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Addiction Grain-Free Viva La Venison Limited Ingredient Diet Dry Dog Food, 20-lb bag
Addiction

Grain-Free Viva La Venison Limited Ingredient Diet Dry Dog Food, 20-lb bag

Evidence Fair
dry $5.67/lb

Addiction Grain-Free Viva La Venison Limited Ingredient Diet Dry Dog Food, 20-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 51/100 (C) with Fair evidence. 1 controversial ingredient flagged. Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Reasonable protein quality. venison delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Named fresh meat paired with same-species meal, a strong extrusion architecture.

STACK

Premium micronutrient forms such as chelated minerals or natural vitamin E.

MNI

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10..

CIP

Controversial ingredients · 1

  • sodium selenite
    Synthetic selenium source. Selenium is essential, but sodium selenite has a narrower safety margin than organic alternatives like selenium yeast. Better-formulated foods use the organic form.

Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 27% ⓘ
Protein
24%
min (as fed)
Fat
12%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

44 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    venison

    Real meat, lean and gamey. Used as a novel protein for dogs with sensitivities.

  2. 2
    venison meal
  3. 3
    green peas

    Same as peas. Useful in small amounts. The concern is when pulses dominate the top of the ingredient list. See why →

  4. 4
    tapioca

    Starch from cassava root. Highly digestible energy source, but pure starch with minimal nutrition beyond that.

  5. 5
    coconut oil

    Saturated fat with medium-chain triglycerides. Mostly marketing in the doses kibble uses, but harmless.

  6. 6
    pea protein

    Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.

  7. 7
    flaxseed

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

  8. 8
    brewers dried yeast

    Yeast left over from brewing. Rich in B vitamins and amino acids. A traditional and well-tolerated inclusion.

  9. 9
    natural flavor

    Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.

  10. 10
    peas

    Cheap protein bulk. Fine in small amounts, but when peas stack with lentils and chickpeas in the top ingredients, it's the pattern the FDA flagged in its heart-disease investigation. See why →

  11. 11
    natural buffered vinegar
  12. 12
    sea salt

    Same as salt. Required at small doses for normal physiology.

  13. 13
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  14. 14
    magnesium sulfate

    Source of magnesium, a required mineral. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  15. 15
    choline chloride

    Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  16. 16
    cranberries

    Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.

  17. 17
    dried apples

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

  18. 18
    dried spinach

    Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.

  19. 19
    blueberries

    Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.

  20. 20
    dried kelp

    Natural source of iodine and trace minerals. A common premium-brand inclusion.

  21. 21
    taurine

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

  22. 22
    dl-methionine

    Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.

  23. 23
    calcium carbonate

    Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.

  24. 24
    zinc amino acid complex

    Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.

  25. 25
    iron amino acid complex

    Iron bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.

Showing first 25 of 44. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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