Chopped Ground Dinner Variety Pack Adult Wet Dog Food, 3.5-oz pouch, case of 30
Graded by The Sniff System
Pedigree Chopped Ground Dinner Variety Pack is a wet food in pouches, formulated for adult dogs, with beef as a primary protein source.
This food does include some quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber, which can be good for gut health. It's also inferred to meet AAFCO adult maintenance standards, though the official statement isn't published.
This food contains sodium nitrite, a significant concern due to its documented links to canine death and potential carcinogenic pathways. It also has unspecified meat by-products and carrageenan, which some studies link to gastrointestinal inflammation.
Hard to recommend for any dog given the significant concerns with its ingredients.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for adult Golden Retrievers navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Beef bacon cheese: ingredients: chicken 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 18/100, landing in F-tier (avoid). The biggest contributor was carbohydrate quality (+12 points): Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. A hard cap of 49 also applied because one FLAG-tier ingredient is in the formula. Even without the cap, the base component scores sit below the next band. The structural fix would need to address controversial-ingredient penalty as well.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
AAFCO formulation inferred from declared adult maintenance. Verbatim statement not published by retailer.
- Lowest fat quality in grain-free wet foods (4/16)
- Top quartile for protein quality in Pedigree's lineup (11.5/27)
- Bottom 1% for overall Sniff Score in grain-free wet foods (18/100)
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 High Protein Variety Pack Adult Dog Wet Food Pouches, 3.5-oz pouches, 18 count
Scores 29 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Pedigree High Protein Chopped Beef & Bison Flavor & Chopped Chicken & Duck Flavor Adult Canned Soft Wet Dog Food Variety Pack, 13.2-oz can, case of 12
$2.21/lb vs your seed's $3.96/lb (44% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Controversial ingredients · 2
- meat by-productsUnspecified species. AAFCO definition allows organs, blood, bone. but the lack of a named source means quality and consistency are not auditable.
- 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 36%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1beef bacon cheese: ingredients: chicken
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2sufficient water for processing
- 3protein animalmeat by-products Flagged
Unnamed organ meats and tissue. Could be nutritious, but no species is listed, so quality varies by batch.
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4protein animalbeef
Real meat. Dense in protein and iron. Some dogs are sensitive to it, but for most it's an excellent base.
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 5dried plain beet pulp
Beet fiber, with the sugar removed. Long unfairly maligned. It's a real soluble fiber that supports stool quality. See why →
Position 5: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 6mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 7mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 8mineralsodium tripolyphosphate
Preservative and texture agent in wet food. Functional at small doses, not a major concern, but some brands avoid it.
- 9cassia gum
Thickener common in wet food. Functional, no major concerns at typical inclusion.
- 10othercarrageenan Flagged
Seaweed-derived thickener. Some lab studies suggest gut inflammation, but the evidence in pets is mixed. See why →
- 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.
- 12mineralmagnesium oxide
Inorganic magnesium. Functional at AAFCO doses, less efficiently absorbed than chelated forms.
- 13zinc oxide
Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.
- 14mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
- 15mineralcalcium iodate
Source of iodine for thyroid function. Functional, required in complete formulas.
- 16supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 17natural bacon flavor
- 18natural cheese flavor
- 19fiberxanthan gum
Thickener common in wet food and gravies. Same emulsifier-microbiome conversation as guar gum, not a clear flag. See why →
- 20added color
Generic coloring. Doesn't say if natural or artificial. Dogs are color-blind, so any added color is for the human shopper.
- 21sodium nitrite . bacon & filet mignon flavor: ingredients: chicken
- 22sufficient water for processing
- 23protein animalmeat by-products Flagged
Unnamed organ meats and tissue. Could be nutritious, but no species is listed, so quality varies by batch.
- 24protein animalbeef
Real meat. Dense in protein and iron. Some dogs are sensitive to it, but for most it's an excellent base.
- 25dried plain beet pulp
Beet fiber, with the sugar removed. Long unfairly maligned. It's a real soluble fiber that supports stool quality. See why →
Showing first 25 of 59. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
19 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.