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Lucy Pet Products Salmon, Pumpkin & Quinoa Small Bites Dog Food, 4.5-lbs bag
Lucy Pet Products

Salmon, Pumpkin & Quinoa Small Bites Dog Food, 4.5-lbs bag

Evidence Fair
dry $5.78/lb

Lucy Pet Products Salmon, Pumpkin & Quinoa Small Bites Dog Food, 4.5-lbs bag earns a Sniff Score of 56/100 (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

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

FQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

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: 28% ⓘ
Protein
25%
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.

45 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    salmon

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

  2. 2
    menhaden fish meal dried chickpeas
  3. 3
    dried 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 →

  4. 4
    pea starch

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

  5. 5
    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.

  6. 6
    pumpkin

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

  7. 7
    quinoa

    Pseudo-grain with a complete amino acid profile. Rare in dog food because it's expensive.

  8. 8
    carrots

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

  9. 9
    ground miscanthus grass

    Same as miscanthus grass. A plant fiber source, mostly there for stool quality.

  10. 10
    natural flavor

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

  11. 11
    salmon oil

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

  12. 12
    flaxseeds

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

  13. 13
    dried chicory root

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

  14. 14
    dl-methionine

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

  15. 15
    salt

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

  16. 16
    potassium chloride

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

  17. 17
    dried kelp

    Natural source of iodine and trace minerals. A common premium-brand inclusion.

  18. 18
    choline chloride

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

  19. 19
    vitamin e supplement

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

  20. 20
    niacin supplement

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

  21. 21
    d-calcium pantothenate

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

  22. 22
    vitamin a supplement

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

  23. 23
    riboflavin supplement

    B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.

  24. 24
    thiamine mononitrate

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

  25. 25
    pyridoxine hydrochloride

    B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.

Showing first 25 of 45. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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