A Look at Ol’ Roy Dog Food by Wal-Mart

Until her untimely passing in April of 2003, Mary Joe, my Labrador retriever, hardly ever ate canned dog food. She started out by eating Purina Puppy Chow until she stopped liking it, then moved on to Iams Puppy Formula, then – with the exception of a few instances when she had to eat special vet-approved canned food during her illness – she ate Eukanuba Lamb and Rice Formula almost exclusively. We preferred to give her dry food for various reasons: it is sometimes healthier, especially for a dog’s teeth, and it’s less unpleasant to serve, since many canned dog foods have a strong odor and a somewhat icky consistency.

As an occasional pet-sitter, however, I have had to feed my canine charges the food their owners buy for them. More often than not it’s dry food, but every so often there’s some canned food thrown in the mix, so to speak.

Currently (May 2006), I am taking care of my neighbor Elena’s Labrador-husky mix Laika while her owner is away on a Mediterranean cruise. One of her son’s co-workers was supposed to go in the mornings to feed Laika and a handful of stray cats Elena has “adopted,” but from what I see, I’m the one who’s taking on all the food-related duties. So not only do I make sure Laika isn’t lonely and that she gets walked, petted, and brought over to my house for at least six or seven hours, but I have to make sure all the food bowls have something for the small menagerie.

Although Elena has several cans of “wet” dog food from Pedigree, she left more than six cans of the cheaper but equally nutritional Ol’ Roy brand from WalMart, including a can of Ol’ Roy Hearty Cuts In Gravy Country Stew Flavor.

Named after the late Sam Walton’s bird dog (whose portrait graces the label), Ol’ Roy Hearty Cuts In Gravy Country Stew Flavor is just one of several flavors in this more affordable (at 41 cents a can) brand of dog food.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect from a “cheap” in-store brand of canned dog food; even though WalMart’s Sam’s Choice of “people food” is of top-notch quality, I’ve had enough disappointments with such “low-priced” brands as Thrifty Maid and Country Kitchen that I am skittish about almost anything that is not from major brands. However, I need not have worried, because from the moment I opened the can of Ol’ Roy Hearty Cuts In Gravy Country Stew Flavor, I knew it was a good product.

Ol’ Roy Hearty Cuts In Gravy Country Stew Flavor: My Experience With the Product: Ol’ Roy Hearty Cuts In Gravy Country Stew Flavor comes in 13.2-oz. cans (almost a full pound) with lift-tab removable lids, which are convenient because they don’t require the use of a can opener. This is a plus since one of the reasons I preferred dry food to canned was that old-style cans were harder to open. Another plus is that if you have the right size of rubber or plastic lids, you can safely refrigerate unused portions of Ol’ Roy Hearty Cuts In Gravy Country Stew Flavor in the original container

When I opened the can I was expecting my nose to be assailed by strong “dog food” smells; this has always been one of the big turn-offs for me when I’ve taken on other dogs whose owners buy Alpo or other brands of canned dog food. To my surprise, Ol’ Roy Hearty Cuts In Gravy Country Stew Flavor smells a bit more pleasant (to humans) than expected; it smells meaty, yes, but not cloyingly so, and it looks a heckuva lot like Dinty Moore Beef Stew, down to the bits of carrots and green peas (but no potatoes!).

Because Laika isn’t exactly a lapdog, I served her the entitre 13.2-oz. can in her metal bowl. At first she was somewhat reluctant to go eat; this was at her house and she badly needed more affection and human attention than anything at that moment, so basically she ignored it for 20 minutes or so. Later, though, she finally sidled up to her food bowl, sniffed at the Ol’ Roy Hearty Cuts In Gravy Country Stew Flavor, then took a tentative bite…then two….then three, until at long last she was happily eating away. (She didn’t clear the bowl in one sitting, but by the time I went to check in on Laika several hours later, the dish was mostly clean…)

Final Thoughts It goes without saying that any comment about how yummy this Ol’ Roy Hearty Cuts In Gravy Country Stew Flavor stuff is based on observation rather than, um, personal experience. However, if Laika’s tail-wagging and “this is delicious” expressions are any indication, then pet owners can rest assured that this WalMart product is as good as the pricier name brands available in supermarkets and pet supply stores.

Nutritional Information

Ingredients

Water sufficient for processing, poultry, meat by-products, wheat flour, wheat gluten, peas, salt, carrots, guar gum, caramel color, potassium cholride, sodium tripolyphosphate, onion extract, carrageenan, garlic powder, vitamins (A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, D-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), steamed bone meal, minerals (ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), iron oxide, Yellow 6, sodium nitrate, (for color retention), Yellow 5.

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein (Min): 8%
Crude Fat (Min): 3%
Crude Fiber (Max): 1%
Moisture (Max): 82%

Recommended:
Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 0.41 @ can