High Protein Beef & Lamb Flavor Dog Kibble Adult Dry Dog Food, 44-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Pedigree High Protein Beef & Lamb Flavor Dog Kibble Adult Dry Dog Food is a dry food flavored with beef and lamb, with chicken by-product meal as a primary protein source.
This formula includes some quality carbohydrate sources that provide fermentable fiber. Beyond that, there isn't much to highlight as a strength for this product.
This food contains BHA, a synthetic preservative classified as a probable carcinogen. It also includes multiple artificial colors that offer no nutritional value. The formula is plant-protein-dominated, with ground whole grain corn as the first ingredient.
Hard to recommend for any dog. The numerous flagged ingredients are a significant concern.
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 315 kcal/cup this formula runs on the lean side, with crude fiber at 4% (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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Concerning grade. 0/100 (F) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Carbohydrate quality did the heavy lifting (+12 points): Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. What capped it: the score can't exceed 39 because multiple FLAG-tier ingredients are stacked in the formula. Removing the cap alone wouldn't change the band. Controversial-ingredient penalty is the deeper issue.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
AAFCO formulation inferred from declared adult maintenance. Verbatim statement not published by retailer.
Contains bha. IARC Group 2B probable carcinogen; CA Prop 65 listed; FDA reassessment announced 2025. Natural alternatives (mixed tocopherols) widely available..
Plant-protein-dominated formula. ground whole grain corn as the #1 ingredient.
- Lowest fat quality in Pedigree's lineup (2/16)
- Lowest overall Sniff Score in Pedigree's lineup (0/100)
- Bottom 10% for crude fiber in Pedigree's lineup (4.5% DMB)
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 Roasted Chicken & Vegetable Flavor with Bacon Flavored Bites Adult Dry Dog Food, 44-lb bag
Scores 13 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Kibbles 'n Bits Original Adult Savory Beef & Chicken Flavors Dry Dog Food, 45-lb bag
$0.60/lb vs your seed's $0.70/lb (15% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Controversial ingredients · 5
- bhaSynthetic preservative classified by the U.S. National Toxicology Program as 'reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.' Many premium brands have removed it.
- yellow 6Artificial color with no nutritional value.
- red 40Artificial color with no nutritional value. Linked to behavioral effects in children; relevance to dogs is unclear but the ingredient serves only marketing purposes.
- yellow 5Artificial color with no nutritional value. Some dogs show allergic-type reactions.
- blue 2Artificial color. A 1990s industry-funded study reported brain tumors in male rats; subsequent reviews disputed methodology, but the additive provides no nutritional benefit.
Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1ground whole grain corn
Whole corn with the kernel intact. Decent fiber and B vitamins, though it can crowd out meat in cheaper recipes.
Position 1 grain: primary carbohydrate base. This is a grain-inclusive formula with ground whole grain corn as the dominant carb.
- 2meat and bone meal
Unnamed animal protein with bone included. Cheap, vague, and not traceable to a specific species.
- 3protein animalchicken by-product meal
Ground organs, bone, and tissue. Nutritionally dense, especially the liver and gizzard fractions. Named species ('chicken') is what matters. Generic 'poultry by-product meal' is the one to worry about. See why →
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4protein plantcorn gluten meal
Concentrated corn protein. Inflates the protein percent on the label without matching meat-quality amino acids.
Position 4: plant protein in the top 5. Stacked with animal protein, can inflate the crude protein number without matching the amino-acid quality of named animal sources.
- 5animal fat
Unnamed fat source. The species matters: 'chicken fat' or 'beef fat' is fine, but 'animal fat' tells you nothing about origin.
Position 5: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 5preservative syntheticbha Flagged
Synthetic preservative. Listed as a possible human carcinogen by the IARC. Banned from human food in Japan and parts of the EU, still permitted in US pet food. See why →
Synthetic preservative at position 5. Sniff flags this regardless of where it sits in the deck.
- 6protein plantsoybean meal
Concentrated soy protein. Cheap plant protein that pads the label number, common in budget formulas.
Position 6: moderate plant-protein boost. Less likely to materially shift the protein profile.
- 7ground whole grain wheat
Position 7: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 8protein animalbeef
Real meat. Dense in protein and iron. Some dogs are sensitive to it, but for most it's an excellent base.
Position 8: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 9othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 10dried 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 10: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 11mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 12brewers 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 12: minor grain inclusion.
- 13mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 14protein animallamb meal
Lamb cooked down to a dry concentrate. Per pound, more protein than fresh lamb. See why →
Position 14: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 15mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 16supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 17dried peas
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 →
- 18supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 19vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 20monocalcium phosphate
Source of calcium and phosphorus. Standard mineral inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 21mineralzinc sulfate
Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.
- 22otheryellow 6 Flagged
Artificial coloring. No functional purpose. Banned or restricted in several countries. See why →
- 23vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
- 24supplementl-tryptophan
Essential amino acid. Sometimes added in calming or weight-management formulas.
Showing first 25 of 40. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.