Peak Beef with Pumpkin Recipe Steam & Dried Dog Food, 28.8-oz bag
Graded by The Sniff System
ZIWI Peak Beef with Pumpkin Recipe Steam & Dried Dog Food is a dry food featuring beef, beef liver, and beef heart as its main protein sources.
This food has a strong protein profile, with beef as the first ingredient, providing high biological value. It also includes quality fat sources like named fat and marine oil, which is a good source of EPA and DHA. The recipe incorporates various beef organs like lung, tripe, liver, and heart, adding diverse, highly bioavailable protein.
The main thing to note is the absence of an AAFCO statement. This means the nutritional completeness of the food is unverified, which capped its overall score.
Good fit for dogs whose owners prioritize a high-meat, organ-rich diet. Less ideal if you require AAFCO verification for nutritional completeness.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
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) . Good fit for adult Golden Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Beef anchors position 1, with 2 pulse-family ingredients in the top 15 (dried green peas at position 11, dried green lentils at position 12), plus beef tripe at position 3 (a natural taurine precursor).
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 59/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 23 points to the final number: Strong protein profile with beef as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. 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.
Strong protein profile with beef as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
- Lowest DMB protein in ZIWI's lineup (38.6%)
- Top 1% for DMB fat in grain-free dry kibbles (31.8%)
- 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.
ACANA Singles Limited Ingredient Beef & Pumpkin Grain-Free High-Protein Dry Dog Food, 22.5-lb bag
Scores 15 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Firstmate New Zealand Beef Meal & Oats Formula Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag
$2.56/lb vs your seed's $18.32/lb (86% less) at a comparable score.
Zignature Puppy Formula Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag
Turkey instead of beef, 5 points higher, 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 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 lung
Organ meat. Lean, protein-dense, real-food inclusion. More common in raw and freeze-dried diets.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3beef tripe
Stomach lining. Strong-smelling but nutrient-dense, with natural digestive enzymes.
Position 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 4protein animalbeef liver
Organ meat. Among the most nutrient-dense ingredients available, rich in B vitamins, iron, and vitamin A.
Position 4. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 5protein animalbeef heart
Position 5. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 6beef plasma
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7beef spleen
Position 7. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.
- 8beef bone
Position 8: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 9lecithin
Natural emulsifier, usually from soy or sunflower. Helps blend fats and water. Safe at typical inclusion.
- 10beef fat
Real animal fat, a clean energy source. Stable on the shelf without synthetic preservatives.
Position 10: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 11dried green peas
Same as peas. Useful in small amounts. The concern is when pulses dominate the top of the ingredient list. See why →
Position 11. Trace inclusion. Below the level associated with the FDA's DCM-pattern concerns.
- 12dried green lentils
Position 12. Trace inclusion. Below the level associated with the FDA's DCM-pattern concerns.
- 13vegetablepumpkin
Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.
Position 13: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 14beef cartilage
Position 14: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.
- 15vegetablepumpkin
Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.
Position 15: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 16dried apple pomace
- 17natural flavour
- 18dried quinoa
Pseudo-grain with a complete amino acid profile. Rare in dog food because it's expensive.
- 19fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
- 20rutabaga
- 21carrot
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, antioxidants. Same as carrots, sometimes singular on labels.
- 22beets
Whole beets, not to be confused with beet pulp. Real vegetable, fiber and antioxidants.
- 23dipotassium phosphate
- 24mineralmagnesium sulfate
Source of magnesium, a required mineral. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 25mineralzinc amino acid complex
Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.
Showing first 25 of 43. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
15 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.