Canine Care Nutrition Medium Sensitive Skin Care Dry Dog Food, 17-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Royal Canin Canine Care Nutrition Medium Sensitive Skin Care is a dry food designed for dogs with sensitive skin, featuring a plant-protein-dominated formula.
This formula includes quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber, which can be good for gut health. It also features quality fat sources like chicken fat and fish oil, providing beneficial EPA and DHA. The brand has also conducted AAFCO feeding trials for this product.
The main thing to note is that this is a plant-protein-dominated formula, with brewers rice listed as the first ingredient. Nothing concerning in the deck.
Good fit for dogs needing a sensitive skin formula. Less ideal if you prefer a meat-first or meat-protein-dominant diet.
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) . Good fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Golden Retriever, navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken fat anchors position 3, with zero pulses in the top 15.
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 13 points to the final number: Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. Where it lost ground: protein quality, costing 17 points. Plant-protein-dominated formula. brewers rice as the #1 ingredient. This formula sits 1.0 points below the B-tier line. The most direct lever is 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 not stated.
Plant-protein-dominated formula. brewers rice as the #1 ingredient.
- Bottom 4% for crude fiber in Royal Canin's lineup (3.6% DMB)
- Top quartile for caloric density in Royal Canin's lineup (372 kcal/cup)
- 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
Three lenses on products with formulation profiles similar to this one.
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Scores 9 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
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$3.33/lb vs your seed's $4.71/lb (29% 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.
- 2protein 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 2: 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.
- 3fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 3: primary fat source. Drives the formula's caloric density and omega-6 content.
- 4grainwheat
Whole wheat. Fine for most dogs, though a portion are sensitive. Not a quality concern, just a fit-for-your-dog question.
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5protein plantcorn gluten meal
Concentrated corn protein. Inflates the protein percent on the label without matching meat-quality amino acids.
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.
- 6graincorn
Whole corn is more nutritious than it gets credit for, with decent amino acids and steady carbs. The bigger concern is when corn dominates the top of the ingredient list at the expense of named meat.
Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 7oat groats
Whole oats with only the inedible hull removed. The most intact form of oats available.
Position 7: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 8othernatural flavors
Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.
- 9fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
Position 9. Moderate marine-oil inclusion. Supplements EPA/DHA without being the primary fat.
- 10vegetable oil
Unnamed plant oil. Could be soy, canola, corn, or a blend. Named oils like sunflower or canola are more transparent.
Position 10: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 11dried 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 11: trace fiber inclusion.
- 12monocalcium phosphate
Source of calcium and phosphorus. Standard mineral inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 13mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 14fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 14: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 15mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 16mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 17sodium silico aluminate
Same role as sodium aluminosilicate. Anti-caking agent at trace inclusion.
- 18supplementl-lysine
Essential amino acid. Plant-protein-heavy formulas sometimes add it to round out the amino acid profile.
- 19fiberfructooligosaccharides
Prebiotic fiber, often called FOS. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria, similar in function to inulin.
- 20supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 21supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 22supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 23zinc oxide
Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.
- 24mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 25mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
Showing first 25 of 37. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
25 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.