Digestive Health Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Adult Dog Food, 40-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Chewy Made Digestive Health Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe is a dry dog food featuring lamb as its main protein, formulated for adult maintenance.
Lamb is the first ingredient, providing solid amino acid coverage for good protein quality. The formula also includes quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber, which is good for digestion. It's formulated for adult maintenance.
The AAFCO statement for nutritional adequacy is inferred from the product's description rather than explicitly published by the retailer. This means the full statement isn't readily available.
Good fit for adult dogs, especially those needing support for digestive health. Nothing serious working against it.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
In its 2022 update on diet-associated DCM, the FDA identified Golden Retrievers as the most reported breed, with 121 cases out of 1,382 total canine reports (8.8%) received between January 1, 2014, and November 1, 2022 (FDA, 2022) . Good fit for active large sporting breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Irish Setters navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Lamb anchors position 1, with one pulse (dried peas at position 13).
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 68/100, this formula lands in solid B territory. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 15 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage. Secondary contribution comes from carbohydrate quality (+15 points). Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. The 7-point gap to the A-tier line is concentrated in protein quality (15 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").
Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
AAFCO formulation inferred from declared adult maintenance. Verbatim statement not published by retailer.
No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Lowest crude fiber in Chewy Made's lineup (3.9% DMB)
- Top 10% for caloric density in Chewy Made's lineup (438 kcal/cup)
- Bottom 5% for fat quality in Chewy Made's lineup (10/16)
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.
Chewy Made Complete Nutrition Beef, Brown Rice & Vegetables Recipe Dry Dog Food (FORMERLY AMERICAN JOURNEY), 28-lb bag
Scores 8 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Nature's Recipe Mature Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 24-lb bag
$1.04/lb vs your seed's $1.32/lb (22% 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.
- 2grainbrown rice
Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.
Position 2: major carbohydrate source.
- 3protein plantsoybean meal
Concentrated soy protein. Cheap plant protein that pads the label number, common in budget formulas.
Position 3: plant protein in the top 5. Stacked with animal protein, can inflate the crude protein number without matching the amino-acid quality of named animal sources.
- 4grainground corn
Cracked whole corn. Fine in moderation, but its presence in the top few ingredients usually signals a lower-cost recipe.
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5grainground wheat
Whole wheat. Fine for most dogs, though a portion are sensitive. Not a quality concern, just a fit-for-your-dog question.
Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 6corn protein meal
Concentrated corn protein. Similar in role to corn gluten meal, pads the protein number on the label without matching meat amino acids.
Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 7fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 7: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 8protein animalchicken by-product meal
Ground organs, bone, and tissue. Nutritionally dense, especially the liver and gizzard fractions. Named species ('chicken') is what matters. Generic 'poultry by-product meal' is the one to worry about. See why →
Position 8: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 9grainbarley
Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.
Position 9: minor grain inclusion.
- 10natural poultry flavors
- 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.
- 12mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 13dried peas
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 13. Trace inclusion. Below the level associated with the FDA's DCM-pattern concerns.
- 14mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 15mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 16mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 17vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
- 18supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 19mineralzinc sulfate
Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.
- 20mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 21zinc oxide
Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.
- 22mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
- 23mineralsodium 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 →
- 24manganous oxide
Inorganic manganese. Functional, cheaper than chelated forms, less efficiently absorbed.
- 25mineralcalcium iodate
Source of iodine for thyroid function. Functional, required in complete formulas.
Showing first 25 of 40. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.