Wilderness 31-g Protein Lamb Meat Rich Natural Dry Senior Dog Food, 24-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Blue Buffalo Wilderness 31-g Protein Lamb Meat Rich Natural Dry Senior Dog Food is a dry food for senior dogs, built around lamb, beef, and salmon.
This formula has a strong protein profile, with lamb as the primary ingredient, which means good biological value for your dog. It also includes quality fat sources, like marine oil, providing beneficial EPA and DHA. Plus, the carbohydrate sources offer fermentable fiber.
Nothing concerning in the deck.
Good fit for senior dogs who need a high-protein diet. Nothing serious working against it.
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 Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and English Setters navigating weight management. At 387 kcal/cup this formula runs on the moderate side, with crude fiber at 16% (above the catalog median, supports satiety). Labs are the canonical food-motivated breed. Weight management is the dominant practical concern, even more than breed-specific health risks. 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 senior 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 2 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- Brooks et al., 2014diagnostic · protocol · satiety· cited in 3 claims
- 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 73/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+22 points): Strong protein profile with lamb as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. Also adding to the lift: fat quality (+12). Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source). The 2-point gap to A-tier sits mostly in protein quality (22 of 27 possible). Full protein quality requires named-species named-cut proteins in the top of the deck (e.g., "deboned chicken" rather than "chicken meal" or "poultry meal").
Strong protein profile with lamb as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Top 1% for crude fiber in Blue Buffalo's lineup (17.8% DMB)
- Bottom 10% for DMB fat in Blue Buffalo's lineup (13.3%)
- Top quartile for protein quality in Blue Buffalo's lineup (22/27)
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.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Large Breed Adult High Protein Natural Salmon & Wholesome Grains Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag
Scores 10 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Senior High-Protein Salmon Recipe Dry Dog Food, 24-lb bag
$3.08/lb vs your seed's $3.46/lb (11% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animallamb
Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalbeef meal
Beef cooked down to a dry concentrate. More protein per pound than fresh beef. See why →
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3protein animalsalmon meal
Salmon cooked into a dry concentrate. Carries both protein and natural omega-3s in one ingredient. See why →
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4grainbarley
Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5grainoatmeal
Gentle on the stomach. Slow-release carbs and soluble fiber that supports stool quality.
Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 6grainbrown rice
Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.
Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 7legumepeas
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.
- 8protein plantpea protein
Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.
Position 8. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 9fibermiscanthus grass
Perennial grass used as a fiber source. Replaces cellulose in some recipes. Functional but unremarkable.
Position 9: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 10othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 11dried yeast
Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.
- 12fatcanola oil
Plant oil. Some omega-3 from the parent plant, though dogs absorb it less efficiently than fish-derived omega-3. Fine in moderation.
Position 12: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 13fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 13: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 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.
- 15fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
Position 15. Trace marine oil. Contributes some omega-3 but well below the level that drives EPA/DHA totals.
- 16direct dehydrated alfalfa pellets
Pelleted alfalfa with the moisture removed. Same role as alfalfa meal, fiber and minerals.
- 17mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 18mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 19supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 20vegetablepotato
Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.
- 21fiberdried chicory root
Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.
- 22fiberpea fiber
Insoluble fiber from peas. Doesn't carry the protein-inflation concern of pea protein. Mostly there for stool quality.
- 23alfalfa nutrient concentrate
Concentrated alfalfa, rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A legitimate functional ingredient.
- 24l-threonine
Essential amino acid. Sometimes added when plant proteins dominate, since threonine is naturally lower in plants than meat.
- 25supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
Showing first 25 of 66. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
25 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.