Oscar is a brand of an extensive line of economy class dog food, which includes both dry food and wet canned food. The products are the result of close cooperation between Russian and Danish companies, and feed production is carried out in the Tver region.
Modern technologies used in the production process make it possible to preserve the beneficial properties of fresh meat as much as possible. And thanks to the quick availability of the product on store shelves, dog owners can always delight their pets with fresh food.
Feed composition
Oscar food belongs to the economy category.
The basis of the diet is cereals. One of the main indicators of the quality of dog food is the amount of meat in the product. The basis of Oscar's diet is cereals, meat ingredients are given only second place. Among them you can find poultry and lamb, fish, animal by-products and meat and bone meal.
The food recipe includes sunflower oil - a source of vegetable fats , sugar beet pulp to normalize digestion, as well as hydrolyzed liver as a source of animal protein.
The balanced formula of Oscar food contains a complex of omega fatty acids necessary to maintain healthy coat and skin. Calcium promotes proper growth and development of the skeleton and teeth, optimal levels of protein stimulate muscle development, and vitamins B and C strengthen the dog’s immune system. In addition, the vitamin A contained in the composition supports visual acuity.
No genetically modified components or synthetic flavors are used in the production of Oscar food.
Important. Manufacturers of quality feeds always provide information about the ingredients used and their percentages. On the Oscar product label, the manufacturer does not indicate which grains and by-products are included in the food recipe and what their percentage is - this is a sign of dubious quality.
Types and classes of dry dog food
People who are far from the world of dog breeding believe that dry food is simply an edible collection of various figures. In fact, this product is divided into three groups.
- Standard food. This product is purchased for daily dog nutrition. The composition and nutritional content depend on the age and lifestyle of your pet.
- Medicinal food for dogs. This product is used as a course of treatment either for prevention or for the treatment of emerging disease. As a rule, such a line of food is found in manufacturers specializing in elite products. Independent purchase is highly undesirable (only on the recommendation of a veterinarian). You should also pay close attention to the instructions. Portion sizes and meal times should be as indicated.
- Specialized food. This product is used to solve specific problems. For example, the pet is overweight, prone to diseases of a certain nature, allergies. Also, a similar group of food is purchased for sterilized dogs and those pets who, due to certain circumstances, spend too little time outside the apartment walls.
If we take the class of dry food used as a criterion, then three groups can also be distinguished. The difference between them is not only in price, but also in manufacturing technology, composition, and quality standards.
- Economy class. The most popular and affordable group of feeds. It is made from the remains of various products. The main disadvantage is the lack of natural meat (only meat and bone meal) and many other components important for the life of the pet. Basically, such food is made from plant substitutes and ballast that is useless from the point of view of vitamins. Of course, such food will completely satisfy the dog’s hunger, but it will not gain anything for the body.
- Premium class. This group of feeds is much higher in terms of price-quality ratio. It contains components of animal origin and a tiny amount of useless ballast. As a percentage, the share of meat and meat by-products is approximately 30%. The main disadvantage of this group of feeds is that some manufacturers add a flavor enhancer to the composition. It will not cause much harm to an adult, but it is better not to give such food to puppies.
- Super premium class. Elite category of feed. The balance of the components and their energy value are at the highest level. Contains no by-products! Only natural meat! In addition to it, fish, plant and cereal components are used. Any dog will receive the daily requirement of mineral organisms from a serving of food of this class. In some cases, super-premium products are recommended to be used to solve various pet health problems (diabetes, obesity, weak stomach).
Thus, buying expensive food does not mean overpaying for an expensive brand and a well-promoted name. In some cases this is a necessity. Firstly, only expensive food can provide your pet with the maximum amount of minerals. Secondly, only it contains completely natural meat.
Pros and cons of food
Like all economy-class food products, Oscar food has one single advantage - low cost, which makes it affordable to most dog owners. This determines the great demand for this product. In addition, it can be found in almost all supermarkets and pet stores.
Among the many negative aspects are:
- The basis of the food is cereals, despite the carnivorous nature of dogs;
- the percentage of meat components is not indicated - there is reason to believe that their content is low;
- contains artificial preservatives;
- lack of specifics on the packaging: it is not clear what grains, meat and offal are used in production;
- Overall a pretty poor lineup.
Why is this food better than others?
Economy class food is made from cheap raw materials, and most of them do not contain real meat. As a rule, the meat base of such feeds consists of animal by-products, including forced slaughter.
Oscar diets for adult dogs contain 24% protein and 12% fat.
Dogs are carnivores by nature and their bodies require meat. Unlike Trapeza, Nasha Marka and Stout food, which contain only meat and bone meal, Oscar diets contain real meat.
Attention. A large amount of a low-quality protein source combined with a large amount of low-calorie grains can provoke allergic reactions, gastrointestinal diseases and metabolic disorders in the animal.
Another advantage of Oscar food is the optimal ratio of proteins and fats necessary for the healthy functioning of the pet’s body. Diets for adult dogs contain 24% protein and 12% fat, while in Nasha Marka food these figures reach 18 and 10%, in Pedigri food 22 and 11%, and in Darling food only 17 and 7%.
A significant advantage of Oscar food over other options is its extensive range of nutrition. Dog owners will be able to choose diets for all kinds of breeds, for puppies and active pets. For example, Darling food is limited to only two options for adult dogs, and Chappie diets are mostly designed for adult dogs, despite the abundance of flavor solutions.
Composition of the product
This brand of food contains most of the essential minerals and vitamins to maintain your pet’s vitality and appearance.
- Omega fatty acids are necessary to maintain the health of your pet’s skin and coat, their shine and beauty.
- Proteins are vital for the proper functioning of the animal’s muscles.
- vitamins – needed for all systems of the pet’s body – nervous, cardiac, genitourinary, and so on.
The food from this manufacturer is indeed particularly popular among pet owners, but it is also important to correctly transfer the animal from one food to another. And carefully monitor how he reacts to the new food.
Oscar food line
The variety of Oscar brand diets is represented by both dry food and wet food in the form of canned food. Dry food contains all the necessary minerals, vitamins and microelements to improve the health of your pet. And canned food includes an increased amount of protein and fat in the recipe to compensate for calorie costs.
Canned dog food Oscar has several flavors: with tongue, with turkey, with heart, with lamb, with veal, with giblets.
Dry diets for adult dogs of all breeds based on grains, meat and offal provide the body with the appropriate level of energy, which helps keep the animal’s weight normal and helps avoid problems with obesity. These foods also contain substances necessary for healthy joints and bones.
The assortment for adult pets of all breeds is presented in the following flavors:
- lamb and rice;
- chicken and rice
All types of canned food developed by the manufacturer are intended only for adult dogs. The wet food formula includes increased calcium for strong teeth and bones and a carefully balanced complex of beneficial fatty acids.
Canned food has the following flavors:
- with tongue; The Oscar line includes food for puppies of all breeds from 3 months.
- with turkey;
- with heart;
- with lamb;
- with veal;
- with giblets.
The product line also includes dry food for puppies aged 3 months and older. It strengthens and supports the baby’s still fragile immune system, ensures proper digestion and reduces the risk of tartar formation.
Oscar hypoallergenic dry food is great for pets of all breeds prone to food allergies. It contains about 21% meat ingredients, and the food is based on four types of meat: veal, duck, turkey and rabbit.
There are also options for dogs leading an active lifestyle (agility is an activity for active dogs), for large pets, as well as for dogs of medium and small sizes (American Pit Bull Terrier with photo).
All feeds have high digestibility of components, which allows you to saturate the animal’s body with nutrients and control weight.
What to look for when choosing
As mentioned above, the selection of optimal nutrition should be approached as consciously as possible. First of all, it is necessary to rely on a number of fundamental criteria.
Age of the dog.
A distinctive feature of the dog’s digestive system is that it absorbs food elements at different rates at each age. At the same time, many other animal systems work in the same way (endocrine, lymphatic, genitourinary, etc.) In this regard, the types of dog food are designed into four groups:
- “Starter” and “Junior” - a product for puppies who have stopped drinking mother’s milk and have not reached one year of age;
- “Adult” is a product for adults aged from one to 8 years;
- “Senior” - food for older dogs (over 8 years old)
The food of each of the above categories has different compositions and calorie content, depending on the needs of a given age. For example, the “Starter” group implies a large amount of fat and glucose, since these elements are the basis of mother’s milk.
Size.
The size of your pet is important due to the fact that kibble comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. If, for example, a large shepherd dog can cope with them in a second, then a toy terrier will not even be able to bite. Therefore, when choosing food for miniature breeds, be sure to consider the size of the contents of the pack.
Foods for large and small dogs differ significantly in composition. The first ones need calcium in large doses, otherwise their bones will break under the weight of the animal.
Lifestyle.
Dogs live in completely different conditions. There are those who guard the Far Eastern borders and walk several kilometers every day, and there are those who see nothing but the walls of the apartment for the whole day. Their needs for proteins, fats and carbohydrates are different. Therefore, all commercially available food is divided into three groups:
- "Active" or "Energy" are necessary for those who lead;
- “Standard” or “Normal” are necessary for animals with normal activity;
- "Senior" is necessary for the elderly and
The above criteria are the main ones in choosing food, but in addition to them, several other points may be useful. Be sure to take your pet to the vet not only on days when he is sick. Very often, serious troubles creep up asymptomatically. The doctor, after examining the animal, will prescribe a special medicinal food. Communication on thematic forums will be extremely useful. There you will find objective advice and reviews from dog owners just like you. Finally, don’t forget about visiting exhibition events. Veterinarians, feed manufacturers, and dog handlers are always present at them. Every participant can take advantage of their free consultation.
Reviews from veterinarians about the food
Elena, veterinarian, 43 years old. Oscar dog food is an economical food of low quality. There is little digestible protein and low vitamin content. The food components are not well balanced, and the ingredients for production are not carefully selected. Of course, for most mongrel dogs, eating this food for a long time is acceptable, and it will not cause any special health problems. I strongly do not recommend feeding immature puppies with this food every day, even with special diets intended specifically for them. If you do not have the financial ability to feed your pet higher quality food, then at least wait until he is two years old, and only then start introducing this option into your pet’s diet.
Veterinarians do not recommend Oscar food as a daily diet for puppies and adult dogs.
Larisa, veterinarian, 48 years old. If you decide to buy food on the advice of friends, first carefully study its composition indicated on the back of the package. Since the first component of Oscar food is cereals, this food undoubtedly belongs to the economy category. Cereals are a good bulk component, but often in economy class low-quality and low-calorie crops are used, which tend to be poorly digestible. The small amount of protein in Oscar food also indicates its low quality. In the list of ingredients you can also find components such as preservatives and antioxidants, which can significantly undermine the health of your pet. Allergies, anemia, malfunction of the kidneys and liver, skin dermatitis (see dandruff in dogs) - these are not all the unpleasant factors that can be caused by poor-quality nutrition. Oscar is a food that I would not recommend for feeding dogs.
Rating of dry dog food
The modern market offers consumers such a huge amount of dry food that one can easily get confused. Therefore, we offer you a rating based on the opinions of veterinarians.
0-10 points. A number of foods in this group do not have the lowest price, but in terms of quality they are still among the most useless. The composition contains waste from carcass processing, difficult-to-digest additives, and a large amount of ballast. If you value your animal, then feeding it such food is highly undesirable, even in conditions of a global crisis. Experts classified the following foods in this category: Chappie, Pedigree.
10-25 points. Feeds in this category have a low cost, but this is only due to the lack of natural meat. The product contains waste from meat production, cereals, and bran. Despite the fact that vitamins may be indicated on the packaging, laboratory examination rarely finds them in the contents of the feed. If there is no alternative, products from this group can be given to pets, but remember that they only satisfy their hunger. The required diet of ingredients, vitamins and minerals is not replenished. Experts classified the following foods in this category: Meal, Max.
25-50 points. This category presents economical products of average quality. The main disadvantage is the poor balance of the composition, a small amount of vitamins and protein. Such food can be given to unpretentious animals that do not have serious health problems. They are not recommended for small pets (up to two years old). Experts classified the following foods into this category: Gourmet, Oscar, My Lady, My Lord, Doctor Clouder.
50-75 points. This category contains food of fairly good quality, but poor in vitamins. If you add them to the diet additionally, your pet’s nutrition will be rated five. When the owner's only priority is price, then such food can be purchased. If you want to give your dog complete nutrition, then you need to see whether the “food + vitamins” complex will be cheaper than the highest quality food, which initially contains everything. Experts classified the following products in this category: Purina, Sheba, Gurmet, Doctor Alders, Gimpet.
75-90 points. High-quality feed with a balanced composition and a rich mineral complex. If the use of this product does not cause any problems in your pet, then purchasing more expensive options does not make any sense. The animal will receive exactly the same set of nutrients, and you will only waste your money. Experts classified the following foods in this category: Royal Canin, Pro Pak, Diamond, Leonardo, Belcando, Flatazor, Nutro Gold, Nutro Nuggets, Biomil, Pro Plan.
90-100 points. The highest category of feed, which does not require additional explanation. The composition is maximally balanced and rich in vitamins. An important advantage is that these feeds very rarely cause allergic reactions in animals. Experts classified the following products in this category: Akana, Arden Grange, Yams, Eagle Pack, Bosch, Eukanuba, Hills, Nutro Choice.
Akana
This food is produced in Canada. It belongs to the super-premium class. The main element is natural meat, supplemented with vegetables and fruits. The manufacturer produces a wide range of products designed for dogs of all ages. The main disadvantage is the high price.
Our rating is 5 points out of 5.
Arden Grange
This food is produced in the UK. It is of very high quality and belongs to the super-premium class. The product contains only natural meat and plant ingredients; there are no synthetic additives. This food is hypoallergenic and suitable for many breeds.
Our rating is 5 points out of 5.
Bosch
This food is produced in Germany at a small family enterprise. The food contains the following elements: natural meat, rice, grain, vegetables. Each ingredient is carefully tested to ensure compliance with strict European laws. Bosch food belongs to the super-premium category.
Our rating is 5 points out of 5.
Brit
This food has been in great demand for more than two decades. Country of origin: Czech Republic. The food contains the following elements: meat, fish meal, powdered eggs, rice, barley and corn. There are no artificial colors or GMOs in this product.
Our rating is 4 points out of 5.
Eukanuba
This food is produced in the Netherlands. It belongs to the super-premium class. The main food ingredient is chicken meat (25% protein). In addition to standard types of food, the company specializes in medicinal ones aimed at combating diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems.
Our rating is 4 points out of 5.
Happy Dog
This food is marketed in two series: premium and super-premium. The country of origin is Germany. A special feature of this product is the presence of a unique bioformula that normalizes digestion and metabolism in the pet.
The degree of feed absorption reaches 90%. Our rating: 5 points out of 5.
Hills
This food has been produced by a well-known American company for more than half a century. The product line consists of three series: for puppies, for dogs from 1 to 6 years old, for dogs over 6 years old. The food contains all the minerals and nutrients the animal needs.
Our rating: 4 points out of 5.
Monge
This food has been produced by a well-known American company for more than half a century. The product line consists of three series: for puppies, for dogs from 1 to 6 years old, for dogs over 6 years old. The food contains all the minerals and nutrients the animal needs.
Our rating: 4 points out of 5.
Orijen
The country of origin of this product is Canada. The food contains only high-quality products. There are no cheap substitutes, frozen semi-finished products, as in some lower-level analogues.
Our rating: 4 points out of 5.
About the Plan
This food is produced in the USA. The product line covers all age groups. The composition of vitamins and nutrients is modeled depending on the needs of the animal. For example, food for puppies is high in calories. For older dogs, it contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals.
Our rating: 4 points out of 5.
Reviews from dog breeders about Oscar dog food
Svetlana. I have a beautiful Dogue de Bordeaux dog. He is already elderly, he will be 5 years old this year. We never fed him only dry food, we always combined it with cereal. I took Oscar’s domestic food to try, wondering if my dog would eat it. I immediately bought a large 13-kilogram pack - it turns out to be more profitable. The food has identical granules with a normal smell, and not too dry. My dog eats it with pleasure, but she completely refused Pedigree.
Feedback from owners about Oscar food is mixed: some recommend this food, others are dissatisfied with it.
I didn’t find any negative consequences from taking the food: no allergies, the coat is in good condition. I bought food for adult dogs of large breeds, but I also feed it to small and medium-sized yard dogs. They also eat it with pleasure. So I recommend this food as a budget and good quality option.
Natalia. I am the owner of two large dogs, so we use a lot of food. We mostly buy food that has been proven by experience, but this time we decided to try Oscar. I have always treated this food with distrust; the low cost and incomprehensible composition confused me. But a breeder I know constantly buys this food, so we decided to try it. In general, my conclusions are as follows: the food is complete nonsense, I will never buy such crap again. The biscuits are overdried and also smell of dust. It seems that there is no meat in the food at all. I don’t know how this food affects the coat and overall health, since I stopped using it. But it is a fact that dogs defecate in huge heaps. The yield is three times more than the dogs ate. I think the food is good for pets prone to constipation.
Features of pricing for this product
The low price of Oscar food is far from a sign of low quality; in fact, it is the result of a special policy pursued by manufacturers in order to make food more accessible to everyone. To achieve this, the following measures were taken:
- direct deliveries have been established from manufacturers of raw materials for feed, so the maximum delivery time has never exceeded 3 months;
- The company spends minimal funds on advertising, because approximately every third customer recommends these products to their friends. The company decided to follow in the footsteps of word of mouth, and this really made it popular;
Conclusions about Oscar dog food
Since most dog owners can't afford expensive food, cheap options like Oscar will always be in demand. It is important to remember one thing: you can feed your dog low-quality food for a long time and be completely satisfied, but in the long term the likelihood of developing health problems increases dramatically.
The low quality of Oscar food corresponds to its cost. The average price for a small 2 kg pack ranges from 170 to 310 rubles, and for a large 13 kg pack – from 1050 to 1450 rubles.
