Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe Senior High Protein Natural Red Meat & Grain Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe Senior High Protein Natural Red Meat & Grain Dry Dog Food is a dry food for senior dogs, primarily featuring beef.
This formula has a strong protein profile, with beef as the main ingredient, which means good biological value for your dog. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources that provide fermentable fiber, and its fat sources are good, featuring named fats and marine oil for EPA and DHA.
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.
Labs are the canonical food-motivated breed. Weight management is the dominant practical concern, even more than breed-specific health risks. Strong fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Labrador Retriever, navigating weight management. At 389 kcal/cup this formula runs on the moderate side, with crude fiber at 7% (above the catalog median, supports satiety). 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 79/100, this formula sits near the top of our catalog. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 22 points to the final number: Strong protein profile with beef as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. Secondary contribution comes from 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 5% for overall Sniff Score in dry kibbles (79/100)
- 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 Red Meat & Grains Rocky Mountain Recipe High-Protein Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag
Scores 4 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken Recipe High-Protein Adult Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag
$2.86/lb vs your seed's $3.50/lb (18% 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 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.
- 3dried chicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
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.
- 8potato starch
Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.
- 9dried tomato pomace
The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.
Position 9: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 10protein plantpotato protein
Concentrated potato protein. Like pea protein, it inflates the protein number without matching meat-quality amino acids.
Position 10: moderate plant-protein boost. Less likely to materially shift the protein profile.
- 11protein animalfish meal
Concentrated fish protein, usually whitefish, herring, or mackerel. Strong amino acid profile. See why →
Position 11: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 12othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 13fiberpowdered cellulose
Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.
Position 13: trace fiber inclusion.
- 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.
- 15fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 15: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 16fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
- 17protein animalchicken meal
Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken. See why →
- 18mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 19direct dehydrated alfalfa pellets
Pelleted alfalfa with the moisture removed. Same role as alfalfa meal, fiber and minerals.
- 20protein animalvenison
Real meat, lean and gamey. Used as a novel protein for dogs with sensitivities.
- 21protein animallamb
Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.
- 22supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 23supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 24fiberdried chicory root
Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.
- 25alfalfa nutrient concentrate
Concentrated alfalfa, rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A legitimate functional ingredient.
Showing first 25 of 73. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
25 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.