Chicken Recipe with Peas, Carrots, & Brown Rice Fresh Refrigerated Dog Food, 6-lb roll, case of 4
Graded by The Sniff System
Freshpet Chicken Recipe with Peas, Carrots, & Brown Rice is a fresh refrigerated wet dog food, primarily featuring chicken and chicken liver.
This recipe offers good protein quality from chicken and chicken liver, providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber and named fat sources with marine oil, which is a good source of EPA and DHA.
The biggest watch item is the lack of an AAFCO statement, meaning its nutritional completeness is unverified. The recipe also contains carrageenan, a seaweed-derived thickener that some studies link to gastrointestinal inflammation.
Good fit for adult dogs whose owners prioritize fresh, refrigerated food. Less ideal if you need an AAFCO statement or if your dog has IBD.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for adult Golden Retrievers navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken anchors position 1, with one pulse (peas at position 3), plus chicken liver at position 2 (a natural taurine precursor). In its 2022 update on diet-associated DCM, the FDA identified Golden Retrievers as the most reported breed, with 121 cases out of 1,382 total canine reports (8.8%) received between January 1, 2014, and November 1, 2022 (FDA, 2022) .
Looking at this for adult 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 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- FDA, 2022cardiac · epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 5 claims
- FDA, 2019diet composition· cited in 2 claims
- NRC, 2006nutrient bioavailability
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Middle-of-pack grade. 56/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+16 points): Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage. What capped it: the score can't exceed 59 because the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement isn't disclosed on the retailer page (so our methodology can't verify the formula meets adult, growth, or all-life-stages standards). How it could climb: the brand publishing the AAFCO statement, which would lift the cap into B-band range.
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 AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
Contains carrageenan. Plausible rodent colitis mechanism, no direct canine clinical evidence at food-grade levels. Concern elevated for dogs with IBD..
- Top quartile for crude fiber in Freshpet's lineup (6.3% DMB)
- Bottom quartile for DMB protein in Freshpet's lineup (39.6%)
- Top quartile for DMB fat in grain-inclusive wet foods (29.2%)
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.
Freshpet Grain-Free Chicken, Beef, & Salmon Recipe Puppy Fresh Refrigerated Dog Food, 2-lb roll, case of 8
Scores 5 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Blue Buffalo Love Made Fresh Beef with Carrots & Peas Fresh Refrigerated Dog Food, 5-lb roll, case of 4
Beef instead of chicken, 5 points lower, different brand.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Controversial ingredients · 1
- carrageenanSeaweed-derived thickener; some studies link it to gastrointestinal inflammation. Most common in wet foods but appears in some kibble gravies.
Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 40%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
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.
- 2protein animalchicken liver
Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.
Position 2. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 3legumepeas
Cheap protein bulk. Fine in small amounts, but when peas stack with lentils and chickpeas in the top ingredients, it's the pattern the FDA flagged in its heart-disease investigation. See why →
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.
- 4vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 4: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 5chicken broth
Real broth, adds flavor and moisture. Negligible nutrition on its own but tells you the recipe leans on real meat.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6eggs
Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label by amino acid score.
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7grainbrown rice
Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.
Position 7: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 8grainrice
Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.
Position 8: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 9vegetablepumpkin
Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.
Position 9: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 10vegetablespinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
Position 10: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 11othercarrageenan Flagged
Seaweed-derived thickener. Some lab studies suggest gut inflammation, but the evidence in pets is mixed. See why →
- 12othernatural flavors
Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.
- 13fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
Position 13. Trace marine oil. Contributes some omega-3 but well below the level that drives EPA/DHA totals.
- 14mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 15mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 16copperproteinate
- 17mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 18mineralsodium selenite Flagged
Inorganic selenium. Effective at AAFCO levels, no documented safety concern in dogs despite what some pet food blogs claim. Selenium yeast is a marginal upgrade, not a necessity. See why →
- 19mineralcalcium iodate
Source of iodine for thyroid function. Functional, required in complete formulas.
- 20celery powder
- 21vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 22vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
- 23vitaminriboflavin supplement
B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.
- 24vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 25pyridoxinehydrochloride
Showing first 25 of 29. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
22 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.