Kibble in the Raw Small Breed Recipe Non-GMO Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 24-oz bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Primal Kibble in the Raw Small Breed Recipe is a freeze-dried food with chicken and chicken liver as its primary protein sources.
This recipe features good protein quality from chicken, providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber and named fat sources like salmon oil, which offers beneficial EPA and DHA.
The main thing to note is the absence of an AAFCO statement, which means the nutritional completeness of this food is unverified. This factor significantly impacted its overall score.
Good fit for small breed dogs. Less ideal if you prefer a food with a verified AAFCO statement for nutritional completeness.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Strong fit for moderately active toy breeds, including the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Working in its favor: explicitly formulated for small-breed dogs. Chicken anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus chicken liver at position 3 (a natural taurine precursor) and salmon oil at position 7. The FDA's 2019 investigation update on diet-associated DCM included 13 reported cases in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, making them one of the top 15 most frequently reported breeds at that time (FDA, 2019) .
Looking at this for adult Cavalier King Charles Spaniels or Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 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, 2022epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 4 claims
- FDA, 2019cardiac · diet composition· cited in 3 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Middle-of-pack grade. 59/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+17 points): Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage. 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). How it could climb: the brand publishing the AAFCO statement, which would lift the cap into B-band range.
Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
- Lowest fat quality in Primal's lineup (12/16)
- Top quartile for carb quality in Primal's lineup (15/16)
- Bottom 4% for DMB protein in freeze-dried foods (29.3%)
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.
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Scores 12 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
A Better Treat Raw You Can See Chicken Recipe High-Protein Kibble & Raw Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 15-lb bag
$4.67/lb vs your seed's $19.99/lb (77% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2grainsorghum
Whole grain with a low glycemic index. Gluten-free, well-tolerated, decent fiber content.
Position 2: major carbohydrate source.
- 3protein animalchicken liver
Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.
Position 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 4carrot
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, antioxidants. Same as carrots, sometimes singular on labels.
- 5egg
Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label, by amino acid score.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6vegetablesweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 7fatsalmon oil
Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.
Position 7. Moderate marine-oil inclusion. Supplements EPA/DHA without being the primary fat.
- 8vegetablekale
Leafy green with antioxidants and fiber. Small dose in kibble, but it's not just for marketing.
Position 8: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 9fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 9: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 10apple
Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.
- 11dried yeast
Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.
- 12montmorillonite clay
Natural clay used as a binder and anti-caking agent. Functional, not nutritional.
- 13fibermiscanthus grass
Perennial grass used as a fiber source. Replaces cellulose in some recipes. Functional but unremarkable.
Position 13: trace fiber inclusion.
- 14coconut
- 15cod liver oil
Position 15. Small organ inclusion. Functional but not a primary contributor to the protein profile.
- 16vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 17vegetable oil
Unnamed plant oil. Could be soy, canola, corn, or a blend. Named oils like sunflower or canola are more transparent.
- 18ground alfalfa
- 19fiberinulin
Prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria. Same compound found in chicory root.
- 20dried organic kelp
- 21liquid lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product
- 22liquid lactobacillus casei fermentation product
- 23liquid lactobacillus reuteri fermentation product
- 24liquid bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product
- 25preservative naturalmixed tocopherols
Natural vitamin E used to keep fats from going rancid. The good kind of preservative. See why →
Showing first 25 of 28. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
17 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.