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Wholemade Whole Grain Beef & Salmon
The Honest Kitchen

Wholemade Whole Grain Beef & Salmon

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $14.50/lb Data verified from brand site

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

The Honest Kitchen Wholemade Whole Grain Beef & Salmon is a dry food featuring beef as its main protein, formulated with whole grains.

This formula uses quality carbohydrate sources like barley, oats, and quinoa, which also provide fermentable fiber. It includes diverse, high-quality protein sources such as eggs, salmon, and beef bone broth, complementing the primary beef ingredient. The formula is inferred to meet AAFCO nutritional standards.

Nothing concerning in the deck.

Good fit for adult dogs who thrive on whole grains and diverse protein sources. Nothing serious working against it.

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

Who this is for

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) . Strong fit for adult Golden Retrievers navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Beef anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus added taurine at position 15 and salmon at position 8.

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

Methodology

The Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.

  • FDA, 2022
    cardiac · epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 5 claims
  • FDA, 2019
    diet composition· cited in 2 claims
  • NRC, 2006
    nutrient bioavailability

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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.

Why this score

At 63/100, this formula lands in solid B territory. The lift comes from carbohydrate quality, worth 16 points to the final number: Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber. Secondary contribution comes from ingredient diversity (+5 points). Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein. The 12-point gap to the A-tier line is concentrated in protein quality (13.5 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

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.

STACK

AAFCO formulation inferred from declared not stated. Verbatim statement not published by retailer.

ACF
What pulled it down

No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.

What sets this apart
  • Bottom 10% for fat quality in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (6/16)
  • Top quartile for carb quality in The Honest Kitchen's lineup (16/16)
  • Top quartile for DMB protein in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (32.8%)

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
Whole Grain Beef & Oat Whole Food Clusters
The Honest Kitchen

Whole Grain Beef & Oat Whole Food Clusters

71

Scores 8 points higher with a similar formulation profile.

Best value
Lower price, comparable score
The Honest Kitchen Human Grade Essential Clusters Whole Grain Beef & Chicken Dry Dog Food, 20-lb bag
The Honest Kitchen

The Honest Kitchen Human Grade Essential Clusters Whole Grain Beef & Chicken Dry Dog Food, 20-lb bag

68

$4.90/lb vs your seed's $14.50/lb (66% less) at a comparable score.

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

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 33% ⓘ
Protein
30%
min (as fed)
Fat
15%
min (as fed)
Fiber
5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
8.5%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

32 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    beef

    Real meat. Dense in protein and iron. Some dogs are sensitive to it, but for most it's an excellent base.

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

  2. 2
    barley

    Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.

    Position 2: major carbohydrate source.

  3. 3
    oats

    Whole grain. Steady energy, soluble fiber, and well-tolerated by most dogs.

    Position 3: major carbohydrate source.

  4. 4
    flaxseed

    Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.

    Position 4: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.

  5. 5
    eggs

    Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label by amino acid score.

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

  6. 6
    carrots

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

    Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  7. 7
    beef bone broth

    Real bone broth. Adds flavor, moisture, and a small amount of collagen. Pleasant inclusion.

    Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.

  8. 8
    salmon

    Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.

    Position 8: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.

  9. 9
    coconut
  10. 10
    pumpkin

    Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.

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

  11. 11
    quinoa

    Pseudo-grain with a complete amino acid profile. Rare in dog food because it's expensive.

    Position 11: minor grain inclusion.

  12. 12
    tricalcium phosphate

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

  13. 13
    parsley

    Real herb. Trace amount of vitamins K and C. The dose in kibble is small, mostly there for label appeal.

  14. 14
    minerals
  15. 15
    taurine

    Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.

  16. 16
    vitamins
  17. 17
    salt

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

  18. 18
    broccoli

    Real vegetable. Adds fiber and some antioxidants. Fine in the small amounts used in kibble.

  19. 19
    kale

    Leafy green with antioxidants and fiber. Small dose in kibble, but it's not just for marketing.

  20. 20
    apples

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

  21. 21
    turmeric

    Spice with anti-inflammatory compounds. Real research in humans, but the dose in kibble is small. Mostly there for label appeal.

  22. 22
    choline chloride. vitamin e supplement
  23. 23
    vitamin b12 supplement

    Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.

  24. 24
    calcium pantothenate

    Same as d-calcium pantothenate. Vitamin B5 in standardized form.

  25. 25
    vitamin d3 supplement

    The active form of vitamin D dogs need. Required for calcium absorption and bone health.

Showing first 25 of 32. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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