Pork Recipe
Graded by The Sniff System
The Farmer's Dog Pork Recipe is a wet food featuring pork as its main protein, suitable for all life stages.
This recipe includes quality fat sources, like named fats and marine oil, which provides EPA and DHA. It also features quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber, and premium micronutrient forms such as chelated minerals.
The main thing to watch out for is the protein quality. Pork in this recipe delivers limited bioavailable amino acids.
Good fit for dogs of all life stages. Less ideal if you're looking for a food with higher protein quality.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for active large sporting breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Irish Setters navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Pork anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus added taurine at position 14 and salmon oil at position 9. 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 59/100, landing in C-tier (acceptable-with-notes). The biggest contributor was fat quality (+12 points): Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source). The biggest detractor was protein quality (-18.5 points): Low protein quality. pork delivers limited bioavailable amino acids. The gap to B-tier is small (1.0 points). Addressing protein quality would likely close it.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.
Premium micronutrient forms such as chelated minerals or natural vitamin E.
Low protein quality. pork delivers limited bioavailable amino acids.
- Bottom 10% for protein quality in grain-free wet foods (6.6/27)
- Bottom quartile for DMB protein in grain-free wet foods (38.5%)
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.
Farmina Vet Life Derma Management Pork Canine Wet Dog Food, 10.58-oz can, case of 6
Scores 13 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Fresh Pork Recipe
$6.50/lb vs your seed's $7.50/lb (13% less) at a comparable score.
PetPlate Human Grade Variety Pack Beef, Chicken, Lamb, Pork, Turkey & Venison Fresh Dog Food, 12-oz cup, case of 6
Chicken instead of pork, matched score, 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 38%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalpork
Real meat. Dense protein and fat, though less common in dog food than chicken or beef.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2vegetablesweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
Position 2: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 3green beans
Real vegetable. Fiber and a small amount of vitamins. Often used in weight-management formulas because it bulks up a meal without adding calories.
- 4cauliflower
- 5mushrooms
- 6vegetablespinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 7tfd nutrient blend
- 8fatsunflower oil
Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.
Position 8: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 9fatsalmon oil
Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.
Position 9. Moderate marine-oil inclusion. Supplements EPA/DHA without being the primary fat.
- 10mineraltricalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.
- 11mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 12mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 13choline bitartrate
- 14supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 15zinc amino acid chelate
Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.
- 16iron amino acid chelate
Iron bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 17vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 18mineralselenium yeast
Organic selenium grown in yeast. The form premium brands use, gentler and more bioavailable than sodium selenite.
- 19mineralpotassium iodide
Source of iodine, an essential trace mineral for thyroid function. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 20copper amino acid chelate
Copper bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus copper sulfate.
- 21vitaminvitamin b12 supplement
Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.
- 22manganese amino acid chelate
Manganese bound to amino acids for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 23vitaminriboflavin supplement
B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.
- 24vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 25vitaminvitamin d3 supplement
The active form of vitamin D dogs need. Required for calcium absorption and bone health.
Showing first 25 of 27. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
21 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.
Formulated to meet AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages