Pulsar Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Horizon Pulsar Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food is a dry food for all life stages, with chicken as its primary protein.
This food starts with chicken meal, which is a good source of protein and amino acids. It also includes liquid egg product for diverse, high-quality protein, and uses premium micronutrient forms like chelated minerals.
The formula contains significant legume stacking, with red lentils, peas, and pea starch all appearing in the top ingredients. This reliance on pulses is a pattern the FDA flagged in its investigation into dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).
Good fit for dogs of all life stages. Less ideal if you're concerned about the FDA's DCM investigation and legume-heavy formulas.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
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. Good fit for adult Labrador Retrievers navigating weight management. At 408 kcal/cup this formula runs on the rich side, with crude fiber at 5% (above the catalog median, supports satiety). 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 55/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 16 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. chicken meal delivers solid amino acid coverage. The ceiling on this score is 64, set because pulse-family ingredients (peas, lentils, chickpeas) are stacked in the top 15 (the pattern the FDA flagged in its diet-associated DCM investigation). The cap isn't the binding constraint here. Controversial-ingredient penalty would also need to improve to reach the next band.
Reasonable protein quality. chicken meal delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
Premium micronutrient forms such as chelated minerals or natural vitamin E.
Contains high legume stacking. Three or more pulse-family ingredients in top 10. Split-ingredient evidence of pea/lentil/chickpea reliance..
- Lowest carb quality in Horizon's lineup (5/16)
- Bottom quartile for protein quality in Horizon's lineup (15.9/27)
- Bottom quartile for fat quality in Horizon's lineup (10/16)
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.
Horizon Pulsar Adult Grain-Free Chicken, Turkey & Salmon Small Breed Dry Dog Food, 8.8-lb bag
Scores 11 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
CANIDAE Under the Sun Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food, 40-lb bag
$1.92/lb vs your seed's $2.64/lb (27% 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 animalchicken meal
Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken. See why →
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2legumered lentils
Same concern as other lentils. Affordable plant protein, part of the legume stack the FDA examined. See why →
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.
- 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.
- 4pea starch
Refined starch from peas, mostly carbs after the protein is removed. Counts toward the legume stack the FDA examined.
Position 4. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.
- 5protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 6: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 7fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 7: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 8liquid egg product
- 9vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 9: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 10fruitapples
Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.
Position 10: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 11vegetablebroccoli
Real vegetable. Adds fiber and some antioxidants. Fine in the small amounts used in kibble.
Position 11: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 12bok choy
- 13vegetablecabbage
Position 13: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 14fruitblueberries
Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.
Position 14: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 15fiberfructooligosaccharides
Prebiotic fiber, often called FOS. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria, similar in function to inulin.
Position 15: trace fiber inclusion.
- 16supplementyucca schidigera extract
Plant extract added to reduce stool odor. Functional, not nutritional. Fine in trace amounts.
- 17dried aspergillus niger fermentation extract
- 18dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract
- 19pineapple
- 20probioticdried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract
- 21dried rhizopus oryzae fermentation extract
- 22probioticdried enterococcus faecium fermentation product
- 23probioticdried lactobacillus casei fermentation product
- 24probioticdried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product
A probiotic strain. Whether the dose is high enough to actually colonize is debated, but it's a real beneficial bacterium.
- 25dried bifidobacterium bifidum fermentation product
Showing first 25 of 47. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
14 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.
Horizon Pulsar Pulses and Chicken Formula for dogs is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages including growth of large size dogs (70-pounds or more as an adult).