New Zealand Lamb Feast Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 1.1-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
K9 Natural New Zealand Lamb Feast Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog Food is a freeze-dried food for dogs, primarily featuring lamb and lamb liver.
This formula offers good protein quality, with lamb providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber, and the presence of various lamb organ meats adds diverse, 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 factor capped its overall score.
Good fit for dogs whose owners prioritize a freeze-dried food with high meat and organ meat content. Less ideal if you require a verified AAFCO statement.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for adult Golden Retrievers navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Lamb anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus lamb tripe at position 2 (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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Middle-of-pack grade. 57/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+16.5 points): Reasonable protein quality. lamb 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). How it could climb: the brand publishing the AAFCO statement, which would lift the cap into B-band range.
Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
- Top quartile for DMB fat in grain-free freeze-dried foods (37.0%)
- Bottom quartile for crude fiber in grain-free freeze-dried foods (2.7% DMB)
- Bottom quartile for caloric density in grain-free freeze-dried foods (211 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.
Nulo Lamb Recipe with Raspberries Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food, 18-oz bag
Scores 15 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
A Better Treat Allergy Friendly Lamb Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food, 12-lb bag
$5.83/lb vs your seed's $48.17/lb (88% less) at a comparable score.
Formula Raw Lamb Grain-Free Adult Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food, 25-oz bag
Beef instead of lamb, 4 points higher, different brand.
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 animallamb
Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2lamb tripe
Position 2. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 3lamb heart
Position 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 4lamb lung
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 5protein animallamb liver
Organ meat. Same nutrient-density story as chicken or beef liver, dense in B vitamins, iron, vitamin A.
Position 5. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 6lamb kidney
Position 6. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.
- 7fatsunflower oil
Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.
Position 7: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 8flaxseed flakes
- 9ground lamb bone
Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 10carrot
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, antioxidants. Same as carrots, sometimes singular on labels.
- 11green mussel
Mussel from New Zealand. Natural source of glucosamine and omega-3s. Common in joint-support formulas.
- 12vegetablepumpkin
Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.
Position 12: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 13vegetablebroccoli
Real vegetable. Adds fiber and some antioxidants. Fine in the small amounts used in kibble.
Position 13: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 14supplementdried kelp
Natural source of iodine and trace minerals. A common premium-brand inclusion.
- 15dipotassium phosphate
- 16vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 17mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 18mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 19mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 20mineralmagnesium oxide
Inorganic magnesium. Functional at AAFCO doses, less efficiently absorbed than chelated forms.
- 21mineralselenium yeast
Organic selenium grown in yeast. The form premium brands use, gentler and more bioavailable than sodium selenite.
- 22mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 23mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 24vitamins
16 of 24 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.