Unrefined Roasted Lamb with Ancient Grains & Superfoods Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Earthborn Holistic Unrefined Roasted Lamb with Ancient Grains & Superfoods is a dry dog food featuring lamb as its primary protein source.
This formula uses quality carbohydrate sources that provide fermentable fiber, which is good for gut health. Lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage, contributing to reasonable protein quality. The inclusion of dried egg and salmon meal also adds diverse, highly bioavailable protein.
The main thing to watch out for is the lack of an AAFCO statement. This means the nutritional completeness of the food is unverified, which is why the score is capped.
Good fit for dogs whose owners are comfortable with an unverified nutritional completeness statement. Less ideal if AAFCO verification is a priority for you.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Labrador Retriever, navigating weight management. At 355 kcal/cup this formula runs on the moderate side, with crude fiber at 8% (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
MethodologyThe Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- Brooks et al., 2014diagnostic · protocol · satiety· cited in 5 claims
- APOP, 2023prevalence
- Raffan et al., 2016genetics
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 59/100, landing in C-tier (acceptable-with-notes). The biggest contributor was carbohydrate quality (+16 points): Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. 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). If the brand publishing the AAFCO statement were on the label, the cap would lift and this formula could clear the B-band threshold (60).
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
- Lowest fat quality in Earthborn Holistic's lineup (6/16)
- Top 10% for crude fiber in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (8.9% DMB)
- Bottom 10% for DMB protein in Earthborn Holistic's lineup (26.7%)
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.
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.
- 1protein animallamb
Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2grainbarley
Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.
Position 2: major carbohydrate source.
- 3grainoats
Whole grain. Steady energy, soluble fiber, and well-tolerated by most dogs.
Position 3: major carbohydrate source.
- 4protein animallamb meal
Lamb cooked down to a dry concentrate. Per pound, more protein than fresh lamb. See why →
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 5grainquinoa
Pseudo-grain with a complete amino acid profile. Rare in dog food because it's expensive.
Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 6vegetablepumpkin
Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.
Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 7vegetablevegetable
Unnamed vegetable. No way to know what species. Named vegetables are far more transparent.
Position 7: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 8fatsunflower oil
Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.
Position 8: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 9fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 9: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 10chia
- 11protein animalsalmon meal
Salmon cooked into a dry concentrate. Carries both protein and natural omega-3s in one ingredient. See why →
Position 11: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 12protein animaldried egg
Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label, by amino acid score.
Position 12: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 13dried yeast
Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.
- 14othernatural flavors
Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.
- 15fruitapples
Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.
Position 15: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 16fruitblueberries
Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.
- 17vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
- 18fruitcranberries
Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.
- 19vegetablespinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
- 20l-threonine
Essential amino acid. Sometimes added when plant proteins dominate, since threonine is naturally lower in plants than meat.
- 21mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 22fiberdried chicory root
Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.
- 23choline
- 24mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 25mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
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.