Pate Chicken with Liver Wet Dog Food, 12.8-oz, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
ORIJEN Pate Chicken with Liver Wet Dog Food is a wet pate-style food featuring chicken, chicken liver, and turkey as its main protein sources.
This food has a strong protein profile, with chicken as the first ingredient, providing high biological value. It also includes quality fat sources, like marine oil, which is a good source of EPA and DHA, along with quality carbohydrate sources that offer fermentable fiber.
The formula contains guar gum, an emulsifier. While there's emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers, there isn't specific canine clinical evidence, so it's a minor watch item for canned foods.
Good fit for dogs who do well on a high-quality wet food with strong protein and fat sources. Less ideal if you prefer to avoid guar gum.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for active large sporting breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Irish Setters navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus chicken liver at position 2 (a natural taurine precursor). In its 2022 update on diet-associated DCM, the FDA identified Golden Retrievers as the most reported breed, with 121 cases out of 1,382 total canine reports (8.8%) received between January 1, 2014, and November 1, 2022 (FDA, 2022) .
Looking at this for adult Golden Retrievers or Golden Retrievers with diet-associated DCM concerns ? 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.
- FDA, 2022cardiac · epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 5 claims
- FDA, 2019diet composition· cited in 2 claims
- NRC, 2006nutrient bioavailability
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 71/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+20 points): Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. The biggest detractor was controversial-ingredient penalty (-5 points): Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food. The gap to A-tier is small (4.0 points). Trimming controversial-ingredient penalty would likely close it.
Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..
- Top 2% for DMB fat in ORIJEN's lineup (34.1%)
- Bottom quartile for protein quality in ORIJEN's lineup (20/27)
- Top 3% for overall Sniff Score in grain-free wet foods (71/100)
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.
ORIJEN FRESHPREY Beef, Pork & Lamb Recipe Grain-Inclusive Frozen Dog Food, 16-oz pouch, case of 7
Scores 13 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Nature's Logic 100% Natural Canine Chicken Feast All Life Stages Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 13.2-oz, case of 12
$5.23/lb vs your seed's $7.74/lb (32% less) at a comparable score.
ACANA Premium Pate Lamb in Bone Broth Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 12.8-oz, case of 12
Lamb instead of chicken, matched score, different brand.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 45%, 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.
- 2protein animalchicken liver
Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.
Position 2. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 3chicken bone broth
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4turkey bone broth
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 5protein animalturkey
Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6protein animalchicken heart
Organ meat. Dense in taurine, B vitamins, and CoQ10. One of the best ingredients dogs can eat.
Position 6. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.
- 7natural pork flavor
Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 8vegetablebroccoli
Real vegetable. Adds fiber and some antioxidants. Fine in the small amounts used in kibble.
Position 8: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 9vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 9: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 10vegetablepumpkin
Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.
Position 10: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 11fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 11: trace fiber inclusion.
- 12agar-agar
Seaweed-derived gel used as a thickener. Functional alternative to carrageenan, generally well-tolerated.
- 13mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 14mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 15mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 16mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 17mineralselenium yeast
Organic selenium grown in yeast. The form premium brands use, gentler and more bioavailable than sodium selenite.
- 18mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 19cobalt proteinate
Cobalt bound to protein. Trace mineral needed for vitamin B12 synthesis, chelated form for better absorption.
- 20mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 21mineralpotassium iodide
Source of iodine, an essential trace mineral for thyroid function. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 22herring oil
Concentrated omega-3 from herring. Same role as salmon oil, skin and coat support.
- 23vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 24vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 25vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
Showing first 25 of 38. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
22 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.