Ancient Stream Smoke-Flavored Salmon with Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Taste of the Wild Ancient Stream Smoke-Flavored Salmon with Ancient Grains is a dry dog food featuring salmon and other fish as its main protein sources.
This formula has a strong protein profile, with salmon as the primary ingredient, which means it delivers high biological value. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber and good fat sources, like named marine oil, which provides EPA and DHA.
Nothing concerning in the deck. However, the product does not explicitly state that it meets AAFCO nutritional standards, which is a basic expectation for commercial dog food.
Good fit for most dogs. Less ideal if you prefer a food with an explicit AAFCO statement.
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. Salmon anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15. 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 74/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+23 points): Strong protein profile with salmon as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. Also adding to the lift: carbohydrate quality (+16). Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. The 1-point gap to A-tier sits mostly in ingredient-source specificity (5 of 12 possible). Full ingredient-source specificity requires a named species (not a generic descriptor like "fish meal" or "animal fat") for every animal-source ingredient in the top 15.
Strong protein profile with salmon 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.
- Lowest DMB fat in Taste of the Wild's lineup (16.7%)
- Top 10% for protein quality in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (23.1/27)
- Lowest crude fiber in Taste of the Wild's lineup (3.3% DMB)
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.
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalsalmon
Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalsalmon meal
Salmon cooked into a dry concentrate. Carries both protein and natural omega-3s in one ingredient. See why →
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3protein animalfish meal
Concentrated fish protein, usually whitefish, herring, or mackerel. Strong amino acid profile. See why →
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4grain sorghum
Same as sorghum. Whole grain with a low glycemic index. Gluten-free, well-tolerated.
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5grainmillet
Gluten-free whole grain. Fine for most dogs, often used as an alternative to rice.
Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 6cracked pearled barley
Pre-cracked pearled barley for better digestibility. Same whole-grain story.
Position 6. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 7dried yeast
Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.
- 8fatcanola oil
Plant oil. Some omega-3 from the parent plant, though dogs absorb it less efficiently than fish-derived omega-3. Fine in moderation.
Position 8: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 9grainbrown rice
Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.
Position 9: minor grain inclusion.
- 10smoke-flavored salmon
Position 10: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 11othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 12dried tomato pomace
The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.
Position 12: trace fiber inclusion.
- 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.
- 14grainquinoa
Pseudo-grain with a complete amino acid profile. Rare in dog food because it's expensive.
Position 14: minor grain inclusion.
- 15chia seed
Plant source of omega-3 and fiber. Like flaxseed, useful in trace amounts.
- 16mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 17mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 18supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 19supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 20supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 21fiberdried chicory root
Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.
- 22tomatoes
Real fruit. Lycopene and trace antioxidants. Different from tomato pomace, which is the fiber byproduct.
- 23fruitblueberries
Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.
- 24fruitraspberries
- 25supplementyucca schidigera extract
Plant extract added to reduce stool odor. Functional, not nutritional. Fine in trace amounts.
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.