Human Grade Butcher Block Pate Beef, Lamb & Spring Veggies Wet Dog Food, 10.5-oz bag, case of 6
Graded by The Sniff System
The Honest Kitchen Human Grade Butcher Block Pate Beef, Lamb & Spring Veggies Wet Dog Food is a wet food featuring beef, beef liver, and lamb as its main protein sources.
This wet food offers good protein quality, with beef providing solid amino acid coverage. It also features quality fat sources, including named fats with marine oil for EPA and DHA, and quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.
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 navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Beef anchors position 1, with one pulse (peas at position 7), plus beef liver at position 3 (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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 70/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+19 points): Reasonable protein quality. beef delivers solid amino acid coverage. Also adding to the lift: fat quality (+12). Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source). The 5-point gap to A-tier sits mostly in protein quality (19 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. beef delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.
No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Top 1% for DMB protein in The Honest Kitchen's lineup (61.4%)
- Bottom 2% for crude fiber in The Honest Kitchen's lineup (4.5% DMB)
- Top 4% for overall Sniff Score in grain-free wet foods (70/100)
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 Premium Beef & Lamb Chunks in Bone Broth Variety Pack Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 12.8-oz can, case of 6
Scores 4 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Instinct FreshRaw Meals Grain-Free Grass-Fed Lamb Recipe Dog Food, 16-oz, case of 6
Lamb instead of beef, 2 points lower, different brand.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 61%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalbeef
Real meat. Dense in protein and iron. Some dogs are sensitive to it, but for most it's an excellent base.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2beef bone broth
Real bone broth. Adds flavor, moisture, and a small amount of collagen. Pleasant inclusion.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3protein animalbeef liver
Organ meat. Among the most nutrient-dense ingredients available, rich in B vitamins, iron, and vitamin A.
Position 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 4protein animallamb
Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 5vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 5: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 6vegetablebroccoli
Real vegetable. Adds fiber and some antioxidants. Fine in the small amounts used in kibble.
Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 7legumepeas
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 7. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 8agar-agar
Seaweed-derived gel used as a thickener. Functional alternative to carrageenan, generally well-tolerated.
- 9grainquinoa
Pseudo-grain with a complete amino acid profile. Rare in dog food because it's expensive.
Position 9: minor grain inclusion.
- 10fatsunflower oil
Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.
Position 10: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 11mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 12mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 13mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 14mineralsodium selenite Flagged
Inorganic selenium. Effective at AAFCO levels, no documented safety concern in dogs despite what some pet food blogs claim. Selenium yeast is a marginal upgrade, not a necessity. See why →
- 15mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 16mineralsodium chloride
Same as salt. Required mineral, necessary at small doses.
- 17mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 18mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 19magnesium proteinate
Magnesium bound to protein for better absorption. The premium chelated form.
- 20mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 21fatsalmon oil
Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.
- 22supplementdried kelp
Natural source of iodine and trace minerals. A common premium-brand inclusion.
22 of 22 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.