Raw Coated Wholesome Grain Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Stella & Chewy's Raw Coated Wholesome Grain Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food is a dry food with chicken as its main protein.
This food has a strong protein profile, with chicken as the primary ingredient, which means it offers high biological value. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber and good fat sources like named chicken fat and marine oil, providing 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.
Strong fit for active large sporting breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Irish Setters navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus chicken 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Strong grade. 79/100 (A) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+21.5 points): Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. The supporting beat: carbohydrate quality (+16 points). Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Top 5% for overall Sniff Score in dry kibbles (79/100)
- Bottom 10% for DMB protein in Stella & Chewy's's lineup (31.8%)
- Top quartile for protein quality in Stella & Chewy's's lineup (21.5/27)
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.
Stella & Chewy's Wild Red Raw Coated Kibble Wholesome Grains Red Meat Recipe Dry Dog Food, 21-lb bag
Scores 5 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Stella & Chewy's Wild Red Raw Coated Kibble Grain-Free Prairie Recipe Dry Dog Food, 21-lb bag
$3.05/lb vs your seed's $4.29/lb (29% less) at a comparable score.
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 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.
- 2protein animalchicken meal
Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken. See why →
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3grainoatmeal
Gentle on the stomach. Slow-release carbs and soluble fiber that supports stool quality.
Position 3: major carbohydrate source.
- 4grainpearled barley
Barley with the outer hull removed. Easy to digest, steady carb release.
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 5: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 6vegetablepumpkin
Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.
Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 7grainquinoa
Pseudo-grain with a complete amino acid profile. Rare in dog food because it's expensive.
Position 7: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 8fibertomato pomace
The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.
Position 8: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 9othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 10protein 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 10. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.
- 11protein animalchicken gizzard
Position 11: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 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.
- 13fatsalmon oil
Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.
Position 13. Trace marine oil. Contributes some omega-3 but well below the level that drives EPA/DHA totals.
- 14coconut flour
- 15mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 16pumpkin seed
Real seed. Source of magnesium, zinc, and traditionally used as a mild dewormer (the evidence is folkloric, not clinical).
- 17fruitcranberries
Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.
- 18vegetablespinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
- 19vegetablebroccoli
Real vegetable. Adds fiber and some antioxidants. Fine in the small amounts used in kibble.
- 20beets
Whole beets, not to be confused with beet pulp. Real vegetable, fiber and antioxidants.
- 21vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
- 22squash
Real vegetable. Fiber, vitamin A, gentle on the stomach. Similar nutrition role to sweet potato.
- 23fruitblueberries
Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.
- 24fiberinulin
Prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria. Same compound found in chicory root.
- 25fruitblueberries
Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.
Showing first 25 of 52. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.