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Natural Balance Specialized Nutrition Small Breed Digestive & Joint Health Adult Chicken & Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food, 12-lb bag
Natural Balance

Specialized Nutrition Small Breed Digestive & Joint Health Adult Chicken & Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food, 12-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $4.17/lb

Natural Balance Specialized Nutrition Small Breed Digestive & Joint Health Adult Chicken & Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food, 12-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 75/100 (A) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

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

FQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable 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: 27% ⓘ
Protein
24%
min (as fed)
Fat
14%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

55 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 meal

    Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken.

  3. 3
    oatmeal

    Gentle on the stomach. Slow-release carbs and soluble fiber that supports stool quality.

  4. 4
    sorghum

    Whole grain with a low glycemic index. Gluten-free, well-tolerated, decent fiber content.

  5. 5
    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.

  6. 6
    chickpeas

    Also called garbanzo beans. Affordable plant protein source, part of the legume stack the FDA examined in its heart-disease investigation. See why →

  7. 7
    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 →

  8. 8
    pumpkin

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

  9. 9
    chicken fat

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

  10. 10
    turkey meal

    Turkey with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh turkey.

  11. 11
    chicken bone broth
  12. 12
    flaxseed

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

  13. 13
    brown rice

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

  14. 14
    sweet potato

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

  15. 15
    dried plain beet pulp

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

  16. 16
    natural flavor

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

  17. 17
    salmon oil

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

  18. 18
    dried chicory root

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

  19. 19
    malted barley flour
  20. 20
    vitamin e supplement

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

  21. 21
    ascorbic acid

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

  22. 22
    niacin supplement

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

  23. 23
    vitamin a supplement

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

  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
    d-calcium pantothenate

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

Showing first 25 of 55. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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