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Wholesomes Puppy Chicken & Rice Dry Dog Food, 16.5-lb bag
Wholesomes

Puppy Chicken & Rice Dry Dog Food, 16.5-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $1.51/lb

Wholesomes Puppy Chicken & Rice Dry Dog Food, 16.5-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 69/100 (B) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Reasonable protein quality. chicken meal delivers solid amino acid coverage..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Reasonable protein quality. chicken meal delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

Quality fat sources: named fat with declared fat sources.

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: 33% ⓘ
Protein
30%
min (as fed)
Fat
20%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4%
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
    chicken meal

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

  2. 2
    brown rice

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

  3. 3
    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 →

  4. 4
    chicken fat

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

  5. 5
    whitefish meal

    Whitefish cooked into a dry concentrate. Strong protein source, common in premium formulas.

  6. 6
    beet pulp

    Soluble fiber from sugar-beet processing. Sometimes treated as a filler, but it's actually one of the better fiber sources in kibble.

  7. 7
    flaxseed

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

  8. 8
    apples

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

  9. 9
    blueberries

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

  10. 10
    carrots

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

  11. 11
    cranberries

    Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.

  12. 12
    spinach

    Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.

  13. 13
    salt

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

  14. 14
    potassium chloride

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

  15. 15
    choline chloride

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

  16. 16
    vitamin e supplement

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

  17. 17
    niacin supplement

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

  18. 18
    calcium pantothenate

    Same as d-calcium pantothenate. Vitamin B5 in standardized form.

  19. 19
    vitamin a supplement

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

  20. 20
    riboflavin supplement

    B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.

  21. 21
    thiamine mononitrate

    B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.

  22. 22
    pyridoxine hydrochloride

    B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.

  23. 23
    biotin

    B vitamin that supports skin and coat health. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.

  24. 24
    vitamin b12 supplement

    Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.

  25. 25
    vitamin d3 supplement

    The active form of vitamin D dogs need. Required for calcium absorption and bone health.

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.