Ancient Wetlands with Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Taste of the Wild Ancient Wetlands with Ancient Grains is a dry dog food featuring duck and chicken as its main protein sources.
This food has a strong protein profile, with duck as the first ingredient, which means it offers high biological value for your dog. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources that provide fermentable fiber, and its fat sources are good, featuring named fat and marine oil for 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. Working in its favor: taurine listed as added ingredient. Duck 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Strong grade. 82/100 (A) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+23.5 points): Strong protein profile with duck 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 duck 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 crude fiber in Taste of the Wild's lineup (3.3% DMB)
- Top 5% for overall Sniff Score in Taste of the Wild's lineup (82/100)
- Top 10% for protein quality in Taste of the Wild's lineup (23.5/27)
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.
ACANA Wholesome Large Breed Adult Grains Dry Dog Food, 22.5-lb bag
Scores 1 point higher with a similar formulation profile.
ORIJEN Amazing Grains Original High-Protein Dry Dog Food, 30-lb bag
Chicken instead of duck, 1 point lower, 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 animalduck
Real meat. Often used as a novel protein for dogs with sensitivities to chicken or beef.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalduck meal
Duck cooked into a dry concentrate. Per pound, more protein than fresh duck.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3protein animalchicken meal
Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken. 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.
- 6dried yeast
Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.
- 7cracked pearled barley
Pre-cracked pearled barley for better digestibility. Same whole-grain story.
Position 7. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 8fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 8: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 9protein animalegg product
Processed whole eggs. Same nutritional profile as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 10othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 11roasted quail
Position 11: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 12roasted duck
Position 12: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 13smoke-flavored turkey
Position 13: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 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.
- 16dried tomato pomace
The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.
- 17fatsalmon oil
Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.
- 18mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 19mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 20supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 21supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 22supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 23fiberdried chicory root
Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.
- 24tomatoes
Real fruit. Lycopene and trace antioxidants. Different from tomato pomace, which is the fiber byproduct.
- 25fruitblueberries
Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.
Showing first 25 of 54. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
22 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.