Stews Chicken & Vegetables in Gravy Grain-Free Canned Dog Food (FORMERLY AMERICAN JOURNEY), 12.5-oz can, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Chewy Made Stews Chicken & Vegetables in Gravy is a wet food for growth, featuring chicken and chicken liver as its main protein sources.
This recipe offers good protein quality, with chicken providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources that have fermentable fiber, and quality fat sources with named fats and marine oil for EPA and DHA.
The formula contains guar gum. While there's emerging data on emulsifiers and the microbiome, there isn't specific canine clinical evidence, so it's a minor watch item for canned foods.
Good fit for puppies and growing dogs. Nothing serious working against it.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Goldens appeared disproportionately in the FDA's DCM reports. Pulse-heavy grain-free formulas warrant extra caution; named animal protein with organ meat or marine sources is the safer fit. Strong fit for active large sporting breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Irish Setters navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken anchors position 1, with one pulse (peas at position 7), plus chicken liver at position 4 (a natural taurine precursor).
Looking at this for puppy 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 2 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- FDA, 2022epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 4 claims
- FDA, 2019diet composition· cited in 2 claims
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 67/100, this formula lands in solid B territory. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 18.5 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage. Where it lost ground: controversial-ingredient penalty, costing 5 points. Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food. The path to A-tier is about 8 points; controversial-ingredient penalty is the structural lever.
Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..
- Top 10% for overall Sniff Score in grain-free wet foods (67/100)
- Bottom quartile for fat quality in Chewy Made's lineup (12/16)
- Top quartile for DMB protein in Chewy Made's lineup (44.4%)
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.
VICTOR Grain-Free Beef & Vegetables Stew Cuts Wet Dog Food or Topper, 13.2-oz, case of 12
Scores 3 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Wellness Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes Grain-Free Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
Beef instead of chicken, 3 points lower, different brand.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 44%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2chicken broth
Real broth, adds flavor and moisture. Negligible nutrition on its own but tells you the recipe leans on real meat.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3beef broth
Real broth. Adds flavor and moisture, signals the recipe leans on real meat.
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4protein animalchicken liver
Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.
Position 4. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 5dried egg product
Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 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.
- 8vegetablepotato
Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.
Position 8: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 9othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 10potato starch
Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.
- 11protein animalchicken heart
Organ meat. Dense in taurine, B vitamins, and CoQ10. One of the best ingredients dogs can eat.
Position 11. Small organ inclusion. Functional but not a primary contributor to the protein profile.
- 12fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 12: trace fiber inclusion.
- 13dried plain beet pulp
Beet fiber, with the sugar removed. Long unfairly maligned. It's a real soluble fiber that supports stool quality. See why →
Position 13: trace fiber inclusion.
- 14fatground flaxseed
Cracked flaxseed for better digestibility. Same plant omega-3s as whole flaxseed, just easier for the dog to extract.
Position 14: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 15mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 16sodium phosphate
Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.
- 17fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
- 18mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 19sodium carbonate
pH buffer used in food processing. Functional, no quality signal.
- 20mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 21mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 22mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 23cobalt proteinate
Cobalt bound to protein. Trace mineral needed for vitamin B12 synthesis, chelated form for better absorption.
- 24mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 25mineralsodium 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 →
Showing first 25 of 39. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
25 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.
This food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for Growth and Maintenance, including growth of large size dogs (70 lb. or more as an adult).