Skip to main content
Sniff
Royal Canin Canine Care Nutrition Medium Sensitive Skin Care Dry Dog Food, 17-lb bag
Royal Canin

Canine Care Nutrition Medium Sensitive Skin Care Dry Dog Food, 17-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $4.71/lb

Royal Canin Canine Care Nutrition Medium Sensitive Skin Care Dry Dog Food, 17-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 59/100 (C) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Primary concern: plant-protein-dominated formula. brewers rice as the #1 ingredient..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

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

FQI

AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for not stated.

ACF

Plant-protein-dominated formula. brewers rice as the #1 ingredient.

PQI

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: 24% ⓘ
Protein
22%
min (as fed)
Fat
15%
min (as fed)
Fiber
3.2%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

37 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  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
    wheat gluten

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

  3. 3
    chicken fat

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

  4. 4
    wheat

    Whole wheat. Fine for most dogs, though a portion are sensitive. Not a quality concern, just a fit-for-your-dog question.

  5. 5
    corn gluten meal

    Concentrated corn protein. Inflates the protein percent on the label without matching meat-quality amino acids.

  6. 6
    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.

  7. 7
    oat groats

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

  8. 8
    natural flavors

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

  9. 9
    fish oil

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

  10. 10
    vegetable oil

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

  11. 11
    dried plain beet pulp

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

  12. 12
    monocalcium phosphate

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

  13. 13
    calcium carbonate

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

  14. 14
    flaxseed

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

  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
    sodium silico aluminate

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

  18. 18
    l-lysine

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

  19. 19
    fructooligosaccharides

    Prebiotic fiber, often called FOS. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria, similar in function to inulin.

  20. 20
    choline chloride

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

  21. 21
    dl-methionine

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

  22. 22
    taurine

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

  23. 23
    zinc oxide

    Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.

  24. 24
    ferrous sulfate

    Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.

  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 37. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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