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SPORTMiX Extreme Energy Adult Chicken Dry Dog Food, 40-lb bag
SPORTMiX

Extreme Energy Adult Chicken Dry Dog Food, 40-lb bag

Evidence Fair
dry all life stages $1.25/lb

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

SPORTMiX Extreme Energy Adult Chicken Dry Dog Food is a dry formula for all life stages, featuring chicken and whitefish as its main protein sources.

This food offers reasonable protein quality, with chicken meal providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality fat sources, like named chicken fat, and whitefish meal adds diverse, high-bioavailability protein to the mix.

Nothing concerning in the deck.

Good fit for dogs of all life stages. Nothing serious working against it.

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

Who this is for

Good fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Golden Retriever, navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken meal anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus whitefish meal at position 5. 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

Methodology

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

  • FDA, 2022
    cardiac · epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 5 claims
  • FDA, 2019
    diet composition· cited in 2 claims
  • NRC, 2006
    nutrient bioavailability

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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.

Why this score

Solid grade. 68/100 (B) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+19 points): Reasonable protein quality. chicken meal delivers solid amino acid coverage. The supporting beat: fat quality (+11 points). Quality fat sources: named fat with declared fat sources. What's keeping it out of A-tier: protein quality (19 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").

What lifted the score

Reasonable protein quality. chicken meal delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Quality fat sources: named fat with declared fat sources.

FQI

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

STACK
What pulled it down

No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.

What sets this apart
  • Lowest crude fiber in SPORTMiX's lineup (4.4% DMB)
  • Top 5% for DMB fat in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (22.2%)
  • Bottom 2% for carb quality in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (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.

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

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 33%
Protein
30%
min (as fed)
Fat
20%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

31 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    chicken meal

    Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken. See why →

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

  2. 2
    yellow corn

    Position 2: major carbohydrate source.

  3. 3
    chicken fat

    Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →

    Position 3: primary fat source. Drives the formula's caloric density and omega-6 content.

  4. 4
    corn germ meal

    Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.

  5. 5
    whitefish meal

    Whitefish cooked into a dry concentrate. Strong protein source, common in premium formulas.

    Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.

  6. 6
    rice

    Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.

    Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.

  7. 7
    flaxseed

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

    Position 7: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.

  8. 8
    dried yeast

    Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.

  9. 9
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  10. 10
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  11. 11
    choline chloride

    Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  12. 12
    vitamin e supplement

    Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.

  13. 13
    niacin supplement

    B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.

  14. 14
    calcium pantothenate

    Same as d-calcium pantothenate. Vitamin B5 in standardized form.

  15. 15
    vitamin a supplement

    Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.

  16. 16
    riboflavin supplement

    B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.

  17. 17
    thiamine mononitrate

    B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.

  18. 18
    pyridoxine hydrochloride

    B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.

  19. 19
    biotin

    B vitamin that supports skin and coat health. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.

  20. 20
    vitamin b12 supplement

    Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.

  21. 21
    vitamin d3 supplement

    The active form of vitamin D dogs need. Required for calcium absorption and bone health.

  22. 22
    folic acid

    B vitamin (B9), essential for cell function. Standard in complete dog foods.

  23. 23
    zinc sulfate

    Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.

  24. 24
    ferrous sulfate

    Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.

  25. 25
    copper sulfate

    Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.

Showing first 25 of 31. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.

AAFCO statement

Sportmix Extreme Energy is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages except growth of large size dogs (70 lbs. or more as an adult).