The human body is a complex system and what we put in our bodies is key to keeping us happy and healthy. The same goes for our canine companions, if not more so. Bird dogs are bred to be athletes, and athletes need the correct fuel to keep them at their peak performance.
Selecting the best nutrition for your dog can be complex and confusing to most dog owners. There are a multitude of ingredients to review and choices to make, from different protein inclusions, grain or grain-free options, and understanding the different veggies or starches used—with so much to consider, a trip to a pet store can be overwhelming.
Ingredients are key, but where those ingredients come from, how they help fuel performance, and how dog food is quality tested before it reaches your dog’s bowl is also of utmost importance. Here’s how VICTOR® Super Premium Pet Food (VICTOR) is changing the game when it comes to quality ingredients for your sporting breed.
Locally Sourced Ingredients When it comes to food, people want to know where the food they’re eating comes from. Being able to “shop local” is something VICTOR prides itself on.
Texas is not only the home of the Alamo, but also to hundreds of cattle ranches and farms—as well as the VICTOR plant. Being manufactured in Mt. Pleasant, Texas gives VICTOR a leg up when it comes to sourcing fresh ingredients.
“Well over 80 percent of ingredients we put in our dog food are sourced from within a day’s drive of our plant,” says Michael Keith, VICTOR’s Senior Vice President of Nutrition and Supply Chain. “A lot of people want to know where their food comes from, and it gives them great confidence that many of the ingredients backing our formulas are from our own backyard.”
Chicken farms sit just six miles from the plant, while fish are sourced from the nearby Gulf of Mexico. Beef, the most common protein found in VICTOR formulas, is just a day’s drive from their facility. Additionally, the VICTOR plant sits in the middle of a grain sorghum state, making it easy to source the most common grain utilized in VICTOR’s dog food.
Every ingredient in VICTOR formulas serves a nutritional purpose, and at the end of the day, these ingredients help differentiate VICTOR, along with their proprietary VPRO® Blend. This is a unique blend of supplements, vitamins, and minerals that VICTOR has developed to deliver four key nutrients to your dog: selenium yeast, mineral complexes, prebiotics, and probiotics.
Each of the carefully selected nutrients in the VPRO® Blend work to help maximize your dog’s genetic potential and keep them running healthy, both inside and out. (Photo By: Kali Parmley) The selenium yeast helps your dog’s metabolism and cellular regeneration; minerals such as zinc and iron help keep your dog’s immune system strong while promoting joint health. Prebiotics help with healthy digestion while probiotics provide healthy bacteria to your dog’s gut to aid in digestion and provide your dog with a strong immune system.
“Every ingredient we use serves a purpose for your dog’s overall health and development,” says Keith. “We’re unique in that we are using the most bio-available forms of these ingredients and using them at or above the research recommended rate. We focus on the data and follow the science to help us deliver the best nutrition for dogs.”
Guaranteed Quality Unbeknownst to most, dog food is quality tested as much, if not more, than human food before it even comes close to your dog’s mouth. For VICTOR, quality testing begins early. Each raw material used by VICTOR is tested before it is even accepted into the facility. From there, each ingredient undergoes multiple stages of quality testing throughout the production process and the finished product is tested before it is shipped.
This rigorous testing has earned VICTOR certification from the Global Food Safety Initiative for positive scores within their Safe Quality Food (SQF) program, an international set of standards for food safety.
With food safety a top priority, VICTOR tests both raw materials and finished diets to pass on only the highest quality products to your sporting dog. (Photo By: Kali Parmley) “We test our products every step of the way,” says Keith. “When a truck arrives at our facility, the contents are tested. When we pull ingredients, they’re tested. When the kibble is finished, we test it. We can’t control everything, but what we can do is make sure that we create an environment that allows us to provide a reliable, super premium product for the pets we’re entrusted to feed.”
A Blend for Every Dog VICTOR’s high-quality ingredients and VPRO® Blend is found in every bag produced by the Texas-based company.
With a deep history of producing formulas that are perfect for working dogs, sporting breeds and park enthusiasts alike, VICTOR knows that retaining high-endurance and health in your dog from puppy-hood to adult age is a key goal for pet parents.
Calorie-dense blends such as the Realtree® EDGE ENERGY fuels your active adult dog with 85 percent protein from beef, fish, and duck to keep your dog running strong for multiple days of hard hunting. VICTOR’s Hi-Pro Plus formula is perfect for young pups, nursing females and adult dogs with energy coming from 88 percent of protein derived from meat sources (30 percent protein, 20 percent fat) in this nutritionally complete blend.
At the end of the day, no matter which VICTOR kibble formula you select, your dog will reap the benefits of their VPRO® Blend and its four key nutrients. “Performance is not always run faster or jump higher,” explains Keith. “It’s also gestation, recovery, endurance and more. All of the ingredients we utilize in VPRO help maximize the genetic potential of your dog. So you’re not just getting a better performance out of your dog, you’re also making a positive impact on their overall health.”