Raw Coated Kibble Raw Chicken Liver & Bone Broth Coating Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 5-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Nature's Diet Raw Coated Kibble is a freeze-dried food with a raw chicken liver and bone broth coating, primarily featuring chicken.
The protein quality is reasonable, with chicken meal providing solid amino acid coverage. The formula also includes diverse, highly bioavailable protein sources like freeze-dried raw chicken liver and salmon meal. You'll also find premium micronutrient forms, such as chelated minerals, in this recipe.
One thing to note is the high legume stacking, with peas, lentils, and chickpeas all appearing in the top 15 ingredients. This is partially mitigated by the presence of organ meat like chicken liver.
Good fit for dogs needing diverse protein sources and premium micronutrients. Less ideal if you prefer foods without significant legume content.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for adult German Shepherds and similar active herding breeds navigating a sensitive stomach. Chicken meal leads at position 1. Worth watching: multiple protein sources stacked (harder to isolate triggers). Shepherds have a documented tendency toward sensitive GI tracts and hip/elbow dysplasia. Limited-ingredient formulas with marine omega-3 source consistently fit better.
Looking at this for adult German Shepherds or German Shepherds with a sensitive stomach ? 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.
- NRC, 2006digestibility · fiber· cited in 2 claims
- AAFCO, 2024zinc
- Swanson et al., 2002prebiotics
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 63/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+19 points): Reasonable protein quality. chicken meal delivers solid amino acid coverage. 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. To reach A-tier, this formula would need to gain about 12 points, most likely through controversial-ingredient penalty.
Reasonable protein quality. chicken meal delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
Premium micronutrient forms such as chelated minerals or natural vitamin E.
Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10..
- Top 3% for caloric density in grain-free freeze-dried foods (474 kcal/cup)
- Bottom 5% for DMB protein in grain-free freeze-dried foods (33.3%)
- Bottom 4% for DMB fat in grain-free freeze-dried foods (14.4%)
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 11 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
A Better Treat Raw You Can See Chicken Recipe High-Protein Kibble & Raw Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 15-lb bag
$4.67/lb vs your seed's $5.40/lb (14% less) at a comparable score.
Formula Raw Lamb Grain-Free Adult Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food, 25-oz bag
Beef 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 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.
- 2legumepeas
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 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.
- 3legumelentils
Same concern as peas. Affordable plant protein, but when they pile up in the top 5 ingredients, it's a flag. 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.
- 4legumechickpeas
Also called garbanzo beans. Affordable plant protein source, part of the legume stack the FDA examined 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.
- 5freeze-dried raw chicken
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6protein animalturkey meal
Turkey with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh turkey. See why →
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7freeze-dried raw chicken liver
- 8tapioca starch
Refined cassava starch, used as a binder. Easy to digest, low on nutrition.
- 9fatcanola oil
Plant oil. Some omega-3 from the parent plant, though dogs absorb it less efficiently than fish-derived omega-3. Fine in moderation.
Position 9: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 10vegetablesweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
Position 10: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 11protein animalsalmon meal
Salmon cooked into a dry concentrate. Carries both protein and natural omega-3s in one ingredient. See why →
Position 11: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 12fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 12: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 13dried tomato 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.
- 14chicken cartilage
Position 14: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 15othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 16lecithin
Natural emulsifier, usually from soy or sunflower. Helps blend fats and water. Safe at typical inclusion.
- 17mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 18supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 19supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 20fruitcranberries
Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.
- 21fruitblueberries
Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.
- 22supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 23turmeric powder
- 24vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
- 25dried spinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
Showing first 25 of 60. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
21 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.
Specially formulated to meet all nutritional levels established by the AAFCO.