Label analysisGrade DListed ingredientsKibble (Extruded)

Hill's

Hill's Adult 6+ Large Breed Chicken Meal, Barley & Rice Recipe Dog Food | Hill's Science Diet

Calculate portions with this foodChoosing for your dog
Editor ingredient insight

Hills Adult 6+ Large Breed Chicken Meal, Barley & Rice leads with chicken meal, cracked pearled barley, and brewers rice, with lower protein and phosphorus plus joint nutrients.

It is worth considering for older large dogs, not for high-protein goals.

Meal-basedPlant booster present
Illustration of chicken beside a dog-food bowl
Primary protein ingredient · Chicken

01. NUTRIENT PROFILE

Key nutrients & mineral profile

As-fed basis
Disclosed protein and fat
Protein 18.7%Fat 13.5%Other 67.8%Other includes moisture, ash and remaining components.
Position within the same processing type

Compare protein, fat and energy density in low, typical and high bands.

Protein positionLower

This food is on the lower side for crude protein among extruded foods.

Fat positionTypical

This food sits around the typical crude fat range among extruded foods.

Calorie densityLower

This food is on the lower side for calorie density among extruded foods. That alone does not make it a weight-management diet; check portion guidance, fat, and fiber together.

Key guaranteed nutrientsAs-fed
Calcium1.15%
Phosphorus0.68%
Crude fiberNot disclosed
Omega-30.53%
Omega-63.94%

Undisclosed values are not treated as zero.

02. INGREDIENT QUALITY & DISCLOSURE

Disclosed ingredients & ingredient grade

The analysis uses the registered ingredients. Complete-panel coverage is not verified, so an unlisted ingredient cannot be assumed absent.

Listed ingredients

Read the listed ingredients below. Complete-panel coverage is not verified here; do not infer that an unlisted ingredient is absent.

Chicken ingredient illustration
Primary protein ingredient · Chicken
C3/6Ingredient gradeMixed
Ingredient #1 · Chicken MealUpper
Named Meal
Ingredient #2 · Cracked Pearled BarleyMid
Semi-Refined Grain
Ingredient #3 · Brewers RiceLower
Refined Carb
Ingredient #1Upper

Chicken Meal

Chicken Meal is a species-named animal meal ingredient. It is rendered rather than fresh, but the species source is still clearly identified. It reads as an upper-tier protein source.

Ingredient #2Mid

Cracked Pearled Barley

Cracked Pearled Barley is disclosed, but its role is not explicit enough to count as a strong quality signal. It reads as an mid-tier carb source.

Ingredient #3Lower

Brewers Rice

Brewers Rice is a refined carbohydrate source. It usually reads as a starch and energy source rather than a protein driver. It reads as an lower-tier carb source.

Available ingredient listIn disclosed order
Chicken Meal — Support positive ingredientsCracked Pearled Barley — Neutral ingredientsBrewers Rice — Neutral ingredientsWhole Grain Wheat — Neutral ingredientsWhole Grain Corn — Neutral ingredientsWhole Grain Sorghum — Neutral ingredientsWhole Grain Oats — Neutral ingredientsChicken Fat — Neutral ingredientsDried Beet Pulp — Support positive ingredientsSoybean Meal — High-caution ingredientsChicken Liver Flavor — Support positive ingredientsSoybean Oil — Neutral ingredientsLactic Acid — Neutral ingredientsFlaxseed — Neutral ingredientsPotassium Chloride — Support positive ingredientsCalcium Carbonate — Neutral ingredientsIodized Salt — Neutral ingredientsFructooligosaccharides (FOS) — Support positive ingredientsCholine Chloride — Support positive ingredientsvitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement) — Support positive ingredientsDL-Methionine — Neutral ingredientsL-Lysine — Neutral ingredientsminerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite) — Support positive ingredientsTaurine — Support positive ingredientsMixed Tocopherols for freshness — Neutral ingredientsNatural Flavors — Support positive ingredientsL-Carnitine — Support positive ingredientsBeta-Carotene — Neutral ingredients
Primary positive ingredientsSupport positive ingredientsAlternative proteinNeutral ingredientsCaution ingredientsHigh-caution ingredients
Protein sourceIngredient guide

Processed plant protein after the top 3

Animal protein · Chicken Meal (#1)

Plant protein · Soybean Meal (#10)

The protein number includes processed plant protein support.

Even when it appears later, the protein number is read more conservatively.

Included support ingredientsNutrient guide
FOSGut support ingredientTaurineHeart support ingredientL-carnitineHeart and weight support ingredientOmega-3Skin and joint support ingredientOmega-6Skin and coat support ingredientGlucosamineJoint support ingredientChondroitinJoint support ingredientVitamin EAntioxidant and skin support ingredient

03. CHOOSING FOR YOUR DOG

What to consider before feeding

Chicken Meal supply animal protein at the start of the ingredient list. Cracked Pearled Barley, Brewers Rice supply carbohydrate energy. The recipe combines animal protein sources with carbohydrate sources.

Soybean Meal supplement plant protein further down the list, after the first three ingredients. The crude-protein figure includes both animal and plant contributions. Chicken Fat add fat and energy; fat content is a separate choice criterion from the protein sources.

What works well in this food

  • Calorie density is on the lower side.
  • Top ingredients do not show a prominent FDA-investigated non-hereditary DCM ingredient profile.

Check before feeding

  • Refined carbohydrates lose fiber, vitamins, and minerals during processing, and mainly act as starch and energy sources. Because of that, our engine reads ingredient quality more conservatively than it would with whole grains.
  • Processed plant protein appears after the top 3, so some protein support is still built into the label number.
  • Calcium:Phosphorus Ratio (1.69:1, reference 1.1~1.6:1): Within an acceptable range, but not the optimal one.

When this food fits your dog

Among foods made the same way, protein is lower, fat is typical, and calorie density is lower. This is a candidate for reducing calories per gram. Fat is not also lower, so a weight-management choice still needs fiber, portions and total daily calories including treats to be considered together.

Consider it first when

  • Public-data-first comparison
  • Baseline shortlist building
  • Conservative first-pass screening

Choose another food first when

  • You want a stronger ingredient-quality story first
  • You need dog-specific fit instead of public-review screening

Plant-protein concentration remains the clearest trade-off here.

04. COMPARE FOODS

Smart chicken alternatives

Exact protein-type matches come first, then close protein-family matches fill the comparison.

05. MANUFACTURING & DISCLOSURE

Manufacturer background & public information

Hill's background

Founded in 1907 in the United States.

Disclosure confidence C1

There is a usable disclosure baseline, but the public record is still fairly thin.

Recall information

This brand has a confirmed recall history. The most recent public recall noted here was the 2019 vitamin D incident.

May 12, 2026

Final word

Interpret this for my dog

The food-first public score is only the starting point. Once your dog’s activity, weight goals, life stage, and health status are applied, the recommendation order and interpretation can change.

Treat this review as an early screen. If the food stays interesting, verify it again with your dog-specific context before acting.