Original Ultra Fat Dogs Adult Low-Fat Chicken Meal, Salmon Meal & Barley Recipe Dry Dog Food, 11-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Natural Balance Original Ultra Fat Dogs Adult Low-Fat Chicken Meal, Salmon Meal & Barley Recipe is a dry food for adult dogs, featuring chicken and salmon as its main protein sources.
This formula has a strong protein profile, with chicken meal as the primary ingredient, offering high biological value. It also includes quality fat sources like named fat and marine oil, providing beneficial EPA and DHA. Plus, the carbohydrate sources are good quality and contain fermentable fiber.
You'll notice several pulse-family ingredients like chickpeas and peas in the top 15. This legume stacking is a watch point, though it's partially offset by the inclusion of taurine.
Good fit for adult dogs needing a low-fat diet. Less ideal if you prefer formulas without significant legume content.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Strong fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Labrador Retriever, navigating weight management. At 315 kcal/cup this formula runs on the lean side, with crude fiber at 10.5% (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. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention's 2023 survey, 59% of dogs in the United States were classified as overweight or obese by their veterinary healthcare professional, representing an estimated 55 million dogs (APOP, 2023) .
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 72/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+22 points): Strong protein profile with chicken meal as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. The biggest detractor was 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. The gap to A-tier is small (3.0 points). Trimming controversial-ingredient penalty would likely close it.
Strong protein profile with chicken meal 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 high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10..
- Lowest DMB fat in Natural Balance's lineup (8.3%)
- Top 4% for protein quality in Natural Balance's lineup (21.9/27)
- Lowest caloric density in Natural Balance's lineup (315 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.
Natural Balance Health Protection Adult Real Chicken, Brown Rice & Pumpkin Dry Dog Food, 24-lb bag
Scores 6 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Natural Balance Health Protection Adult Real Salmon, Brown Rice & Pumpkin Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag
$2.50/lb vs your seed's $3.36/lb (26% less) at a comparable score.
ACANA Classics Salmon & Barley Dry Dog Food, 22.5-lb bag
Salmon instead of chicken, 1 point 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 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.
- 2protein animalsalmon meal
Salmon cooked into a dry concentrate. Carries both protein and natural omega-3s in one ingredient. See why →
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3legumechickpeas
Also called garbanzo beans. Affordable plant protein source, part of the legume stack the FDA examined 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.
- 4legumepeas
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 4. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.
- 5oat groats
Whole oats with only the inedible hull removed. The most intact form of oats available.
Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 6grainpearled barley
Barley with the outer hull removed. Easy to digest, steady carb release.
Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 7dried 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 7: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 8fiberpea fiber
Insoluble fiber from peas. Doesn't carry the protein-inflation concern of pea protein. Mostly there for stool quality.
Position 8. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 9dehydrated alfalfa meal
Dried alfalfa. Fiber and trace minerals. Not exciting but it's a real plant ingredient.
- 10fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 10: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 11oat fiber
Position 11: trace fiber inclusion.
- 12protein plantpea protein
Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.
Position 12. Trace inclusion. Below the level associated with the FDA's DCM-pattern concerns.
- 13fibertomato pomace
The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.
Position 13: trace fiber inclusion.
- 14othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 15mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 16dried egg product
Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
- 17brewers dried yeast
Yeast left over from brewing. Rich in B vitamins and amino acids. A traditional and well-tolerated inclusion.
- 18vegetablespinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
- 19supplementparsley
Real herb. Trace amount of vitamins K and C. The dose in kibble is small, mostly there for label appeal.
- 20vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
- 21fatsalmon oil
Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.
- 22mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 23supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 24supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 25vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
Showing first 25 of 55. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.