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Nulo Freestyle Senior Grain-Free Trout & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag
Nulo

Freestyle Senior Grain-Free Trout & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $3.46/lb

Nulo Freestyle Senior Grain-Free Trout & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 73/100 (B) with Fair evidence. 1 controversial ingredient flagged. Strong protein profile with trout as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Strong protein profile with trout as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.

PQI

Quality fat sources: named fat with declared fat sources.

FQI

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

STACK

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: 33% ⓘ
Protein
30%
min (as fed)
Fat
12%
min (as fed)
Fiber
5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

51 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    trout
  2. 2
    turkey meal

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

  3. 3
    salmon meal

    Salmon cooked into a dry concentrate. Carries both protein and natural omega-3s in one ingredient.

  4. 4
    lentils

    Same concern as peas. Affordable plant protein, but when they pile up in the top 5 ingredients, it's a flag. See why →

  5. 5
    chickpeas

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

  6. 6
    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 →

  7. 7
    sweet potato

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

  8. 8
    ground flaxseed

    Cracked flaxseed for better digestibility. Same plant omega-3s as whole flaxseed, just easier for the dog to extract.

  9. 9
    turkey

    Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.

  10. 10
    natural flavor

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

  11. 11
    chicken fat

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

  12. 12
    pea fiber

    Insoluble fiber from peas. Doesn't carry the protein-inflation concern of pea protein. Mostly there for stool quality.

  13. 13
    dried tomatoes

    Real fruit. Lycopene and trace antioxidants. Different from tomato pomace, which is the fiber byproduct.

  14. 14
    yeast culture

    Fermented yeast. Source of B vitamins and beta-glucans that some research suggests support immune function.

  15. 15
    potassium chloride

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

  16. 16
    salt

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

  17. 17
    dried chicory root

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

  18. 18
    choline chloride

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

  19. 19
    l-carnitine

    Amino acid derivative that helps the body convert fat into energy. Common in weight-management formulas.

  20. 20
    taurine

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

  21. 21
    vitamin e supplement

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

  22. 22
    dl-methionine

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

  23. 23
    blueberries

    Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.

  24. 24
    dried apple

    Whole apple with the moisture removed. Real fruit, fiber, modest nutrition contribution.

  25. 25
    carrots

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

Showing first 25 of 51. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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