Sport Active All Life Stages High-Protein 27/17 Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food, 37.5-lb bag

1. 1

   chicken

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

   protein animal
2. 2

   rice

   Generic rice. Could be white or brown, the label doesn't say. Brown rice would be specified if it were.

   grain
3. 3

   wheat

   Whole wheat. Fine for most dogs, though a portion are sensitive. Not a quality concern, just a fit-for-your-dog question.

   grain
4. 4

   poultry by-product meal

   Unnamed poultry. The mix can include any combination of chicken, turkey, or other birds, with no traceability. Named by-product meals are fine. This one isn't.

   protein animal
5. 5

   corn protein meal

   Concentrated corn protein. Similar in role to corn gluten meal, pads the protein number on the label without matching meat amino acids.

6. 6

   beef fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols

   Real animal fat from a named species, with natural vitamin E doing the preservation. The clean version.

7. 7

   whole grain corn

   Whole corn with the kernel intact. Decent fiber and B vitamins, though it can crowd out meat in cheaper recipes.

   grain
8. 8

   corn germ meal
9. 9

   fish meal

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

   protein animal
10. 10

    dried egg product

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

11. 11

    natural flavor

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

    other
12. 12

    fish oil

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

    fat
13. 13

    mono and dicalcium phosphate

    Source of calcium and phosphorus. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

14. 14

    potassium chloride

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

    mineral
15. 15

    salt

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

    mineral
16. 16

    calcium carbonate

    Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.

    mineral
17. 17

    choline chloride

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

    supplement
18. 18

    zinc sulfate

    Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.

    mineral
19. 19

    ferrous sulfate

    Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.

    mineral
20. 20

    manganese sulfate

    Inorganic manganese. Functional but less well-absorbed than the chelated proteinate form.

    mineral
21. 21

    copper sulfate

    Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.

    mineral
22. 22

    calcium iodate

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

    mineral
23. 23

    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 →

    mineral
24. 24

    l-lysine monohydrochloride

    Stable form of L-lysine, an essential amino acid. Common in plant-heavy formulas to balance the amino acid profile.

25. 25

    dl-methionine

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

    supplement

Showing first 25 of 28. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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