N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Mini Senior Dry Dog Food, 5.5-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Mini Senior Dry Dog Food is a dry formula with chicken as its primary protein, designed for senior dogs.
This formula features good protein quality, with chicken providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources that offer fermentable fiber, which is good for gut health. Plus, the fat sources are high quality, with named fats and marine oil for EPA and DHA.
Nothing concerning in the deck.
Good fit for senior dogs of any size. Nothing serious working against it.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Strong fit for senior Labrador Retrievers navigating weight management. Caloric density is not declared, with crude fiber at 5% (above the catalog median, supports satiety). Labs are the canonical food-motivated breed. Weight management is the dominant practical concern, even more than breed-specific health risks. The 2014 AAHA Weight Management Guidelines define overweight as a Body Condition Score (BCS) of 6-7 on a 9-point scale. A score of 8 or 9 indicates obesity, representing 20-30% and >30% above ideal body weight, respectively (Brooks et al., 2014) .
Looking at this for senior 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 2 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- Brooks et al., 2014diagnostic · protocol · satiety· cited in 3 claims
- 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 78/100, landing in A-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+18 points): Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage. Also adding to the lift: carbohydrate quality (+15). Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
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).
No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Top 10% for crude fiber in Farmina's lineup (5.5% DMB)
- Bottom 10% for fat quality in Farmina's lineup (12/16)
- Top 10% for overall Sniff Score in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (78/100)
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.
Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Lamb & Blueberry Recipe Puppy Mini Dry Dog Food, 5.5-lb bag
Scores 3 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.
- 6grainbarley
Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.
Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 7fiberpea fiber
Insoluble fiber from peas. Doesn't carry the protein-inflation concern of pea protein. Mostly there for stool quality.
Position 7. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 8herring
Whole fish, naturally high in omega-3s and very digestible protein. Common in premium formulas.
Position 8: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 9dehydrated herring
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.
- 10dried whole eggs
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.
- 12pork fat
Real animal fat from a named species. Clean energy source.
Position 12: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 13othernatural flavors
Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.
- 14herring oil
Concentrated omega-3 from herring. Same role as salmon oil, skin and coat support.
Position 14: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 15suncured alfalfa meal
Sun-dried alfalfa, preserving more of the natural vitamins than heat-dried versions.
- 16dried carrot
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, antioxidants. Same as carrots, sometimes singular on labels.
- 17mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 18monocalcium phosphate
Source of calcium and phosphorus. Standard mineral inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 19fiberinulin
Prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria. Same compound found in chicory root.
- 20fructooligosaccharide
Prebiotic fiber, often abbreviated FOS. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria.
- 21dried pomegranate
Antioxidants, real. Like other fruit additions, the dose in kibble is mostly cosmetic.
- 22dried apple
Whole apple with the moisture removed. Real fruit, fiber, modest nutrition contribution.
- 23psyllium seed husk
Soluble fiber. Supports stool quality. The same fiber humans use for digestive regularity.
- 24dried sweet orange
- 25dried blueberry
Showing first 25 of 58. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
21 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.