Skip to main content
snıff
Shepherd Boy Farms Rabbit Recipe Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 14-oz bag
Shepherd Boy Farms

Rabbit Recipe Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 14-oz bag

Evidence Fair
freeze dried $47.20

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Shepherd Boy Farms Rabbit Recipe Freeze-Dried Dog Food is a freeze-dried formula featuring rabbit as its main protein source.

Rabbit provides good protein quality and amino acid coverage. The formula also includes egg for diverse, highly bioavailable protein, and it uses quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

The main thing to note is the absence of an AAFCO statement, which means its nutritional completeness for any life stage is unverified. This lack of verification capped its overall score.

Good fit for dogs whose owners prioritize a freeze-dried food with a novel protein like rabbit. Less ideal if you require AAFCO verification.

Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.

Who this is for

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. Strong fit for active large sporting breeds like Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and English Setters navigating weight management. At 179 kcal/cup this formula runs on the lean side, with crude fiber at 6% (above the catalog median, supports satiety). The 2014 AAHA Weight Management Guidelines define overweight as a Body Condition Score (BCS) of 6-7 on a 9-point scale. A score of 8 or 9 indicates obesity, representing 20-30% and >30% above ideal body weight, respectively  (Brooks et al., 2014) .

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

Methodology

The Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.

Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.

Why this score

At 58/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 16 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. rabbit delivers solid amino acid coverage. The ceiling on this score is 59, set 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). The fix path: the brand publishing the AAFCO statement. That would lift the cap and put this formula above the B-band line at 60.

What lifted the score

Reasonable protein quality. rabbit delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.

STACK
What pulled it down

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF
What sets this apart
  • Lowest DMB fat in Shepherd Boy Farms's lineup (20.7%)
  • Top quartile for DMB protein in grain-inclusive freeze-dried foods (50.0%)
  • Lowest caloric density in Shepherd Boy Farms's lineup (179 kcal/cup)

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.

Better match
Higher score, similar formulation
Simple Food Project Bison Recipe Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 6-lb box
Simple Food Project

Simple Food Project Bison Recipe Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 6-lb box

63

Scores 5 points higher with a similar formulation profile.

Best value
Lower price, comparable score
Simple Food Project Duck Recipe Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 6-lb box
Simple Food Project

Simple Food Project Duck Recipe Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 6-lb box

58

$18.75/lb vs your seed's $53.94/lb (65% less) at a comparable score.

Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 50% ⓘ
Protein
46%
min (as fed)
Fat
19%
min (as fed)
Fiber
6%
max (as fed)
Moisture
8%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

19 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    rabbit

    Real meat, very lean. A common novel protein for elimination diets.

    Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.

  2. 2
    egg

    Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label, by amino acid score.

    Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.

  3. 3
    goat milk

    Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.

  4. 4
    flaxseed

    Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.

    Position 4: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.

  5. 5
    sweet potato

    Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.

    Position 5: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  6. 6
    kelp

    Seaweed source of iodine. Trace mineral support, common in better formulas.

  7. 7
    carrots

    Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.

    Position 7: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  8. 8
    apples

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

    Position 8: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  9. 9
    blueberries

    Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.

    Position 9: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  10. 10
    cod liver oil

    Position 10. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.

  11. 11
    pumpkin seeds
  12. 12
    spinach

    Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.

    Position 12: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  13. 13
    chicory root

    Prebiotic fiber that supports gut bacteria. A genuine functional ingredient, not marketing.

    Position 13: trace fiber inclusion.

  14. 14
    cranberries

    Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.

    Position 14: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  15. 15
    ginger

    Real spice. Some anti-nausea evidence in humans, but the dose in kibble is small. Mostly for flavor.

  16. 16
    mixed tocopherols

    Natural vitamin E used to keep fats from going rancid. The good kind of preservative. See why →

  17. 17
    lactobacillus acidophilus
  18. 18
    lactobacillus casei
  19. 19
    bifidobacterium bifidum

13 of 19 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.