Blue's Hunter's Stew Grain-Free Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Blue Buffalo Blue's Hunter's Stew Grain-Free Canned Dog Food is a wet food that features duck as its primary protein, along with chicken and dried egg.
This food has a strong protein profile, with duck as the first ingredient, which means it offers high biological value. It also includes other diverse, high-quality protein sources like chicken, dried egg, salmon, and turkey liver.
The biggest watch item here is the lack of an AAFCO statement, which means its nutritional completeness is unverified. Also, there's no declared source of omega-3s like fish or algae oil.
Good fit for adult dogs who enjoy wet food with a strong protein base. Less ideal if you're looking for an AAFCO statement or a declared omega-3 source.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
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. Good fit for adult Labrador Retrievers navigating weight management. At 330 kcal/cup this formula runs on the lean side. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention's 2023 survey, 59% of dogs in the United States were classified as overweight or obese by their veterinary healthcare professional, representing an estimated 55 million dogs (APOP, 2023) .
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
MethodologyThe Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- Brooks et al., 2014diagnostic · protocol · satiety· cited in 5 claims
- APOP, 2023prevalence
- Raffan et al., 2016genetics
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 56/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 21.5 points to the final number: Strong protein profile with duck as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. 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 fix path: the brand publishing the AAFCO statement. That would lift the cap and put this formula above the B-band line at 60.
Strong protein profile with duck as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
- Lowest fat quality in Blue Buffalo's lineup (4/16)
- Top 10% for protein quality in grain-free wet foods (21.4/27)
- Bottom 10% for crude fiber in Blue Buffalo's lineup (5.6% DMB)
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.
Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stew Hearty Beef Stew Grain-Free Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
Scores 4 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Blue Buffalo Blue's Country Chicken Stew Grain-Free Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
$3.75/lb vs your seed's $4.72/lb (21% 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.
- 1protein animalduck
Real meat. Often used as a novel protein for dogs with sensitivities to chicken or beef.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2duck broth
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3water
Just water. Counted on the label of any wet or fresh food. The number tells you the moisture content.
- 4protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 5protein animaldried egg
Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label, by amino acid score.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6protein animalsalmon
Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7protein animalturkey liver
Organ meat. Same nutrient-density story as chicken or beef liver: protein, iron, B vitamins, vitamin A.
Position 7. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.
- 8legumepeas
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 8. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 9vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 9: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 10vegetablepotato
Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.
Position 10: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 11potato starch
Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.
- 12fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 12: trace fiber inclusion.
- 13sodium phosphate
Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.
- 14mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 15othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 16mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 17mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 18zinc amino acid chelate
Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.
- 19iron amino acid chelate
Iron bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 20supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 21vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 22copper amino acid chelate
Copper bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus copper sulfate.
- 23manganese amino acid chelate
Manganese bound to amino acids for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 24mineralsodium 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 →
- 25vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
Showing first 25 of 36. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.