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Instinct RawBoost Small Breed High Protein Real Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food, 10-lb bag
Instinct

RawBoost Small Breed High Protein Real Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food, 10-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $5.40/lb

Instinct RawBoost Small Breed High Protein Real Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food, 10-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 72/100 (B) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.

PQI

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

FQI

Named fresh meat paired with same-species meal, a strong extrusion architecture.

STACK

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: 35% ⓘ
Protein
32%
min (as fed)
Fat
18%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
9%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

53 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
    chicken meal

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

  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
    chicken fat

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

  5. 5
    tapioca

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

  6. 6
    sweet potato

    Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.

  7. 7
    fish meal

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

  8. 8
    turkey meal

    Turkey with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh turkey.

  9. 9
    freeze-dried chicken
  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
    dried tomato pomace

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

  12. 12
    natural flavor

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

  13. 13
    ground flaxseeds

    Plural form, same as flaxseed. Plant source of omega-3, helpful for skin and coat.

  14. 14
    freeze-dried chicken liver
  15. 15
    salt

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

  16. 16
    coconut oil

    Saturated fat with medium-chain triglycerides. Mostly marketing in the doses kibble uses, but harmless.

  17. 17
    potassium chloride

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

  18. 18
    pumpkin seeds
  19. 19
    freeze-dried chicken heart
  20. 20
    montmorillonite clay

    Natural clay used as a binder and anti-caking agent. Functional, not nutritional.

  21. 21
    miscanthus grass

    Perennial grass used as a fiber source. Replaces cellulose in some recipes. Functional but unremarkable.

  22. 22
    vitamin e supplement

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

  23. 23
    vitamin a supplement

    Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.

  24. 24
    niacin supplement

    B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.

  25. 25
    thiamine mononitrate

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

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

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