Specialized Shredded Blend Lamb & Rice Formula High Protein Small Breed Dry Dog Food, 18-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Purina Pro Plan Specialized Shredded Blend Lamb & Rice Formula is a dry food for small breed dogs, featuring lamb as its primary protein.
Lamb is the first ingredient, providing good protein quality and solid amino acid coverage. The formula also includes dried egg product, adding diverse, high-bioavailability protein. It has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation, which is a strong indicator of nutritional adequacy.
A key watch item is the lack of a declared omega-3 source. Ingredients like fish oil, salmon oil, or algae oil are all absent from the formula.
Good fit for small breed dogs who need a lamb-based diet. Less ideal if you prefer a food with a declared omega-3 source.
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. Lamb anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15. 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 60/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+14.5 points): Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage. The biggest detractor was fat quality (-8 points): No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage.
AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for not stated.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
- Lowest fat quality in Purina Pro Plan's lineup (4/16)
- Top quartile for DMB protein in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (33.0%)
- Bottom 2% for crude fiber in Purina Pro Plan's lineup (3.4% 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.
Purina Pro Plan Adult Large Breed Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food, 34-lb bag
Scores 8 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Purina Pro Plan Sport Small Bites All Life Stages High-Protein Lamb & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food, 37.5-lb bag
$2.00/lb vs your seed's $3.03/lb (34% 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 animallamb
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.
- 2corn protein meal
Concentrated corn protein. Similar in role to corn gluten meal, pads the protein number on the label without matching meat amino acids.
Position 2: major carbohydrate source.
- 3grainrice
Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.
Position 3: major carbohydrate source.
- 4protein animalpoultry by-product meal
Unnamed poultry. The mix can include any combination of chicken, turkey, or other birds, with no traceability. Named by-product meals are fine. This one isn't.
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 5protein plantsoybean 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.
- 6grainwhole grain corn
Whole corn with the kernel intact. Decent fiber and B vitamins, though it can crowd out meat in cheaper recipes.
Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 7grainwheat
Whole wheat. Fine for most dogs, though a portion are sensitive. Not a quality concern, just a fit-for-your-dog question.
Position 7: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 8beef fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols
Real animal fat from a named species, with natural vitamin E doing the preservation. The clean version.
Position 8: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 9corn germ meal
Position 9: minor grain inclusion.
- 10othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 11dried egg product
Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
Position 11: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 12glycerin
Humectant used in soft-moist foods to keep them chewy. Safe in moderation but a signal of a processed semi-moist product.
- 13wheat bran
Position 13: minor grain inclusion.
- 14mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 15mono and dicalcium phosphate
Source of calcium and phosphorus. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 16dried yeast
Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.
- 17soybean oil
Plant oil. High in omega-6, which is required but commonly oversupplied. Fine in moderation.
- 18mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 19mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 20mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 21mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 22mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 23mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 24mineralcalcium iodate
Source of iodine for thyroid function. Functional, required in complete formulas.
- 25mineralsodium 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 →
Showing first 25 of 29. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.