High Protein White Fish & Salmon Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 4-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Crave High Protein White Fish & Salmon Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is a dry food for adult dogs, primarily featuring white fish and other animal proteins.
This dry food offers a strong protein profile, with white fish as the first ingredient, providing high biological value. It also includes named fish and other animal meals for diverse, highly bioavailable protein sources. The formula is inferred to meet AAFCO standards for adult maintenance.
The formula contains multiple pulse-family ingredients like lentils, split peas, and pea starch in the top 15. This high legume stacking is a pattern the FDA has investigated, though the formula is noted to be mitigated.
Good fit for adult dogs who thrive on a high-protein diet. Less ideal if you prefer formulas without significant legume content.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Neutral fit for adult large sporting breeds like German Shorthaired Pointers, Weimaraners, and Brittanys. Chicken meal leads the deck at position 2, 38% DMB protein, 422 kcal/cup.
Looking at this for adult German Shorthaired Pointers ? 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.
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Solid grade. 63/100 (B) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+23 points): Strong protein profile with white fish as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. 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. A-tier is 12 points up. Controversial-ingredient penalty is where to find them.
Strong protein profile with white fish as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
AAFCO formulation inferred from declared adult maintenance. Verbatim statement not published by retailer.
Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10..
- Bottom 4% for carb quality in dry kibbles (8/16)
- Top 10% for DMB protein in dry kibbles (37.8%)
- Bottom 10% for crude fiber in grain-free dry kibbles (3.9% DMB)
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 Salmon Recipe High-Protein Adult Dry Dog Food, 24-lb bag
Scores 18 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag
$2.11/lb vs your seed's $4.50/lb (53% less) at a comparable score.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Senior High-Protein Salmon Recipe Dry Dog Food, 24-lb bag
Salmon instead of chicken, 12 points higher, 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.
- 1white fish
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalchicken meal
Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken. See why →
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3legumelentils
Same concern as peas. Affordable plant protein, but when they pile up in the top 5 ingredients, it's a flag. 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.
- 4split peas
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 animalpork meal
Pork cooked into a dry concentrate. Per pound, more protein than fresh pork.
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7protein animalfish meal
Concentrated fish protein, usually whitefish, herring, or mackerel. Strong amino acid profile. See why →
Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 8pea starch
Refined starch from peas, mostly carbs after the protein is removed. Counts toward the legume stack the FDA examined.
Position 8. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 9protein animalsalmon meal
Salmon cooked into a dry concentrate. Carries both protein and natural omega-3s in one ingredient. See why →
Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 10othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 11dehydrated alfalfa meal
Dried alfalfa. Fiber and trace minerals. Not exciting but it's a real plant ingredient.
- 12dried 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 12: trace fiber inclusion.
- 13mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 14mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 15supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 16preservative naturalcitric acid
Natural antioxidant preservative. Helps keep fats from going rancid.
- 17preservative naturalmixed tocopherols
Natural vitamin E used to keep fats from going rancid. The good kind of preservative. See why →
- 18supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 19vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 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.
- 22mineralsodium 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 →
- 23vitaminascorbic acid
Vitamin C. Pulls double duty as a natural antioxidant preservative.
- 24mineralmanganese sulfate
Inorganic manganese. Functional but less well-absorbed than the chelated proteinate form.
- 25mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
Showing first 25 of 38. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.