Ingredients

Low ash chicken meal consists of chicken meat and some accompanying bone, and “ash” denotes the amount of bone that's ground into the meal. A low ash content signifies a higher grade meal. The chicken is ground into a powder (meal) after the fat and water are removed, and the end result is a very concentrated, highly digestible protein, rich with amino acids, essential fatty acids and minerals (ash) that provide calcium and phosphorous. The chicken meal used in Dr. Tim's pet foods is guaranteed antibiotic and hormone free.

Dr. Tim's Premium Athletic Dog Foods uses rice flour as one of its primary carbohydrate sources. Rice flour is highly digestible and a good source of energy and nutritional balance. Why include carbohydrates in the diet if fat is the important energy source? Although fats are a very concentrated energy source, carbohydrates are important for energy, too. Rice flour is simple, available and provides an immediate energy boost.

Dr. Tim's uses chicken fat as the main fat source due to its high palatibility and fatty acid profile.

Herring is a fish from the Atlantic Ocean. It's a great source of high quality protein, calcium and Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids - and dogs love the taste of it, too.

Salmon meal consists of salmon that's ground into a powder after the fat and water are removed. The result is an extremely concentrated meal that contains a high level of fat, unique Omega 3 and Omega 6 profiles, is delicious, and is full of naturally occurring anti-oxidants.

Catfish meal consists of catfish that's ground into a powder after the fat and water are removed; the resulting extremely concentrated meal is one of the highest protein values available in the pet food industry to date - and it's tasty. Catfish meal's unique Omega 3 fatty acid profile contributes to the well-rounded fatty acid profiles found in Dr. Tim's Pet Foods.

Menhaden meal consists of menhaden that's ground into a powder after the fat and water are removed. Menhaden is an ocean fish, and in our concentrated meal form supplies essential proteins, Omega 3 fats, minerals and growth factors essential for normal health. "Growth factors" sounds vague, but in fact they are important naturally occurring substances that stimulate cell growth and regulate cellular processes.

Beet pulp is a moderately fermentable fiber from sugar beets. After extracting the sugar from the sugar beet, the remaining material is beet pulp. This pulp is an excellent source of fiber and is also a prebiotic.

Eggs are the most balanced source of protein available, hands down. They are an excellent source of essential fatty acids, which give your dogs healthy coats and skin.

Flaxseed meal is the ground seed of the flax plant, which you may have seen in your local natural food store. It delivers many of the balanced fatty acids a body needs and is also a fiber source.

Dr. Tim's uses oat flour as a primary carbohydrate source (along with rice flour). Oat flour is highly digestible, a good source of energy and nutritional balance and used because of its impact on regulating blood glucose. There are less blood glucose fluctuations after a meal containing oat flour than with other carbohydrate sources.

Pearled barley is an excellent source of starch for pet foods; starch is a necessary ingredient in pet food because it enables the ingredients to bind together to form the kibble. Pearled barley is also highly digestible.

Dr. Tim's uses canola oil, also known as rapeseed oil, as one of the vehicles used to deliver all the balanced fatty acids; canola oil helps maintain the proper ratios of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, may reduce inflammatory injuries, and improve your dog's skin, coat and kidneys.

Chicken liver digest is our natural flavor enhancer; it's "goopy" fermented chicken livers - sounds repulsive, but dogs love it.

Salmon oil enables the transport of all the balanced fatty acids your dog requires.

In a nutshell, "blood" is made up of whole blood cells that float around in a liquid called plasma. Two of plasma's myriad components are the proteins albumin and globulin. When plasma is separated (or spun out) from the blood cells, what results is a "functional protein product"; in other words, albumin and globulin. This pair of proteins is hard to beat for delivering good, concentrated amino acids to the pet; above and beyond providing nutrition, they stimulate the immune system to respond to offenses within the animal.

Lecithin emulsifies the fats in the kibble and enhances the digestion of those emulsified fats. Emulsify is another word for the process of mixing two liquids together that normally don't like to be mixed or stay mixed, like oil and vinegar, and it's why mayonnaise stays blended. It is also a source of choline, a B vitamin, and aids in the synthesis of amino acids and proteins. Lecithin contains natural antioxidants, inositol, linoleic acid, and is a source of phosphorous.

The root of the chicory plant contains a compound known as inulin - which is a prebiotic - and supplies fiber. This carbohydrate escapes digestion in the small intestine and is utilized in the large intestine to benefit the good bacteria located in the colon.

Sodium chloride, or "salt", is essential for bodily functions.

Rice bran is the protective outer coating removed from rice in the process of creating white rice. The bran layer is vitamin and antioxidant rich, flush with soluble and insoluble fibers and assures bulking in the gastrointestinal tract for a healthy colon and consistent stools.

Potassium chloride is another salt essential for aiding bodily functions.

This plant-based flavor enhancer may exhibit some anti-inflammatory effects and may even make your dog's feces less odiferous!

(Vitamin A, D3, E, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B6 (pyridoxine), B12, C (L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate), Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Folic acid and Biotin)

Our foods incorporate DSM Nutritional Product's OVN (Optimal Vitamin Nutrition) vitamin premix specifically formulated for Dr. Tim to support and maintain your dog's optimal skin, coat and paw pad health under high performance conditions. Our diets contain a Skin and Coat and Paw Pad nutrient system targeting a daily intake of biotin, specific omega fatty acids (like DHA) and zinc at scientifically proven levels. OVN is a trademark of DSM Nutritional Products.

Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Enterococcus faecium, Bifidobacterium thermophilum

These prebiotics and probiotics are strains of bacteria specifically grown to help the body fend off harmful bacteria and stimulate the immune system; think yogurt.

Kelp, a sea vegetable, keeps your dog's coat healthy and is loaded with amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

Psyllium feeds the good bacteria in your dog's colon and is a prebiotic.

Dr. Tim's Premium Athletic Dog Food includes iron sulfate, zinc oxide, zinc amino acid chelate, manganous oxide, manganese amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, copper sulfate, cobalt carbonate, ethylenediamine dihydriodide and sodium selenite. Zinc deficiency is a known problem in northern breed dogs; Dr. Tim's includes two sources of zinc (zinc oxide and zinc amino acid chelate) to combat this.

Biotin is a B vitamin that carries carbon dioxide out of cells during energy use and aids in the processing/burning of fatty acids and amino acids.

L-Carnitine is a naturally occurring amino acid that plays an essential role in the metabolism of fat.

This extract is a natural preservative, anti-oxidant and tastes great, too.