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Nulo Freestyle Puppy Grain-Free Salmon & Peas Recipe Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag
Nulo

Freestyle Puppy Grain-Free Salmon & Peas Recipe Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $3.42/lb

Nulo Freestyle Puppy Grain-Free Salmon & Peas Recipe Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 70/100 (B) with Fair evidence. 1 controversial ingredient flagged. Strong protein profile with salmon as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

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

PQI

Quality fat sources: named fat with declared fat sources.

FQI

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

STACK

Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10..

CIP

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: 33% ⓘ
Protein
30%
min (as fed)
Fat
17%
min (as fed)
Fiber
4%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

47 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
    turkey

    Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.

  3. 3
    turkey meal

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

  4. 4
    fish meal

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

  5. 5
    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 →

  6. 6
    sweet potato

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

  7. 7
    chickpeas

    Also called garbanzo beans. Affordable plant protein source, part of the legume stack the FDA examined in its heart-disease investigation. See why →

  8. 8
    chicken fat

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

  9. 9
    lentils

    Same concern as peas. Affordable plant protein, but when they pile up in the top 5 ingredients, it's a flag. See why →

  10. 10
    pea fiber

    Insoluble fiber from peas. Doesn't carry the protein-inflation concern of pea protein. Mostly there for stool quality.

  11. 11
    natural flavor

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

  12. 12
    potassium chloride

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

  13. 13
    salt

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

  14. 14
    dried tomatoes

    Real fruit. Lycopene and trace antioxidants. Different from tomato pomace, which is the fiber byproduct.

  15. 15
    yeast culture

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

  16. 16
    dried chicory root

    Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.

  17. 17
    dl-methionine

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

  18. 18
    choline chloride

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

  19. 19
    dried apples

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

  20. 20
    blueberries

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

  21. 21
    carrots

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

  22. 22
    taurine

    Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.

  23. 23
    vitamin e supplement

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

  24. 24
    l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate

    A stable form of vitamin C used in pet food. Provides antioxidant support and survives processing better than plain ascorbic acid.

  25. 25
    zinc proteinate

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

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

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