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Iams Proactive Health Large Breed Adult with Real Chicken Dry Dog Food, 30-lb bag
Iams

Proactive Health Large Breed Adult with Real Chicken Dry Dog Food, 30-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $1.57/lb

Iams Proactive Health Large Breed Adult with Real Chicken Dry Dog Food, 30-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 71/100 (B) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance.

ACF

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

STACK

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: 25% ⓘ
Protein
22.5%
min (as fed)
Fat
12.5%
min (as fed)
Fiber
5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

30 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
    barley

    Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.

  3. 3
    ground whole grain corn

    Whole corn with the kernel intact. Decent fiber and B vitamins, though it can crowd out meat in cheaper recipes.

  4. 4
    chicken by-product meal

    Ground organs, bone, and tissue. Nutritionally dense, especially the liver and gizzard fractions. Named species ('chicken') is what matters. Generic 'poultry by-product meal' is the one to worry about.

  5. 5
    ground whole grain sorghum
  6. 6
    soybean meal

    Concentrated soy protein. Cheap plant protein that pads the label number, common in budget formulas.

  7. 7
    dried plain beet pulp

    Beet fiber, with the sugar removed. Long unfairly maligned. It's a real soluble fiber that supports stool quality.

  8. 8
    natural flavor

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

  9. 9
    brewers dried yeast

    Yeast left over from brewing. Rich in B vitamins and amino acids. A traditional and well-tolerated inclusion.

  10. 10
    dried egg product

    Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.

  11. 11
    chicken fat

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

  12. 12
    flaxseed

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

  13. 13
    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 →

  14. 14
    caramel color

    Artificial coloring made by heating sugars. Cosmetic. Some forms contain trace 4-MEI, a compound the IARC lists as possibly carcinogenic.

  15. 15
    dl-methionine

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

  16. 16
    potassium chloride

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

  17. 17
    fructooligosaccharides

    Prebiotic fiber, often called FOS. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria, similar in function to inulin.

  18. 18
    choline chloride

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

  19. 19
    dicalcium phosphate

    Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.

  20. 20
    carrots

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

  21. 21
    mixed tocopherol
  22. 22
    citric acid

    Natural antioxidant preservative. Helps keep fats from going rancid.

  23. 23
    ferrous sulfate

    Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.

  24. 24
    zinc oxide

    Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.

  25. 25
    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 →

Showing first 25 of 30. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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