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Instinct the raw brand

raw meals:puppy

Evidence Limited
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
raw

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Instinct the raw brand raw meals:puppy is a raw food featuring chicken, beef liver, and beef kidney, formulated for puppies.

This formula offers good protein quality, with chicken providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality carbohydrate sources that provide fermentable fiber. Plus, the fat sources are good, featuring named fats and marine oil for EPA and DHA.

The data indicates that a complete guaranteed analysis and an AAFCO statement are not provided. This makes it harder to assess the full nutritional profile, especially for a puppy formula.

Good fit for puppies whose owners prefer a raw diet. Less ideal if you need a complete guaranteed analysis or AAFCO statement.

Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.

Who this is for

Good fit for puppy Golden Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus beef liver at position 2 (a natural taurine precursor). Goldens appeared disproportionately in the FDA's DCM reports. Pulse-heavy grain-free formulas warrant extra caution; named animal protein with organ meat or marine sources is the safer fit.

Looking at this for puppy 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

Methodology

The Sniff System grades this product against 2 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.

  • FDA, 2022
    epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 4 claims
  • FDA, 2019
    diet composition· cited in 2 claims

Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.

Why this score

Solid grade. 69/100 (B) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+18 points): Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage. The supporting beat: carbohydrate quality (+15 points). Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. What's keeping it out of A-tier: protein quality (18 of 27 possible). Full protein quality requires named-species named-cut proteins in the top of the deck (e.g., "deboned chicken" rather than "chicken meal" or "poultry meal").

What lifted the score

Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).

FQI
What pulled it down

No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.

What sets this apart
  • Bottom 5% for overall Sniff Score in raw foods (69/100)
  • Bottom 10% for fat quality in grain-free raw foods (13/16)
  • Bottom 10% for protein quality in raw foods (18.1/27)

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.

Better match
Higher score, similar formulation
Stella & Chewy's SuperBlends Raw Blend Wholesome Grains Puppy Cage-Free Chicken & Wild Caught Salmon Recipe with Superfoods Dry Dog Food, 21-lb bag
Stella & Chewy's

Stella & Chewy's SuperBlends Raw Blend Wholesome Grains Puppy Cage-Free Chicken & Wild Caught Salmon Recipe with Superfoods Dry Dog Food, 21-lb bag

84

Scores 15 points higher with a similar formulation profile.

Worth a look
Different brand, different protein
Stella & Chewy's Wild Red Raw Blend Kibble Grain-Free Red Meat Recipe Dry Dog Food, 21-lb bag
Stella & Chewy's

Stella & Chewy's Wild Red Raw Blend Kibble Grain-Free Red Meat Recipe Dry Dog Food, 21-lb bag

83

Beef instead of chicken, 14 points higher, different brand.

Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.

Guaranteed analysis
Protein
n/a
min (as fed)
Fat
n/a
min (as fed)
Fiber
n/a
max (as fed)
Moisture
n/a
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

28 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    chicken

    Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.

    Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.

  2. 2
    beef 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.

  3. 3
    beef spleen

    Position 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.

  4. 4
    beef kidney

    Organ meat. Dense in B vitamins, iron, and trace minerals. Among the most nutritious ingredients on any label.

    Position 4. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.

  5. 5
    cod

    Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.

  6. 6
    pumpkin seeds
  7. 7
    carrots

    Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.

    Position 7: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  8. 8
    apples

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

    Position 8: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  9. 9
    sweet potato

    Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.

    Position 9: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  10. 10
    vegetable

    Unnamed vegetable. No way to know what species. Named vegetables are far more transparent.

    Position 10: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  11. 11
    montmorillonite clay

    Natural clay used as a binder and anti-caking agent. Functional, not nutritional.

  12. 12
    ground miscanthus grass

    Same as miscanthus grass. A plant fiber source, mostly there for stool quality.

  13. 13
    ground flaxseed

    Cracked flaxseed for better digestibility. Same plant omega-3s as whole flaxseed, just easier for the dog to extract.

    Position 13: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.

  14. 14
    salmon oil

    Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.

    Position 14. Trace marine oil. Contributes some omega-3 but well below the level that drives EPA/DHA totals.

  15. 15
    chicory root

    Prebiotic fiber that supports gut bacteria. A genuine functional ingredient, not marketing.

    Position 15: trace fiber inclusion.

  16. 16
    tricalcium phosphate

    Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.

  17. 17
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  18. 18
    vitamin e supplement

    Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.

  19. 19
    thiamine mononitrate

    B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.

  20. 20
    vitamin d supplement
  21. 21
    potassium chloride zinc proteinate
  22. 22
    copper proteinate

    Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.

  23. 23
    manganese proteinate

    Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.

  24. 24
    calcium iodate

    Source of iodine for thyroid function. Functional, required in complete formulas.

  25. 25
    mixed tocopherals

Showing first 25 of 28. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

19 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.