.
- Sodium chloride: Common salt, providing essential sodium for bodily functions.
- Natural citric acid: Natural preservative and antioxidant.
- DL-methionine: Essential amino acid, aiding in skin and coat health.
- Natural acetic acid: Natural preservative and flavoring agent.
- Taurine: Essential amino acid for heart health and vision.
- Vitamin C: Antioxidant, supporting the immune system.
- Yeast extract (MOS): Mannan-oligosaccharides, promoting gut health and immune support.
- Fructooligosaccharide (FOS): Prebiotic fiber, supporting a healthy digestive system.
- Chicory root powder: Source of inulin, a prebiotic fiber for digestive health.
- Vitamin E: Antioxidant, supporting skin health.
- Yucca schidigera extract: Natural ingredient believed to reduce stool odor.
- Ground pumpkin: Source of fiber and beta-carotene, aiding in digestion.
- Dried sweet potato: Carbohydrate source with vitamins and minerals.
- Ground carrot: Source of beta-carotene and fiber.
- Kakadu plum: Natural source of vitamin C and antioxidants.
- Natural mixed tocopherols: Natural preservative and source of vitamin E.
- Zinc: Essential mineral for immune function and skin health.
- Ground turmeric: Contains curcumin, believed to have anti-inflammatory properties.
- Rosemary extract: Natural antioxidant and preservative.
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin): Essential for energy metabolism.
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid): Supports energy metabolism and adrenal function.
- Copper: Essential trace mineral for various physiological processes.
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): Important for nervous system function.
- Iron: Essential for oxygen transport in the blood.
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Supports energy production and skin health.
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): Involved in amino acid metabolism.
- Manganese: Trace mineral important for bone and cartilage formation.
- Vitamin A: Essential for vision, immune function, and skin health.
- Iodine: Essential for thyroid function and overall metabolism.
- Folic acid: Important for DNA synthesis and cell growth.
- Menadione: A form of vitamin K, essential for blood clotting.
- D-biotin: B-vitamin important for skin and coat health.
- Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin): Crucial for red blood cell formation.
- Selenium: Trace mineral with antioxidant properties.
- Vitamin D3: Essential for calcium absorption and bone health.
Our dogs love Talentail Ultimate Chicken. We were feeding them the original Premium Lamb, but when we saw the quality of the Ultimate range we decided to give it a try. They went nuts over it!
After they’d been eating Talentail for a little while we had fellow dog walkers in our neighbourhood comment on our dogs’ coats. We were like proud parents!
Talentail Premium and now Ultimate are the only foods that our fussy Basenji hasn’t at some point turned his nose up at!
We won’t be changing away from Talentail now. Not only do our dogs love it and visibly benefit from it, but we found out that Talentail supports community/social groups. We particularly love that they support the Australian War Animal Memorial Organisation. Amazing!