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Nulo Cold Pressed Puppy & Adult Grain-Free Salmon Recipe Dry Dog Food, 4-lb bag
Nulo

Cold Pressed Puppy & Adult Grain-Free Salmon Recipe Dry Dog Food, 4-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $79.99 / 4-lb bag

Nulo Cold Pressed Puppy & Adult Grain-Free Salmon Recipe Dry Dog Food, 4-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 68/100 (B) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Reasonable protein quality. salmon delivers solid amino acid coverage..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Reasonable protein quality. salmon delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

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

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: 40%
Protein
35%
min (as fed)
Fat
20%
min (as fed)
Fiber
6%
max (as fed)
Moisture
12%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

40 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    salmon

    Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.

  2. 2
    chicken

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

  3. 3
    whitefish

    Real fish meat. Lean protein with a clean amino acid profile.

  4. 4
    spray-dried porcine plasma
  5. 5
    ground miscanthus grass

    Same as miscanthus grass. A plant fiber source, mostly there for stool quality.

  6. 6
    apples

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

  7. 7
    pumpkin

    Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.

  8. 8
    tuna oil
  9. 9
    sunflower oil

    Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.

  10. 10
    natural flavor

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

  11. 11
    coconut glycerin
  12. 12
    tricalcium phosphate

    Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.

  13. 13
    yeast culture

    Fermented yeast. Source of B vitamins and beta-glucans that some research suggests support immune function.

  14. 14
    betaine
  15. 15
    salt

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

  16. 16
    mixed tocopherols

    Natural vitamin E used to keep fats from going rancid. The good kind of preservative.

  17. 17
    zinc proteinate

    Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.

  18. 18
    iron proteinate

    Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.

  19. 19
    potassium chloride

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

  20. 20
    copper proteinate

    Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.

  21. 21
    manganese proteinate

    Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.

  22. 22
    sodium selenite Flagged

    Inorganic selenium. Effective at AAFCO levels, no documented safety concern in dogs despite what some pet food blogs claim. Selenium yeast is a marginal upgrade, not a necessity. See why →

  23. 23
    calcium iodate

    Source of iodine for thyroid function. Functional, required in complete formulas.

  24. 24
    vitamin e supplement

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

  25. 25
    niacin supplement

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

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

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