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Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Reserve Grain-Free Duck & Potato Small Breed Bites Recipe Dry Dog Food, 12-lb bag
Natural Balance

Limited Ingredient Reserve Grain-Free Duck & Potato Small Breed Bites Recipe Dry Dog Food, 12-lb bag

Evidence Fair
dry $4.42/lb

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Reserve Grain-Free Duck & Potato Small Breed Bites Recipe Dry Dog Food, 12-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

Reasonable protein quality. duck delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

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

FQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.

CQI

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: 27% ⓘ
Protein
24%
min (as fed)
Fat
10%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

39 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    duck

    Real meat. Often used as a novel protein for dogs with sensitivities to chicken or beef.

  2. 2
    duck meal

    Duck cooked into a dry concentrate. Per pound, more protein than fresh duck.

  3. 3
    potato

    Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.

  4. 4
    sweet potato

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

  5. 5
    tapioca starch

    Refined cassava starch, used as a binder. Easy to digest, low on nutrition.

  6. 6
    dried yeast

    Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.

  7. 7
    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.

  8. 8
    potato protein

    Concentrated potato protein. Like pea protein, it inflates the protein number without matching meat-quality amino acids.

  9. 9
    flaxseed

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

  10. 10
    natural flavor

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

  11. 11
    salmon oil

    Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.

  12. 12
    choline chloride

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

  13. 13
    vitamin e supplement

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

  14. 14
    ascorbic acid

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

  15. 15
    niacin supplement

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

  16. 16
    vitamin a supplement

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

  17. 17
    thiamine mononitrate

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

  18. 18
    d-calcium pantothenate

    B vitamin (B5). Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  19. 19
    riboflavin supplement

    B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.

  20. 20
    pyridoxine hydrochloride

    B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.

  21. 21
    vitamin b12 supplement

    Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.

  22. 22
    folic acid

    B vitamin (B9), essential for cell function. Standard in complete dog foods.

  23. 23
    vitamin d3 supplement

    The active form of vitamin D dogs need. Required for calcium absorption and bone health.

  24. 24
    biotin

    B vitamin that supports skin and coat health. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.

  25. 25
    dl-methionine

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

Showing first 25 of 39. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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