Human Grade Lamb, Venison & Beef Variety Pack Fresh Wet & Air-Dried Baked Dry Dog Food, 12-oz cup, case of 10
Graded by The Sniff System
PetPlate Human Grade Lamb, Venison & Beef Variety Pack Fresh Wet & Air-Dried Baked Dry Dog Food is an air-dried food with ground lamb as a primary protein source.
This food features quality carbohydrate sources that include fermentable fiber, and the ground lamb provides solid amino acid coverage for good protein quality. It also has quality fat sources, including named fats and marine oil for EPA and DHA.
The main thing to watch is the lack of an AAFCO statement, which means the nutritional completeness of this food is unverified. This absence capped its overall score.
Good fit for dogs whose owners prioritize quality ingredients and an air-dried format. Less ideal if AAFCO verification is a must-have.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
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) . Strong fit for adult Golden Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Ground lamb anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus lamb liver at position 3 (a natural taurine precursor).
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 59/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from carbohydrate quality, worth 16 points to the final number: Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. The ceiling on this score is 59, set 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). The fix path: the brand publishing the AAFCO statement. That would lift the cap and put this formula above the B-band line at 60.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Reasonable protein quality. ground lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
- Lowest DMB protein in PetPlate's lineup (26.1%)
- Top quartile for crude fiber in PetPlate's lineup (4.5% DMB)
- Lowest fat quality in PetPlate's lineup (12/16)
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.
Surf & Turf Air Dried Recipe for Dogs
Scores 16 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Beef & Barley UnKibble
$3.75/lb vs your seed's $14.84/lb (75% less) at a comparable score.
Turkey & Sweet Potato UnKibble
Turkey instead of lamb, 10 points higher, 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 26%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1ground lamb
Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2vegetablesweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
Position 2: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 3protein animallamb liver
Organ meat. Same nutrient-density story as chicken or beef liver, dense in B vitamins, iron, vitamin A.
Position 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 4fruitapples
Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.
Position 4: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 5grainquinoa
Pseudo-grain with a complete amino acid profile. Rare in dog food because it's expensive.
Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 6vegetablebroccoli
Real vegetable. Adds fiber and some antioxidants. Fine in the small amounts used in kibble.
Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 7vinegar
Mild acid used for flavor or pH adjustment. Safe at typical inclusion.
- 8potato starch
Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.
- 9mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 10safflower oil
Position 10: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 11fatsalmon oil
Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.
Position 11. Moderate marine-oil inclusion. Supplements EPA/DHA without being the primary fat.
- 12mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 13othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 14mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 15ferrous fumarate
- 16mineralmagnesium oxide
Inorganic magnesium. Functional at AAFCO doses, less efficiently absorbed than chelated forms.
- 17mineralcopper amino acid complex
Copper bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus copper sulfate.
- 18zinc oxide
Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.
- 19mineralpotassium iodide
Source of iodine, an essential trace mineral for thyroid function. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 20mineralmanganese amino acid complex
Manganese bound to amino acids for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 21mineralsodium selenite Flagged
Inorganic selenium. Effective at AAFCO levels, no documented safety concern in dogs despite what some pet food blogs claim. Selenium yeast is a marginal upgrade, not a necessity. See why →
- 22preservative naturalmixed tocopherols
Natural vitamin E used to keep fats from going rancid. The good kind of preservative. See why →
- 23mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 24malt extract
- 25supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
Showing first 25 of 88. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
22 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.