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Sniff
Heart to Tail

Deboned Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dog Food

Evidence Limited
dry

Heart to Tail Deboned Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe Dog Food earns a Sniff Score of 59/100 (C) with Limited evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

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

Named fresh meat paired with same-species meal, a strong extrusion architecture.

STACK

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

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
Protein
n/a
min (as fed)
Fat
n/a
min (as fed)
Fiber
n/a
max (as fed)
Moisture
n/a
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

46 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
    brown rice

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

  4. 4
    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 →

  5. 5
    pearled barley

    Barley with the outer hull removed. Easy to digest, steady carb release.

  6. 6
    chicken fat

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

  7. 7
    rice

    Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.

  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
    fish meal

    Concentrated fish protein, usually whitefish, herring, or mackerel. Strong amino acid profile.

  10. 10
    natural liver flavor
  11. 11
    dried egg product

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

  12. 12
    brewers dried yeast

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

  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
    flaxseed meal
  16. 16
    yucca schidigera extract

    Plant extract added to reduce stool odor. Functional, not nutritional. Fine in trace amounts.

  17. 17
    dried kelp

    Natural source of iodine and trace minerals. A common premium-brand inclusion.

  18. 18
    carrots

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

  19. 19
    dried chicory root

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

  20. 20
    cranberries

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

  21. 21
    blueberries

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

  22. 22
    choline chloride

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

  23. 23
    vitamin e supplement

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

  24. 24
    vitamin a supplement

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

  25. 25
    vitamin d3 supplement

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

Showing first 25 of 46. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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