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Horizon Pulsar Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag
Horizon

Pulsar Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag

Evidence Fair
dry all life stages $2.64/lb

Horizon Pulsar Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food, 25-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 55/100 (C) with Fair evidence. 1 controversial ingredient flagged. Score capped at 64 due to DCM-pulse trigger.

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

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

PQI

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

STACK

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

MNI

Score capped at 64 due to DCM-pulse trigger.

CAP why?

Contains high legume stacking. Three or more pulse-family ingredients in top 10. Split-ingredient evidence of pea/lentil/chickpea reliance..

CIP
Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 31% ⓘ
Protein
28%
min (as fed)
Fat
15%
min (as fed)
Fiber
5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
9%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

47 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
    red lentils

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

  3. 3
    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 →

  4. 4
    pea starch

    Refined starch from peas, mostly carbs after the protein is removed. Counts toward the legume stack the FDA examined.

  5. 5
    chicken

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

  6. 6
    chicken fat

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

  7. 7
    flaxseed

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

  8. 8
    liquid egg product
  9. 9
    carrots

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

  10. 10
    apples

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

  11. 11
    broccoli

    Real vegetable. Adds fiber and some antioxidants. Fine in the small amounts used in kibble.

  12. 12
    bok choy
  13. 13
    cabbage
  14. 14
    blueberries

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

  15. 15
    fructooligosaccharides

    Prebiotic fiber, often called FOS. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria, similar in function to inulin.

  16. 16
    yucca schidigera extract

    Plant extract added to reduce stool odor. Functional, not nutritional. Fine in trace amounts.

  17. 17
    dried aspergillus niger fermentation extract
  18. 18
    dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract
  19. 19
    pineapple
  20. 20
    dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract
  21. 21
    dried rhizopus oryzae fermentation extract
  22. 22
    dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product
  23. 23
    dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product
  24. 24
    dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product

    A probiotic strain. Whether the dose is high enough to actually colonize is debated, but it's a real beneficial bacterium.

  25. 25
    dried bifidobacterium bifidum fermentation product

Showing first 25 of 47. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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

AAFCO statement

Horizon Pulsar Pulses and Chicken Formula for dogs is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages including growth of large size dogs (70-pounds or more as an adult).