Original Adult Grain-Free Real Rabbit Recipe Wet Dog Food, 13.2-oz can, case of 6
Graded by The Sniff System
Instinct Original Adult Grain-Free Real Rabbit Recipe is a wet food for adult dogs, featuring rabbit as its main protein source.
This recipe offers good protein quality, with rabbit providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality fat sources, like named fats and marine oil, which is a good source of EPA and DHA. The inclusion of pork liver adds diverse, high-bioavailability protein.
Nothing concerning in the deck.
Good fit for adult dogs of any size. Nothing serious working against it.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Golden Retriever, navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Rabbit anchors position 1, with one pulse (peas at position 7), plus pork liver at position 3 (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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 68/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+18 points): Reasonable protein quality. rabbit delivers solid amino acid coverage. Also adding to the lift: fat quality (+12). Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source). The 7-point gap to A-tier sits mostly in protein quality (18 of 27 possible). Full protein quality requires named-species named-cut proteins in the top of the deck (e.g., "deboned chicken" rather than "chicken meal" or "poultry meal").
Reasonable protein quality. rabbit delivers solid amino acid coverage.
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 negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Bottom 2% for DMB fat in Instinct's lineup (13.6%)
- Top 10% for overall Sniff Score in grain-free wet foods (68/100)
- Bottom quartile for carb quality in Instinct's lineup (11/16)
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.
ACANA Premium Chunks Lamb in Bone Broth Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 12.8-oz can, case of 12
Scores 6 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Instinct Original Adult Grain-Free Real Chicken Recipe Wet Dog Food, 13.2-oz can, case of 6
$4.96/lb vs your seed's $8.47/lb (41% less) at a comparable score.
Nature's Logic 100% Natural Canine Chicken Feast All Life Stages Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 13.2-oz, case of 12
Chicken instead of pork, 1 point 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.
- 1rabbit
Real meat, very lean. A common novel protein for elimination diets.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalpork
Real meat. Dense protein and fat, though less common in dog food than chicken or beef.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3protein animalpork liver
Organ meat. Dense in B vitamins, iron, and vitamin A. Among the most nutritious ingredients on any label.
Position 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 4pork broth
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 5fatground flaxseed
Cracked flaxseed for better digestibility. Same plant omega-3s as whole flaxseed, just easier for the dog to extract.
Position 5: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 6montmorillonite clay
Natural clay used as a binder and anti-caking agent. Functional, not nutritional.
- 7legumepeas
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 7. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 8vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 8: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 9mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 10mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 11mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 12mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 13mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 14mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 15mineralsodium 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 →
- 16cobalt proteinate
Cobalt bound to protein. Trace mineral needed for vitamin B12 synthesis, chelated form for better absorption.
- 17mineralpotassium iodide
Source of iodine, an essential trace mineral for thyroid function. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 18fatmenhaden fish oil
Omega-3 from menhaden, a small oily fish. Same skin and coat support as salmon oil.
- 19supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 20vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 21vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 22vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 23vitamind-calcium pantothenate
B vitamin (B5). Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 24vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
- 25vitaminriboflavin supplement
B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.
Showing first 25 of 41. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.