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Sniff
Heart to Tail

Salmon and Sweet Potato Recipe Dog Food

Evidence Limited
dry

Heart to Tail Salmon and Sweet Potato Recipe Dog Food earns a Sniff Score of 57/100 (C) with Limited evidence. 1 controversial ingredient flagged. Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

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 marine oil (EPA and DHA source).

FQI

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

STACK

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

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
Protein
n/a
min (as fed)
Fat
n/a
min (as fed)
Fiber
n/a
max (as fed)
Moisture
n/a
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

37 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
    chicken meal

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

  3. 3
    sweet potato

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

  4. 4
    ground garbanzo beans

    Same as chickpeas. Part of the legume stack the FDA investigated. See why →

  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
    chicken fat

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

  7. 7
    pea starch

    Refined starch from peas, mostly carbs after the protein is removed. Counts toward the legume stack the FDA examined.

  8. 8
    lentils

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

  9. 9
    ground flaxseed

    Cracked flaxseed for better digestibility. Same plant omega-3s as whole flaxseed, just easier for the dog to extract.

  10. 10
    natural salmon flavor
  11. 11
    fish oil

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

  12. 12
    dried chicory root

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

  13. 13
    cranberries

    Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.

  14. 14
    blueberries

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

  15. 15
    carrots

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

  16. 16
    potassium chloride

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

  17. 17
    zinc sulfate

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

  18. 18
    copper sulfate

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

  19. 19
    magnesium sulfate

    Source of magnesium, a required mineral. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  20. 20
    calcium iodate

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

  21. 21
    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 →

  22. 22
    choline chloride

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

  23. 23
    vitamin a supplement

    Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.

  24. 24
    vitamin d3 supplement

    The active form of vitamin D dogs need. Required for calcium absorption and bone health.

  25. 25
    vitamin e supplement

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

Showing first 25 of 37. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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