Eukanuba vs Royal Canin: Which Should You Have in Your Rotational Feeding Program

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While comparing Eukanuba vs Royal Canin in terms of ingredients, you’ll notice their selection of ingredients isn’t entirely the same. Of course, most of the used food compounds are the same, but not all of them. The nutrients concentration is also pretty unique with each brand, in which case they will affect your dog differently.

Needless to say, most of us usually keep our pets on the same type of food for the rest of their life. While he may seem to love it, this form of feeding is not wise as it means your dog is only having particular nutrients. Hence, limiting him on other essential vitamins and minerals that he certainly needs.

In any case, rotational feeding helps make sure your dog is getting all the health benefits from the different food formulation. It’s the best way of ensuring your dog gets all the essential nutrients that he needs for overall growth and development.

Anyhow, today we’ll look at Eukanuba and Royal Canin to determine which should be on your next rotational feeding program. Both are incredible providers, but still, they have some weaknesses that are worth looking at.

Top pick from two brands on Amazon

A Summary of the Eukanuba and Royal Canin Company

Chart 1:

Facts Eukanuba Royal Canin
Founded 1969 1968
Parent Mars Incorporated Mars Incorporated
First Ingredient N/A N/A
Dry Food Flavors About 21 90 Plus
Wet Food Flavors 6 at the moment 50 plus
Dog Treats Yes
[1 option]
YES
[1 option]
Cat food NO YES

Eukanuba vs Royal Canin: Introducing the Brands

Eukanuba

Even though it’s the first time on our pages, Eukanuba is a leading Petcare brand and a favorite to many. The company only specializes in dogs, in which case they are focused on unlocking the pets’ full athletic abilities using nutritional science.

While they operate as an independent firm, Eukanuba is part of the Mars, Inc. The dog food brand has been in the pet care business since 1969. So, they have been able to expand their ideas on the perfect diet to improve the lives and performance of the dogs. In fact, this brand was the first to use beet pulp [for the prebiotics] in the dog food.

Eukanuba has also been able to prepare other exclusive dog supplements, including an antioxidant blend to improve immune system health and post-exercise recovery. The provider has divided its selections of dog foods into four different categories based on the activity level.

Royal Canin

The relation between Eukanuba and Royal Canin is quite interesting and complicated. As we mentioned in our previous Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo review, the brand began in 1968- one year before Eukanuba.

More surprisingly, Royal Canin is also a part of Mars, Incorporated. The manufacturer focuses on supporting pets for a sustainable future while using quality and safe nutrition. Similar to Eukanuba, the provider works in hand with top scientific, veterinary, and behavioral experts.

The only difference, though, is that Royal Canin serves both the feline and canine species. Furthermore, the brand has more product lines, which include 84 dry dog food and 44 wet formulas.

Eukanuba vs Royal Canin: Comparing the Various Nutrients and Dog Food Ingredients

Chart 2:

Ingredients  Eukanuba Dog Food  Taste of the Wild Dog Food
Carbohydrates Brewers Rice, Wheat Gluten, Corn, Oats Groats, Barley, & Dried Potatoes Brewers Rice, ground sorghum, corn, wheat, & barley,
Proteins Chicken By-Product Meal, Soy Protein, Pork By-Products, Venison Meal, Chicken, & Pork Lamb, Chicken, Chicken by-product meal, Pea, Lamb meal, Egg Product, Beef, & Pork
Fiber Barley, Peas, Psyllium, Guar Gum, Beet Pulp & Oats Pea Fiber, Barley, Guar Gum, Psyllium, tomato pomace, & Beet Pulp
Vitamins Carotene, Peas & Essential Vitamins Carrots, Carotene, & Essential Supplements
Minerals Salt & Essential Supplements Salt, Carrots, & Essential Supplements
Fatty acids  Chicken Fat, Fish Oil, Coconut Oil, & Vegetable Oil Chicken Fat, Fish Oil, Flaxseed, & Vegetable Oil
Antioxidants Marigold Extract & Vitamin E Supplement Marigold Extract & Vitamin E Supplement
Flavors Natural Flavors & Natural Flavor Natural Flavors, natural hickory smoke flavor, & Natural Flavor
Preservatives Mixed Tocopherols & Citric Acid Mixed Tocopherols & Citric Acid

Eukanuba vs Royal Canin: the Various Similarities and Differences

  • Ingredients Use

Unlike dog food brands like Blue Buffalo or Taste of the Wild that uses real meat as the first ingredient, Eukanuba and Royal Canin have no definite selection. Some recipes feature grains, others meat, and most chicken by-product meal.

As for the carbs, both brands rely largely on grains, especially brewers rice and corn product. Brewers rice is the by-product left after milling whole rice. So, the food is mainly fiber, but it also has carbs to provide your pet with energy.
The most visible difference that we can say between these two is on protein sources. Most of the Eukanuba dog foods have chicken as the main protein, and the others have lamb, plus lamb meal.

On the other hand, Royal Canin relies on chicken by-product meal for the protein, though some diets do use real poultry meat. Of course, the by-product meal will also offer protein benefits, but the ingredient is usually what’s left after removing the choices cut.

Notes

Many people believe chicken by-product meal is low-quality since it’s a product of slaughterhouse waste. The truth, however, is that this meal can have more protein than the real chicken meat if the manufacturer chooses the raw materials wisely.

  • Nutritional Value

As we’ve mentioned in several of our other articles, Nutritional value is how essential nutrients appear in a particular dog food formula. Most of the product packaging usually shows it as “guaranteed analysis”, but it’s still the same thing.

When it now comes to comparing Eukanuba vs Royal Canin, both have a variety of products to consider. So, the nutritional value will also vary since there’s no standard figure.

Here’s a table showing how different diets can differ in terms of nutrient content.

 Eukanuba Small Senior Chicken vs Royal Canin Small Adult Dry Dog Food

Chart 3:

Guaranteed Analysis Guaranteed Analysis Dry Matter Basis Dry Matter Basis
Eukanuba Roal Canin Eukanuba Roal Canin
Crude Protein 29.0% Min. 25.0% Min.  32.22%  27.78%
Crude fat 17.0% Min.  14.0% Min. 18.89% 15.56%
Crude Fiber 3.7% Max. 3.5% Max. 4.11% 3.89%
Moisture 10.0% Max 10.0% Max.  0% 0%

Eukanuba Adult Chicken & Rice vs Royal Canin Size Health Chicken Wet Dog Food

Chart 4:

Guaranteed Analysis Guaranteed Analysis Dry Matter Basis Dry Matter Basis
Eukanuba Royal Canin Eukanuba Royal Canin
Crude Protein 8.0% Min.  6.0% Min. 44.44% 35.29%
Crude fat 4.0% Min. 4.0% Min. 22.22%  23.53%
Crude Fiber 1.5% Max. 2.1% Max. 8.33%  12.35%
Moisture 82.0% Max. 83% Max  0% 0%

Although the two Mars’ Petcare brands do have high protein diets, you can see Eukanuba leads in our two examples. After converting to dry matter, it’s also clear moisture can have a great effect on the nutrient levels. Hence, the reason AAFCO recommends it when comparing different pet food.

Product Safety: Recalls and Controversial Ingredients

Thanks to the love and care from one parent, Eukanuba and Royal Canin have been able to maintain the consistency of quality and safety. Since the initial debut, the pet food brands have only had two recalls each.

True, Royal Canin has been recalled three times, but two of them occurred within the same period, plus from the same issue- melamine. The other was due to the elevated level of Vitamin D3, in which case it affected various canned dog food.

As for the Eukanuba brand, the two recalls issued were due to potential Salmonella contamination. No related illnesses were ever reported, meaning the swift voluntary approach did pay off.

Other than the recalls, both Eukanuba and Royal Canin have used several debated ingredients in their dog food recipes. They include Tomato Pomace, Soybean Protein, by-product meals, pea protein, sodium hexametaphosphate, brewers yeast.

For the yeast compound, we’re not against it in any way as it’s surely rich in minerals and other helpful nutrients. Even so, critics argue that it causes allergies, which may or not be true since allergic reactions usually depend on individual pets.

  • Price

Although they’re more like a family, Eukanuba pet foods are cheaper than the Royal Canin. When you compare the price of the Eukanuba dry dog food, you will see the products fall within a range of $1.35-$2.38 per pound weight.

Meanwhile, Royal Canin is available at $2.64-$4.23 per pound weight, which is almost like a double of its counterpart. The same applies to the wet dog food, with some cans costing up to $6.50/ pound weight due to the high moisture content.

The 4 Top-Choice Eukanuba and Royal Canin Dog Food

Eukanuba ACTIV Chicken Small Senior Dry Dog Food

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If you need a rotation diet option for your Chihuahua or beagle, this dog recipe could make a great one. It comprises of high-quality chicken as the first ingredient and chicken by-product meal as the second. Hence, supplements your small dog with significant protein that he needs to grow and tone some muscles.

The dog food also has wheat, corn, and ground sorghum in the mix. Thus, can be very helpful to your active dog in ensuring he’s enough energy throughout his exercises.

Pros:

  • It’s a complete, well-balanced diet
  • Feature DHA to support brain health and function
  • Has excellent antioxidants to improve the dog’s natural defenses
  • Can help reduce tar build-up in the teeth
  • Includes fish oil to provide essential fatty acids for skin and coat health
  • It has Glucosamine and Chondroitin to support healthy joints and mobility.

Cons:

  • Not ideal for dogs with wheat, or else grain intolerance

Eukanuba Adult Large Breed Healthy Extras dog Treats

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These snacks can make a great complimentary reward after your dog has finished training. The treats are in the form of biscuits, with each piece packed with high-quality protein, plus a good balance of Fats, Carbs, Vitamins, and minerals. Part of these minerals is calcium to support strong bones and teeth.

Speaking of teeth, these treats can help in leaving them clean due to their crunchy texture. The biscuits also contain significant levels of DHA to boost brain function, which is very crucial in training.

Pros:

  • It’s highly palatable
  • Can help boost muscle development
  • Great for bones and teeth
  • Use natural flavors and preservatives
  • Contain sources of Omega-3 & -6 fatty acids to maintain skin health
  • It can help improve eye health and function [Vitamin A and Beta Carotene].

Cons:

  • Not good for dogs with wheat or corn intolerance
  • The biscuits are quite large for small dogs

Royal Canin Chicken Small adult Dry Dog Food

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This diet is one of the best options if you need to maintain a healthy weight for your dog. It features a good balance of protein and fat, all derived from quality and natural sources, including fish oil, vegetable oil, and chicken by-product meal.

Specifically for small breed, each kibble features a small star shape for easier picking and chewing. The kibbles have rich carbs from multiple sources such as corn, brewers rice, and brown rice. Thus, can keep your dog full of energy throughout the day.

Pros:

  • It features a good balance of high-quality and essential nutrients
  • Great for weight management
  • Highly palatable and digestible
  • Rich in fiber to enhance bowel movement
  • It contains beet pulp for antioxidant and prebiotic benefits.

Cons:

  • Unfit for a dog allergic to gluten
  • Pretty expensive.

Royal Canin Small Adult Health Nutrition Wet Dog Food

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This is yet another pack for the small dog breed, particularly those with dental issues. The nutrition is pretty high on high-quality protein from various sources, including chicken, pork by-products, and chicken by-products.

Thanks to fish oil and vegetable oil, this diet has good levels of essential omega fatty acids. Hence, can help minimize symptoms of dry skin, as well as leave the dog’s coat clean. Furthermore, the diet has vitamin E and Marigold Extract, both sources of antioxidants to improve your dog’s defense mechanism.

Pros:

  • It’s highly palatable and digestible
  • Great for the overall growth and muscle development
  • Can help support gut health and function
  • Uses natural flavors and preservatives
  • It has excellent moisture content for better hydration

Cons:

  • It’s relatively expensive
  • Unfit for a dog sensitive to grains.

Final Verdict

Even though they share a lot, choosing between Eukanuba vs Royal Canin dog food is pretty straight forward. True, both brands have quality recipes to consider, but the former is more budget-friendly if you’re on a tight spot.

Furthermore, Eukanuba dog foods mainly use real meat [chicken] as the source of protein. So, you can consider the brand in your next rotation feeding if you have doubts trusting chicken by-product meals.

Even so, it’s worth noting raw chicken [or any other meat] contains over 60% water, which will be lost after cooking. Chicken by-product meal, on the other hand, consist of dry rendered product that remains after removing all the choice cuts of a slaughtered chicken. It can include parts like skin, undeveloped eggs, livers, lungs, spleen, intestine, and feet.

As such, the ingredient can even have more protein than the fresh chicken when properly sourced.

In any case, Royal Canin has a wider range of products and flavors to pick from. Also, the brand has a broad and loyal customer base just like its step-sister. So, if you’re okay with the extra dollars, we don’t see why you shouldn’t choose them.

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