Born Carnivore Savory Grain-Free Lamb, Peas & Lentils Recipe Dry Dog Food, 10-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Tiki Dog Born Carnivore Savory Grain-Free Lamb, Peas & Lentils Recipe is a dry food featuring lamb and lamb liver.
This formula offers good protein quality from lamb, which provides solid amino acid coverage. It also uses quality fat sources, including named fat and marine oil for EPA and DHA. The combination of fresh lamb and lamb meal is a strong approach for dry food.
The biggest concern is the lack of an AAFCO statement, meaning its nutritional completeness is unverified. There's also high legume stacking with peas, lentils, and chickpeas in the top 15, though lamb liver is present as a natural taurine precursor.
Good fit for dogs whose owners prioritize lamb and quality fats. Less ideal if you require an AAFCO statement or prefer to avoid high legume content.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Toy and miniature breeds need smaller kibble size and higher calorie density per gram. Look for explicit 'small breed' formulations. Good fit for moderately active toy breeds like Toy Poodles, Yorkshire Terriers, and Pomeranians navigating a sensitive stomach. Lamb leads at position 1. What to watch: multiple protein sources stacked (harder to isolate triggers).
Looking at this for adult Toy Poodles or Toy Poodles with a sensitive stomach ? 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.
- NRC, 2006digestibility · fiber· cited in 2 claims
- AAFCO, 2024zinc
- Swanson et al., 2002prebiotics
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 59/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 18 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage. The ceiling on this score is 59, set because the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement isn't disclosed on the retailer page (so our methodology can't verify the formula meets adult, growth, or all-life-stages standards). The fix path: the brand publishing the AAFCO statement. That would lift the cap and put this formula above the B-band line at 60.
Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Named fresh meat paired with same-species meal, a strong extrusion architecture.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10..
- Lowest crude fiber in Tiki Dog's lineup (5.0% DMB)
- Top quartile for caloric density in grain-free dry kibbles (460 kcal/cup)
- 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.
Stella & Chewy's Raw Coated Grass-Fed Lamb Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag
Scores 10 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Next Level Super Premium Pet Food Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag
$2.16/lb vs your seed's $4.50/lb (52% less) at a comparable score.
Redbarn Grain-Free Land Recipe Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag
Beef instead of lamb, matched score, 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 animallamb
Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animallamb 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.
- 3legumepeas
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 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.
- 4protein animallamb liver
Organ meat. Same nutrient-density story as chicken or beef liver, dense in B vitamins, iron, vitamin A.
Position 4. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 5legumelentils
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.
- 6legumechickpeas
Also called garbanzo beans. Affordable plant protein source, part of the legume stack the FDA examined in its heart-disease investigation. See why →
Position 6. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 7tapioca
Starch from cassava root. Highly digestible energy source, but pure starch with minimal nutrition beyond that.
- 8othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 9fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 9: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 10ground whole flaxseed
- 11vegetablepumpkin
Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.
Position 11: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 12fatsalmon oil
Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.
Position 12. Moderate marine-oil inclusion. Supplements EPA/DHA without being the primary fat.
- 13mineralsea salt
Same as salt. Required at small doses for normal physiology.
- 14brewer's yeast
- 15supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 16monosodium phosphate
Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.
- 17fructooligosaccharide
Prebiotic fiber, often abbreviated FOS. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria.
- 18mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 19mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 20preservative naturalrosemary extract
Natural preservative. Replaces synthetic ones like BHA and BHT.
- 21vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 22mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 23mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 24vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 25vitamin a acetate
Showing first 25 of 34. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
22 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.