Breed Health Nutrition German Shepherd Adult 5+ Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag

1. 1

   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.

2. 2

   corn

   Whole corn is more nutritious than it gets credit for, with decent amino acids and steady carbs. The bigger concern is when corn dominates the top of the ingredient list at the expense of named meat.

   grain
3. 3

   wheat gluten

   Concentrated wheat protein. Like other plant gluten meals, it pads the protein number on the label without contributing meat-quality amino acids.

   protein plant
4. 4

   chicken by-product meal

   Ground organs, bone, and tissue. Nutritionally dense, especially the liver and gizzard fractions. Named species ('chicken') is what matters. Generic 'poultry by-product meal' is the one to worry about.

   protein animal
5. 5

   chicken fat

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

   fat
6. 6

   natural flavors

   Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.

   other
7. 7

   powdered cellulose

   Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.

   fiber
8. 8

   dried plain beet pulp

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

9. 9

   vegetable oil

   Unnamed plant oil. Could be soy, canola, corn, or a blend. Named oils like sunflower or canola are more transparent.

10. 10

    fish oil

    Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.

    fat
11. 11

    coconut oil

    Saturated fat with medium-chain triglycerides. Mostly marketing in the doses kibble uses, but harmless.

    fat
12. 12

    dried tomato pomace

    The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.

13. 13

    sodium silico aluminate

    Same role as sodium aluminosilicate. Anti-caking agent at trace inclusion.

14. 14

    pork digest
15. 15

    potassium chloride

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

    mineral
16. 16

    calcium carbonate

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

    mineral
17. 17

    l-tyrosine
18. 18

    salt

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

    mineral
19. 19

    l-lysine

    Essential amino acid. Plant-protein-heavy formulas sometimes add it to round out the amino acid profile.

    supplement
20. 20

    sodium tripolyphosphate

    Preservative and texture agent in wet food. Functional at small doses, not a major concern, but some brands avoid it.

    mineral
21. 21

    hydrolyzed yeast

    Yeast broken down with enzymes. Strong palatant plus a real source of B vitamins and amino acids.

22. 22

    choline chloride

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

    supplement
23. 23

    taurine

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

    supplement
24. 24

    monocalcium phosphate

    Source of calcium and phosphorus. Standard mineral inclusion in complete dog foods.

25. 25

    dl-methionine

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

    supplement

Showing first 25 of 41. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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