Chicken & Salmon Flavored Canned Pate Dog Food, 13-oz, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Birdie & Louie Chicken & Salmon Flavored Canned Pate Dog Food is a wet food featuring chicken and salmon as its main protein sources.
This food has a strong protein profile, with chicken as a primary ingredient, offering high biological value. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber, and the addition of organ meats and salmon provides diverse, highly bioavailable protein.
The main thing to note is the absence of an AAFCO statement, which means its nutritional completeness is unverified. This lack of verification capped its overall score.
Good fit for dogs whose owners are comfortable with unverified nutritional completeness. Less ideal if you require an AAFCO statement for peace of mind.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Strong 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 salmon at position 5. 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) .
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 59/100, landing in C-tier (acceptable-with-notes). The biggest contributor was protein quality (+21 points): Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. 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). If the brand publishing the AAFCO statement were on the label, the cap would lift and this formula could clear the B-band threshold (60).
Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
- Top 1% for DMB fat in grain-free wet foods (41.7%)
- Top 10% for protein quality in wet foods (21.2/27)
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 12 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 $3.98/lb (26% less) at a comparable score.
Chicken Soup for the Soul Classic Whitefish & Salmon Recipe Pate Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
Turkey instead of chicken, matched score, different brand.
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 44%, 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.
- 4potato starch
Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.
- 5protein animalsalmon
Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6beef lung
Organ meat. Lean, protein-dense, real-food inclusion. More common in raw and freeze-dried diets.
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7protein animalbeef liver
Organ meat. Among the most nutrient-dense ingredients available, rich in B vitamins, iron, and vitamin A.
Position 7. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.
- 8mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 9vegetablepumpkin
Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.
Position 9: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 10othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 11mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 12mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 13mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 14fiberpowdered cellulose
Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.
Position 14: trace fiber inclusion.
- 15flaxseed oil
Position 15: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 16agar-agar
Seaweed-derived gel used as a thickener. Functional alternative to carrageenan, generally well-tolerated.
- 17supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 18magnessium proteinate
- 19mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 20mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 21mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 22mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 23mineralsodium 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 →
- 24mineralcalcium iodate
Source of iodine for thyroid function. Functional, required in complete formulas.
- 25green mussels
22 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.