Raw Blend Free-Range Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Stella & Chewy's Raw Blend Free-Range Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is a dry food with raw inclusions, featuring lamb as its primary protein.
Lamb provides solid amino acid coverage, contributing to good protein quality. The formula uses a strong extrusion architecture, pairing named fresh meat with same-species meal. It also includes quality fat sources, like named fats and marine oil, which provides EPA and DHA.
Nothing concerning in the deck.
Good fit for adult dogs of any size. Nothing serious working against it.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for adult Golden Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Lamb anchors position 1, with 2 pulse-family ingredients in the top 15 (lentils at position 3, peas at position 4), plus lamb liver at position 10 (a natural taurine precursor). 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Solid grade. 69/100 (B) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+17.5 points): Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage. The supporting beat: fat quality (+13 points). Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source). What's keeping it out of A-tier: protein quality (17.5 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. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Named fresh meat paired with same-species meal, a strong extrusion architecture.
No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Lowest carb quality in Stella & Chewy's's lineup (8/16)
- Lowest DMB protein in grain-free raw foods (35.2%)
- Lowest DMB fat in grain-free raw foods (15.9%)
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 SuperBlends Raw Blend Wholesome Grains Puppy Cage-Free Chicken & Wild Caught Salmon Recipe with Superfoods Dry Dog Food, 21-lb bag
Scores 15 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Merrick Lil' Plates Grain-Free Small Breed Dry Dog Food Real Chicken, Sweet Potatoes + Peas with Raw Bites Recipe, 10-lb bag
Chicken instead of lamb, 11 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 animallamb
Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animallamb meal
Lamb cooked down to a dry concentrate. Per pound, more protein than fresh lamb. See why →
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3legumelentils
Same concern as peas. Affordable plant protein, but when they pile up in the top 5 ingredients, it's a flag. See why →
Position 3. Pulse-family ingredient this high in the deck is a notable build choice. When stacked with other pulses in the top 10, matches the formulation pattern the FDA flagged in its diet-associated DCM investigation.
- 4legumepeas
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 4. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.
- 5fatsunflower oil
Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.
Position 5: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 6beef fat
Real animal fat, a clean energy source. Stable on the shelf without synthetic preservatives.
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7fibertomato pomace
The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.
Position 7: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 8goat
Position 8: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 9suncured alfalfa
- 10protein animallamb liver
Organ meat. Same nutrient-density story as chicken or beef liver, dense in B vitamins, iron, vitamin A.
Position 10. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.
- 11natural vegetable flavor
- 12fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 12: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 13elk
- 14lamb heart
Position 14. Small organ inclusion. Functional but not a primary contributor to the protein profile.
- 15lamb kidney
Position 15. Small organ inclusion. Functional but not a primary contributor to the protein profile.
- 16lamb spleen
- 17protein animalpork meal
Pork cooked into a dry concentrate. Per pound, more protein than fresh pork.
- 18fenugreek seed
Herb seed. Trace inclusion, mostly for flavor and label appeal.
- 19coconut flour
- 20pumpkin seed
Real seed. Source of magnesium, zinc, and traditionally used as a mild dewormer (the evidence is folkloric, not clinical).
- 21fruitcranberries
Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.
- 22vegetablespinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
- 23vegetablebroccoli
Real vegetable. Adds fiber and some antioxidants. Fine in the small amounts used in kibble.
- 24beets
Whole beets, not to be confused with beet pulp. Real vegetable, fiber and antioxidants.
- 25vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Showing first 25 of 58. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
17 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.