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Halo Chicken & Salmon Recipe Grain-Free Small Breed Canned Dog Food, 5.5-oz, case of 12
Halo

Chicken & Salmon Recipe Grain-Free Small Breed Canned Dog Food, 5.5-oz, case of 12

Evidence Fair
wet $6.79/lb

Halo Chicken & Salmon Recipe Grain-Free Small Breed Canned Dog Food, 5.5-oz, case of 12 earns a Sniff Score of 58/100 (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

Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.

PQI

Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).

FQI

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 guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..

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: 43% ⓘ
Protein
9.5%
min (as fed)
Fat
5%
min (as fed)
Fiber
1.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
78%
max

Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 43%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).

Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

34 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    chicken

    Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.

  2. 2
    chicken broth

    Real broth, adds flavor and moisture. Negligible nutrition on its own but tells you the recipe leans on real meat.

  3. 3
    chicken liver

    Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.

  4. 4
    salmon

    Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.

  5. 5
    carrots

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

  6. 6
    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 →

  7. 7
    dried egg whites

    Pure egg-white protein, no yolk. Very high amino acid quality.

  8. 8
    guar gum

    Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet.

  9. 9
    potassium chloride

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

  10. 10
    salt

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

  11. 11
    zinc amino acid chelate

    Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.

  12. 12
    iron amino acid chelate

    Iron bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.

  13. 13
    copper amino acid chelate

    Copper bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus copper sulfate.

  14. 14
    manganese amino acid chelate

    Manganese bound to amino acids for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.

  15. 15
    sodium selenite Flagged

    Inorganic selenium. Effective at AAFCO levels, no documented safety concern in dogs despite what some pet food blogs claim. Selenium yeast is a marginal upgrade, not a necessity. See why →

  16. 16
    cobalt amino acid chelate

    Cobalt bound to amino acids for better absorption. Trace mineral needed for B12 synthesis.

  17. 17
    potassium iodide

    Source of iodine, an essential trace mineral for thyroid function. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.

  18. 18
    agar-agar

    Seaweed-derived gel used as a thickener. Functional alternative to carrageenan, generally well-tolerated.

  19. 19
    salmon oil

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

  20. 20
    flaxseed oil
  21. 21
    vitamin e supplement

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

  22. 22
    thiamine mononitrate

    B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.

  23. 23
    niacin supplement

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

  24. 24
    d-calcium pantothenate

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

  25. 25
    vitamin a supplement

    Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.

Showing first 25 of 34. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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