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Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch Herring Meal & Vegetables Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag
Earthborn Holistic

Coastal Catch Herring Meal & Vegetables Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag

Evidence Fair
dry $2.68/lb

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch Herring Meal & Vegetables Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is a grain-free dry food with herring meal as its primary protein.

Herring meal provides good protein quality with solid amino acid coverage. The formula also includes dried egg, adding to the diverse, high-bioavailability protein sources.

The biggest concern is the lack of an AAFCO statement, which means its nutritional completeness is unverified. There's also high legume stacking with multiple pulse-family ingredients in the top 15.

Good fit for dogs whose owners prioritize a grain-free diet with herring as the main protein. Less ideal if AAFCO verification for nutritional completeness is a priority.

Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.

Who this is for

Good fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Labrador Retriever, navigating weight management. Working in its favor: L-carnitine listed (supports fat metabolism). At 365 kcal/cup this formula runs on the moderate side, with crude fiber at 4% (above the catalog median, supports satiety). The landmark 14-year Purina Lifespan Study on 48 Labrador Retrievers demonstrated that dogs fed 25% fewer calories lived a median of 1.8 years longer and delayed the onset of chronic diseases. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention's 2023 survey, 59% of dogs in the United States were classified as overweight or obese by their veterinary healthcare professional, representing an estimated 55 million dogs  (APOP, 2023) .

Looking at this for adult Labrador Retrievers or Labrador Retrievers with weight management ? 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

Methodology

The 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.

Why this score

Middle-of-pack grade. 57/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+15.5 points): Reasonable protein quality. herring meal 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). How it could climb: the brand publishing the AAFCO statement, which would lift the cap into B-band range.

What lifted the score

Reasonable protein quality. herring meal delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.

STACK
What pulled it down

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10..

CIP
What sets this apart
  • Lowest crude fiber in Earthborn Holistic's lineup (4.4% DMB)
  • Top 10% for DMB fat in grain-free dry kibbles (21.1%)
  • Bottom 10% for carb quality in Earthborn Holistic'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.

Better match
Higher score, similar formulation
Nature's Logic 100% Natural Canine Chicken Meal Feast All Life Stages Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag
Nature's Logic

Nature's Logic 100% Natural Canine Chicken Meal Feast All Life Stages Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag

64

Scores 7 points higher with a similar formulation profile.

Best value
Lower price, comparable score
Dr. Gary's Best Breed Holistic Large Breed Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag
Dr. Gary's Best Breed

Dr. Gary's Best Breed Holistic Large Breed Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag

59

$2.43/lb vs your seed's $2.68/lb (9% less) at a comparable score.

Worth a look
Different brand, different protein
TEAM DOG Salmon Meal & Herring Meal 26/20 Essential Blend Premium Dry Dog Food, 33-lb bag
Team Dog

TEAM DOG Salmon Meal & Herring Meal 26/20 Essential Blend Premium Dry Dog Food, 33-lb bag

59

Salmon instead of herring, 2 points higher, different brand.

Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 36% ⓘ
Protein
32%
min (as fed)
Fat
19%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

37 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    herring meal

    Concentrated herring with the water removed. Carries protein and omega-3s in one ingredient.

    Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.

  2. 2
    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 2. 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.

  3. 3
    pea protein

    Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.

    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.

  4. 4
    canola oil

    Plant oil. Some omega-3 from the parent plant, though dogs absorb it less efficiently than fish-derived omega-3. Fine in moderation.

    Position 4: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.

  5. 5
    tapioca

    Starch from cassava root. Highly digestible energy source, but pure starch with minimal nutrition beyond that.

  6. 6
    flaxseed

    Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.

    Position 6: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.

  7. 7
    dried yeast

    Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.

  8. 8
    pea 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.

  9. 9
    pumpkin

    Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.

    Position 9: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  10. 10
    sweet potato

    Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.

    Position 10: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  11. 11
    dried egg

    Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label, by amino acid score.

    Position 11: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.

  12. 12
    natural flavor

    Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.

  13. 13
    salmon meal

    Salmon cooked into a dry concentrate. Carries both protein and natural omega-3s in one ingredient. See why →

    Position 13: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.

  14. 14
    alaska pollock meal
  15. 15
    whiting meal
  16. 16
    apples

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

  17. 17
    blueberries

    Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.

  18. 18
    carrots

    Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.

  19. 19
    cranberries

    Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.

  20. 20
    spinach

    Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.

  21. 21
    dried chicory root

    Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.

  22. 22
    choline
  23. 23
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  24. 24
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  25. 25
    taurine

    Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.

Showing first 25 of 37. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

22 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.