Tasty Chicken Flavor
Graded by The Sniff System
Temptations Tasty Chicken Flavor is a dry food that lists chicken by-product meal as its first ingredient.
The formula does include quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber, which is a positive for digestive health. Beyond that, there isn't much to highlight.
A major concern is the lack of an AAFCO statement, meaning we can't confirm it's nutritionally complete. The protein quality is low, and there's no declared source of omega-3s.
Hard to recommend for any dog due to the lack of an AAFCO statement and low protein quality.
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 active large sporting breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Irish Setters navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken by-product meal anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus added taurine at position 13.
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 26/100, this formula sits below where we look for everyday picks. The lift comes from carbohydrate quality, worth 12 points to the final number: Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber. 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 cap isn't the binding constraint here. Protein quality would also need to improve to reach the next band.
Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.
Low protein quality. chicken by-product meal delivers limited bioavailable amino acids.
No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
- Lowest fat quality in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (2/16)
- Bottom 4% for overall Sniff Score in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (26/100)
- Bottom quartile for protein quality in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (7.9/27)
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.
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 animalchicken by-product meal
Ground organs, bone, and tissue. Nutritionally dense, especially the liver and gizzard fractions. Named species ('chicken') is what matters. Generic 'poultry by-product meal' is the one to worry about. See why →
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2grainground corn
Cracked whole corn. Fine in moderation, but its presence in the top few ingredients usually signals a lower-cost recipe.
Position 2: major carbohydrate source.
- 3animal fat
Unnamed fat source. The species matters: 'chicken fat' or 'beef fat' is fine, but 'animal fat' tells you nothing about origin.
Position 3: primary fat source. Drives the formula's caloric density and omega-6 content.
- 4wheat flour
Refined wheat, usually used as a binder. Cheap, not harmful, not a nutrition contributor.
Position 4: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 5brewers rice
Broken rice kernels left over from milling, usually destined for human beer-making. Cheaper than whole or even white rice. Same carbs, less nutrition than the brown version. See why →
Position 5: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.
- 6dried meat by-products
Unnamed organ meats and tissue. Could be nutritious, but no species is listed, so quality varies by batch.
- 7othernatural flavors
Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.
- 8brewers dried yeast
Yeast left over from brewing. Rich in B vitamins and amino acids. A traditional and well-tolerated inclusion.
- 9mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 10supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 11mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 12supplementdl-methionine
Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.
- 13supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 14mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 15vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 16mineralzinc sulfate
Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.
- 17mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 18dried cheese
- 19preservative naturalmixed tocopherols
Natural vitamin E used to keep fats from going rancid. The good kind of preservative. See why →
- 20mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
- 21vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
- 22preservative naturalcitric acid
Natural antioxidant preservative. Helps keep fats from going rancid.
- 23vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 24vitaminvitamin b12 supplement
Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.
- 25vitaminriboflavin supplement
B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.
Showing first 25 of 34. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.