CORE+ Puppy Chicken & Turkey Recipe

1. 1

   deboned chicken

   Real meat with the bones removed before grinding. The cleanest version of chicken on an ingredient label.

   protein animal
2. 2

   chicken meal

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

   protein animal
3. 3

   turkey meal

   Turkey with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh turkey.

   protein animal
4. 4

   potato

   Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.

   vegetable
5. 5

   lentils

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

   legume
6. 6

   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 →

   legume
7. 7

   chicken fat

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

   fat
8. 8

   dried plain beet pulp

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

9. 9

   flaxseed

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

   fat
10. 10

    turkey liver

    Organ meat. Same nutrient-density story as chicken or beef liver: protein, iron, B vitamins, vitamin A.

    protein animal
11. 11

    turkey hearts
12. 12

    salmon oil

    Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.

    fat
13. 13

    natural flavor

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

    other
14. 14

    salt

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

    mineral
15. 15

    dried chicory root

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

    fiber
16. 16

    potassium chloride

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

    mineral
17. 17

    taurine

    Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.

    supplement
18. 18

    vitamin e supplement

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

    vitamin
19. 19

    choline chloride

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

    supplement
20. 20

    spinach

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

    vegetable
21. 21

    broccoli

    Real vegetable. Adds fiber and some antioxidants. Fine in the small amounts used in kibble.

    vegetable
22. 22

    carrots

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

    vegetable
23. 23

    parsley

    Real herb. Trace amount of vitamins K and C. The dose in kibble is small, mostly there for label appeal.

    supplement
24. 24

    apples

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

    fruit
25. 25

    blueberries

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

    fruit

Showing first 25 of 55. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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