FreshMade Frozen Fresh Grain-Free Savory Sea Dog Food, 64-oz bundle
Graded by The Sniff System
Stella & Chewy's FreshMade Frozen Fresh Grain-Free Savory Sea Dog Food is a wet food, centered around cod, and sold in a 64-oz bundle.
This formula includes quality carbohydrate sources like sweet potato, which also provide fermentable fiber. It also features good fat sources, including named fats and marine oil for EPA and DHA. The protein blend benefits from named fish like salmon, adding diverse, bioavailable protein.
The main thing to watch out for is the protein quality. Cod, while a named fish, delivers limited bioavailable amino acids, which impacts the overall protein quality of the food.
Good fit for owners seeking a fresh, wet food with quality fats and carbs. Less ideal if you prioritize very high protein quality from highly bioavailable sources.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
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) . Strong fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Golden Retriever, navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Cod anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus added taurine at position 13 and salmon at position 9.
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 59/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from carbohydrate quality, worth 15 points to the final number: Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. Where it lost ground: protein quality, costing 19.5 points. Low protein quality. cod delivers limited bioavailable amino acids. This formula sits 1.0 points below the B-tier line. The most direct lever is protein quality.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
Low protein quality. cod delivers limited bioavailable amino acids.
- Bottom 4% for protein quality in Stella & Chewy's's lineup (5.4/27)
- Top 10% for crude fiber in Stella & Chewy's's lineup (11.1% DMB)
- Bottom quartile for overall Sniff Score in Stella & Chewy's's lineup (59/100)
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.
Stella & Chewy's FreshMade Frozen Fresh Grain-Free Meat-a-Palooza Dog Food, 64-oz bundle
Scores 14 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Stella & Chewy's Chewy's Chicken Patties Frozen Raw Dog Food, 12-lb bag
$7.08/lb vs your seed's $13.29/lb (47% less) at a comparable score.
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 39%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1cod
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2vegetablesweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
Position 2: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 3vegetablevegetable
Unnamed vegetable. No way to know what species. Named vegetables are far more transparent.
Position 3: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 4vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 4: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 5fish bone broth
- 6fruitapples
Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.
Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 7fatground flaxseed
Cracked flaxseed for better digestibility. Same plant omega-3s as whole flaxseed, just easier for the dog to extract.
Position 7: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 8fatsunflower oil
Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.
Position 8: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 9protein animalsalmon
Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.
Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 10mineraltricalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.
- 11mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 12mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 13supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 14fiberdried chicory root
Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.
Position 14: trace fiber inclusion.
- 15mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 16vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 17vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 18vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 19vitamind-calcium pantothenate
B vitamin (B5). Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 20vitaminriboflavin supplement
B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.
- 21vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
- 22vitaminvitamin b12 supplement
Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.
- 23vitaminpyridoxine hydrochloride
B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.
- 24vitaminfolic acid
B vitamin (B9), essential for cell function. Standard in complete dog foods.
- 25mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
Showing first 25 of 34. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.