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Pedigree Tender Bites Adult Complete Nutrition Chicken & Steak Flavor Dry Dog Food, 14-lb bag
Pedigree

Tender Bites Adult Complete Nutrition Chicken & Steak Flavor Dry Dog Food, 14-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $1.50/lb

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Pedigree Tender Bites Adult Complete Nutrition is a dry food for adult dogs, flavored with chicken and steak, but primarily driven by plant-based proteins.

Not much to highlight here. The formula is inferred to meet AAFCO adult maintenance standards, which is a basic requirement for commercial dog food. It also contains some quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

This food contains BHA, a probable carcinogen, and artificial colors red 40, yellow 6, blue 2, and yellow 5. These additives provide no nutritional value. The formula is also plant-protein-dominated.

Hard to recommend for any dog due to the significant number of flagged ingredients.

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

Who this is for

Good fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Labrador Retriever, navigating weight management. At 318 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

Methodology

The Sniff System grades this product against 3 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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

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. Protein quality is the deeper issue.

What lifted the score

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

AAFCO formulation inferred from declared adult maintenance. Verbatim statement not published by retailer.

ACF
What pulled it down

Score capped at 39 due to 5 FLAG ingredients.

CAP why?

Plant-protein-dominated formula. ground whole grain corn as the #1 ingredient.

PQI

Contains bha. IARC Group 2B probable carcinogen; CA Prop 65 listed; FDA reassessment announced 2025. Natural alternatives (mixed tocopherols) widely available..

CIP
What sets this apart
  • Lowest DMB protein in Pedigree's lineup (23.9%)
  • Lowest fat quality in Pedigree's lineup (2/16)
  • Lowest overall Sniff Score in Pedigree's lineup (0/100)

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.

Better match
Higher score, similar formulation
Pedigree Roasted Chicken & Vegetable Flavor with Bacon Flavored Bites Adult Dry Dog Food, 44-lb bag
Pedigree

Pedigree Roasted Chicken & Vegetable Flavor with Bacon Flavored Bites Adult Dry Dog Food, 44-lb bag

13

Scores 13 points higher with a similar formulation profile.

Best value
Lower price, comparable score
Pedigree Large Breed Adult Roasted Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Flavor Dry Dog Food, 40-lb bag
Pedigree

Pedigree Large Breed Adult Roasted Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Flavor Dry Dog Food, 40-lb bag

0

$0.65/lb vs your seed's $1.50/lb (57% less) at a comparable score.

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

Controversial ingredients · 4

  • red 40
    Artificial color with no nutritional value. Linked to behavioral effects in children; relevance to dogs is unclear but the ingredient serves only marketing purposes.
  • yellow 6
    Artificial color with no nutritional value.
  • blue 2
    Artificial color. A 1990s industry-funded study reported brain tumors in male rats; subsequent reviews disputed methodology, but the additive provides no nutritional benefit.
  • yellow 5
    Artificial color with no nutritional value. Some dogs show allergic-type reactions.

Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 24% ⓘ
Protein
21%
min (as fed)
Fat
10%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4%
max (as fed)
Moisture
12%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

41 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    ground 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.

  2. 2
    meat and bone meal

    Unnamed animal protein with bone included. Cheap, vague, and not traceable to a specific species.

  3. 3
    animal fat [preserved with bha and citric acid])

    Position 3: primary fat source. Drives the formula's caloric density and omega-6 content.

  4. 4
    corn 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.

  5. 5
    soybean meal

    Concentrated soy protein. Cheap plant protein that pads the label number, common in budget formulas.

    Position 5: 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.

  6. 6
    natural flavor

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

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

  8. 8
    dried 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 8: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.

  9. 9
    water

    Just water. Counted on the label of any wet or fresh food. The number tells you the moisture content.

  10. 10
    glycerin

    Humectant used in soft-moist foods to keep them chewy. Safe in moderation but a signal of a processed semi-moist product.

  11. 11
    chicken meal

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

    Position 11: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.

  12. 12
    salt

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

  13. 13
    sugar

    Added sugar. No nutritional purpose for dogs. Most often found in budget semi-moist foods. See why →

  14. 14
    ground wheat

    Whole wheat. Fine for most dogs, though a portion are sensitive. Not a quality concern, just a fit-for-your-dog question.

    Position 14: minor grain inclusion.

  15. 15
    potassium chloride

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

  16. 16
    choline chloride

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

  17. 17
    phosphoric acid
  18. 18
    dried 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 →

  19. 19
    potassium sorbate
  20. 20
    dl-methionine

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

  21. 21
    natural grilled steak flavor
  22. 22
    vitamin e supplement

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

  23. 23
    zinc sulfate

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

  24. 24
    l-tryptophan

    Essential amino acid. Sometimes added in calming or weight-management formulas.

  25. 25
    red 40 Flagged

    Artificial coloring. Dogs don't care about color. Banned in several countries over hyperactivity and allergic-reaction concerns. See why →

Showing first 25 of 41. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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