RawBoost Adult High Protein Grain-Free Gut Health Recipe Dry Dog Food, 18-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Instinct RawBoost Adult High Protein Grain-Free Gut Health Recipe is a dry dog food with chicken as its primary protein, designed for adult dogs.
This formula features a strong protein profile, with chicken as the main ingredient, providing high biological value. It also includes quality fat sources, like marine oil, which is a good source of EPA and DHA. You'll find quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber too.
The formula contains MSG, which is often hidden behind ingredients like yeast extract. The main concern here is transparency about the formulation, rather than a direct safety issue.
Good fit for adult dogs who might benefit from a high-protein diet and gut support. Less ideal if you prefer full transparency about all ingredients.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for adult French Bulldogs and similar lower-energy companion breeds navigating a sensitive stomach. Chicken leads at position 1. Worth watching: calorie density (471 kcal/cup) is rich for a lower-activity breed. Frenchies have notoriously sensitive GI tracts plus a tendency toward obesity given their low activity needs. Limited-ingredient formulas with moderate calorie density tend to fit them well.
Looking at this for adult French Bulldogs or French Bulldogs with a sensitive stomach ? 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.
- NRC, 2006digestibility · fiber· cited in 2 claims
- AAFCO, 2024zinc
- Swanson et al., 2002prebiotics
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 72/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+22.5 points): Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. The biggest detractor was controversial-ingredient penalty (-3 points): Contains msg. Safety signal is internet-fueled; real issue is transparency. Yeast extract as MSG loophole obscures formulation. The gap to A-tier is small (3.0 points). Trimming controversial-ingredient penalty would likely close it.
Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Contains msg. Safety signal is internet-fueled; real issue is transparency. Yeast extract as MSG loophole obscures formulation..
- Top 10% for protein quality in Instinct's lineup (22.5/27)
- Bottom quartile for crude fiber in Instinct's lineup (4.4% DMB)
- Top quartile for caloric density in Instinct's lineup (471 kcal/cup)
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.
Instinct Raw Boost Puppy Whole Grain Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 3.5-lb bag
Scores 8 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Instinct BeNatural Adult Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag
$2.80/lb vs your seed's $5.00/lb (44% 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
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.
- 2protein animalchicken meal
Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken. See why →
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 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.
- 4tapioca
Starch from cassava root. Highly digestible energy source, but pure starch with minimal nutrition beyond that.
- 5fatcanola oil
Plant oil. Some omega-3 from the parent plant, though dogs absorb it less efficiently than fish-derived omega-3. Fine in moderation.
Position 5: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 6freeze-dried chicken
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7vegetablepumpkin
Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.
Position 7: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 8vegetablesweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
Position 8: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 9protein animalegg product
Processed whole eggs. Same nutritional profile as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 10ground flaxseeds
Plural form, same as flaxseed. Plant source of omega-3, helpful for skin and coat.
- 11othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 12freeze-dried chicken liver
- 13pumpkin seeds
- 14yeast extract
Yeast broken down to a paste. Strong palatant plus a real source of B vitamins.
- 15mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 16freeze-dried chicken heart
- 17vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 18vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 19vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 20vitamind-calcium pantothenate
B vitamin (B5). Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 21vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
- 22vitaminriboflavin supplement
B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.
- 23vitaminpyridoxine hydrochloride
B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.
- 24vitaminvitamin b12 supplement
Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.
- 25vitaminfolic acid
B vitamin (B9), essential for cell function. Standard in complete dog foods.
Showing first 25 of 54. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
21 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.