Size Health Nutrition Medium Adult 7+ Dry Dog Food, 30-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Medium Adult 7+ Dry Dog Food is a dry formula for adult dogs aged 7 and up, primarily featuring chicken by-product.
This formula includes quality carbohydrate sources that provide fermentable fiber, which is good for gut health. It also uses quality fat sources like named chicken fat and fish oil, which provides beneficial EPA and DHA. The product has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance.
The formula is plant-protein-dominated, with brewers rice as the first ingredient. This means the protein content relies heavily on plant sources rather than animal protein.
Good fit for medium-sized adult dogs aged 7 and up. Less ideal if you prefer animal protein as the primary source.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Strong fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Labrador Retriever, navigating weight management. At 315 kcal/cup this formula runs on the lean side. The landmark 14-year Purina Lifespan Study on 48 Labrador Retrievers demonstrated that dogs fed 25% fewer calories lived a median of 1.8 years longer and delayed the onset of chronic diseases. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention's 2023 survey, 59% of dogs in the United States were classified as overweight or obese by their veterinary healthcare professional, representing an estimated 55 million dogs (APOP, 2023) .
Looking at this for adult Labrador Retrievers or Labrador Retrievers with weight management ? 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.
- Brooks et al., 2014diagnostic · protocol · satiety· cited in 5 claims
- APOP, 2023prevalence
- Raffan et al., 2016genetics
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 57/100, landing in C-tier (acceptable-with-notes). The biggest contributor was carbohydrate quality (+13 points): Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. The biggest detractor was protein quality (-19 points): Plant-protein-dominated formula. brewers rice as the #1 ingredient. The gap to B-tier is small (3.0 points). Addressing protein quality would likely close it.
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 10% for fat quality in Royal Canin's lineup (12/16)
- Bottom 10% for caloric density in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (315 kcal/cup)
- Bottom 10% for protein quality in dry kibbles (6.1/27)
Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.
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$3.33/lb vs your seed's $3.67/lb (9% 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 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 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3grainwheat
Whole wheat. Fine for most dogs, though a portion are sensitive. Not a quality concern, just a fit-for-your-dog question.
Position 3: major carbohydrate source.
- 4protein plantcorn gluten meal
Concentrated corn protein. Inflates the protein percent on the label without matching meat-quality amino acids.
Position 4: 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.
- 5fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 5: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 6othernatural flavors
Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.
- 7dried 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 7: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 8oat groats
Whole oats with only the inedible hull removed. The most intact form of oats available.
Position 8: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 9protein 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 9: moderate plant-protein boost. Less likely to materially shift the protein profile.
- 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.
- 11mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 12mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 13psyllium seed husk
Soluble fiber. Supports stool quality. The same fiber humans use for digestive regularity.
Position 13: trace fiber inclusion.
- 14vegetable oil
Unnamed plant oil. Could be soy, canola, corn, or a blend. Named oils like sunflower or canola are more transparent.
Position 14: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 15fiberfructooligosaccharides
Prebiotic fiber, often called FOS. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria, similar in function to inulin.
Position 15: trace fiber inclusion.
- 16mineralsodium tripolyphosphate
Preservative and texture agent in wet food. Functional at small doses, not a major concern, but some brands avoid it.
- 17monocalcium phosphate
Source of calcium and phosphorus. Standard mineral inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 18hydrolyzed yeast
Yeast broken down with enzymes. Strong palatant plus a real source of B vitamins and amino acids.
- 19supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 20supplementl-lysine
Essential amino acid. Plant-protein-heavy formulas sometimes add it to round out the amino acid profile.
- 21mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 22mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 23zinc oxide
Inorganic zinc. Cheapest mineral form on the market. Functional but less bioavailable than chelated alternatives.
- 24mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 25mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
Showing first 25 of 39. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
25 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.