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Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Reserve Grain-Free Duck & Potato Puppy Recipe Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag
Natural Balance

Limited Ingredient Reserve Grain-Free Duck & Potato Puppy Recipe Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $3.64/lb

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Reserve Grain-Free Duck & Potato Puppy Recipe Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 66/100 (B) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Reasonable protein quality. duck delivers solid amino acid coverage..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Reasonable protein quality. duck delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

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

FQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.

CQI

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
12%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

42 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    duck

    Real meat. Often used as a novel protein for dogs with sensitivities to chicken or beef.

  2. 2
    duck meal

    Duck cooked into a dry concentrate. Per pound, more protein than fresh duck.

  3. 3
    potato

    Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.

  4. 4
    sweet potato

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

  5. 5
    tapioca starch

    Refined cassava starch, used as a binder. Easy to digest, low on nutrition.

  6. 6
    potato protein

    Concentrated potato protein. Like pea protein, it inflates the protein number without matching meat-quality amino acids.

  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.

  8. 8
    brewers dried yeast

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

  9. 9
    natural flavor

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

  10. 10
    flaxseed

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

  11. 11
    dicalcium phosphate

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

  12. 12
    menhaden fish oil

    Omega-3 from menhaden, a small oily fish. Same skin and coat support as salmon oil.

  13. 13
    salt

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

  14. 14
    potassium chloride

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

  15. 15
    dl-methionine

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

  16. 16
    taurine

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

  17. 17
    vitamin e supplement

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

  18. 18
    ascorbic acid

    Vitamin C. Pulls double duty as a natural antioxidant preservative.

  19. 19
    niacin supplement

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

  20. 20
    vitamin a supplement

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

  21. 21
    thiamine mononitrate

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

  22. 22
    d-calcium pantothenate

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

  23. 23
    riboflavin supplement

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

  24. 24
    pyridoxine hydrochloride

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

  25. 25
    vitamin b12 supplement

    Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.

Showing first 25 of 42. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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