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Taste of the Wild Appalachian Valley Small Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag
Taste of the Wild

Appalachian Valley Small Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $2.14/lb

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Taste of the Wild Appalachian Valley Small Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is a dry food featuring venison and lamb as its main protein sources.

Venison delivers solid amino acid coverage, contributing to the food's reasonable protein quality. The inclusion of egg product also adds diverse, highly bioavailable protein to the mix.

This formula contains high legume stacking, with multiple pulse-family ingredients like garbanzo beans, peas, and lentils appearing in the top 15. This is partially mitigated by the presence of egg product, a natural taurine precursor.

Good fit for small breed dogs. Less ideal if your dog has sensitivities to legumes.

Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.

Who this is for

The FDA's 2019 investigation update on diet-associated DCM included 13 reported cases in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, making them one of the top 15 most frequently reported breeds at that time  (FDA, 2019) . Good fit for adult Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and similar moderately active toy breeds navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Venison anchors position 1, with 5 pulse-family ingredients stacked in the top 15.

Looking at this for adult Cavalier King Charles Spaniels or Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 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

Methodology

The Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.

  • FDA, 2022
    epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 4 claims
  • FDA, 2019
    cardiac · diet composition· cited in 3 claims
  • NRC, 2006
    nutrient bioavailability

Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.

Why this score

At 57/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 17.5 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. venison delivers solid amino acid coverage. Where it lost ground: controversial-ingredient penalty, costing 2 points. Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10. This formula sits 3.0 points below the B-tier line. The most direct lever is controversial-ingredient penalty.

What lifted the score

Reasonable protein quality. venison delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.

STACK

AAFCO formulation inferred from declared not stated. Verbatim statement not published by retailer.

ACF
What pulled it down

Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10..

CIP
What sets this apart
  • Lowest fat quality in Taste of the Wild's lineup (6/16)
  • Top quartile for DMB fat in grain-free dry kibbles (20.0%)
  • Bottom 4% for carb quality in dry kibbles (8/16)

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.

Better match
Higher score, similar formulation
Taste of the Wild Ancient Wetlands with Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag
Taste of the Wild

Taste of the Wild Ancient Wetlands with Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag

82

Scores 25 points higher with a similar formulation profile.

Best value
Lower price, comparable score
Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Smoke-Flavored Salmon Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag
Taste of the Wild

Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Smoke-Flavored Salmon Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag

58

$2.11/lb vs your seed's $2.14/lb (2% less) at a comparable score.

Worth a look
Different brand, different protein
ACANA Appalachian Ranch Highest Protein Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag
ACANA

ACANA Appalachian Ranch Highest Protein Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag

78

Pork instead of venison, 21 points higher, different brand.

Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 36% ⓘ
Protein
32%
min (as fed)
Fat
18%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

47 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    venison

    Real meat, lean and gamey. Used as a novel protein for dogs with sensitivities.

    Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.

  2. 2
    lamb 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.

  3. 3
    garbanzo beans

    Same as chickpeas. Part of the legume stack the FDA investigated. 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.

  4. 4
    peas

    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.

  5. 5
    lentils

    Same concern as peas. Affordable plant protein, but when they pile up in the top 5 ingredients, it's a flag. See why →

    Position 5. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.

  6. 6
    pea protein

    Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.

    Position 6. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.

  7. 7
    canola 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 7: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.

  8. 8
    egg product

    Processed whole eggs. Same nutritional profile as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.

    Position 8: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.

  9. 9
    duck meal

    Duck cooked into a dry concentrate. Per pound, more protein than fresh duck.

    Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.

  10. 10
    pea flour

    Powdered peas, usually used as a binder or filler. Counts toward the legume stack the FDA flagged.

    Position 10. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.

  11. 11
    dried tomato pomace

    The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.

    Position 11: trace fiber inclusion.

  12. 12
    natural flavor

    Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.

  13. 13
    fish meal

    Concentrated fish protein, usually whitefish, herring, or mackerel. Strong amino acid profile. See why →

    Position 13: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.

  14. 14
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  15. 15
    choline chloride

    Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  16. 16
    taurine

    Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.

  17. 17
    dried chicory root

    Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.

  18. 18
    tomatoes

    Real fruit. Lycopene and trace antioxidants. Different from tomato pomace, which is the fiber byproduct.

  19. 19
    blueberries

    Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.

  20. 20
    raspberries
  21. 21
    yucca schidigera extract

    Plant extract added to reduce stool odor. Functional, not nutritional. Fine in trace amounts.

  22. 22
    dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product
  23. 23
    dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product
  24. 24
    dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product

    A probiotic strain. Whether the dose is high enough to actually colonize is debated, but it's a real beneficial bacterium.

  25. 25
    dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product

Showing first 25 of 47. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

21 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.