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Nutro Natural Choice Puppy High Protein Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 12-lb bag
Nutro

Natural Choice Puppy High Protein Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 12-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $3.16/lb

Nutro Natural Choice Puppy High Protein Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 12-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 67/100 (B) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

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

FQI

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: 31% ⓘ
Protein
28%
min (as fed)
Fat
16%
min (as fed)
Fiber
3%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

48 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    lamb

    Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.

  2. 2
    lamb meal

    Lamb cooked down to a dry concentrate. Per pound, more protein than fresh lamb.

  3. 3
    brown rice

    Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.

  4. 4
    barley

    Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.

  5. 5
    oatmeal

    Gentle on the stomach. Slow-release carbs and soluble fiber that supports stool quality.

  6. 6
    brewers rice

    Broken rice kernels left over from milling, usually destined for human beer-making. Cheaper than whole or even white rice. Same carbs, less nutrition than the brown version.

  7. 7
    pea protein

    Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.

  8. 8
    chicken fat

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

  9. 9
    potato protein

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

  10. 10
    natural flavors

    Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.

  11. 11
    dried plain beet pulp

    Beet fiber, with the sugar removed. Long unfairly maligned. It's a real soluble fiber that supports stool quality.

  12. 12
    potassium chloride

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

  13. 13
    dicalcium phosphate

    Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.

  14. 14
    fish oil

    Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.

  15. 15
    flaxseed

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

  16. 16
    dl-methionine

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

  17. 17
    salt

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

  18. 18
    choline chloride

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

  19. 19
    chia seed

    Plant source of omega-3 and fiber. Like flaxseed, useful in trace amounts.

  20. 20
    dried coconut
  21. 21
    dried tomato pomace

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

  22. 22
    dried egg product

    Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.

  23. 23
    pumpkin

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

  24. 24
    dried kale

    Leafy green with antioxidants and fiber. Small dose in kibble, but it's not just for marketing.

  25. 25
    dried spinach

    Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.

Showing first 25 of 48. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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