Chopped Ground Dinner Chicken & Rice Dinner Canned Wet Dog Food, 13.2-oz can, 12 count
Graded by The Sniff System
Pedigree Chopped Ground Dinner Chicken & Rice Dinner is a wet food featuring chicken as its main protein.
There are no notable positive drivers for this formula.
This product lacks an AAFCO statement, which is a fundamental requirement for a complete and balanced dog food. It also contains carrageenan, a thickener linked to gastrointestinal inflammation in some studies.
Hard to recommend for any dog. The lack of an AAFCO statement is a significant concern.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for adult Golden Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken by-products anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15. 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Below-average grade. 33/100 (D) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. What capped it: the score can't exceed 59 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). Removing the cap alone wouldn't change the band. Protein quality is the deeper issue.
No positive drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
Low protein quality. chicken by-products delivers limited bioavailable amino acids.
No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
- Bottom 1% for fat quality in grain-inclusive wet foods (4/16)
- Top quartile for DMB fat in grain-inclusive wet foods (27.3%)
- Bottom 3% for overall Sniff Score in grain-inclusive wet foods (33/100)
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.
Pedigree Chopped Ground Dinner Liver & Beef, Beef, Bacon & Cheese Flavor with Chicken Adult Canned Wet Dog Food Combo Variety Pack, 13.2-oz, 12 count
Scores 3 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Pedigree Chopped Ground Dinner with Beef Adult Canned Wet Dog Food, 22-oz, case of 12
$1.66/lb vs your seed's $1.96/lb (16% less) at a comparable score.
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 39%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1chicken by-products
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3sufficient water for processing
- 4brewers rice
Broken rice kernels left over from milling, usually destined for human beer-making. Cheaper than whole or even white rice. Same carbs, less nutrition than the brown version. See why →
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5carob bean gum
- 6mineralsodium tripolyphosphate
Preservative and texture agent in wet food. Functional at small doses, not a major concern, but some brands avoid it.
- 7mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 8magnesium proteinate
Magnesium bound to protein for better absorption. The premium chelated form.
- 9mineralzinc sulfate
Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.
- 10mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 11mineralmanganese sulfate
Inorganic manganese. Functional but less well-absorbed than the chelated proteinate form.
- 12mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
- 13mineralpotassium iodide
Source of iodine, an essential trace mineral for thyroid function. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 14othercarrageenan Flagged
Seaweed-derived thickener. Some lab studies suggest gut inflammation, but the evidence in pets is mixed. See why →
- 15fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 15: trace fiber inclusion.
- 16dried yam
Yam with the moisture removed. Complex carb, fiber, similar role to sweet potato.
- 17othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
14 of 17 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.