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Nulo Frontrunner Ancient Grains Chicken, Oats & Turkey Puppy Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag
Nulo

Frontrunner Ancient Grains Chicken, Oats & Turkey Puppy Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $2.84/lb

Nulo Frontrunner Ancient Grains Chicken, Oats & Turkey Puppy Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 79/100 (A) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Strong protein profile with deboned chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

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

PQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

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

FQI

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: 30% ⓘ
Protein
27%
min (as fed)
Fat
16%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

47 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    deboned chicken

    Real meat with the bones removed before grinding. The cleanest version of chicken on an ingredient label.

  2. 2
    chicken meal

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

  3. 3
    oats

    Whole grain. Steady energy, soluble fiber, and well-tolerated by most dogs.

  4. 4
    barley

    Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.

  5. 5
    brown rice

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

  6. 6
    turkey meal

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

  7. 7
    chicken fat

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

  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
    millet

    Gluten-free whole grain. Fine for most dogs, often used as an alternative to rice.

  12. 12
    ground miscanthus grass

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

  13. 13
    brewers dried yeast

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

  14. 14
    salmon oil

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

  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 egg product

    Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.

  18. 18
    blueberries

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

  19. 19
    dried apples

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

  20. 20
    dried chicory root

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

  21. 21
    dl-methionine

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

  22. 22
    chloine chloride
  23. 23
    taurine

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

  24. 24
    calcium carbonate

    Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.

  25. 25
    zinc proteinate

    Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.

Showing first 25 of 47. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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