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Nature's Advantage Turkey & Salmon Mini Patties Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food, 14-oz bag
Nature's Advantage

Turkey & Salmon Mini Patties Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food, 14-oz bag

Evidence Fair
freeze dried $30.49

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Nature's Advantage Turkey & Salmon Mini Patties is a freeze-dried raw dog food featuring turkey and salmon as its main protein sources.

This food offers good protein quality, with turkey providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality fat sources like herring oil, which is a good source of EPA and DHA. The carbohydrate sources are also considered high quality, providing fermentable fiber.

The main thing to watch out for is the lack of an AAFCO statement. This means the nutritional completeness of the food is unverified, which capped its overall score.

Good fit for owners seeking a freeze-dried raw food with quality protein and fat sources. Less ideal if you need verified AAFCO nutritional completeness.

Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.

Who this is for

Strong fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Golden Retriever, navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Turkey anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus turkey liver at position 2 (a natural taurine precursor) and salmon at position 3. 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

Methodology

The Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.

  • FDA, 2022
    cardiac · epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 5 claims
  • FDA, 2019
    diet composition· cited in 2 claims
  • NRC, 2006
    nutrient bioavailability

Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.

Why this score

Middle-of-pack grade. 59/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+17 points): Reasonable protein quality. turkey 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.

What lifted the score

Reasonable protein quality. turkey delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).

FQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI
What pulled it down

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

Similar dog foods worth considering

Three lenses on products with formulation profiles similar to this one.

Better match
Higher score, similar formulation
Nature's Diet Fresh Chicken Simply Raw Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 3-lb bag
Nature's Diet

Nature's Diet Fresh Chicken Simply Raw Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 3-lb bag

71

Scores 12 points higher with a similar formulation profile.

Best value
Lower price, comparable score
Nature's Diet Raw Mix Kibble Chicken Liver Inclusions Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 5-lb bag
Nature's Diet

Nature's Diet Raw Mix Kibble Chicken Liver Inclusions Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 5-lb bag

63

$5.80/lb vs your seed's $34.85/lb (83% less) at a comparable score.

Worth a look
Different brand, different protein
Nulo Salmon & Turkey Recipe with Strawberries Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food, 18-oz bag
Nulo

Nulo Salmon & Turkey Recipe with Strawberries Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food, 18-oz bag

71

Salmon instead of turkey, 12 points higher, different brand.

Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 41% ⓘ
Protein
38%
min (as fed)
Fat
28%
min (as fed)
Fiber
5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
8%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

20 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    turkey

    Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.

    Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.

  2. 2
    turkey liver

    Organ meat. Same nutrient-density story as chicken or beef liver: protein, iron, B vitamins, vitamin A.

    Position 2. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.

  3. 3
    salmon

    Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.

    Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.

  4. 4
    turkey heart

    Position 4. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.

  5. 5
    turkey gizzard

    Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.

  6. 6
    carrot

    Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, antioxidants. Same as carrots, sometimes singular on labels.

  7. 7
    broccoli

    Real vegetable. Adds fiber and some antioxidants. Fine in the small amounts used in kibble.

    Position 7: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  8. 8
    blueberry
  9. 9
    herring oil

    Concentrated omega-3 from herring. Same role as salmon oil, skin and coat support.

    Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.

  10. 10
    mixed tocopherols

    Natural vitamin E used to keep fats from going rancid. The good kind of preservative. See why →

    Natural preservative. Methodologically preferred over synthetic alternatives.

  11. 11
    apple

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

  12. 12
    tomato
  13. 13
    orange
  14. 14
    cranberry

    Same as cranberries. Real ingredient, dose in kibble is small.

  15. 15
    pumpkin

    Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.

    Position 15: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  16. 16
    spinach

    Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.

  17. 17
    beet
  18. 18
    cherry
  19. 19
    strawberry
  20. 20
    vitamin e supplement

    Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.

12 of 20 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.