Ingredient #1Top
Chicken
Chicken is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
Label analysisGrade CListed ingredientsKibble (Extruded)
Hill's
Hill's Puppy Small & Mini Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe | Hill's Science Diet
Editor ingredient insight
Hill’s Puppy Small & Mini Chicken & Brown Rice is best read as a controlled small-breed growth diet, not as a meat-forward ingredient upgrade.
Chicken leads, followed by oats, brown rice, chicken meal, chicken fat, pea protein, corn, soybean meal, and corn protein meal.
With 28.9% protein, 19.7% fat, 3,780 kcal/kg, calcium at 1.58%, and phosphorus at 1.31%, I would use it where puppy growth numbers and portion stability matter, not for pea, corn, or soy avoidance.
Fresh-meat leadPlant booster present
01. NUTRIENT PROFILE
Key nutrients & mineral profile
Disclosed protein and fat
Protein 28.9%Fat 19.7%Other 51.4%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 positionHigher
This food is on the higher side for crude protein among extruded foods.
Fat positionHigher
This food is on the higher side for crude fat among extruded foods.
Calorie densityHigher
This food is on the higher side for calorie density among extruded foods. The same serving can provide more energy, so check portion guidance.
Key guaranteed nutrientsAs-fed
Calcium1.58%
Phosphorus1.31%
Crude fiberNot disclosed
Omega-30.68%
Omega-64.25%
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.
Ingredient gradeGood
Ingredient #1 · ChickenTop
Fresh MeatIngredient #2 · Whole Grain OatsUpper
Whole GrainIngredient #3 · Brown RiceUpper
Whole GrainIngredient #2Upper
Whole Grain Oats
Whole Grain Oats is a whole or coarse grain ingredient. It usually plays more of a carbohydrate and fiber role than a core protein role. It reads as an upper-tier carb and fiber source.
Ingredient #3Upper
Brown Rice
Brown Rice is a whole or coarse grain ingredient. It usually plays more of a carbohydrate and fiber role than a core protein role. It reads as an upper-tier carb and fiber source.
Available ingredient listIn disclosed order
Chicken — Primary positive ingredientsWhole Grain Oats — Neutral ingredientsBrown Rice — Neutral ingredientsChicken Meal — Support positive ingredientsChicken Fat — Neutral ingredientsPea Protein — High-caution ingredientsWhole Grain Corn — Neutral ingredientsCracked Pearled Barley — Neutral ingredientsSoybean Meal — High-caution ingredientsChicken Liver Flavor — Support positive ingredientsCorn Protein Meal — High-caution ingredientsPork Liver Flavor — Support positive ingredientsDicalcium Phosphate — Neutral ingredientsGround Pecan Shells — Neutral ingredientsLactic Acid — Neutral ingredientsSoybean Oil — Neutral ingredientsFlaxseed — Neutral ingredientsDried Beet Pulp — Support positive ingredientsFish Oil — Support positive ingredientsDried Citrus Pulp — Neutral ingredientsCalcium Carbonate — Neutral ingredientsIodized Salt — Neutral ingredientsPotassium Chloride — Support positive ingredientsSodium Tripolyphosphate — Neutral 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 ingredientsPressed Cranberries — Neutral ingredientsL-Threonine — Neutral ingredientsL-Lysine — Neutral ingredientsDL-Methionine — Neutral ingredientsL-Tryptophan — 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 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 (#1), Chicken Meal (#4)
Plant protein · Pea Protein (#6), Soybean Meal (#9), Corn Protein Meal (#11)
The protein number includes processed plant protein support.
Even when it appears later, the protein number is read more conservatively.
Included support ingredientsNutrient guide
Fish oilSkin and joint support ingredientCranberryUrinary support ingredientTaurineHeart support ingredientOmega-3Skin and joint support ingredientOmega-6Skin and coat support ingredientVitamin EAntioxidant and skin support ingredient
03. CHOOSING FOR YOUR DOG
What to consider before feeding
Chicken supply animal protein at the start of the ingredient list. Whole Grain Oats, Brown Rice supply carbohydrate energy. The recipe combines animal protein sources with carbohydrate sources.
Pea Protein, 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
- The first ingredient is a species-named fresh meat.
- Crude protein is on the higher side.
- Top ingredients do not show a prominent FDA-investigated non-hereditary DCM ingredient profile.
Check before feeding
- Phosphorus is 1.3% on the label, at or above 1%. Senior dogs or dogs with kidney concerns should have phosphorus restriction reviewed with a veterinarian before using it as a staple food.
- Processed plant protein appears after the top 3, so some protein support is still built into the label number.
- The first ingredient is a species-named fresh meat, but grains follow immediately after it, so the recipe reads more mixed than meat-led.
When this food fits your dog
Among foods made the same way, protein is higher, fat is higher, and calorie density is higher. Compare this combination when both protein and concentrated energy matter. It can help plan smaller portions, but dogs prone to weight gain should not switch gram-for-gram from a less calorie-dense food.
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
High calorie density 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