Is Specific dog food all it’s hyped up to be? Get all the details and find out what we think in our latest dog food review.
What could be better than nutrition designed by a team of veterinary experts? With Specific, that’s exactly what you get.
Specific is part of Dechra Veterinary Products, a company that develops, markets and delivers a wide range of items, including dog food, to veterinary surgeons all over the world.
Dechra dates back to 1819, making them one of the oldest companies in the business. Starting out making prosthetic limbs, they moved onto veterinary medicine and products in 1854, after the Crimean War.
As well as producing medicinal treatments, Dechra have a range of dog food under the brand name Specific. This food draws on their extensive veterinary knowledge and experience to create a canine complete food which offers the very best nutritional profile.
But how does Specific dog food stack up? Here’s a closer look.
Range of Dog Food
As you might expect from a range of food developed by vets, it offers a very detailed and clinic approach to nutrition. Rather than just picking a flavor that your pooch likes, you’ll be able to choose a formula that supports them with any particular health concern you may have.
The Specific range of dry food includes:
- Food Allergen Management
- Food Allergen Management with hydrolysed protein
- Allergen Management Plus
- Struvite Management
- Digestive Support
- Endocrine Support
- Heart and Kidney Support
- Joint Support
- Skin Function Support
- Weight Control
- Weight Reduction
The Specific range of wet food includes:
- Food Allergen Management
- Allergen Management Plus
- Digestive Support
- Heart and Kidney Support
- Weight Reduction
The names of each of the foods provides a clear indication of its intended use. This makes it easy to pick the right food for your dog.
Each of the foods has a feeding guide which explains how much your dog needs. As well as breaking this down by the size of your dog and the breed, it also provides advice about how much to feed for skinny, average, and overweight dogs.
If you need to fatten your dog up or reduce their weight, this guide helps you to do this safely.
Health Benefits and Ingredients
The Specific philosophy is that food is far more than simply fuel to feed an appetite. Instead, they consider every mouthful to be an important balance that has the potential to deliver a powerful shot of carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins, and water that create vitality, good health, and energy.
The Specific range is based on fish and marine animals, allowing it to deliver a powerful shot of omega 3 for a glossy coat and healthy skin. Pork fat and chicken fat is used as a coating for some formulas, to make them more appealing for dogs.
Proteins may be sourced from a number of different foods including soya meal, rice protein, potato protein, whey protein, maize protein and egg. However, the main source is fish and marine ingredients which include:
- Fish meal
- Hydrolysed salmon protein
- Fish oil
- Krill
- Sardine
- Algae
In addition to the main protein, in Specifics dog food you may find:
- FOS (Fructo Oligo Saccharides) – supporting growth of healthy bacteria
- Beta-glucans – switching on the immune system
- Psyllium husk – to regulate the gastrointestinal tract
- Taurine – to support cardiac function
- Yucca extract – to reduce unwanted smells and odors
Recommended Next: Looking for the right pet food that offers an excellent nutritional balance? Check out our review of Alpha Dog Food here at Woof Bark Growl.
Is Specific Dog Food Good Value?
Specific is a brand of dog food that offers veterinary-grade formulas which have been carefully tested and developed to meet canine needs. Compared to the average supermarket or mainstream dog food brands, the nutrition in Specific is greatly superior.
Of course, this level of expertise and scientific development comes at a cost, so Specific is one of the more expensive brands on the market. The price difference is significant too, costing more than double the amount of other good-quality brands such as Skinner’s.
This dog food may only suit those who can stretch to a high price point, or your vet may recommend switching to it for a short while.
Recommended: See what we think of AATU dog food in our in-depth review.
However, although the cost is high, what you get for your money is exceptional. Dog food that’s been developed by veterinary surgeons is about as good as you can get, so for this level of quality, the price is more than reasonable.
Negatives?
There is no question that Specific dog food offers fantastic nutritional benefits, with different formulas designed to meet a range of very exact canine needs.
There are few other brands on the market that offer this, but the price is a clear drawback. It’s a more expensive brand, reflecting the very specialist nature of the formula, but for those looking for a budget food, it may be too costly.
Aside from the price, the other issue may be the flavors, especially if you have a picky dog. All of the Specific food, both wet and dry, is based on fish and marine products. While this certainly delivers a potent shot of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, the flavors may not be what every dog enjoys.
Many of the foods have a coating of pork or chicken fat to try and make it more tempting but a picky eater may not be happy with the underlying taste.
Recommended: The nutritional value of Pero Dog Food is said to be undeniable. Learn why in this review.
Final Thoughts
Whether you are looking for a specific weight reduction dog food or a formula to support a particular aspect of health, this is the brand that can help.
Formulated by vets to deliver optimum nutrition, Specific from Dechra is a class apart from many of the regular brands. Suitable for puppies and adults, Specific includes both wet and dry food to enable you to tailor the diet to your canine’s personal preferences.
There is a cost to opting for a veterinary food, but this could improve your dog’s health or prevent conditions from getting worse. It is a premium choice but for many dog owners who can stretch to the price, it’s more than worth the extra.
