95% Premium Turkey & Turkey Liver Grain-Free Recipe Canned Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Dave's Pet Food 95% Premium Turkey & Turkey Liver Grain-Free Recipe is a canned wet food featuring turkey and turkey liver.
This recipe includes organ meat like turkey liver, which adds diverse, highly bioavailable protein to the formula. This is a good way to boost the nutritional profile.
The score is capped because there's no AAFCO statement, meaning it's unclear if this food is nutritionally complete. Also, the protein quality is low, and there's no declared source of omega-3s.
Good fit for dogs whose owners are comfortable with a food lacking an AAFCO statement. Less ideal if you prioritize complete nutritional statements or omega-3s.
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 anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus turkey 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 40/100, landing in D-tier territory. The biggest contributor was ingredient diversity (+5 points): Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein. A hard cap of 59 also applied 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). Even without the cap, the base component scores sit below the next band. The structural fix would need to address protein quality as well.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
Low protein quality. turkey delivers limited bioavailable amino acids.
No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
- Lowest fat quality in Dave's Pet Food's lineup (4/16)
- Lowest carb quality in Dave's Pet Food's lineup (9/16)
- Bottom 10% for overall Sniff Score in grain-free wet foods (40/100)
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.
Dave's Pet Food Stewlicious Meaty Beefy Stew, Grain-Free Canned Wet Dog Food, 13.2-oz can, case of 12
Scores 19 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
American Journey Premium Loaf Turkey & Vegetables Recipe Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz can, case of 12
$3.31/lb vs your seed's $5.12/lb (35% less) at a comparable score.
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 41%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalturkey
Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2water sufficient for processing
The regulatory phrase for cooking water in wet food. Has no nutritional implication, just labeling formality.
- 3protein animalturkey liver
Organ meat. Same nutrient-density story as chicken or beef liver: protein, iron, B vitamins, vitamin A.
Position 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 4fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 4: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 5mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 6mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 7cassia gum
Thickener common in wet food. Functional, no major concerns at typical inclusion.
- 8fiberxanthan gum
Thickener common in wet food and gravies. Same emulsifier-microbiome conversation as guar gum, not a clear flag. See why →
Position 8: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 9supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 10mineralmagnesium sulfate
Source of magnesium, a required mineral. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 11zinc amino acid chelate
Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.
- 12iron amino acid chelate
Iron bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 13vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 14copper amino acid chelate
Copper bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus copper sulfate.
- 15manganese amino acid chelate
Manganese bound to amino acids for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 16mineralsodium 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 →
- 17vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 18cobalt amino acid chelate
Cobalt bound to amino acids for better absorption. Trace mineral needed for B12 synthesis.
- 19vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 20vitamind-calcium pantothenate
B vitamin (B5). Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 21vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
- 22vitaminriboflavin supplement
B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.
- 23vitaminbiotin
B vitamin that supports skin and coat health. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 24vitaminvitamin b12 supplement
Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.
- 25mineralpotassium iodide
Source of iodine, an essential trace mineral for thyroid function. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
Showing first 25 of 28. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
25 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.