Beef Heart & Liver Freeze-Dried Dog & Cat Food, 19.5-oz canister
Graded by The Sniff System
Ketogenic Pet Food Beef Heart & Liver Freeze-Dried Dog & Cat Food is a freeze-dried food for dogs and cats, built around beef heart and beef liver.
The inclusion of beef liver provides diverse, high-bioavailability protein, which is a good sign for nutrient absorption. This is a positive for the overall protein quality of the food.
This product lacks an AAFCO statement, which means it hasn't been verified as nutritionally complete. Also, beef heart provides limited bioavailable amino acids, and there's no declared omega-3 source.
Good fit for owners seeking a freeze-dried food with organ meat. Less ideal if you prioritize AAFCO verification, protein quality, or omega-3s.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Strong fit for active large sporting breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Irish Setters navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Beef heart anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus beef heart at position 1 (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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Below-average grade. 44/100 (D) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Ingredient diversity did the heavy lifting (+5 points): Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein. What capped it: the score can't exceed 59 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). Removing the cap alone wouldn't change the band. Protein quality is the deeper issue.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
Low protein quality. beef heart delivers limited bioavailable amino acids.
No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
- Lowest crude fiber in grain-inclusive freeze-dried foods (0.5% DMB)
- Top quartile for DMB protein in grain-inclusive freeze-dried foods (45.8%)
- Lowest fat quality in grain-inclusive freeze-dried foods (4/16)
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.
Stewart Raw Naturals Beef Limited-Ingredient Adult Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 8-oz bag
Scores 26 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Primal Lamb Formula Nuggets Grain-Free Raw Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 14-oz bag
Lamb instead of beef, 15 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 heart
Position 1. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 2protein animalbeef liver
Organ meat. Among the most nutrient-dense ingredients available, rich in B vitamins, iron, and vitamin A.
Position 2. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 3fatcoconut oil
Saturated fat with medium-chain triglycerides. Mostly marketing in the doses kibble uses, but harmless.
Position 3: primary fat source. Drives the formula's caloric density and omega-6 content.
- 4avocado oil
Position 4: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 5rice bran oil
Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 6othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 7mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 8mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 9mineralzinc sulfate
Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.
- 10mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 11mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 12mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
- 13mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 14mineralmanganese sulfate
Inorganic manganese. Functional but less well-absorbed than the chelated proteinate form.
- 15mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 16mineralsodium 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 →
- 17mineralcalcium iodate
Source of iodine for thyroid function. Functional, required in complete formulas.
- 18supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
15 of 18 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.