Smokehouse 18ct
Graded by The Sniff System
Pedigree Smokehouse 18ct is a dry dog food, featuring chicken and meat by-products, with no specific life stage indicated.
The formula does include quality carbohydrate sources that provide fermentable fiber. This can contribute to digestive health.
A major concern is the absence of an AAFCO statement, meaning its nutritional completeness isn't guaranteed. The protein quality is low, relying on "meat by-products" which are from unspecified species, making their quality and consistency hard to audit. Also, there's no clear 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.
For Labrador Retrievers with suspected cutaneous adverse food reactions, a strict elimination diet trial must last a minimum of 8 weeks to reliably diagnose or rule out a food-based trigger. Good fit for adult Labrador Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating skin allergies. The protein deck is built around a single species (chicken). The National Research Council (2006) recommends a minimum of 2.6 grams of linoleic acid (an omega-6) per 1000 kcal of metabolizable energy to maintain skin barrier function in adult dogs (NRC, 2006) .
Looking at this for adult Labrador Retrievers or Labrador Retrievers with skin allergies ? 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.
At 25/100, 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 fermentable 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 fermentable fiber.
Low protein quality. meat by-products delivers limited bioavailable amino acids.
No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
- Bottom 2% for protein quality in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (2.3/27)
- Bottom 4% for fat quality in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (4/16)
- Bottom 4% for overall Sniff Score in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (25/100)
Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.
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Controversial ingredients · 1
- meat by-productsUnspecified species. AAFCO definition allows organs, blood, bone. but the lack of a named source means quality and consistency are not auditable.
Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1sufficient water for processing chicken
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalmeat by-products Flagged
Unnamed organ meats and tissue. Could be nutritious, but no species is listed, so quality varies by batch.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3animal line arimal para wheat gluten
- 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.
- 5pain dried beet pulp
Position 5: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 6com starch
- 7natural favor
- 8sat minas poin chiloride
- 9magnesium proteinate
Magnesium bound to protein for better absorption. The premium chelated form.
- 10zinc sulfate copper proteinate
- 11fiberxanthan gum
Thickener common in wet food and gravies. Same emulsifier-microbiome conversation as guar gum, not a clear flag. See why →
Position 11: trace fiber inclusion.
- 12fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 12: trace fiber inclusion.
- 13mamins case chloride
- 14vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 15vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 16calcium partohenate
- 17vitaminbiotin
B vitamin that supports skin and coat health. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 18riboflavin supplement vitamin a supplement
- 19vitaminvitamin d3 supplement
The active form of vitamin D dogs need. Required for calcium absorption and bone health.
9 of 19 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.