Skip to main content
Sniff
Darford Zero/G Free Run Chicken Recipe Limited Ingredients Dry Dog Food, 4.4-lb bag
Darford

Zero/G Free Run Chicken Recipe Limited Ingredients Dry Dog Food, 4.4-lb bag

Evidence Fair
dry $8.17/lb

Darford Zero/G Free Run Chicken Recipe Limited Ingredients Dry Dog Food, 4.4-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 58/100 (C) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Reasonable protein quality. deboned chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Named fresh meat paired with same-species meal, a strong extrusion architecture.

STACK

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

Controversial ingredients · 1

  • sodium selenite
    Synthetic selenium source. Selenium is essential, but sodium selenite has a narrower safety margin than organic alternatives like selenium yeast. Better-formulated foods use the organic form.

Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 33% ⓘ
Protein
30%
min (as fed)
Fat
14%
min (as fed)
Fiber
6%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

43 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    deboned chicken

    Real meat with the bones removed before grinding. The cleanest version of chicken on an ingredient label.

  2. 2
    chicken meal

    Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken.

  3. 3
    lentils

    Same concern as peas. Affordable plant protein, but when they pile up in the top 5 ingredients, it's a flag. See why →

  4. 4
    sweet potato

    Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.

  5. 5
    peas

    Cheap protein bulk. Fine in small amounts, but when peas stack with lentils and chickpeas in the top ingredients, it's the pattern the FDA flagged in its heart-disease investigation. See why →

  6. 6
    potato

    Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.

  7. 7
    chicken fat

    Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid.

  8. 8
    flaxseeds

    Plural form, same as flaxseed. Plant source of omega-3, helpful for skin and coat.

  9. 9
    natural flavor

    Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.

  10. 10
    blueberries

    Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.

  11. 11
    cranberries

    Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.

  12. 12
    sunflower oil

    Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.

  13. 13
    calcium carbonate

    Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.

  14. 14
    dried chicory root

    Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.

  15. 15
    dried bacillus
  16. 16
    lactobacillus acidophilus
  17. 17
    enterococcus faecium
  18. 18
    bifidobacterium animalis
  19. 19
    bifidobacterium bifidum
  20. 20
    dried bacillus fermentation product
  21. 21
    choline chloride

    Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  22. 22
    vitamin e supplement

    Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.

  23. 23
    niacin supplement

    B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.

  24. 24
    thiamin mononitrate
  25. 25
    d-calcium pantothenate

    B vitamin (B5). Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

Showing first 25 of 43. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

18 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.