Elevate Kettle Cooked Chunky Healthy Grains Chicken & Salmon Stew with Carrots, White Potatoes & Brown Rice Wet Dog Food, 12.7-oz can, case of 6
Graded by The Sniff System
Halo Elevate Kettle Cooked Chunky Healthy Grains Chicken & Salmon Stew is a wet dog food featuring chicken as its primary protein source.
This formula offers good protein quality, with chicken providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber, and ingredients like egg and salmon add diverse, highly bioavailable protein.
The biggest watch item is the lack of an AAFCO statement, which means its nutritional completeness is unverified. It also contains guar gum, an emulsifier that carries a minor penalty in canned foods.
Good fit for dogs who enjoy a chunky wet food with quality protein and carbs. Less ideal if you need an AAFCO statement for nutritional assurance.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
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) . Good fit for adult Golden Retrievers navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus salmon broth at position 3.
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 55/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 19 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage. The ceiling on this score is 59, set 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). The cap isn't the binding constraint here. AAFCO compliance would also need to improve to reach the next band.
Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..
- Lowest DMB fat in Halo's lineup (10.0%)
- Top quartile for protein quality in grain-inclusive wet foods (19.2/27)
- Bottom quartile for DMB protein in grain-inclusive wet foods (32.5%)
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.
Halo Holistic Turkey Recipe in Broth Adult Canned Dog Food, 13.2-oz, case of 6
Scores 9 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Halo Elevate Kettle Cooked Chunky Healthy Grains Chicken Stew with Carrots, Green Beans & Brown Rice Wet Dog Food, 12.7-oz can, case of 6
$3.36/lb vs your seed's $4.41/lb (24% less) at a comparable score.
Wellness Venison & Salmon Stew with Potatoes & Carrots Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
Venison instead of chicken, 7 points higher, different brand.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 33%, 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.
- 2chicken broth
Real broth, adds flavor and moisture. Negligible nutrition on its own but tells you the recipe leans on real meat.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3salmon broth
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 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.
- 5egg
Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label, by amino acid score.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6protein animalsalmon
Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7vegetablepotato
Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.
Position 7: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 8grainbrown rice
Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.
Position 8: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 9othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 10tapioca
Starch from cassava root. Highly digestible energy source, but pure starch with minimal nutrition beyond that.
- 11calcium sulfate
Source of calcium. Functional, required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 12mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 13vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 14vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 15vitaminvitamin b12 supplement
Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.
- 16vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 17vitamincalcium pantothenate
Same as d-calcium pantothenate. Vitamin B5 in standardized form.
- 18vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
- 19biotin supplement
- 20vitaminriboflavin supplement
B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.
- 21vitaminpyridoxine hydrochloride
B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.
- 22beta-carotene
- 23vitaminfolic acid
B vitamin (B9), essential for cell function. Standard in complete dog foods.
- 24fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
- 25zinc oxide
Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.
Showing first 25 of 36. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
22 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.