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Animals Like Us RawMix50 Ocean Fish & Salmon Recipe Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 2-lb bag
Animals Like Us

RawMix50 Ocean Fish & Salmon Recipe Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 2-lb bag

Evidence Fair
freeze dried $17.50/lb

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Animals Like Us RawMix50 Ocean Fish & Salmon Recipe is a grain-free freeze-dried food featuring whitefish, salmon, and fish as its main protein sources.

This recipe offers good protein quality, with whitefish providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality fat sources like salmon oil, which is a good source of EPA and DHA. The inclusion of named fish contributes to a diverse, high-bioavailability protein profile.

The biggest thing to note is the absence of an AAFCO statement, which means its nutritional completeness is unverified. Also, there's some legume stacking with lentils, garbanzo beans, and peas all appearing in the top ingredients.

Good fit for dogs whose owners are comfortable with a freeze-dried, fish-based diet. Less ideal if AAFCO nutritional completeness verification or avoiding legumes is a priority.

Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.

Who this is for

Strong fit for adult Labrador Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating weight management. At 274 kcal/cup this formula runs on the lean side, with crude fiber at 5% (above the catalog median, supports satiety). The landmark 14-year Purina Lifespan Study on 48 Labrador Retrievers demonstrated that dogs fed 25% fewer calories lived a median of 1.8 years longer and delayed the onset of chronic diseases. The 2014 AAHA Weight Management Guidelines define overweight as a Body Condition Score (BCS) of 6-7 on a 9-point scale. A score of 8 or 9 indicates obesity, representing 20-30% and >30% above ideal body weight, respectively  (Brooks et al., 2014) .

Looking at this for adult Labrador Retrievers or Labrador Retrievers with weight management ? We are building dedicated pages for these combinations.

Auto-matched from this product's measurements (ingredients, life stage, calorie density) to a breed archetype. Not a substitute for vet input on your specific dog.

Research informing this analysis

Methodology

The Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.

Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.

Why this score

Sniff scored this formula 53/100, landing in C-tier (acceptable-with-notes). The biggest contributor was protein quality (+19.5 points): Reasonable protein quality. whitefish delivers solid amino acid coverage. A hard cap of 59 also applied because the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement isn't disclosed on the retailer page (so our methodology can't verify the formula meets adult, growth, or all-life-stages standards). Even without the cap, the base component scores sit below the next band. The structural fix would need to address AAFCO compliance as well.

What lifted the score

Reasonable protein quality. whitefish delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

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

FQI

Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.

STACK
What pulled it down

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10..

CIP
What sets this apart
  • Lowest DMB fat in Animals Like Us's lineup (12.5%)
  • Top quartile for DMB protein in Animals Like Us's lineup (42.0%)
  • Lowest fat quality in Animals Like Us's lineup (12/16)

Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.

Similar dog foods worth considering

Three lenses on products with formulation profiles similar to this one.

Better match
Higher score, similar formulation
SIMPLE FOOD PROJECT Beef & Salmon Recipe Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 6-lb box
Simple Food Project

SIMPLE FOOD PROJECT Beef & Salmon Recipe Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 6-lb box

66

Scores 13 points higher with a similar formulation profile.

Best value
Lower price, comparable score
A Better Treat Allergy Friendly Duck Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food, 12-lb bag
A Better Treat

A Better Treat Allergy Friendly Duck Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food, 12-lb bag

53

$5.83/lb vs your seed's $17.50/lb (67% less) at a comparable score.

Worth a look
Different brand, different protein
Loyal Saints Turkey with Salmon Grain-Free Adult Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 5-oz bag
Loyal Saints

Loyal Saints Turkey with Salmon Grain-Free Adult Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 5-oz bag

61

Turkey instead of whitefish, 8 points higher, different brand.

Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 42% ⓘ
Protein
37%
min (as fed)
Fat
11%
min (as fed)
Fiber
5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
12%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

36 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    whitefish

    Real fish meat. Lean protein with a clean amino acid profile.

    Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.

  2. 2
    salmon

    Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.

    Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.

  3. 3
    fish meal

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

    Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.

  4. 4
    lentils

    Same concern as peas. Affordable plant protein, but when they pile up in the top 5 ingredients, it's a flag. See why →

    Position 4. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.

  5. 5
    garbanzo beans

    Same as chickpeas. Part of the legume stack the FDA investigated. See why →

    Position 5. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.

  6. 6
    tapioca starch

    Refined cassava starch, used as a binder. Easy to digest, low on nutrition.

  7. 7
    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 →

    Position 7. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.

  8. 8
    salmon oil

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

    Position 8. Moderate marine-oil inclusion. Supplements EPA/DHA without being the primary fat.

  9. 9
    flaxseed

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

    Position 9: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.

  10. 10
    natural flavor

    Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.

  11. 11
    dried miscanthus grass

    Perennial grass used as a fiber source. Replaces cellulose in some recipes. Functional but unremarkable.

  12. 12
    carrots

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

    Position 12: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  13. 13
    cranberries

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

    Position 13: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  14. 14
    apples

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

    Position 14: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  15. 15
    pumpkin

    Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.

    Position 15: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  16. 16
    dicalcium phosphate

    Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.

  17. 17
    salt

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

  18. 18
    vitamin e supplement

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

  19. 19
    niacin supplement

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

  20. 20
    d-calcium pantothenate

    B vitamin (B5). Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  21. 21
    riboflavin supplement

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

  22. 22
    vitamin a supplement

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

  23. 23
    thiamine mononitrate

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

  24. 24
    pyridoxine hydrochloride

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

  25. 25
    vitamin b12 supplement

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

Showing first 25 of 36. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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