Chicken & Rice Flavored Pate Canned Dog Food, 13-oz, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Birdie & Louie Chicken & Rice Flavored Pate Canned Dog Food is a wet pate food featuring chicken and chicken liver.
This wet pate food offers good protein quality, with chicken and chicken liver providing solid amino acid coverage. The formula also includes tuna and dried egg product, which adds diverse, high-quality protein sources.
The main concern is the lack of an AAFCO statement, which means its nutritional completeness is unverified. It also contains guar gum, an emulsifier with emerging microbiome data, though this is a minor penalty in canned food.
Good fit for dogs who enjoy a pate-style wet food with diverse protein sources. Less ideal if you require AAFCO verification.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
In its 2022 update on diet-associated DCM, the FDA identified Golden Retrievers as the most reported breed, with 121 cases out of 1,382 total canine reports (8.8%) received between January 1, 2014, and November 1, 2022 (FDA, 2022) . Good fit for active large sporting breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Irish Setters navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken anchors position 2, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus chicken liver at position 3 (a natural taurine precursor) and tuna at position 4.
Looking at this for adult Golden Retrievers or Golden Retrievers with diet-associated DCM concerns ? 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
MethodologyThe Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- FDA, 2022cardiac · epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 5 claims
- FDA, 2019diet composition· cited in 2 claims
- NRC, 2006nutrient bioavailability
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 53/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 19 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage. The ceiling on this score is 59, set 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). The cap isn't the binding constraint here. AAFCO compliance would also need to improve to reach the next band.
Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..
- Top 3% for DMB fat in grain-inclusive wet foods (33.3%)
- Bottom 3% for carb quality in grain-inclusive wet foods (9/16)
- Top quartile for protein quality in grain-inclusive wet foods (18.9/27)
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.
ORIJEN Pate Chicken with Liver Wet Dog Food, 12.8-oz, case of 12
Scores 18 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Rachael Ray Nutrish Premium Pate Variety Pack Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
$2.94/lb vs your seed's $2.96/lb (1% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 42%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1water
Just water. Counted on the label of any wet or fresh food. The number tells you the moisture content.
- 2protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3protein animalchicken liver
Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.
Position 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 4tuna
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 5grainrice
Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.
Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 6mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 7fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 7: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 8dried egg product
Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
Position 8: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 9magnessium proteinate
- 10flaxseed oil
Position 10: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 11mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 12mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 13mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 14mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 15mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 16mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 17mineralsodium selenite Flagged
Inorganic selenium. Effective at AAFCO levels, no documented safety concern in dogs despite what some pet food blogs claim. Selenium yeast is a marginal upgrade, not a necessity. See why →
- 18mineralcalcium iodate
Source of iodine for thyroid function. Functional, required in complete formulas.
- 19supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 20fatsunflower oil
Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.
- 21green mussels
- 22mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 23mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 24vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 25vitamen e supplement
Showing first 25 of 33. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
20 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.