Elevate Kettle Cooked Chunky Healthy Grains Duck & Beef 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 Duck & Beef Stew is a wet dog food featuring duck as its main protein.
This formula offers good protein quality, with duck providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber, and egg adds to the diverse, high-bioavailability protein.
The biggest watch item is the lack of an AAFCO statement, which means its nutritional completeness is unverified. Also, there's no declared source of omega-3s like fish or algae oil.
Good fit for dogs who enjoy a wet food with quality protein and carbs. Less ideal if an AAFCO statement or omega-3s are a must-have.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for adult Golden Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Duck anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15. 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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. 52/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+19 points): Reasonable protein quality. duck 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). Removing the cap alone wouldn't change the band. Fat quality is the deeper issue.
Reasonable protein quality. duck delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
- Lowest DMB fat in Halo's lineup (10.0%)
- Top quartile for protein quality in grain-inclusive wet foods (19/27)
- Lowest fat quality in Halo's lineup (4/16)
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.
Wellness Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes Grain-Free Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
Scores 12 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 $4.10/lb (18% less) at a comparable score.
Dave's Pet Food Stewlicious Meaty Beefy Stew, Grain-Free Canned Wet Dog Food, 13.2-oz can, case of 12
Beef instead of duck, 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 animalduck
Real meat. Often used as a novel protein for dogs with sensitivities to chicken or beef.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2duck broth
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3beef broth
Real broth. Adds flavor and moisture, signals the recipe leans on real meat.
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.
- 6beef deboned
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.
- 11mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 12calcium sulfate
Source of calcium. Functional, required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 13mineralsodium tripolyphosphate
Preservative and texture agent in wet food. Functional at small doses, not a major concern, but some brands avoid it.
- 14zinc oxide
Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.
- 15reduced iron
- 16mineralsodium 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 →
- 17mineralmanganese sulfate
Inorganic manganese. Functional but less well-absorbed than the chelated proteinate form.
- 18mineralcopper amino acid complex
Copper bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus copper sulfate.
- 19mineralpotassium iodide
Source of iodine, an essential trace mineral for thyroid function. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 20mineralmagnesium sulfate
Source of magnesium, a required mineral. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 21supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 22fiberxanthan gum
Thickener common in wet food and gravies. Same emulsifier-microbiome conversation as guar gum, not a clear flag. See why →
- 23cinnamon
- 24cumin
19 of 24 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.