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Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Salmon & Brown Rice Puppy Recipe Dry Dog Food, 24-lb bag
Natural Balance

Limited Ingredient Salmon & Brown Rice Puppy Recipe Dry Dog Food, 24-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $3.04/lb

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Salmon & Brown Rice Puppy Recipe Dry Dog Food, 24-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 59/100 (C) with Fair evidence. 1 controversial ingredient flagged. Primary concern: contains menadione. banned for human otc use but tolerated at aafco-permitted levels in pet food. the only aafco-permitted vitamin k source...

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Reasonable protein quality. salmon delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.

CQI

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

FQI

Contains menadione. Banned for human OTC use but tolerated at AAFCO-permitted levels in pet food. The only AAFCO-permitted vitamin K source..

CIP

Controversial ingredients · 2

  • menadione
    Synthetic vitamin K3. Banned in human supplements due to toxicity concerns at high doses. Permitted in pet food but premium brands use natural vitamin K alternatives.
  • 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: 27% ⓘ
Protein
24%
min (as fed)
Fat
12%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4.5%
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
    salmon

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

  2. 2
    fish meal

    Concentrated fish protein, usually whitefish, herring, or mackerel. Strong amino acid profile.

  3. 3
    brown rice

    Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.

  4. 4
    brewers rice

    Broken rice kernels left over from milling, usually destined for human beer-making. Cheaper than whole or even white rice. Same carbs, less nutrition than the brown version.

  5. 5
    rice

    Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.

  6. 6
    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.

  7. 7
    oat groats

    Whole oats with only the inedible hull removed. The most intact form of oats available.

  8. 8
    flaxseed

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

  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
    natural flavor

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

  11. 11
    salt

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

  12. 12
    salmon oil

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

  13. 13
    dl-methionine

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

  14. 14
    taurine

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

  15. 15
    vitamin e supplement

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

  16. 16
    ascorbic acid

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

  17. 17
    niacin supplement

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

  18. 18
    vitamin a supplement

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

  19. 19
    menadione Flagged

    Same as menadione sodium bisulfite complex. Synthetic K3, banned in human supplements but the only AAFCO-approved K source, which is why even premium brands use it. See why →

  20. 20
    thiamine mononitrate

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

  21. 21
    d-calcium pantothenate

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

  22. 22
    riboflavin supplement

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

  23. 23
    pyridoxine hydrochloride

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

  24. 24
    vitamin b12 supplement

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

  25. 25
    folic acid

    B vitamin (B9), essential for cell function. Standard in complete dog foods.

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.