Farmina vs Royal Canin Dog Food Comparison

Zack Keithy, our author, is a certified veterinarian technician (UC Blue Ash) for over 6 years (contact him here). The articles written here are based on his expertise and experience, combined with a review by our expert vet reviewers including Dr M. Tarantino. Learn more about us here.

Just like choosing a school for our kids, deciding on the best dog food can feel like a Herculean task.

The contenders? Farmina vs Royal Canin, two titans of the dog food world.

Believe me, I’ve been in your shoes, scanning ingredient lists until my eyes blurred.

This is why, I’ve created this post that shows you 6 important factors to consider and hopefully helps you to make an informed choice.

Let’s jump right in.

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Royal-canin-vs-farmina-Comparison

Overview: Farmina vs Royal Canin Dog Food Comparison

⚠️ Consider the following when choosing dog food:

  • Life stage
  • Size of dog
  • Grain-inclusive or grain-free

What’s most important in choosing the right type of food for your dog is understanding its breed (activity levels) and any existing allergies.

If you need more help, consult your vet or find a veterinary nutritionist at the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (AVCM).

Well, you’ve made it past the intro, so let’s leap into the doggy diet deep end.

Picture these two brands as pedigrees in a high-stakes race, Farmina with its commitment to high-quality, natural ingredients, and Royal Canin, known for its breed-specific, scientifically tailored recipes.

It’s like pitting a craftsman against a scientist in a battle royale of nutrition.

Interesting, right?

Let’s find out more about them in the following sections:

  • Brand Reputation
  • Ingredients
  • Key Nutrients
  • Range of formulas
  • Product Safety and Recall History
  • Price

1. Brand Reputation

Farmina

Did you know that Farmina, an Italian pet food manufacturer, has been rocking the industry since way back in 1965?

They’ve got everything covered for your furry pals, be it dogs or cats.

When it comes to their products, they offer a bunch of formulae with a super diverse range of protein sources like chicken, lamb, herring, and duck.

Oh, and guess what? Farmina isn’t just popular in Europe; they’ve also made quite a name for themselves in the good ol’ United States.

So, you can trust them to keep your pets happy and well-fed no matter where you are!

Royal Canin

Royal Canin, as a brand, has built a reputation akin to the dependable, disciplined, and detail-oriented old guard in the realm of pet nutrition.

It’s the brand your vet is likely to mention when you bring up dietary concerns about your fluffy companion.

Their food has the respect of the dog-loving community, and it’s not without reason.

Royal Canin stands out with its breed-specific and size-specific formulas, as well as its special diet lines.

It’s like the Einstein of pet food, placing scientific research at the heart of their products.

This results in a meticulously tailored recipe for your dog’s breed, age, size, and health condition.

2. Ingredients

In this comparison of Farmina and Royal Canin dog food, we will focus on the following dry food product from each company:

⚠️ A few points to note about the product label

Product name – tells you the percentage of the main ingredient

  • “Chicken” – at least 70% of the product.
  • “Chicken entree”, “Chicken platter”, “Chicken dinner” – at least 10% of the product.
  • “With chicken” – at least 3% of the product
  • “Chicken flavor” – less than 3% of the product

Ingredients – The first few items listed are the most important and make up the majority of the product (determined by weight).

Meat-meal – Can have much more protein than actual meat. To further understand, refer to this guide by AAFCO.

Farmina

This company is all about hooking you up with some seriously awesome dog food.

We’re talking all-natural, wholesome goodness that’ll make your pooch’s taste buds go wild.

And the best part? No artificial flavors or preservatives in sight!

In this particular dry dog food we’re covering today, there’s no corn whatsoever in it.

Plus, a whopping 90% of the protein comes from chicken.

That’s some serious muscle-building fuel right there!

But here’s the real kicker – they’ve added ancient cereals like spelt and oats to the mix.

These grains have been around forever and haven’t changed much over time, unlike newer ones like rice and corn.

Oh, and here’s another cool thing: no meat by-products are used by this company. It’s all about top-notch ingredients for your furry friend.

Royal Canin

When we dive into the ingredients of Royal Canin Medium Breed Adult Dry Dog Food, the list starts off with a primary protein source—chicken meal.

Now, don’t be fooled by the word ‘meal’ here; it’s not your Sunday dinner leftovers!

In pet food terms, ‘meal’ refers to meat cooked down to a concentrated form, containing more protein than fresh meat.

Following that, we find brewers rice and corn, which serve as carbohydrates but have less nutritional value compared to other whole grains or veggies.

It’s like the difference between whole wheat bread and a white baguette; they’ll both fill you up, but one’s got a little more to offer health-wise.

The recipe also includes chicken fat (great for taste and a source of essential fatty acids), and beet pulp (a controversial ingredient, but a good source of fiber).

As we dissect further, you’ll notice some vitamins, minerals, and specific ingredients for joint health (like glucosamine).

While this isn’t a grain-free or single protein source recipe, it does offer balanced nutrition that caters to the specific needs of medium breed adult dogs.

dog essentials banner in content

3. Key Nutrients

Every pet food label must include a guaranteed analysis of the nutrients, according to AAFCO (The Association of American Feed Control Officials) regulations.

It has strict requirements to make sure that a product is in fact complete and balanced for dogs.

This means that complete and balanced diets must contain the minimum amount of all of the nutrients necessary for dogs, which is also indicated in the “guaranteed analysis.”

The analysis must validate minimum crude protein and crude fat percentages as well as maximum crude fiber and moisture percentages.

The tables below will show you the data from the two brands.

Take note: When comparing dog food nutrients percentages, you should remove the amount of moisture to make it a more even comparison.

This is also referred to as calculating its dry matter basis (use this calculator).

This approach is a more accurate way to understand the true nutrient contents of dog food, instead of just relying on the number on the label (which is an ‘as-fed’ basis).

Farmina vs Royal Canin Dog Food Guaranteed Analysis

NutrientFarminaDry matter basisRoyal CaninDry matter basis
Crude protein30% min32.97%23% min25.56%
Crude Fat18% min19.78%12% min13.33%
Crude Fiber2.5% max2.75%3.2% max3.56%
Moisture9% max10% max
Based on dry adult dog food

Crude protein

To keep your dog healthy and balanced, protein is a must!

It does so much for their body, like building and maintaining muscles and tissues. Plus, it helps with growing new muscles, skin, and hair cells.

And here’s the cool part: protein is also involved in making important stuff like enzymes and hormones.

It even boosts the immune system and gives them energy, just like carbs do.

While dogs can make half of the amino acids they need for protein, they gotta eat the other half. So, make sure they get their protein fix!

In this comparison, it’s clear that Farimna offers a much better source of protein for your dog. I also like that it comes mainly from real meat rather than meat-meal.

Crude fat

To keep your dog’s diet balanced, fats and oils are essential.

For regular, healthy adult dogs, a diet with around 10-15% fat (minimum 5%) is ideal.

The only time fat becomes a concern is when animals consume too many calories and fat without enough exercise to compensate for it, like when they indulge in extra snacks or table scraps.

But don’t worry, both brands provide enough fats to meet your dog’s daily needs.

Crude fiber

Fiber is key for solid, well-formed stools and regular bowel movements.

It adds bulk and absorbs extra water, making everything run smoothly.

Plus, fiber keeps the intestinal pH balanced, keeping harmful bacteria at bay in your dog’s tummy.

It’s great for their digestion and helps them feel satisfied, which could prevent overeating.

Both of these products have enough fiber for your dog, although I would prefer a slightly higher amount.

4. Range of formulas

If a company provides me with a wide variety of choices compared to another brand of dog food, I will probably go with the first one since I can get everything in one go.

When it comes to these two companies, Royal Canin would certainly have the edge thanks to their extensive product range.

That said, both have formulas catered to specific needs, such as grain-free options, nutritional sensitivity, and weight control, are available.

Some of their top-selling products are listed below:

Most Popular Royal Canin Dog Food

Royal Canin Medium Breed Adult Dry Dog Food

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Royal Canin Canine Health Nutrition Canned Dog Food

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5. Product Safety and Recall History

I’m sure you want to know that your money isn’t going to a company that has had any major issues in the past.

I try to update this section as much as possible, but if you find anything amiss, you may double-check on the FDA’s site or its archives for accuracy.

Farmina

Farmina dog food has never been recalled before in the United States or Canada.

Royal Canin

In May 2007 and April 2007, Royal Canin was involved in a large scale dog and cat food recall due to potential melamine contamination, and it caused quite a stir in the community.

In February 2006, Royal Canin recalled numerous canned pet foods sold only at vet clinics due to high levels of Vitamin D3 found in the food.

6. Price

Price is a significant factor, but you shouldn’t make your decision exclusively based on it.

The availability of inexpensive, high-quality goods is limited since a product’s price can be a reliable indicator of both its quality and quantity.

I’ve seen certain dog food brands cost less than others because they contain fillers or inferior materials, which may subsequently create health issues.

So, it might be worthwhile to spend a bit extra on a recognized brand if you want something that will last longer and give you more nutrients.

The cost per pound for the choices covered in this article is displayed in the table below:

BrandAdult Dry Food
Farmina$2.93/lb
Royal Canin$3.33/lb
based on similar product packaging; always check for latest prices

In Conclusion: Farmina vs Royal Canin Dog Food Comparison

Now that you know the key differences between Farmina and Royal Canin, which would you choose?

Of the two, my personal choice would be Farmina, mainly because of the higher nutritional value and cheaper price point.

I personally think that Royal Canin is not doing that great a job in recent years and many of its competitors have caught up now.

That said, I have switched out of dry kibbles to a fresh diet for my dogs, and now I chose Ollie instead. (read my Ollie dog food review)

Keep in mind that every dog is unique and that there is no such thing as the best dog diet.

Always take into account the breed, lifestyle, and allergies of your dog, and this should direct you in the right direction.

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Zack Keithy
Zack Keithy

Hey, I'm Zack, the Chief Editor here. I was formerly a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) for a good 6 years before moving on to greener pastures. Right now, I am still heavily involved in dog parenting duties, and it is my desire to share all our knowledge with fellow dog owners out there! Connect with me on LinkedIn, or read more about Canine Care Central!

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