Level 2 Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, 40-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Native Level 2 Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food is a dry formula with chicken meal as its primary protein source.
This dry food uses quality carbohydrate sources that include fermentable fiber. Chicken meal provides solid amino acid coverage, contributing to reasonable protein quality, and the fat sources are good, with named fats and marine oil for EPA and DHA.
The biggest watch item is the lack of an AAFCO statement, meaning its nutritional completeness is unverified. The formula also contains brewer's liquid yeast, which can be a source of MSG, raising transparency concerns.
Good fit for dogs whose owners prioritize quality carbohydrate, protein, and fat sources. Less ideal if you require AAFCO verification.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Strong fit for adult Golden Retrievers navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Working in its favor: taurine listed as added ingredient. Chicken meal anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus fish meal at position 9. 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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. 59/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Carbohydrate quality did the heavy lifting (+16 points): Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. 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 carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Reasonable protein quality. chicken meal delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
Contains msg. Safety signal is internet-fueled; real issue is transparency. Yeast extract as MSG loophole obscures formulation..
- Top quartile for carb quality in dry kibbles (16/16)
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.
Next Level Super Premium Pet Food Active Adult Gluten-Free Chicken Dry Dog Food, 50-lb bag
Scores 4 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
SPORTMiX CanineX Performance Chicken Formula Dry Dog Food, 40-lb bag
$1.40/lb vs your seed's $1.60/lb (13% 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 meal
Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken. See why →
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2brewers rice
Broken rice kernels left over from milling, usually destined for human beer-making. Cheaper than whole or even white rice. Same carbs, less nutrition than the brown version. See why →
Position 2: major carbohydrate source.
- 3grainbarley
Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.
Position 3: major carbohydrate source.
- 4fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 4: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 5grainbrown rice
Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.
Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 6grainrice
Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.
Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 7fatground flaxseed
Cracked flaxseed for better digestibility. Same plant omega-3s as whole flaxseed, just easier for the dog to extract.
Position 7: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 8dried plain beet pulp
Beet fiber, with the sugar removed. Long unfairly maligned. It's a real soluble fiber that supports stool quality. See why →
Position 8: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 9protein animalfish meal
Concentrated fish protein, usually whitefish, herring, or mackerel. Strong amino acid profile. See why →
Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 10protein animaldried egg
Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label, by amino acid score.
Position 10: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 11othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 12brewer's liquid yeast
- 13yeast culture
Fermented yeast. Source of B vitamins and beta-glucans that some research suggests support immune function.
- 14mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 15mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 16monocalcium phosphate
Source of calcium and phosphorus. Standard mineral inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 17mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 18fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
- 19yeast extract
Yeast broken down to a paste. Strong palatant plus a real source of B vitamins.
- 20choline
- 21mineralzinc amino acid complex
Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.
- 22vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 23supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 24vitaminvitamin b7
- 25reed-sedge peat
Showing first 25 of 45. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
21 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.