Duck Recipe Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 6-lb box
Graded by The Sniff System
Simple Food Project Duck Recipe Freeze-Dried Dog Food is a freeze-dried food for all life stages, with duck as its primary protein source.
This recipe offers good protein quality, with duck providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes duck heart and ground krill, which add diverse, highly bioavailable protein sources to the mix.
Nothing concerning in the deck.
Good fit for dogs of all life stages, from puppies to seniors. Nothing serious working against it.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
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. Good fit for active large sporting breeds like Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and English Setters navigating weight management. At 345 kcal/cup this formula runs on the moderate 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
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 58/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 15.5 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. duck delivers solid amino acid coverage. Secondary contribution comes from ingredient diversity (+5 points). Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein. The 2-point gap to the B-tier line is concentrated in protein quality (15.5 of 27 possible). Full protein quality requires named-species named-cut proteins in the top of the deck (e.g., "deboned chicken" rather than "chicken meal" or "poultry meal").
Reasonable protein quality. duck delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Top quartile for crude fiber in grain-free freeze-dried foods (6.5% DMB)
- Bottom quartile for protein quality in grain-free freeze-dried foods (15.4/27)
- Bottom quartile for fat quality in grain-free freeze-dried foods (6/16)
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 13 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
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$5.83/lb vs your seed's $18.75/lb (69% less) at a comparable score.
Formula Raw Duck & Beef Grain-Free Adult Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food, 25-oz bag
Beef instead of duck, 3 points higher, different brand.
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 animalduck
Real meat. Often used as a novel protein for dogs with sensitivities to chicken or beef.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2duck neck
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3duck heart
Position 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 4fatflaxseed
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.
- 5squash
Real vegetable. Fiber, vitamin A, gentle on the stomach. Similar nutrition role to sweet potato.
- 6vegetablekale
Leafy green with antioxidants and fiber. Small dose in kibble, but it's not just for marketing.
Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 7vegetablecarrots
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.
- 8ground krill
- 9fruitblueberries
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.
- 10chia seeds
- 11supplementturmeric
Spice with anti-inflammatory compounds. Real research in humans, but the dose in kibble is small. Mostly there for label appeal.
- 12mineralsea salt
Same as salt. Required at small doses for normal physiology.
- 13cod liver oil
Position 13. Small organ inclusion. Functional but not a primary contributor to the protein profile.
- 14supplementdried kelp
Natural source of iodine and trace minerals. A common premium-brand inclusion.
- 15dried yeast
Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.
- 16preservative naturalmixed tocopherols
Natural vitamin E used to keep fats from going rancid. The good kind of preservative. See why →
- 17black pepper
- 18fennel
- 19guava
11 of 19 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.
The Simple Food Project Duck Recipe is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages, except for growth of large size dogs (70 lb. or more as an adult).