Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy Dry Dog Food, 30-lb bag

1. 1

   chicken by-product meal

   Ground organs, bone, and tissue. Nutritionally dense, especially the liver and gizzard fractions. Named species ('chicken') is what matters. Generic 'poultry by-product meal' is the one to worry about.

   protein animal
2. 2

   corn

   Whole corn is more nutritious than it gets credit for, with decent amino acids and steady carbs. The bigger concern is when corn dominates the top of the ingredient list at the expense of named meat.

   grain
3. 3

   chicken fat

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

   fat
4. 4

   wheat

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

   grain
5. 5

   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.

6. 6

   wheat gluten

   Concentrated wheat protein. Like other plant gluten meals, it pads the protein number on the label without contributing meat-quality amino acids.

   protein plant
7. 7

   brown rice

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

   grain
8. 8

   pea fiber

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

   fiber
9. 9

   chicken meal

   Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken.

   protein animal
10. 10

    natural flavors

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

    other
11. 11

    brewers rice flour
12. 12

    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.

13. 13

    dried plain beet pulp

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

14. 14

    vegetable oil

    Unnamed plant oil. Could be soy, canola, corn, or a blend. Named oils like sunflower or canola are more transparent.

15. 15

    sodium aluminosilicate

    Anti-caking agent that keeps powder ingredients flowing. Functional, not nutritional.

16. 16

    potassium chloride

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

    mineral
17. 17

    marine microalgae oil

    Plant-source omega-3 from algae. Useful especially in vegetarian or limited-fish formulas.

18. 18

    monocalcium phosphate

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

19. 19

    powdered psyllium seed husk
20. 20

    calcium carbonate

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

    mineral
21. 21

    fructooligosaccharides

    Prebiotic fiber, often called FOS. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria, similar in function to inulin.

    fiber
22. 22

    sodium tripolyphosphate

    Preservative and texture agent in wet food. Functional at small doses, not a major concern, but some brands avoid it.

    mineral
23. 23

    yeast extract

    Yeast broken down to a paste. Strong palatant plus a real source of B vitamins.

24. 24

    salt

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

    mineral
25. 25

    choline chloride

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

    supplement

Showing first 25 of 45. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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