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Dr. Gary's Best Breed Holistic Grain-Free Ocean Salmon with Fruits & Vegetables Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag
Dr. Gary's Best Breed

Holistic Grain-Free Ocean Salmon with Fruits & Vegetables Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag

Evidence Fair
dry $3.00/lb

Dr. Gary's Best Breed Holistic Grain-Free Ocean Salmon with Fruits & Vegetables Dry Dog Food, 26-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. salmon meal delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

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

STACK

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: 33% ⓘ
Protein
30%
min (as fed)
Fat
16%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

53 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    salmon meal

    Salmon cooked into a dry concentrate. Carries both protein and natural omega-3s in one ingredient.

  2. 2
    red lentils

    Same concern as other lentils. Affordable plant protein, part of the legume stack the FDA examined. See why →

  3. 3
    chickpeas

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

  4. 4
    green peas

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

  5. 5
    whitefish meal

    Whitefish cooked into a dry concentrate. Strong protein source, common in premium formulas.

  6. 6
    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.

  7. 7
    tapioca

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

  8. 8
    dried tomato pomace

    The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.

  9. 9
    natural flavor

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

  10. 10
    ground flaxseed

    Cracked flaxseed for better digestibility. Same plant omega-3s as whole flaxseed, just easier for the dog to extract.

  11. 11
    lecithin

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

  12. 12
    dried kelp meal
  13. 13
    green mussel

    Mussel from New Zealand. Natural source of glucosamine and omega-3s. Common in joint-support formulas.

  14. 14
    cranberries

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

  15. 15
    blueberries

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

  16. 16
    carrots

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

  17. 17
    dried spinach

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

  18. 18
    monosodium phosphate

    Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.

  19. 19
    salt

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

  20. 20
    choline chloride

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

  21. 21
    dl-methionine

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

  22. 22
    calcium carbon
  23. 23
    taurine

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

  24. 24
    l-carnitine

    Amino acid derivative that helps the body convert fat into energy. Common in weight-management formulas.

  25. 25
    potassium chloride

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

Showing first 25 of 53. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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