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Hill's Science Diet Puppy Small Breed & Mini Breed Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 12.5-lb bag
Hill's Science Diet

Puppy Small Breed & Mini Breed Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 12.5-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $3.92/lb

Hill's Science Diet Puppy Small Breed & Mini Breed Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 12.5-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 73/100 (B) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

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

FQI

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
15%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

40 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    chicken

    Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.

  2. 2
    oats

    Whole grain. Steady energy, soluble fiber, and well-tolerated by most dogs.

  3. 3
    brown rice

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

  4. 4
    chicken meal

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

  5. 5
    chicken fat

    Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid.

  6. 6
    pea protein

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

  7. 7
    whole grain corn

    Whole corn with the kernel intact. Decent fiber and B vitamins, though it can crowd out meat in cheaper recipes.

  8. 8
    cracked pearled barley

    Pre-cracked pearled barley for better digestibility. Same whole-grain story.

  9. 9
    soybean meal

    Concentrated soy protein. Cheap plant protein that pads the label number, common in budget formulas.

  10. 10
    chicken liver flavor

    Hydrolyzed chicken liver used as a flavor enhancer. Real ingredient, used in tiny amounts for palatability.

  11. 11
    corn protein meal

    Concentrated corn protein. Similar in role to corn gluten meal, pads the protein number on the label without matching meat amino acids.

  12. 12
    pork liver flavor

    Hydrolyzed pork liver used as a flavor enhancer. Same role as chicken liver flavor.

  13. 13
    dicalcium phosphate

    Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.

  14. 14
    ground pecan shells
  15. 15
    lactic acid

    Natural acid used as a mild preservative and pH adjuster. Found in fermented foods too. Safe at typical inclusion.

  16. 16
    soybean oil

    Plant oil. High in omega-6, which is required but commonly oversupplied. Fine in moderation.

  17. 17
    flaxseed

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

  18. 18
    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.

  19. 19
    fish oil

    Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.

  20. 20
    dried citrus pulp
  21. 21
    calcium carbonate

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

  22. 22
    salt

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

  23. 23
    potassium chloride

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

  24. 24
    sodium tripolyphosphate

    Preservative and texture agent in wet food. Functional at small doses, not a major concern, but some brands avoid it.

  25. 25
    choline chloride

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

Showing first 25 of 40. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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