N&D Quinoa Canine Adult Digestion Lamb, Fennel & Arctic Mint Dry Dog Food, 11-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Farmina N&D Quinoa Canine Adult Digestion Lamb, Fennel & Arctic Mint is a dry dog food for adult dogs, featuring lamb as its main protein.
This formula offers good protein quality, with lamb providing solid amino acid coverage for your dog. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources that have fermentable fiber, and the fat sources are good, with named fats and marine oil for EPA and DHA.
Nothing concerning in the deck.
Good fit for adult dogs who need a diet with quality protein, carbs, and fats. 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 and similar active sporting breeds navigating weight management. 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. 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 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 74/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+18 points): Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage. Also adding to the lift: carbohydrate quality (+13). Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. The 1-point gap to A-tier sits mostly in protein quality (18 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. lamb 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.
- Bottom 5% for DMB fat in Farmina's lineup (13.2%)
- Top quartile for overall Sniff Score in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (74/100)
- Bottom 2% for crude fiber in Farmina's lineup (2.1% DMB)
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 Adult Mini Breed Dry Dog Food, 15.4-lb bag
Scores 5 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Farmina N&D Tropical Selection Lamb Adult Medium & Maxi Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag
$3.64/lb vs your seed's $9.09/lb (60% 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.
- 2pea starch
Refined starch from peas, mostly carbs after the protein is removed. Counts toward the legume stack the FDA examined.
Position 2. 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.
- 3dehydrated lamb
Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4quinoa seed
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5grainrice
Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.
Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 6vegetablesweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 7dehydrated pork
Real meat. Dense protein and fat, though less common in dog food than chicken or beef.
Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 8fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 8: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 9dried whole eggs
Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 10othernatural flavors
Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.
- 11pork fat
Real animal fat from a named species. Clean energy source.
Position 11: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 12dehydrated herring
Whole fish, naturally high in omega-3s and very digestible protein. Common in premium formulas.
Position 12: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 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.
- 14hydrolyzed pork liver
- 15dried fennel
- 16dried mint
- 17dried artichoke
- 18fiberinulin
Prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria. Same compound found in chicory root.
- 19fructooligosaccharide
Prebiotic fiber, often abbreviated FOS. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria.
- 20brewers dried yeast
Yeast left over from brewing. Rich in B vitamins and amino acids. A traditional and well-tolerated inclusion.
- 21mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 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.
- 25supplementglucosamine hydrochloride
Joint-support compound. Most useful in larger doses for older dogs. The kibble dose is real but modest.
Showing first 25 of 52. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
19 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.