Grain-Free Beef & Sweet Potato Formula Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag

1. 1

   beef

   Real meat. Dense in protein and iron. Some dogs are sensitive to it, but for most it's an excellent base.

   protein animal
2. 2

   lamb meal

   Lamb cooked down to a dry concentrate. Per pound, more protein than fresh lamb.

   protein animal
3. 3

   sweet potato

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

   vegetable
4. 4

   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 →

   legume
5. 5

   lentils

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

   legume
6. 6

   pea flour

   Powdered peas, usually used as a binder or filler. Counts toward the legume stack the FDA flagged.

   legume
7. 7

   canola oil

   Plant oil. Some omega-3 from the parent plant, though dogs absorb it less efficiently than fish-derived omega-3. Fine in moderation.

   fat
8. 8

   dried tomato pomace

   The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.

9. 9

   fish meal

   Concentrated fish protein, usually whitefish, herring, or mackerel. Strong amino acid profile.

   protein animal
10. 10

    natural flavor

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

    other
11. 11

    flaxseed

    Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.

    fat
12. 12

    salmon oil

    Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.

    fat
13. 13

    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

    mineral
14. 14

    dl-methionine

    Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.

    supplement
15. 15

    choline chloride

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

    supplement
16. 16

    taurine

    Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.

    supplement
17. 17

    dried chicory root

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

    fiber
18. 18

    yucca schidigera extract

    Plant extract added to reduce stool odor. Functional, not nutritional. Fine in trace amounts.

    supplement
19. 19

    tomatoes

    Real fruit. Lycopene and trace antioxidants. Different from tomato pomace, which is the fiber byproduct.

20. 20

    blueberries

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

    fruit
21. 21

    raspberries

    fruit
22. 22

    dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product

    probiotic
23. 23

    dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product

    probiotic
24. 24

    dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product

    A probiotic strain. Whether the dose is high enough to actually colonize is debated, but it's a real beneficial bacterium.

    probiotic
25. 25

    dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product

    probiotic

Showing first 25 of 47. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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