Turkey & Sweet Potato Stew Recipe Grain-Free Canned Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Chicken Soup for the Soul Turkey & Sweet Potato Stew Recipe is a wet, grain-free canned food featuring turkey and chicken liver as its main proteins.
This recipe offers reasonable protein quality, with turkey providing solid amino acid coverage. The inclusion of chicken liver and dried egg products adds diverse, high-bioavailability protein to the formula.
The biggest watch-out here is the lack of an AAFCO statement, which means its nutritional completeness is unverified. It also contains guar gum, an emulsifier that carries a minor penalty in canned foods.
Good fit for dogs whose owners are comfortable with an unverified nutritional completeness statement. Less ideal if AAFCO verification is a priority for your dog's diet.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for active large sporting breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Irish Setters navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Turkey broth anchors position 1, with one pulse (peas at position 10), plus added taurine at position 14 and chicken liver at position 3 (a natural taurine precursor). 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) .
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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. 55/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+19.5 points): Reasonable protein quality. turkey delivers solid amino acid coverage. What capped it: the score can't exceed 59 because the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement isn't disclosed on the retailer page (so our methodology can't verify the formula meets adult, growth, or all-life-stages standards). Removing the cap alone wouldn't change the band. AAFCO compliance is the deeper issue.
Reasonable protein quality. turkey delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..
- Lowest fat quality in Chicken Soup for the Soul's lineup (6/16)
- Top quartile for DMB protein in Chicken Soup for the Soul's lineup (44.4%)
- Bottom 10% for carb quality in Chicken Soup for the Soul's lineup (11/16)
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.
Chicken Soup for the Soul Classic Cuts in Gravy Beef with Vegetables Recipe Adult Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
Scores 12 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Chicken Soup for the Soul Classic Pate Beef Recipe Canned Dog Food, 13-oz, case of 12
$3.35/lb vs your seed's $3.38/lb (1% less) at a comparable score.
Wellness Chicken Stew with Peas & Carrots Grain-Free Natural Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
Chicken instead of turkey, 7 points higher, 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.
- 1turkey broth
Real broth from named meat. Adds flavor and moisture, signals a recipe that leans on real meat.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalturkey
Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3protein 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 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 4vegetablesweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
Position 4: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 5dried egg whites
Pure egg-white protein, no yolk. Very high amino acid quality.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6potato starch
Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.
- 7dried egg product
Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 8fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 8: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 9mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 10legumepeas
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 10. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 11sodium phosphate
Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.
- 12flaxseed meal
- 13mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 14supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 15supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 16zinc amino acid chelate
Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.
- 17iron amino acid chelate
Iron bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 18fiberxanthan gum
Thickener common in wet food and gravies. Same emulsifier-microbiome conversation as guar gum, not a clear flag. See why →
- 19vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 20cobalt amino acid chelate
Cobalt bound to amino acids for better absorption. Trace mineral needed for B12 synthesis.
- 21copper amino acid chelate
Copper bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus copper sulfate.
- 22manganese amino acid chelate
Manganese bound to amino acids for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 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 →
- 24vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 25vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
Showing first 25 of 34. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.