N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Mini Puppy Dry Dog Food, 5.5-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Mini Puppy Dry Dog Food is a dry food for puppies, featuring chicken as its main protein.
This formula offers good protein quality, with chicken providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources that have fermentable fiber. Plus, the fat sources are good, using named fats and marine oil for EPA and DHA.
The product contains MSG, which is often a transparency issue rather than a direct safety concern. This is because yeast extract can be used to obscure the formulation.
Good fit for puppies, especially smaller breeds. Less ideal if you prefer complete transparency in all ingredients.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Goldens appeared disproportionately in the FDA's DCM reports. Pulse-heavy grain-free formulas warrant extra caution; named animal protein with organ meat or marine sources is the safer fit. Strong fit for active large sporting breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Irish Setters navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus herring at position 9.
Looking at this for puppy 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 2 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- FDA, 2022epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 4 claims
- FDA, 2019diet composition· cited in 2 claims
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 75/100, this formula sits near the top of our catalog. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 19 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage. Where it lost ground: controversial-ingredient penalty, costing 3 points. Contains msg. Safety signal is internet-fueled; real issue is transparency. Yeast extract as MSG loophole obscures formulation.
Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Contains msg. Safety signal is internet-fueled; real issue is transparency. Yeast extract as MSG loophole obscures formulation..
- Bottom 1% for crude fiber in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (2.7% DMB)
- Top 10% for DMB fat in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (22.0%)
- Bottom 10% for fat quality in Farmina's lineup (12/16)
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.
Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Lamb & Blueberry Recipe Puppy Mini Dry Dog Food, 5.5-lb bag
Scores 6 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Medium & Maxi Adult Dry Dog Food, 26.5-lb bag
$3.58/lb vs your seed's $6.18/lb (42% less) at a comparable score.
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 animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2dehydrated chicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3spelt
Position 3: major carbohydrate source.
- 4grainoats
Whole grain. Steady energy, soluble fiber, and well-tolerated by most dogs.
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 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.
- 6grainrice
Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.
Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 7pork fat
Real animal fat from a named species. Clean energy source.
Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 8dried whole eggs
Position 8: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 9herring
Whole fish, naturally high in omega-3s and very digestible protein. Common in premium formulas.
Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 10dehydrated herring
Whole fish, naturally high in omega-3s and very digestible protein. Common in premium formulas.
Position 10: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 11fiberdried beet pulp
Soluble fiber from sugar-beet processing. Sometimes treated as a filler, but it's actually one of the better fiber sources in kibble. See why →
Position 11: trace fiber inclusion.
- 12hydrolyzed fish
- 13herring oil
Concentrated omega-3 from herring. Same role as salmon oil, skin and coat support.
Position 13: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 14othernatural flavors
Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.
- 15fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 15: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 16dried carrot
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, antioxidants. Same as carrots, sometimes singular on labels.
- 17suncured alfalfa meal
Sun-dried alfalfa, preserving more of the natural vitamins than heat-dried versions.
- 18fiberpowdered cellulose
Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.
- 19monocalcium phosphate
Source of calcium and phosphorus. Standard mineral inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 20fiberinulin
Prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria. Same compound found in chicory root.
- 21fructooligosaccharide
Prebiotic fiber, often abbreviated FOS. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria.
- 22yeast extract
Yeast broken down to a paste. Strong palatant plus a real source of B vitamins.
- 23dried pomegranate
Antioxidants, real. Like other fruit additions, the dose in kibble is mostly cosmetic.
- 24dried apple
Whole apple with the moisture removed. Real fruit, fiber, modest nutrition contribution.
- 25dried spinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
Showing first 25 of 60. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
22 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.