Wilderness Red Meat & Grains Rocky Mountain Recipe High-Protein Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Red Meat & Grains Rocky Mountain Recipe is a dry food for large breed adult dogs, featuring beef and chicken as its main proteins.
This formula has a strong protein profile, with beef as the primary ingredient, which means good biological value for your dog. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources that provide fermentable fiber, and good fat sources like named fats and marine oil for EPA and DHA.
Nothing concerning in the deck.
Good fit for large breed adult dogs. 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. Working in its favor: explicitly formulated for large-breed dogs. At 373 kcal/cup this formula runs on the moderate side, with crude fiber at 6% (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
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Strong grade. 83/100 (A) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+25.5 points): Strong protein profile with beef as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. The supporting beat: carbohydrate quality (+16 points). Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Strong protein profile with beef as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Top 4% for protein quality in Blue Buffalo's lineup (25.7/27)
- Bottom quartile for DMB fat in Blue Buffalo's lineup (14.4%)
- Top 1% for overall Sniff Score in Blue Buffalo's lineup (83/100)
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.
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 animalbeef
Real meat. Dense in protein and iron. Some dogs are sensitive to it, but for most it's an excellent base.
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 animalchicken meal
Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken. See why →
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4grainoatmeal
Gentle on the stomach. Slow-release carbs and soluble fiber that supports stool quality.
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5grainbarley
Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.
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.
- 7vegetablepotato
Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.
Position 7: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 8dried tomato pomace
The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.
Position 8: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 9protein animalsalmon meal
Salmon cooked into a dry concentrate. Carries both protein and natural omega-3s in one ingredient. See why →
Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 10potato starch
Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.
- 11fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 11: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 12protein plantpotato protein
Concentrated potato protein. Like pea protein, it inflates the protein number without matching meat-quality amino acids.
Position 12: trace plant protein.
- 13othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 14fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 14: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 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.
- 17protein animalvenison
Real meat, lean and gamey. Used as a novel protein for dogs with sensitivities.
- 18protein animallamb
Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.
- 19mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 20fiberdried chicory root
Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.
- 21alfalfa nutrient concentrate
Concentrated alfalfa, rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A legitimate functional ingredient.
- 22mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 23supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 24supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 25mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
Showing first 25 of 71. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
25 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.