Stockman & Paddock Dog Food

The Stockman & Paddock Dog Food Review: Tested & Evaluated 2024

Written By Eloisa Thomas | Canine Coach, Double M.A in Anthropology.
Edited & Fact Checked By Renae Soppe | B.A Journalism & Science. 
Last Updated: 12th January 2024

Looking for Australian-made dog food? Then today’s Stockman and Paddock dog food review is for you: our experts have analysed the pros and cons of these recipes, so you can make an informed choice. Here’s what you should know about this food:

  • Stockman and Paddock have been producing pet food for 20+ years from NSW
  • Two recipes are available: traditional high-performance kibble and grain-free kibble.
  • With a minimum of 26% protein, it’s a decent kibble option for a great price.

Quick Pick - Our Best Rated Dog Food

Petzyo Dog Food

Our Number 1 Pick
Petzyo Dog Food

  • Ethically sourced Kangaroo, Chicken or Salmon, sweet potato & superfood extras
  • Iron-rich & low fat proteins
  • Three Omega 3 and 6 rich oils with a well balanced 11% fat content
  • Made in Australia


Australia's Stockman & Paddock Dog Food Review

Stockman and Paddock - 3.5 Star Rating

  • Ingredients: High-performance working dog recipe: Australian Beef Meal, Australian Wheat, Australian Wheat Meal, Australian Hydrolysed Chicken Protein, Australian Beef Fat, Beet Pulp, Natural Flavour, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Flaxseeds, Dry Chicory Root, Choline Chloride, Essential Vitamins (A, D, E, B1, B6, niacin, riboflavin, folic acid, B12) and Minerals (zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, selenium) and Antioxidants
  • Named Protein First: Yes.
  • Dog Food Type: Traditional and grain-free kibble
  • Recipe Range: High-performance and grain-free
  • Suitable For: Adult dogs (no puppy-specific recipe)
  • Cost: $$
  • Australian Owned: Yes.


Taste

Ingredients

Protein content

Additives

Variety

Price

Stockman and Paddock are an Australian company that has been manufacturing dog food from New South Wales for over two decades. According to their slogan, their products are "Aussie food for Aussie dogs”. But is it worth putting into your regular rotation? Here’s what you need to know about this local brand:

Taste 4/5

This kibble seems to fare well in the taste department. Most pups enjoy the food and we haven’t noted any specific complaints from owners. Considering the relatively high place of animal-based products on the list, it’s very likely this kibble is on the tastier side. The use of animal fats is also a great flavouring agent. Unless your dog has a specific aversion to beef-flavoured kibble, they’ll likely enjoy this product. 

Stockman and Paddock dog food does mention “natural flavour” in their ingredient list. This can be a controversial ingredient: flavourings in dog food are barely regulated in Australia [1]. However, all kibble (traditional and grain-free) has either natural or artificial flavourings. Of the two, natural flavourings are the better choice: they are generally a mix of oils, fresh meat and other by-products that make kibble more appetising [2]. We would prefer if the flavourings were disclosed, but as of writing this article it’s very unusual for manufacturers to mention specific flavours used.

All in all, this kibble seems appetising for most dogs. We’re giving this brand 4 out of 5 in this category.

Ingredients 3/5

This brand only has two recipes on sale: the high-performance working dog recipe and the standard beef grain-free dog food. Since they have some important differences, we’ll look at both of them.

The high-performance recipe is marketed towards working dogs. Technically, it’s supposed to be high-protein to appropriately fuel adult dogs with physically demanding jobs. Because of its purpose, we were surprised to see the guaranteed analysis: a minimum of 26% crude protein and 16% fat. This is simply not enough!

According to the vets at VCA Animal Hospitals, working dogs need more protein and fat than most. Working Aussie dogs are expected to run for hours herding cattle in the sun, meaning they are endurance athletes. As such, they need food with a fat percentage of 25% to 35%, carbs in the low or mid 30% range and protein in the 35% to 30% range [3]. Surprisingly, the grain-free recipe has a slightly better profile: minimum crude protein stands at 28%, with a minimum of 18% fat. If we had to feed a working dog, the grain-free recipe is the better option without a huge change in price.

On top of the weak protein and fat proportion, these two recipes are relatively high in carbs. The high-performance food features wheat AND wheat meal as the second and third ingredients. Why would these two ingredients be so close together? In fact, this is a sneaky tactic called “ingredient splitting” used by many pet food manufacturers to make a recipe look better. Ingredient splitting is common when putting the ingredient whole (in this case, “wheat”), which would cause it to move higher on the list. Considering the first 2 to 5 ingredients in most dog foods are roughly in the same proportion, it’s obvious this recipe is wheat-based instead of meat-based. The grain-free recipe fares slightly better: among the first 5 ingredients, only two are plant-based: peas (in second position), and sweet potato (in fifth). Carbs in dog food aren’t necessarily bad. Although they need a protein-based diet, dogs are omnivorous creatures and need a small percentage of carbs. But these should not be the main macronutrient in their diet, as it is in the current Stockman and Paddock recipes.

It’s worth it to note that, although these recipes cannot compare to the high-protein, low-carb composition of very high-end air-dried dog food, they are pretty nice for being regular kibble recipes. Even though the traditional kibble process necessitates more starch-based ingredients than other dog food types, this brand managed to still go well above the bare minimum nutritional requirements. It’s still miles ahead of many supermarket dog foods, so we’re giving Stockman and Paddock 3 out of 5.

Protein content 3/5

Both Stockman and Paddock dog food recipes use beef as the main protein. Beef is a great source of healthy protein for dogs, so unless your dog has an allergy, it’s always a good option. Both recipes also have hydrolysed chicken meal, a form of rendered chicken muscle meat that is very rich in protein. The addition of chicken does mean neither of the recipes are single-protein, but that’s not a concern for most dog owners

When it comes to the actual protein percentages, as we mentioned above, this kibble is better than many at this price point. The grain-free recipe is definitely higher quality, but both offer a minimum of 26% protein (28% for the grain-free) well above many kibbles we’ve reviewed and the minimum AAFCO requirements (18%).

It’s worth it to mention that the total protein in both recipes is bumped up with vegetable ingredients. The wheat in the working dog recipe and the hydrolysed peas in the grain-free option are high-protein ingredients that affect the final calculations. Considering their place on the list, it’s very likely the actual vegetable protein is at least a third, if not half, of the calculated protein. It would be nicer to have more animal protein in these recipes, but it’s understandable considering the price.

On a positive note, our team appreciated the use of Australian meat. Supporting local businesses is important, so it’s always nice to see manufacturers that care about a shorter production chain.

This brand does well enough in the protein category: we’re taking two stars because of the lack of variety and the prominent role of pea and wheat protein in these recipes.

Additives 4/5

Stockman and Paddock recipes are short and sweet, which is a positive! There are a few extras beyond the basic ingredients:

  • Salmon oil and flaxseed: Rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, these two ingredients add healthy fats that promote digestion and skin health.
  • Prebiotics: Prebiotics are fibre that feeds healthy gut bacteria. Both Stockman and Paddock dog food recipes have chicory root and beet pulp, rich in inulin that benefits a healthy gut microbiome. According to the latest research, inulin can also help prevent diabetes by controlling blood sugar levels [4].
  • Vitamins and minerals: This brand includes a multivitamin in their recipes, likely from a powdered mix. None of the compounds are chelated, but this is not a surprise given the affordable price point.
  • Antioxidants: The final “extra ingredient” on the list is probably the only questionable one. All dog foods have antioxidants: it’s the only way to make them shelf stable. However, we would have liked to see which antioxidants were used, or at least whether they are natural or artificial. The Australian pet food industry has been through a few scandals related to the use of sulphites as preservatives in dog food, which in some cases has led to dangerous taurine deficiency [5]. It is unclear which preservatives are used in Stockman and Paddock recipes, so we’re taking off 2 stars because of it.

The short ingredient list means there are few extras, but we’re mostly happy with the Omega-3s and probiotics added. The only negative is the antioxidants, that are not spelled out. Therefore, Stockman and Paddock score 3 out of 5 in this category.

Variety 2/5

If you were hoping for a Stockman and Paddock puppy food review, this is not it. As of the writing of this article, this brand only offers two recipes geared towards adult dogs. Considering the guaranteed analysis, you could technically offer either of these recipes to puppies if portioned according to their size. However, puppy recipes generally have a smaller kibble size and are fortified in calcium and iron for stronger bones, which these recipes don’t offer. We would recommend sticking to puppy-specific food and giving Stockman and Paddock dog food to adult dogs only.

On the other hand, both recipes are based on beef with some chicken ingredients. This is a relatively limited flavour profile, especially if your dog prefers some variety in their food.

Finally, Stockman and Paddock only come in 20 bags. The larger size is great if you’re feeding a large dog or several pups. But if you’re feeding a small pup that doesn’t eat much, 20 kilograms will last way longer than needed and might get stale if stored improperly. It would be nice to have a smaller size available for those cases, or if you simply don’t have the room to store a large bag.

Because of these shortcomings, we’re taking off 3 stars in the variety category.

Price 5/5

This kibble has a great price, especially considering the protein percentage. Even though the 20 kg size could be slightly too big for some, it does ensure a lower price per kilogram. Overall, this brand offers a reasonable price-to-quality ratio.

The two recipes have significantly different prices: the grain-free option is 50% more expensive than the high-performance one. However, considering the ingredient list, protein percentage and the large amount of wheat in the high-performance recipe, getting grain-free is worth it. All things considered and compared with other mid-range options in the market, the grain-free recipe has a better profile.

Considering these factors, we’re giving this brand 5 out of 5 in this category.


Do Not Buy If…

These recipes can be a great fit for many dogs, but keep looking if you:

  • Have a dog allergic to beef or poultry: Unfortunately, none of the recipes have uncommon proteins. If your dog is allergic to beef or poultry they wouldn’t be able to munch on this kibble. Look for something with fish or kangaroo if your dog has been diagnosed with food intolerances to common proteins.
  • Want to feed raw: These are traditional kibble recipes, meaning they are baked twice throughout the manufacturing process. All the ingredients are thoroughly cooked before getting to your dog’s bowl, so there is nothing raw about these. We’ve done a review on Australian raw dog food brands here.
  • Don’t want to supplement for specific needs: The short ingredient list means there are no weird additives, but also leaves some room for improvement. Some dog foods are a one-stop-shop and include extra goodies like turmeric, kelp and green lipped mussels. If you feed this food, you might have to add some extra supplements to fulfil your dog’s needs.

  1. How is the pet food industry regulated in Australia?” RSPCA Knowledge Base. Retrieved April 5th, 2023. https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/how-is-the-pet-food-industry-regulated-in-australia/
  2. Natural flavourings in dog food”. All About Dog Food. Retrieved April 5th, 2023. https://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/dog-food-ingredients/0111/natural-flavourings
  3. Hunter, T., Downing R. “Nutritional needs of performance dogs”. VCA Animal Hospitals. Retrieved April 5th, 2023. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/nutritional-needs-of-performance-dogs
  4. Nishimura, M. at al July 2015. “Effects of the extract from roasted chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) root containing inulin-type fructans on blood glucose, lipid metabolism, and faecal properties- Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, 5(3), 161–167. Retrieved Aptil 5th, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcme.2014.11.016
  5. Are preservatives in pet food products a concern?”. RSPCA Knowledge Base. Retreived April 5th, 2023. https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/are-preservatives-in-pet-food-products-a-concern/

Eloisa Thomas


Eloisa Thomas is Gentle Dog Trainers Canine Coach & Anthropologist.

With a double master's degree in Anthropology and awarded a Chancellor's International Scholarship to pursue a PhD in History at the University of Warwick (UK), she's well equipped to write well written and factual canine information that will actually help people understand their dogs better.

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