Under the Sun Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food, 40-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
CANIDAE Under the Sun Grain-Free Chicken Recipe is a dry dog food with chicken as its primary protein, formulated for adult maintenance.
This formula uses premium micronutrient forms like chelated minerals, specifically iron proteinate and zinc proteinate, which are more bioavailable than their inorganic counterparts. It's also formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by AAFCO for adult maintenance.
The ingredient list shows significant legume stacking, with green peas, garbanzo beans, and peas all appearing high up. This pattern has been flagged in some studies, though the formula does include taurine supplementation.
Good fit for adult dogs of any size. Less ideal if you prefer formulas with lower legume content.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Marginal fit for adult Golden Retrievers navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken meal anchors position 1, with 3 pulse-family ingredients in the top 15 (green peas at position 2, garbanzo beans at position 3, peas at position 4), plus added taurine at position 10.
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Middle-of-pack grade. 59/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. AAFCO compliance did the heavy lifting (+4 points): AAFCO formulation inferred from declared adult maintenance. Verbatim statement not published by retailer. What we'd flag for vet discussion: controversial-ingredient penalty (-2 points). Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10. B-tier is 1.0 points away. Trimming controversial-ingredient penalty is the most direct route.
AAFCO formulation inferred from declared adult maintenance. Verbatim statement not published by retailer.
Premium micronutrient forms such as chelated minerals or natural vitamin E.
Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10..
- Lowest crude fiber in CANIDAE's lineup (4.4% DMB)
- Lowest caloric density in CANIDAE's lineup (357 kcal/cup)
- Bottom 4% for carb quality in dry kibbles (8/16)
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.
CANIDAE All Life Stages Real Chicken & Ancient Grains Recipe Dry Dog Food, 40-lb bag
Scores 12 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
CANIDAE All Life Stages Large Breed Multi-Protein Recipe Dry Dog Food, 40-lb bag
$1.62/lb vs your seed's $1.92/lb (16% less) at a comparable score.
Under the Sun Dry Dog Food: Grain Free Lamb Recipe
Lamb instead of chicken, 9 points lower, different brand.
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 animalchicken meal
Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken. See why →
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2legumegreen peas
Same as peas. Useful in small amounts. The concern is when pulses dominate the top of the ingredient list. See why →
Position 2. Pulse-family ingredient this high in the deck is a notable build choice. When stacked with other pulses in the top 10, matches the formulation pattern the FDA flagged in its diet-associated DCM investigation.
- 3legumegarbanzo beans
Same as chickpeas. Part of the legume stack the FDA investigated. See why →
Position 3. Pulse-family ingredient this high in the deck is a notable build choice. When stacked with other pulses in the top 10, matches the formulation pattern the FDA flagged in its diet-associated DCM investigation.
- 4legumepeas
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 4. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.
- 5fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 5: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 6protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7suncured alfalfa meal
Sun-dried alfalfa, preserving more of the natural vitamins than heat-dried versions.
- 8fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 8: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 9othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 10supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 11mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 12mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 13mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 14mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 15mineralzinc sulfate
Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.
- 16mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
- 17mineralpotassium iodide
Source of iodine, an essential trace mineral for thyroid function. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 18mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 19manganous oxide
Inorganic manganese. Functional, cheaper than chelated forms, less efficiently absorbed.
- 20mineralmanganese sulfate
Inorganic manganese. Functional but less well-absorbed than the chelated proteinate form.
- 21mineralsodium 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 →
- 22supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 23preservative naturalmixed tocopherols
Natural vitamin E used to keep fats from going rancid. The good kind of preservative. See why →
- 24green beans
Real vegetable. Fiber and a small amount of vitamins. Often used in weight-management formulas because it bulks up a meal without adding calories.
- 25vegetablevegetable
Unnamed vegetable. No way to know what species. Named vegetables are far more transparent.
Showing first 25 of 40. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
25 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.