Old Mother Hubbard BITZ Assorted Mix (Chicken, Liver & Vegetables)
Graded by The Sniff System
Wellness Old Mother Hubbard BITZ Assorted Mix is a dry treat, flavored with chicken, liver, and vegetables.
It uses quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber, which is a plus. The formula also includes organ meat like chicken liver and egg, adding some diverse, bioavailable protein.
However, the formula is plant-protein-dominated, with wheat flour as the first ingredient. It also contains added sugar, cane molasses, which isn't nutritionally justifiable. Protein and fat levels are quite low on a dry matter basis.
Good fit for owners looking for a treat with some fiber. Less ideal if you prefer treats without added sugar or with higher protein.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Golden Retriever, navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Chicken fat anchors position 4, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus chicken liver at position 7 (a natural taurine precursor). 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) .
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Below-average grade. 43/100 (D) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Carbohydrate quality did the heavy lifting (+13 points): Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber. What capped it: the score can't exceed 49 because the guaranteed analysis falls below AAFCO's minimum nutrient profile. Removing the cap alone wouldn't change the band. Protein quality is the deeper issue.
Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
AAFCO formulation inferred from declared not stated. Verbatim statement not published by retailer.
Plant-protein-dominated formula. wheat flour as the #1 ingredient.
Contains added sugar. Nutritionally unjustifiable in any complete dog diet..
- Bottom 4% for DMB fat in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (7.9%)
- Top quartile for crude fiber in Wellness's lineup (6.2% DMB)
- Bottom 10% for overall Sniff Score in grain-inclusive dry kibbles (43/100)
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.
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.
- 1wheat flour
Refined wheat, usually used as a binder. Cheap, not harmful, not a nutrition contributor.
Position 1 grain: primary carbohydrate base. This is a grain-inclusive formula with wheat flour as the dominant carb.
- 2grainoatmeal
Gentle on the stomach. Slow-release carbs and soluble fiber that supports stool quality.
Position 2: major carbohydrate source.
- 3wheat bran
Position 3: major carbohydrate source.
- 4fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 4: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 5cane molasses
Added sugar from sugar cane. Used for palatability or texture. Dogs don't need added sugar.
- 6protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7protein animalchicken liver
Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.
Position 7. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.
- 8vegetablespinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
Position 8: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 9egg
Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label, by amino acid score.
Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 10othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 11supplementturmeric
Spice with anti-inflammatory compounds. Real research in humans, but the dose in kibble is small. Mostly there for label appeal.
- 12mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 13paprika
- 14othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 15paprika extract
- 16preservative naturalmixed tocopherols
Natural vitamin E used to keep fats from going rancid. The good kind of preservative. See why →
- 17preservative naturalrosemary extract
Natural preservative. Replaces synthetic ones like BHA and BHT.
- 18supplementgreen tea extract
- 19spearmint extract
14 of 19 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.