Graded by The Sniff System
Supreme source supreme source is a dry food built around salmon meal as its primary protein.
Salmon meal as the first ingredient provides good protein quality and amino acid coverage. It also uses quality named fat sources like chicken fat and fish oil. The formula includes named fish for diverse, high-bioavailability protein.
The biggest concern is the absence of an AAFCO statement, meaning its nutritional completeness is unverified. There's also high legume stacking with faba beans, lentils, peas, and chickpeas all appearing in the top ingredients.
Good fit for dogs whose owners want a salmon-based dry food. Less ideal if you need a food with a verified AAFCO statement.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Marginal fit for adult Golden Retrievers navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Working in its favor: taurine listed as added ingredient. Salmon meal anchors position 1, with 3 pulse-family ingredients in the top 15 (lentils at position 3, peas at position 4, chickpeas at position 6).
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Middle-of-pack grade. 51/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+15.5 points): Reasonable protein quality. salmon meal delivers solid amino acid coverage. 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. AAFCO compliance is the deeper issue.
Reasonable protein quality. salmon meal delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality fat sources: named fat with declared fat sources.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
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..
- Bottom 4% for carb quality in dry kibbles (8/16)
- Bottom quartile for overall Sniff Score in grain-free dry kibbles (51/100)
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.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Senior High-Protein Salmon Recipe Dry Dog Food, 13-lb bag
Scores 24 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Supreme Source Beef, Chicken Meal & Lentil Recipe Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag
Beef instead of salmon, 8 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 animalsalmon meal
Salmon cooked into a dry concentrate. Carries both protein and natural omega-3s in one ingredient. See why →
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2faba beans
- 3legumelentils
Same concern as peas. Affordable plant protein, but when they pile up in the top 5 ingredients, it's a flag. 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.
- 4legumepeas
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 4. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.
- 5vegetablesweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
Position 5: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 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.
- 7protein animalchicken meal
Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken. See why →
Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 8fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 8: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 9fibertomato pomace
The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.
Position 9: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 10mineraldicalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.
- 11othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 12fish oii
- 13mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 14mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 15dried seaweed meal
- 16betaine
- 17supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 18supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 19vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
- 20fruitblueberries
Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.
- 21fruitcranberries
Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.
- 22vegetablespinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
- 23pomegranates
- 24mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 25vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
Showing first 25 of 44. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
20 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.