N&D Quinoa Adult Mini Skin & Coat Herring, Coconut & Turmeric Dry Dog Food, 11-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Farmina N&D Quinoa Adult Mini Skin & Coat Herring, Coconut & Turmeric is a dry food for adult dogs, featuring herring as its main protein.
This formula offers good protein quality, with herring providing a solid amino acid profile. It also uses quality carbohydrate sources that include fermentable fiber, and the fat sources are good, with named fats and marine oil for EPA and DHA.
The main thing to note is that an AAFCO statement is not present, which means the brand hasn't formally guaranteed nutritional adequacy. Otherwise, nothing concerning in the deck.
Good fit for adult dogs, especially smaller breeds. Nothing serious working against it.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for adult Labrador Retrievers navigating weight management. Working in its favor: L-carnitine listed (supports fat metabolism). Caloric density is not declared. 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Solid grade. 74/100 (B) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+18.5 points): Reasonable protein quality. herring delivers solid amino acid coverage. The supporting beat: carbohydrate quality (+13 points). Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. What's keeping it out of A-tier: protein quality (18.5 of 27 possible). Full protein quality requires named-species named-cut proteins in the top of the deck (e.g., "deboned chicken" rather than "chicken meal" or "poultry meal").
Reasonable protein quality. herring 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.
- Lowest DMB protein in Farmina's lineup (25.3%)
- Top 10% for carb quality in grain-free dry kibbles (13/16)
- Bottom 5% for DMB fat in Farmina's lineup (13.2%)
Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.
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Scores 4 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
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$4.04/lb vs your seed's $9.54/lb (58% 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.
- 1herring
Whole fish, naturally high in omega-3s and very digestible protein. Common in premium formulas.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2dehydrated herring
Whole fish, naturally high in omega-3s and very digestible protein. Common in premium formulas.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3pea starch
Refined starch from peas, mostly carbs after the protein is removed. Counts toward the legume stack the FDA examined.
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.
- 4vegetablesweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
Position 4: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 5herring oil
Concentrated omega-3 from herring. Same role as salmon oil, skin and coat support.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6quinoa seed
Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 7othernatural flavors
Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.
- 8fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 8: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 9fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 9: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 10pork fat
Real animal fat from a named species. Clean energy source.
Position 10: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 11dried coconut
- 12hydrolyzed fish
- 13fiberdried 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 13: trace fiber inclusion.
- 14dried carrot
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, antioxidants. Same as carrots, sometimes singular on labels.
- 15suncured alfalfa meal
Sun-dried alfalfa, preserving more of the natural vitamins than heat-dried versions.
- 16fiberpea fiber
Insoluble fiber from peas. Doesn't carry the protein-inflation concern of pea protein. Mostly there for stool quality.
- 17supplementturmeric
Spice with anti-inflammatory compounds. Real research in humans, but the dose in kibble is small. Mostly there for label appeal.
- 18fiberinulin
Prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria. Same compound found in chicory root.
- 19fructooligosaccharide
Prebiotic fiber, often abbreviated FOS. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria.
- 20mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 21mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 22psyllium seed husk
Soluble fiber. Supports stool quality. The same fiber humans use for digestive regularity.
- 23mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 24mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 25brewers dried yeast
Yeast left over from brewing. Rich in B vitamins and amino acids. A traditional and well-tolerated inclusion.
Showing first 25 of 53. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
22 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.