Breed Health Nutrition Shih Tzu Adult Dry Dog Food, 10-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Shih Tzu Adult Dry Dog Food is a dry formula for adult Shih Tzus, primarily featuring chicken by-product meal.
This formula includes quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber, which can support digestive health. It also uses quality fat sources like chicken fat and fish oil, providing beneficial EPA and DHA. The product has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance, which is a good sign of nutritional adequacy.
One thing to note is that this formula is plant-protein-dominated, with brewers rice listed as the first ingredient. This means the primary protein source is not animal-based.
Good fit for adult Shih Tzus. Less ideal if you prefer a formula with a meat-first protein source.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for active large sporting breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Irish Setters navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken by-product meal anchors position 3, with zero pulses in the top 15. 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) .
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 67/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was carbohydrate quality (+16 points): Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. The biggest detractor was protein quality (-16.5 points): Plant-protein-dominated formula. brewers rice as the #1 ingredient. To reach A-tier, this formula would need to gain about 8 points, most likely through protein quality.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance.
Plant-protein-dominated formula. brewers rice as the #1 ingredient.
- Bottom 1% for crude fiber in Royal Canin's lineup (3.3% DMB)
- Top quartile for carb quality in Royal Canin's lineup (16/16)
- Bottom 10% for DMB protein in Royal Canin's lineup (24.4%)
Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.
Similar dog foods worth considering
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Scores 1 point higher with a similar formulation profile.
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$3.33/lb vs your seed's $6.20/lb (46% 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.
- 1brewers 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 1 grain: primary carbohydrate base. This is a grain-inclusive formula with brewers rice as the dominant carb.
- 2grainbrown rice
Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.
Position 2: major carbohydrate source.
- 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.
- 4fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 4: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 5oat groats
Whole oats with only the inedible hull removed. The most intact form of oats available.
Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 6protein plantwheat gluten
Concentrated wheat protein. Like other plant gluten meals, it pads the protein number on the label without contributing meat-quality amino acids.
Position 6: moderate plant-protein boost. Less likely to materially shift the protein profile.
- 7othernatural flavors
Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.
- 8dried 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.
- 9fiberpowdered cellulose
Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.
Position 9: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 10fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
Position 10. Moderate marine-oil inclusion. Supplements EPA/DHA without being the primary fat.
- 11vegetable oil
Unnamed plant oil. Could be soy, canola, corn, or a blend. Named oils like sunflower or canola are more transparent.
Position 11: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 12sodium silico aluminate
Same role as sodium aluminosilicate. Anti-caking agent at trace inclusion.
- 13mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 14mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 15supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 16l-tyrosine
- 17fiberfructooligosaccharides
Prebiotic fiber, often called FOS. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria, similar in function to inulin.
- 18mineralsodium tripolyphosphate
Preservative and texture agent in wet food. Functional at small doses, not a major concern, but some brands avoid it.
- 19mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 20supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 21supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 22supplementl-lysine
Essential amino acid. Plant-protein-heavy formulas sometimes add it to round out the amino acid profile.
- 23marigold extract
- 24monocalcium phosphate
Source of calcium and phosphorus. Standard mineral inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 25supplementglucosamine hydrochloride
Joint-support compound. Most useful in larger doses for older dogs. The kibble dose is real but modest.
Showing first 25 of 39. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.