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Bab'in Signature Puppy Grain-Free Chicken Dry Dog Food, 6.61-lb bag
Bab'in

Signature Puppy Grain-Free Chicken Dry Dog Food, 6.61-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $4.07/lb

Bab'in Signature Puppy Grain-Free Chicken Dry Dog Food, 6.61-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 53/100 (C) with Fair evidence. 3 controversial ingredients flagged. Primary concern: contains menadione. banned for human otc use but tolerated at aafco-permitted levels in pet food. the only aafco-permitted vitamin k source...

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Reasonable protein quality. chicken meal delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Quality fat sources: named fat with declared fat sources.

FQI

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

STACK

Contains menadione. Banned for human OTC use but tolerated at AAFCO-permitted levels in pet food. The only AAFCO-permitted vitamin K source..

CIP

Contains msg. Safety signal is internet-fueled; real issue is transparency. Yeast extract as MSG loophole obscures formulation..

CIP

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 · 2

  • menadione
    Synthetic vitamin K3. Banned in human supplements due to toxicity concerns at high doses. Permitted in pet food but premium brands use natural vitamin K alternatives.
  • 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: 37% ⓘ
Protein
34%
min (as fed)
Fat
17%
min (as fed)
Fiber
2.6%
max (as fed)
Moisture
8.5%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

44 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    chicken meal

    Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken.

  2. 2
    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 →

  3. 3
    duck fat
  4. 4
    potato starch

    Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.

  5. 5
    trout meal
  6. 6
    lentils

    Same concern as peas. Affordable plant protein, but when they pile up in the top 5 ingredients, it's a flag. See why →

  7. 7
    dried plain beet pulp

    Beet fiber, with the sugar removed. Long unfairly maligned. It's a real soluble fiber that supports stool quality.

  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
    dried egg

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

  10. 10
    chickpeas

    Also called garbanzo beans. Affordable plant protein source, part of the legume stack the FDA examined in its heart-disease investigation. See why →

  11. 11
    natural flavor

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

  12. 12
    powdered cellulose

    Plant fiber, often from wood pulp. Cheap bulk filler. Not harmful, but a tell that the recipe is reaching for inexpensive bulk.

  13. 13
    inulin

    Prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria. Same compound found in chicory root.

  14. 14
    vitamin a acetate
  15. 15
    cholecalciferol
  16. 16
    vitamin e supplement

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

  17. 17
    menadione Flagged

    Same as menadione sodium bisulfite complex. Synthetic K3, banned in human supplements but the only AAFCO-approved K source, which is why even premium brands use it. See why →

  18. 18
    thiamine mononitrate

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

  19. 19
    riboflavin supplement

    B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.

  20. 20
    niacinamide
  21. 21
    d-calcium pantothenate

    B vitamin (B5). Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  22. 22
    pyridoxine hydrochloride

    B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.

  23. 23
    folic acid

    B vitamin (B9), essential for cell function. Standard in complete dog foods.

  24. 24
    biotin

    B vitamin that supports skin and coat health. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.

  25. 25
    vitamin b12 supplement

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

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

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