Leaping Waters Chicken & Salmon Recipe with Vegetable Recipe Grain-Free Small & Medium Breed Canned Dog Food, 13.2-oz, case of 6
Graded by The Sniff System
Solid Gold Leaping Waters Chicken & Salmon Recipe is a grain-free wet food, primarily featuring chicken, whitefish, and salmon.
This formula has a strong protein profile, with chicken as the first ingredient, providing high biological value. It also includes whitefish, chicken liver, and salmon, offering a diverse range of high-quality proteins.
The main thing to note is the absence of an AAFCO statement, meaning its nutritional completeness is unverified. It also contains guar gum, an emulsifier with emerging microbiome data, though this is a minor penalty for canned food.
Good fit for small and medium breed dogs whose owners prioritize a diverse protein blend. Less ideal if you require AAFCO verification for nutritional completeness.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Neutral fit for adult Australian Shepherds. Chicken leads the deck at position 1, 36% DMB protein, 30% DMB fat.
Looking at this for adult Australian Shepherds ? 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.
Middle-of-pack grade. 57/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+20.5 points): Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. 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). How it could climb: the brand publishing the AAFCO statement, which would lift the cap into B-band range.
Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..
- Top 10% for DMB fat in Solid Gold's lineup (29.5%)
- Bottom quartile for fat quality in Solid Gold's lineup (7/16)
- Top 10% for protein quality in Solid Gold's lineup (20.7/27)
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.
Solid Gold Mighty Mini Chicken, Chickpea & Pumpkin Recipe in Gravy Grain-Free Toy & Small Breed Dog Food Cups, case of 12
Scores 4 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Jinx Salmon & Vegetables Recipe Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
$3.05/lb vs your seed's $5.04/lb (39% less) at a comparable score.
Chicken Soup for the Soul Classic Whitefish & Salmon Recipe Pate Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12
Turkey instead of chicken, 2 points higher, different brand.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 36%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2salmon broth
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3protein animalwhitefish
Real fish meat. Lean protein with a clean amino acid profile.
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4protein animalchicken liver
Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.
Position 4. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 5protein animalsalmon
Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 7fiberpea fiber
Insoluble fiber from peas. Doesn't carry the protein-inflation concern of pea protein. Mostly there for stool quality.
Position 7. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 8vegetablepotato
Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.
Position 8: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 9legumepeas
Cheap protein bulk. Fine in small amounts, but when peas stack with lentils and chickpeas in the top ingredients, it's the pattern the FDA flagged in its heart-disease investigation. See why →
Position 9. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 10supplementalfalfa meal
Dried alfalfa. Real fiber and trace minerals. Functional plant ingredient.
- 11fatground flaxseed
Cracked flaxseed for better digestibility. Same plant omega-3s as whole flaxseed, just easier for the dog to extract.
Position 11: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 12mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 13cassia gum
Thickener common in wet food. Functional, no major concerns at typical inclusion.
- 14fiberxanthan gum
Thickener common in wet food and gravies. Same emulsifier-microbiome conversation as guar gum, not a clear flag. See why →
Position 14: trace fiber inclusion.
- 15fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 15: trace fiber inclusion.
- 16mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 17fruitcranberries
Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.
- 18supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 19mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 20mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 21vegetablepumpkin
Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.
- 22vegetablespinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
- 23fruitblueberries
Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.
- 24fruitapples
Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.
- 25vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
Showing first 25 of 39. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.