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Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Adult X-Small Dry Dog Food, 2.5-lb bag
Royal Canin

Size Health Nutrition Adult X-Small Dry Dog Food, 2.5-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $8.00/lb

Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Adult X-Small Dry Dog Food, 2.5-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 58/100 (C) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Primary concern: plant-protein-dominated formula. brewers rice as the #1 ingredient..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Quality carbohydrate sources with fermentable fiber.

CQI

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

FQI

AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance.

ACF

Plant-protein-dominated formula. brewers rice as the #1 ingredient.

PQI

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: 24% ⓘ
Protein
22%
min (as fed)
Fat
16%
min (as fed)
Fiber
3.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

36 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    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.

  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.

  3. 3
    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.

  4. 4
    chicken fat

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

  5. 5
    corn gluten meal

    Concentrated corn protein. Inflates the protein percent on the label without matching meat-quality amino acids.

  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.

  7. 7
    natural flavors

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

  8. 8
    dried chicory root

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

  9. 9
    vegetable oil

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

  10. 10
    fish oil

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

  11. 11
    psyllium seed husk

    Soluble fiber. Supports stool quality. The same fiber humans use for digestive regularity.

  12. 12
    potassium chloride

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

  13. 13
    calcium sulfate

    Source of calcium. Functional, required for AAFCO-complete formulas.

  14. 14
    monocalcium phosphate

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

  15. 15
    salt

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

  16. 16
    l-tyrosine
  17. 17
    l-lysine

    Essential amino acid. Plant-protein-heavy formulas sometimes add it to round out the amino acid profile.

  18. 18
    calcium carbonate

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

  19. 19
    dl-methionine

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

  20. 20
    fructooligosaccharides

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

  21. 21
    sodium tripolyphosphate

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

  22. 22
    l-arginine
  23. 23
    choline chloride

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

  24. 24
    magnesium oxide

    Inorganic magnesium. Functional at AAFCO doses, less efficiently absorbed than chelated forms.

  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 36. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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