98% Chicken & Liver Grain-Free Canned Dog Food, 13-oz, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Hound & Gatos 98% Chicken & Liver Grain-Free Canned Dog Food is a wet food featuring chicken and chicken liver as its main protein sources.
This formula includes quality fat sources like salmon oil, which provides EPA and DHA. It also features chicken liver, an organ meat, for diverse and highly bioavailable protein.
The main thing to note is the absence of an AAFCO statement, which means the nutritional completeness of this food is unverified. This lack of verification capped its overall score.
Good fit for dogs whose owners are comfortable with a product lacking an AAFCO statement. Less ideal if you require verified nutritional completeness.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for active large sporting breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Irish Setters navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus chicken liver at position 3 (a natural taurine precursor) and salmon oil at position 5. 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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. 58/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Fat quality did the heavy lifting (+12 points): Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source). 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.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
- Top 3% for DMB fat in grain-free wet foods (40.9%)
- Bottom quartile for carb quality in grain-free wet foods (9/16)
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.
CANIDAE All Life Stages Chicken & Rice Formula Canned Dog Food, 13-oz, case of 12
Scores 4 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Birdie & Louie Chicken & Rice Flavored Pate Canned Dog Food, 13-oz, case of 12
$2.96/lb vs your seed's $5.40/lb (45% less) at a comparable score.
Dave's Pet Food 95% Premium Beef & Beef Liver Pate Grain-Free Recipe Canned Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
Beef instead of chicken, 12 points lower, 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 45%, 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.
- 3protein 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 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 4agar-agar
Seaweed-derived gel used as a thickener. Functional alternative to carrageenan, generally well-tolerated.
- 5fatsalmon oil
Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.
Position 5. Marine oil this high in the deck is likely the primary EPA/DHA source.
- 6mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 7mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 8supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 9magnesium proteinate
Magnesium bound to protein for better absorption. The premium chelated form.
- 10mineraltricalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.
- 11vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 12vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 13vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 14vitamincalcium pantothenate
Same as d-calcium pantothenate. Vitamin B5 in standardized form.
- 15vitaminbiotin
B vitamin that supports skin and coat health. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 16vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
- 17vitaminriboflavin supplement
B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.
- 18vitaminvitamin b12 supplement
Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.
- 19vitaminpyridoxine hydrochloride
B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.
- 20vitaminfolic acid
B vitamin (B9), essential for cell function. Standard in complete dog foods.
- 21vitaminvitamin d3 supplement
The active form of vitamin D dogs need. Required for calcium absorption and bone health.
- 22mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 23mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 24mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 25mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
Showing first 25 of 27. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
25 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.