N&D Ancestral Grain Lamb & Blueberry Recipe Puppy Medium & Maxi Dry Dog Food, 26.5-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Lamb & Blueberry Recipe is a dry food featuring lamb as its primary protein, formulated for puppies of medium and maxi breeds.
This formula offers good protein quality, with lamb providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber, and its fat sources are good, featuring named fats like chicken fat and marine oils such as herring oil for EPA and DHA.
The formula contains MSG, which is often present due to ingredients like yeast extract. While the safety signal is internet-fueled, the real issue is transparency, as yeast extract can obscure the true formulation.
Good fit for puppies of medium and large breeds. Less ideal if you prefer formulas with full transparency on flavor enhancers.
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. Lamb anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus herring at position 6.
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 74/100, this formula lands in solid B territory. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 19.5 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. lamb 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. This formula sits 1.0 points below the A-tier line. The most direct lever is controversial-ingredient penalty.
Reasonable protein quality. lamb 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..
- Lowest crude fiber in Farmina's lineup (1.9% DMB)
- Top 4% for DMB protein in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (38.5%)
- 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 7 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 $4.15/lb (14% 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 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.
- 2dehydrated lamb
Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.
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.
- 6herring
Whole fish, naturally high in omega-3s and very digestible protein. Common in premium formulas.
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7dehydrated herring
Whole fish, naturally high in omega-3s and very digestible protein. Common in premium formulas.
Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 8dried whole eggs
Position 8: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 9fiberdried 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 9: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 10herring oil
Concentrated omega-3 from herring. Same role as salmon oil, skin and coat support.
Position 10: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 11dried carrot
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, antioxidants. Same as carrots, sometimes singular on labels.
- 12suncured alfalfa meal
Sun-dried alfalfa, preserving more of the natural vitamins than heat-dried versions.
- 13chicken cartilage
Position 13: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 14fiberinulin
Prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria. Same compound found in chicory root.
Position 14: trace fiber inclusion.
- 15fructooligosaccharide
Prebiotic fiber, often abbreviated FOS. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria.
- 16yeast extract
Yeast broken down to a paste. Strong palatant plus a real source of B vitamins.
- 17dried blueberry
- 18dried spinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
- 19psyllium seed husk
Soluble fiber. Supports stool quality. The same fiber humans use for digestive regularity.
- 20dried apple
Whole apple with the moisture removed. Real fruit, fiber, modest nutrition contribution.
- 21dried sweet orange
- 22dried pomegranate
Antioxidants, real. Like other fruit additions, the dose in kibble is mostly cosmetic.
- 23mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 24brewers dried yeast
Yeast left over from brewing. Rich in B vitamins and amino acids. A traditional and well-tolerated inclusion.
- 25supplementturmeric
Spice with anti-inflammatory compounds. Real research in humans, but the dose in kibble is small. Mostly there for label appeal.
Showing first 25 of 51. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
20 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.
Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Lamb & Blueberry Recipe Puppy Medium & Maxi Dry Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages including growth of large size dogs (70-pounds or more as an adult).