Classic Chicken & Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Nature's Select Classic Chicken & Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food is a dry food for adult dogs, featuring deboned chicken as its main protein.
This formula has a strong protein profile, with deboned chicken as the first ingredient, which means good biological value for your dog. It also uses quality carbohydrate sources that provide fermentable fiber. Plus, it includes premium micronutrient forms like chelated minerals or natural vitamin E.
Nothing concerning in the deck.
Good fit for adult dogs of any size. Nothing serious working against it.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for adult Labrador Retrievers navigating weight management. Working in its favor: L-carnitine listed (supports fat metabolism). At 365 kcal/cup this formula runs on the moderate side, with crude fiber at 4.5% (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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Solid grade. 72/100 (B) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+20.5 points): Strong protein profile with deboned chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. The supporting beat: carbohydrate quality (+13 points). Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. What's keeping it out of A-tier: protein quality (20.5 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").
Strong protein profile with deboned chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Premium micronutrient forms such as chelated minerals or natural vitamin E.
No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Top quartile for protein quality in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (20.3/27)
- Bottom quartile for DMB protein in dry kibbles (26.7%)
- Top quartile for overall Sniff Score in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (72/100)
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.
Diamond Naturals Large Breed Adult Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food, 40-lb bag
Scores 5 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food, 18-lb bag
$1.83/lb vs your seed's $2.97/lb (38% less) at a comparable score.
Nutro Natural Choice Adult Beef & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag
Beef instead of chicken, matched score, 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 animaldeboned chicken
Real meat with the bones removed before grinding. The cleanest version of chicken on an ingredient label.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalchicken meal
Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken. See why →
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3grainbrown rice
Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.
Position 3: major carbohydrate source.
- 4grain sorghum
Same as sorghum. Whole grain with a low glycemic index. Gluten-free, well-tolerated.
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5legumepeas
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 5. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.
- 6grainmillet
Gluten-free whole grain. Fine for most dogs, often used as an alternative to rice.
Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 7fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 7: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 8dried yeast
Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.
- 9fiberdried beet pulp
Soluble fiber from sugar-beet processing. Sometimes treated as a filler, but it's actually one of the better fiber sources in kibble. See why →
Position 9: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 10fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 10: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 11hydrolyzed whole chicken
Position 11: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 12othernatural flavors
Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.
- 13yeast culture
Fermented yeast. Source of B vitamins and beta-glucans that some research suggests support immune function.
- 14dehydrated alfalfa meal
Dried alfalfa. Fiber and trace minerals. Not exciting but it's a real plant ingredient.
- 15mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 16supplementdried kelp
Natural source of iodine and trace minerals. A common premium-brand inclusion.
- 17mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 18supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 19fiberdried chicory root
Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.
- 20supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 21supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 22supplementl-carnitine
Amino acid derivative that helps the body convert fat into energy. Common in weight-management formulas.
- 23fibertomato pomace
The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.
- 24vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
- 25fruitblueberries
Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.
Showing first 25 of 44. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.
Nature’s Select Classic Recipe is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrition Profiles for maintenance of adult dogs.