Under the Sun Dog Food Review

Rating:[nyrating]
Website:Under the Sun
Available from:Pet Circle

Under the Sun is made by the reputable Canidae company who make some excellent foods. This is a cheaper offering for those on a tighter budget, of which many are.

So is it any good? Let’s take a look at the Chicken recipe…

We find Chicken Meal as the main ingredient, which is something we’d expect from a decent manufacturer. Chicken “meal” is a dense form of chicken with moisture removed, so this is great to see in the top spot.

Under the Sun Dog Food Review

The next three ingredients are peas, peas, and peas (or for accuracy we’ll say green peas, chickpeas, and yellow peas). What they’ve done here is split peas (sorry for the pun) to make the ingredients look more meat focused than pea focused. The ingredients could be listed as Peas (comprising of green peas, chick peas, yellow peas), Chicken Meal, … and so forth. These aren’t bad ingredients, but we need to consider this as a more plant-based kibble than meat-based.

Next up we have chicken fat and some more chicken as a bonus. Chicken fat will provide energy and essential oils.

There’s a range of nice inclusions in the food. Flaxseed for heart health and necessary omega fats, as well as alfalfa which is a super green food rich in a range of vitamins and minerals. We also find a list of fruits and veggies in small amounts to further bulk up the nutrition.

Under the Sun Dog Food Review

The fat content of the food is low at 11%, testament to this being a plant-based kibble. Dogs are essentially carnivores so need more meat and meat fat in their diet, and this food is lacking.

Being made by Canidae should offer confidence. I rarely hear anything bad said about the company or their foods. That said, if you can afford the extra, opt for Canidae.

Good points…

Good ingredients

Bad points…

Very much a pea-based kibble, with not enough meat or meat fat.

Ingredients

Chicken meal, green peas, chickpeas, yellow peas, chicken fat, chicken, suncured alfalfa, flaxseed, natural flavor, minerals (iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite), vitamins (vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), choline chloride, mixed tocopherols (a preservative), green beans, butternut squash, tomatoes, sage, zucchini, apples, carrots, blueberries, pumpkin, cinnamon, rosemary, parsley

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David D'Angelo

David D'Angelo has worked as a scientist since graduating with a BSc (Hons) in 2000. In addition, David holds a CPD accredited Diploma in Pet Nutrition as well as being CPD accredited VSA (Veterinary Support Assistant). However, his experience and involvement in the pet food industry for 15+ years has given true insight into pet food, formulations, science, research, and pet food marketing. Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | Pinterest

7 Comments
  1. Hi this Under The Sun Formula with grains is no longer for sale, it mustn’t have done well, the kibbles broke down & you had 1/4 bag full of kibble crumbs, I don’t know if UTS Grain free kibble are better also the price isn’t that great, Canidae Pure & Life Stages.. formula’s have better ingredients & cost the same price even cheaper when Canidae is on special….

    • No it wouldn’t be Susan remember what you told me one time that we have the old formula? and that you didn’t know when we were getting the new ones? I’d reckon that’s why it’s gone that and the reviews for the pork were very poor overseas and I think I remember reading a few here that had the very same reasons.

      The right pork ain’t bad for dogs sadly this one seemed to be the wrong type of pork, like Frontier that’s the right type of pork, no problems with that for anyone so far.

      • Hi guys, I’ve updated the review to the Grain Free formula seeing as the original recipes are no longer available. The protein is 5% higher, and the fat an extra 1%, so it’s an improvement…. but it’s mostly plant proteins. UTS hasn’t done very well in Australia as it’s not widely sold like Canidae, and you’re right that Canidae seems to be on sale often.

        • It’s always a step up to anything made by the trash collecting and making into pet food companies :p

          But I bet for the price you can very easily buy a much higher meat food, but people need that maths to be done for them, I am trying though on Facebook to get people off of Royal and Hills and stuff and onto stuff like Canidae and Blackhawk, similar priced items.

  2. I bought the Original Adult with the grains & it looks & smells just like Canidae’s Life Stages Platinum BUT Under the Sun is dearer for a 2.27kg bag & the kibble has small bits of broken kibble stuck to the kibbles…
    I started feeding Canidae Platinum cause I needed a lower fat lower protein
    kibble again, but I don’t like all the grains & ingredients in the Canidae Platinum, I don’t mind a few grains like brown rice & oats, but Canidae Platinum has too many ingredients in their low fat Platinum, so I compared the ingredients in Under The Sun Original Adult kibble, the ingredients were limited there’s NO barley, no white rice, no tomato pomace, no psyllium seed husks, no probiotics, no papaya & no pineapple…
    but Under The Sun Original does have Milo (sorghum) but the Milo doesn’t seem to bother Patches skin or stomach like the barley does, when he was eating the Canidae Platinum.

    Patch loves Under The Sun kibble probably cause it’s Pork, he gets Pork & sweet potato for dinner but Under The Sun Original Adult kibble looks like a cheaply made kibble, compared to the Canidae Platinum kibble & it’s too powdery &
    crumby the kibble does digest easy & it breaks up easy but leaves crumbs & powder all down the bottom of container or kibble bag…

    If you click on link http://www.underthesunpetfood.com/dog-food/
    “Under the Sun” have changed their formulas, with new packaging, there’s no pork & no chicken fat, they are using canola oil instead…
    This is what we are getting in Australia their old Under The Sun formulas http://www.underthesun.com.au/under-the-sun-dog-food.php

    I asked Canidae on the Australian Canidae Face Book page, “Will we be getting Under The Suns new formulas?” Canidae removed my post?? Who ever is bringing in Canidae have brought in Under The Sun kibbles to back themselves up when they run out of their Canidae formulas cause everyone has to get another brand when their Canidae kibble runs out & a lot of people changed over the another brand & have gotten sick of Canidae running out, the lady at a Pet Shop was telling me they are sick of Canidae when their delivery finally comes Canidae gives them 1/2 of what they ordered & they have lost customers, so they are stocking Taste Of The Wild & stocking Meals For Mutts, it gets delivered within 2-3 working days & the customers are happy….

    • Reply
      Pet Food Reviews (Australia) July 5, 2016 at 12:24 pm

      I saw your post on the Canidae Australia page and they replied saying we’ll be getting the new formulas soon ;o)

  3. Under the sun also do a grain free option

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