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Dr. Gary's Best Breed Holistic German Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag
Dr. Gary's Best Breed

Holistic German Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag

Evidence Fair
dry $2.51/lb

Dr. Gary's Best Breed Holistic German Dry Dog Food, 28-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 59/100 (C) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

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

PQI

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

FQI

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

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: 28% ⓘ
Protein
25%
min (as fed)
Fat
12%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

51 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
    oatmeal

    Gentle on the stomach. Slow-release carbs and soluble fiber that supports stool quality.

  3. 3
    brown rice

    Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.

  4. 4
    dried beet pulp

    Soluble fiber from sugar-beet processing. Sometimes treated as a filler, but it's actually one of the better fiber sources in kibble.

  5. 5
    chicken fat [preserved with natural mixed tocopherols ]
  6. 6
    egg product

    Processed whole eggs. Same nutritional profile as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.

  7. 7
    pearled barley

    Barley with the outer hull removed. Easy to digest, steady carb release.

  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
    fish meal

    Concentrated fish protein, usually whitefish, herring, or mackerel. Strong amino acid profile.

  11. 11
    lecithin

    Natural emulsifier, usually from soy or sunflower. Helps blend fats and water. Safe at typical inclusion.

  12. 12
    menhaden fish oil

    Omega-3 from menhaden, a small oily fish. Same skin and coat support as salmon oil.

  13. 13
    flax seed
  14. 14
    canola oil

    Plant oil. Some omega-3 from the parent plant, though dogs absorb it less efficiently than fish-derived omega-3. Fine in moderation.

  15. 15
    calcium carbonate

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

  16. 16
    kelp meal
  17. 17
    sea salt

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

  18. 18
    taurine

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

  19. 19
    dl methionine
  20. 20
    l-lysine

    Essential amino acid. Plant-protein-heavy formulas sometimes add it to round out the amino acid profile.

  21. 21
    monosodium phosphate

    Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.

  22. 22
    cranberry

    Same as cranberries. Real ingredient, dose in kibble is small.

  23. 23
    alfalfa meal

    Dried alfalfa. Real fiber and trace minerals. Functional plant ingredient.

  24. 24
    sea mussel
  25. 25
    ascorbic acid

    Vitamin C. Pulls double duty as a natural antioxidant preservative.

Showing first 25 of 51. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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