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Nulo Freestyle Salmon & Red Lentils Small Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 14-lb bag
Nulo

Freestyle Salmon & Red Lentils Small Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 14-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $3.57/lb

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Nulo Freestyle Salmon & Red Lentils Small Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is a dry formula for small breed dogs, featuring salmon and turkey as its main protein sources.

Salmon is the first ingredient, providing good protein quality and amino acid coverage. The formula also includes quality fat sources like chicken fat and ground flaxseed. Plus, the inclusion of turkey meal, salmon meal, and fish meal adds diverse, highly bioavailable protein.

Nothing concerning in the deck.

Good fit for small breed dogs. Nothing serious working against it.

Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.

Who this is for

The American Kennel Club breed standard for the French Bulldog specifies that weight must not exceed 28 pounds, a critical guideline for a breed prone to obesity and related health issues  (AKC) . Strong fit for adult French Bulldogs and similar lower-energy companion breeds navigating weight management. At 405 kcal/cup this formula runs on the rich side, with crude fiber at 5% (above the catalog median, supports satiety). The 2014 AAHA Weight Management Guidelines define overweight as a Body Condition Score (BCS) of 6-7 on a 9-point scale. A score of 8 or 9 indicates obesity, representing 20-30% and >30% above ideal body weight, respectively  (Brooks et al., 2014) .

Looking at this for adult French Bulldogs or French Bulldogs 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

Methodology

The Sniff System grades this product against 4 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.

Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.

Why this score

At 66/100, this formula lands in solid B territory. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 16.5 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. salmon delivers solid amino acid coverage. Secondary contribution comes from fat quality (+11 points). Quality fat sources: named fat with declared fat sources. The 9-point gap to the A-tier line is concentrated in protein quality (16.5 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").

What lifted the score

Reasonable protein quality. salmon delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Quality fat sources: named fat with declared fat sources.

FQI

Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.

STACK
What pulled it down

No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.

What sets this apart
  • Bottom 10% for carb quality in Nulo's lineup (11/16)
  • Top quartile for DMB protein in dry kibbles (34.4%)
  • Bottom quartile for protein quality in Nulo's lineup (16.5/27)

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.

Better match
Higher score, similar formulation
Nulo Frontrunner Ancient Grains Turkey, Whitefish, & Quinoa Recipe High-Protein Adult Dry Dog Food, 14-lb bag
Nulo

Nulo Frontrunner Ancient Grains Turkey, Whitefish, & Quinoa Recipe High-Protein Adult Dry Dog Food, 14-lb bag

80

Scores 14 points higher with a similar formulation profile.

Best value
Lower price, comparable score
Nulo Freestyle Grain-Free Salmon & Peas Recipe Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag
Nulo

Nulo Freestyle Grain-Free Salmon & Peas Recipe Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag

64

$3.42/lb vs your seed's $3.57/lb (4% less) at a comparable score.

Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 34% ⓘ
Protein
31%
min (as fed)
Fat
17%
min (as fed)
Fiber
5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

47 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    salmon

    Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.

    Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.

  2. 2
    lentils

    Same concern as peas. Affordable plant protein, but when they pile up in the top 5 ingredients, it's a flag. 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.

  3. 3
    chickpeas

    Also called garbanzo beans. Affordable plant protein source, part of the legume stack the FDA examined in its heart-disease investigation. 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.

  4. 4
    sweet potato

    Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.

    Position 4: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  5. 5
    turkey meal

    Turkey with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh turkey. See why →

    Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.

  6. 6
    salmon meal

    Salmon cooked into a dry concentrate. Carries both protein and natural omega-3s in one ingredient. See why →

    Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.

  7. 7
    fish meal

    Concentrated fish protein, usually whitefish, herring, or mackerel. Strong amino acid profile. See why →

    Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.

  8. 8
    chicken fat

    Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →

    Position 8: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.

  9. 9
    ground flaxseed

    Cracked flaxseed for better digestibility. Same plant omega-3s as whole flaxseed, just easier for the dog to extract.

    Position 9: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.

  10. 10
    ground miscanthus grass

    Same as miscanthus grass. A plant fiber source, mostly there for stool quality.

  11. 11
    natural flavor

    Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.

  12. 12
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  13. 13
    dried tomatoes

    Real fruit. Lycopene and trace antioxidants. Different from tomato pomace, which is the fiber byproduct.

  14. 14
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  15. 15
    choline chloride

    Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  16. 16
    dl-methionine

    Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.

  17. 17
    dried chicory root

    Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.

  18. 18
    dried apples

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

  19. 19
    blueberries

    Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.

  20. 20
    carrots

    Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.

  21. 21
    taurine

    Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.

  22. 22
    l-carnitine

    Amino acid derivative that helps the body convert fat into energy. Common in weight-management formulas.

  23. 23
    vitamin e supplement

    Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.

  24. 24
    zinc proteinate

    Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.

  25. 25
    zinc sulfate

    Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.

Showing first 25 of 47. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

25 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.