New Zealand Lamb & Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Nature's Select New Zealand Lamb & Rice Recipe is a dry food for adult dogs, featuring lamb as its main protein.
This recipe features lamb as both a fresh meat and a meal, which is a good sign for protein quality and how the food is made. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources that provide fermentable fiber, which can be good for digestion.
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 active large sporting breeds, including the Labrador Retriever, navigating weight management. 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 62/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+16 points): Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage. Also adding to the lift: carbohydrate quality (+12). Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. The 13-point gap to A-tier sits mostly in protein quality (16 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. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Named fresh meat paired with same-species meal, a strong extrusion architecture.
No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Bottom quartile for carb quality in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (12/16)
- Bottom quartile for DMB protein in dry kibbles (26.7%)
- Bottom quartile for DMB fat in dry kibbles (13.3%)
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 Health Protection Adult Real Lamb, Brown Rice & Pumpkin Dry Dog Food, 24-lb bag
Scores 11 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Nature's Recipe Mature Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 24-lb bag
$1.04/lb vs your seed's $3.23/lb (68% less) at a comparable score.
Nature's Recipe Adult Chicken, Barley & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 24-lb bag
Chicken instead of lamb, 3 points higher, 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 animallamb
Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animallamb meal
Lamb cooked down to a dry concentrate. Per pound, more protein than fresh lamb. 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.
- 6fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 6: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 7dried yeast
Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.
- 8protein plantpea protein
Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.
Position 8. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 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.
- 10grainmillet
Gluten-free whole grain. Fine for most dogs, often used as an alternative to rice.
Position 10: minor grain inclusion.
- 11hydrolyzed wholechicken
- 12fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 12: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 13othernatural flavors
Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.
- 14yeast culture
Fermented yeast. Source of B vitamins and beta-glucans that some research suggests support immune function.
- 15dehydrated alfalfa meal
Dried alfalfa. Fiber and trace minerals. Not exciting but it's a real plant ingredient.
- 16menhaden fishmeal
- 17mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 18supplementdried kelp
Natural source of iodine and trace minerals. A common premium-brand inclusion.
- 19mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 20supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 21fiberdried chicory root
Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.
- 22supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 23supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 24supplementl-carnitine
Amino acid derivative that helps the body convert fat into energy. Common in weight-management formulas.
- 25fibertomato pomace
The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.
Showing first 25 of 28. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.
Nature’s Select New Zealand Recipe is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrition Profiles for maintenance of adult dogs.