Oven-Baked Grain-Free Lamb & Turkey Liver Recipe Dry Dog Food, 20-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Lotus Oven-Baked Grain-Free Lamb & Turkey Liver Recipe is a dry food for all life stages, featuring lamb and turkey liver as its main protein sources.
This recipe offers reasonable protein quality, with lamb providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality fat sources, like named fat and marine oil, which is a good source of EPA and DHA. The formula further benefits from diverse, high-bioavailability protein sources like turkey liver, pollock, and dried egg product.
The main thing to watch for is high legume stacking, with multiple pulse-family ingredients in the top 15. However, this is mitigated by the inclusion of organ meat, a natural taurine precursor, in the top 10 ingredients.
Good fit for dogs of all life stages. 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 adult Labrador Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating weight management. Working in its favor: crude fiber (6.5%) helps satiety. At 385 kcal/cup this formula runs on the moderate side, with crude fiber at 6.5% (above the catalog median, supports satiety). 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. The 2014 AAHA Weight Management Guidelines define overweight as a Body Condition Score (BCS) of 6-7 on a 9-point scale. A score of 8 or 9 indicates obesity, representing 20-30% and >30% above ideal body weight, respectively (Brooks et al., 2014) .
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Solid grade. 63/100 (B) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+15.5 points): Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage. What we'd flag for vet discussion: controversial-ingredient penalty (-2 points). Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10. A-tier is 12 points up. Controversial-ingredient penalty is where to find them.
Reasonable protein quality. lamb 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.
Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10..
- Lowest fat quality in Lotus's lineup (12/16)
- Top 10% for crude fiber in Lotus's lineup (7.2% DMB)
- Lowest carb quality in Lotus's lineup (8/16)
Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.
Similar dog foods worth considering
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Scores 18 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
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$1.04/lb vs your seed's $6.05/lb (83% less) at a comparable score.
ORIJEN Fit & Trim Grain-Free High-Protein Dry Dog Food, 23.5-lb bag
Chicken instead of lamb, 6 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.
- 2legumechickpeas
Also called garbanzo beans. Affordable plant protein source, part of the legume stack the FDA examined in its heart-disease investigation. 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.
- 4protein animalturkey liver
Organ meat. Same nutrient-density story as chicken or beef liver: protein, iron, B vitamins, vitamin A.
Position 4. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 5tapioca flour
- 6pollock
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7dried egg product
Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 8brewers dried yeast
Yeast left over from brewing. Rich in B vitamins and amino acids. A traditional and well-tolerated inclusion.
- 9fiberpea fiber
Insoluble fiber from peas. Doesn't carry the protein-inflation concern of pea protein. Mostly there for stool quality.
Position 9. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 10protein plantpea protein
Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.
Position 10. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 11fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 11: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 12dried sweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
- 13mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 14mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 15mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 16vegetablepumpkin
Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.
- 17fruitapples
Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.
- 18vegetablesweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
- 19vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
- 20vegetablespinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
- 21fruitblueberries
Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.
- 22calcium propionate
- 23olive oil
- 24mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 25supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
Showing first 25 of 52. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
21 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.
This food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) Dog Nutrient Profiles for all life stages, including the growth of large breed dogs (70 lb or more as an adult). It is designed for all ages and breed sizes.