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Zignature Select Cuts Puppy Lamb Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag
Zignature

Select Cuts Puppy Lamb Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $3.20/lb

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Zignature Select Cuts Puppy Lamb Dry Dog Food is a dry kibble for puppies, featuring lamb and whitefish as its main protein sources.

This food has a strong protein profile, with lamb as a primary ingredient, which means it offers high biological value. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber, and named fish like whitefish for diverse, bioavailable protein.

Nothing concerning in the deck.

Good fit for puppies who need a strong protein profile from diverse animal sources. Nothing serious working against it.

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

Who this is for

Strong fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Labrador Retriever, navigating weight management. Working in its favor: crude fiber (5.5%) helps satiety. At 416 kcal/cup this formula runs on the rich side, with crude fiber at 5.5% (above the catalog median, supports satiety). Labs are the canonical food-motivated breed. Weight management is the dominant practical concern, even more than breed-specific health risks. The 2014 AAHA Weight Management Guidelines define overweight as a Body Condition Score (BCS) of 6-7 on a 9-point scale. A score of 8 or 9 indicates obesity, representing 20-30% and >30% above ideal body weight, respectively  (Brooks et al., 2014) .

Looking at this for puppy Labrador Retrievers or Labrador Retrievers with weight management ? 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 2 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.

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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.

Why this score

Solid grade. 73/100 (B) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+23 points): Strong protein profile with lamb as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. The supporting beat: carbohydrate quality (+13 points). Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber. What's keeping it out of A-tier: fat-quality declaration (7 of 16 possible). Full fat-quality declaration requires a named-species animal fat (e.g., chicken fat, salmon oil) plus a marine oil with declared EPA/DHA milligram content.

What lifted the score

Strong protein profile with lamb as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.

PQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.

CQI

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

STACK
What pulled it down

No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.

What sets this apart
  • Top 4% for caloric density in Zignature's lineup (416 kcal/cup)
  • Bottom 10% for DMB protein in Zignature's lineup (29.4%)
  • Top 3% for overall Sniff Score in Zignature's lineup (73/100)

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.

Best value
Lower price, comparable score
Hill's Science Diet Puppy Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag
Hill's Science Diet

Hill's Science Diet Puppy Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag

70

$3.16/lb vs your seed's $3.20/lb (1% less) at a comparable score.

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

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 29% ⓘ
Protein
26.5%
min (as fed)
Fat
18%
min (as fed)
Fiber
5.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

36 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    lamb

    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.

  2. 2
    whitefish

    Real fish meat. Lean protein with a clean amino acid profile.

    Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.

  3. 3
    whitefish meal

    Whitefish cooked into a dry concentrate. Strong protein source, common in premium formulas.

    Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.

  4. 4
    oats

    Whole grain. Steady energy, soluble fiber, and well-tolerated by most dogs.

    Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.

  5. 5
    barley

    Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.

    Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.

  6. 6
    millet

    Gluten-free whole grain. Fine for most dogs, often used as an alternative to rice.

    Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.

  7. 7
    turkey fat

    Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.

  8. 8
    turkey meal

    Turkey with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh turkey. See why →

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

  9. 9
    sunflower meal
  10. 10
    flaxseed

    Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.

    Position 10: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.

  11. 11
    pork meal

    Pork cooked into a dry concentrate. Per pound, more protein than fresh pork.

    Position 11: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.

  12. 12
    goat milk

    Position 12: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.

  13. 13
    natural flavors

    Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.

  14. 14
    salt

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

  15. 15
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  16. 16
    vitamin e supplement

    Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.

  17. 17
    vitamin a supplement

    Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.

  18. 18
    niacinamide
  19. 19
    d-calcium pantothenate

    B vitamin (B5). Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  20. 20
    riboflavin supplement

    B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.

  21. 21
    thiamine mononitrate

    B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.

  22. 22
    vitamin b12 supplement

    Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.

  23. 23
    pyridoxine hydrochloride

    B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.

  24. 24
    folic acid

    B vitamin (B9), essential for cell function. Standard in complete dog foods.

  25. 25
    taurine

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

Showing first 25 of 36. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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