Duck Freeze-Dried Raw Sliders Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 25-oz bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Smallbatch Pets Duck Freeze-Dried Raw Sliders is a grain-free, freeze-dried raw food that features duck as its primary protein.
This freeze-dried raw food offers good protein quality, with duck providing solid amino acid coverage. The inclusion of duck gizzards, hearts, and livers in the top ingredients also adds valuable amino acid diversity.
The biggest watch item is the lack of an AAFCO statement, which means its nutritional completeness is unverified. Also, there's no declared source of omega-3s like fish oil or algae oil.
Good fit for dogs whose owners want a duck-based freeze-dried raw diet. Less ideal if you prioritize AAFCO verification or a declared omega-3 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. Duck anchors position 1, 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Middle-of-pack grade. 53/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+18 points): Reasonable protein quality. duck delivers solid amino acid coverage. What capped it: the score can't exceed 59 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). Removing the cap alone wouldn't change the band. Fat quality is the deeper issue.
Reasonable protein quality. duck delivers solid amino acid coverage.
No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
- Lowest fat quality in Smallbatch Pets's lineup (4/16)
- Top 1% for DMB fat in grain-free freeze-dried foods (44.2%)
- Lowest carb quality in Smallbatch Pets's lineup (9/16)
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.
Nulo Freestyle Duck Recipe with Pears Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food, 8-oz bag
Scores 18 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
A Better Treat Allergy Friendly Duck Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food, 12-lb bag
$5.83/lb vs your seed's $49.91/lb (88% less) at a comparable score.
Simple Food Project Chicken & Turkey Recipe Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 6-lb box
Chicken instead of duck, 15 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 gizzards
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3duck hearts
Position 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 4duck livers
Position 4. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 5vegetablecelery
Real vegetable. Mostly water and a little fiber. Decorative more than nutritional in the amounts used.
Position 5: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 6vegetablevegetable
Unnamed vegetable. No way to know what species. Named vegetables are far more transparent.
Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 7bok choy
- 8cauliflower
- 9green beans
Real vegetable. Fiber and a small amount of vitamins. Often used in weight-management formulas because it bulks up a meal without adding calories.
- 10fenugreek
- 11dandelion greens
- 12cilantro
- 13blueberry
- 14preservative naturalmixed tocopherols
Natural vitamin E used to keep fats from going rancid. The good kind of preservative. See why →
Natural preservative. Methodologically preferred over synthetic alternatives.
- 15supplementkelp
Seaweed source of iodine. Trace mineral support, common in better formulas.
- 16apple cider vinegar
- 17pollock oil
- 18wheatgrass
- 19vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 20oregano
- 21thyme
7 of 21 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.