Chicken, Wild Salmon & Brown Rice Recipe in Savory Broth Wet Dog Food, 2.75-oz, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Nature's Recipe Chicken, Wild Salmon & Brown Rice Recipe is a wet food that features chicken and salmon as its primary proteins.
This recipe offers good protein quality, with chicken providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber, and salmon adds diverse, high-bioavailability protein.
A significant watch item is the lack of an AAFCO statement, meaning its nutritional completeness is unverified. This recipe also contains carrageenan, a seaweed-derived thickener linked to gastrointestinal inflammation in some studies.
Good fit for dogs who benefit from quality protein and carbs. Less ideal if you need an AAFCO statement or have a dog with IBD.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Labrador Retriever, navigating weight management. At 74 kcal/cup this formula runs on the lean side. 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 49/100, landing in C-tier (acceptable-with-notes). The biggest contributor was protein quality (+16 points): Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage. A hard cap of 59 also applied 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). Even without the cap, the base component scores sit below the next band. The structural fix would need to address AAFCO compliance as well.
Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
Contains carrageenan. Plausible rodent colitis mechanism, no direct canine clinical evidence at food-grade levels. Concern elevated for dogs with IBD..
- Top 1% for DMB protein in grain-inclusive wet foods (64.7%)
- Bottom quartile for DMB fat in wet foods (11.8%)
- Top 4% for carb quality in wet foods (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.
Natural Balance Specialized Nutrition Sensitive Skin & Stomach Formula Adult Salmon & Brown Rice Wet Dog Food, 12.7-oz can, case of 12
Scores 20 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Nature's Recipe Grain-Free Chicken & Beef Recipes Variety Pack Wet Dog Food, 13-oz, 12 count
$3.93/lb vs your seed's $7.27/lb (46% less) at a comparable score.
Nature's Logic 100% Natural Canine Duck & Salmon Feast All Life Stages Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 13.2-oz, case of 12
Duck instead of chicken, 16 points higher, different brand.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Controversial ingredients · 1
- carrageenanSeaweed-derived thickener; some studies link it to gastrointestinal inflammation. Most common in wet foods but appears in some kibble gravies.
Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 65%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
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.
- 2chicken broth
Real broth, adds flavor and moisture. Negligible nutrition on its own but tells you the recipe leans on real meat.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3vegetablepumpkin
Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.
Position 3: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 4protein animalsalmon
Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 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.
- 6fatcanola 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 6: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 7tomato puree
- 8mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 9mineraltricalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.
- 10potato starch
Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.
- 11vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 12vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
- 13vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 14vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 15vitamind-calcium pantothenate
B vitamin (B5). Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 16vitaminriboflavin supplement
B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.
- 17vitaminvitamin b12 supplement
Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.
- 18vitaminpyridoxine hydrochloride
B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.
- 19vitaminvitamin d3 supplement
The active form of vitamin D dogs need. Required for calcium absorption and bone health.
- 20vitaminfolic acid
B vitamin (B9), essential for cell function. Standard in complete dog foods.
- 21vitaminbiotin
B vitamin that supports skin and coat health. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 22beta-carotene
- 23mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 24fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
- 25calcium sulfate
Source of calcium. Functional, required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
Showing first 25 of 37. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.