Label analysisGrade CListed ingredientsKibble (Extruded)

Hill's

Hill's Science Diet Adult Perfect Digestion Small Bites Chicken & Barley Recipe Dog Food | Hill's Science Diet

Calculate portions with this foodChoosing for your dog
Editor ingredient insight

Hill’s Perfect Digestion Small Bites Chicken & Barley starts with chicken, cracked pearled barley, and brown rice.

It is worth considering for chicken-and-grain tolerant dogs needing smaller kibble and digestion support, not for chicken or grain avoidance.

Fresh-meat leadPlant 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 25.1%Fat 14.3%Other 60.6%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 positionTypical

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

Fat positionTypical

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

Calorie densityTypical

This food sits around the typical calorie range among extruded foods. Check the feeding guide and weight trend alongside this comparison.

Key guaranteed nutrientsAs-fed
Calcium0.95%
Phosphorus0.75%
Crude fiberNot disclosed
Omega-30.52%
Omega-63.66%

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 · ChickenTop
Fresh Meat
Ingredient #2 · Cracked Pearled BarleyMid
Semi-Refined Grain
Ingredient #3 · Brown RiceUpper
Whole Grain
Ingredient #1Top

Chicken

Chicken is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-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 #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 ingredientsCracked Pearled Barley — Neutral ingredientsBrown Rice — Neutral ingredientsBrewers Rice — Neutral ingredientsWhole Grain Oats — Neutral ingredientsWhole Grain Corn — Neutral ingredientsCorn Protein Meal — High-caution ingredientsChicken Meal — Support positive ingredientsChicken Fat — Neutral ingredientsChicken Liver Flavor — Support positive ingredientsPork Liver Flavor — Support positive ingredientsGround Pecan Shells — Neutral ingredientsSoybean Oil — Neutral ingredientsLactic Acid — Neutral ingredientsPotassium Chloride — Support positive ingredientsFlaxseed — Neutral ingredientsDried Beet Pulp — Support positive ingredientsDried Citrus Pulp — Neutral ingredientsIodized Salt — Neutral ingredientsCholine Chloride — Support positive ingredientsCalcium Carbonate — Neutral ingredientsDicalcium Phosphate — Neutral ingredientsFish Oil — Support positive ingredientsPressed Cranberries — Neutral ingredientsPumpkin — Neutral 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 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 (#8)

Plant protein · Corn Protein Meal (#7)

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. Cracked Pearled Barley, Brown Rice supply carbohydrate energy. The recipe combines animal protein sources with carbohydrate sources.

Corn Protein Meal supplement plant protein further down the list, after the first three ingredients. The crude-protein figure includes both animal and plant contributions.

What works well in this food

  • The first ingredient is a species-named fresh meat.
  • Crude protein does not drop into a clearly low band.
  • Top ingredients do not show a prominent FDA-investigated non-hereditary DCM ingredient profile.

Check before feeding

  • 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.
  • Public data is usable, but not at the highest-trust tier.

When this food fits your dog

Among foods made the same way, protein is typical, fat is typical, and calorie density is typical. Calorie density alone does not separate this into an active-dog or weight-management food. Consider protein exclusions and fat, then set portions for the dog’s weight and activity.

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.

There is enough here to keep the food in comparison, but not enough to stop comparing yet.