Fresh Chicken Simply Raw Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 3-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Nature's Diet Fresh Chicken Simply Raw Freeze-Dried Dog Food is a freeze-dried option for all life stages, featuring chicken and chicken liver as its main protein sources.
This food offers good protein quality, with chicken and chicken liver providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources that offer fermentable fiber. Plus, the fat sources are good, with named fats and marine oil for EPA and DHA.
Nothing concerning in the deck.
Good fit for dogs of all life stages, including puppies and seniors. Nothing serious working against it.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
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) . Good fit for active large sporting breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Irish Setters navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus chicken liver at position 2 (a natural taurine precursor).
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 71/100, this formula lands in solid B territory. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 18 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage. Secondary contribution comes from carbohydrate quality (+15 points). Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. The 4-point gap to the A-tier line is concentrated in protein quality (18 of 27 possible). Full protein quality requires named-species named-cut proteins in the top of the deck (e.g., "deboned chicken" rather than "chicken meal" or "poultry meal").
Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Top 10% for carb quality in grain-free freeze-dried foods (15/16)
- Bottom quartile for DMB fat in grain-free freeze-dried foods (16.7%)
- Top quartile for overall Sniff Score in grain-free freeze-dried foods (71/100)
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.
Dr. Gary's Best Breed Chicken Recipe High-Protein Adult Raw Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 12-oz bag
Scores 3 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
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$4.25/lb vs your seed's $11.66/lb (64% less) at a comparable score.
Simple Food Project 6-Pack Sample Bundle Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 6-oz
Turkey instead of chicken, 2 points lower, 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
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalchicken liver
Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.
Position 2. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 3beef bone broth
Real bone broth. Adds flavor, moisture, and a small amount of collagen. Pleasant inclusion.
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4egg
Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label, by amino acid score.
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 5vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 5: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 6vegetablesweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 7vegetablepumpkin
Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.
Position 7: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 8banana
- 9fruitcranberries
Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.
Position 9: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 10purple potatoes
- 11vegetablebroccoli
Real vegetable. Adds fiber and some antioxidants. Fine in the small amounts used in kibble.
Position 11: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 12apple
Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.
- 13flax seed
- 14chia seed
Plant source of omega-3 and fiber. Like flaxseed, useful in trace amounts.
- 15coconut
- 16legumepeas
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 →
- 17mineraltricalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.
- 18brewer's yeast
- 19supplementkelp
Seaweed source of iodine. Trace mineral support, common in better formulas.
- 20cinnamon
- 21vegetablespinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
- 22vegetablekale
Leafy green with antioxidants and fiber. Small dose in kibble, but it's not just for marketing.
- 23prebiotic/probiotic blend
- 24omega 3 & 6 from fish oil
- 25supplementginger
Real spice. Some anti-nausea evidence in humans, but the dose in kibble is small. Mostly for flavor.
Showing first 25 of 37. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
17 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.
Formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by AAFCO dog food profiles for all life stages except for growth of large size dogs (70 lbs or more as an adult).