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Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch Herring Meal & Vegetables Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag
Earthborn Holistic

Coastal Catch Herring Meal & Vegetables Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag

Evidence Fair
dry $2.68/lb

Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch Herring Meal & Vegetables Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 57/100 (C) with Fair evidence. 1 controversial ingredient flagged. Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Reasonable protein quality. herring meal delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.

STACK

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10..

CIP

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: 36% ⓘ
Protein
32%
min (as fed)
Fat
19%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

37 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    herring meal

    Concentrated herring with the water removed. Carries protein and omega-3s in one ingredient.

  2. 2
    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 →

  3. 3
    pea protein

    Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.

  4. 4
    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.

  5. 5
    tapioca

    Starch from cassava root. Highly digestible energy source, but pure starch with minimal nutrition beyond that.

  6. 6
    flaxseed

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

  7. 7
    dried yeast

    Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.

  8. 8
    pea starch

    Refined starch from peas, mostly carbs after the protein is removed. Counts toward the legume stack the FDA examined.

  9. 9
    pumpkin

    Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.

  10. 10
    sweet potato

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

  11. 11
    dried egg

    Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label, by amino acid score.

  12. 12
    natural flavor

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

  13. 13
    salmon meal

    Salmon cooked into a dry concentrate. Carries both protein and natural omega-3s in one ingredient.

  14. 14
    alaska pollock meal
  15. 15
    whiting meal
  16. 16
    apples

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

  17. 17
    blueberries

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

  18. 18
    carrots

    Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.

  19. 19
    cranberries

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

  20. 20
    spinach

    Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.

  21. 21
    dried chicory root

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

  22. 22
    choline
  23. 23
    salt

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

  24. 24
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  25. 25
    taurine

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

Showing first 25 of 37. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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