Label analysisGrade DKibble (Extruded)

Iams

Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy Large Breed Chicken

Editor ingredient insight

Iams Large Breed Puppy starts with chicken, whole grain corn, and chicken by-product meal, with controlled minerals plus joint nutrients and DHA. I would use it for large-breed puppy growth, not for grain/by-product avoidance.

Logic-based verdict

This food is worth considering when budget per kilogram matters alongside baseline nutrition.

Manufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety

Protein source

Ingredient guide

Unclear animal protein source

Animal protein

Chicken (#1), Chicken By-Product Meal (source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate) (#3), Dried Egg Product (#11)

Plant protein

Soybean Meal (#7), Corn Gluten Meal (#9)

Animal-based does not always mean clearly sourced.

Unspecified animal protein is read conservatively.

Included support ingredients

Nutrient guide

Fish oil

Skin and joint support ingredient

FOS

Gut support ingredient

Omega-3

Skin and joint support ingredient

Omega-6

Skin and coat support ingredient

EPA+DHA

Skin, joint, and heart support ingredient

Glucosamine

Joint support ingredient

Chondroitin

Joint support ingredient

View full ingredients
Needs context

Ingredient grade

C

Grade C

Top ingredient profile

Chicken
Ground Whole Grain Corn
Chicken By-Product Meal
Fresh-meat leadPlant booster present
Crude protein28%
Crude protein28%
Crude fat14%
Other 58%

Calcium

1.2%

Phosphorus

0.9%

Protein position, fat position, and calorie density position are relative to foods in the same processing type cohort.

biotechProtein position
Typical
query_statsFat position
Typical
local_fire_departmentCalorie density
Typical

This is not a premium ingredient story first, but the baseline nutrition is still comparable and the price per kilogram stays easier on budget.

Nutritional strengths

  • 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.

What still needs work

  • By-product meal is a rendered ingredient that can include parts such as heads, feet, and organs. It can still provide protein, but it is harder to tell exactly what parts are included and in what proportion, so ingredient transparency is read more conservatively.
  • Plant proteins can lift crude protein on the label, but the real animal-protein share still needs a closer check.
  • Even at a low price per kilogram, this only makes sense as a price-first consideration.

Alternative foods

Smart chicken alternatives

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

257 alternativesKibble (Extruded) · protein type/family cohort

Other recipes from the same brand

Other recipes from the same brand with a different purpose or feeding target.

Iams

ProActive Health Large Breed Adult Chicken & Whole Grains

Adult · Large breed

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

2.5/5

Grade C

Iams

ProActive Health Healthy Aging Large Breed Senior Chicken

Senior · Large breed

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

2.0/5

Grade C

Iams

ProActive Health Minichunks Adult Chicken & Whole Grains

Adult · All sizes

Label score

2.0/5

Grade C

Iams

ProActive Health Healthy Weight Large Breed Adult Chicken

Adult · Large breed

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

2.0/5

Grade D

Brand context

Brand background availableRecall history confirmed

Founded in 1946 in the United States. This brand has multiple confirmed recall events in public sources.

Ingredient analysis

The top ingredients are still usable, but this is the part to inspect more carefully before calling the recipe a clear strength.

restaurantIngredient Quality Analysis

C3/6
Ingredient Grade
Mixed
1Chicken
Fresh Meat · Top
2Ground Whole Grain Corn
Whole Grain · Upper
3Chicken By-Product Meal
By-product Meal · Lowest

Ingredient Analysis Comments

  • •Chicken is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
  • •Ground Whole Grain Corn 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.
  • •Chicken By-Product Meal is a by-product meal. It can still contribute protein, but the primary-ingredient read should stay conservative. It reads as an bottom-tier protein source.
restaurantIngredient Grade CMixed

Full collected ingredient list

23 ingredients
ChickenGround Whole Grain CornChicken By-Product Meal (source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate)Ground Whole Grain SorghumDried Plain Beet PulpBrewers RiceSoybean MealNatural FlavorCorn Gluten MealFish Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols)Dried Egg ProductCaramel ColorDicalcium PhosphateSaltCarrotsCholine ChloridePotassium ChlorideFructooligosaccharidesVitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid)Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Manganous Oxide)Mixed Tocopherols (preservative)Citric Acid (preservative)Rosemary Extract
Primary positive ingredients
Support positive ingredients
Alternative protein
Neutral ingredients
Caution ingredients
High-caution ingredients

Why processed plant proteins are reviewed cautiously

Ingredient lists are ordered by input weight, not protein contribution. Fresh meat 100g and Soybean Meal 50g can both contribute about 20g of protein, and Pea Protein can deliver a similar amount at around 30g. So these ingredients can materially lift crude protein even outside the top three. The review treats processed plant-protein boosters cautiously because they can weaken the animal-protein-centered profile most guardians expect from a high-protein food.

Why did the base review land here?

Ingredient qualityNutrient disclosure levelManufacturing & trust

This review score combines ingredient composition, nutrient disclosure, manufacturing trust, and core nutrient caution signals.

Nutrient disclosure

Partial disclosure

Core guaranteed analysis is usable, but deeper rows still need a more cautious read.

Safety verification

No fails

No major red flag jumps out first, though undisclosed rows still define the limits of this safety read.

Public data trust (ETF)

D tier

Only basic guaranteed analysis is visible, so deeper nutrition comparison stays hard to trust.

Final word

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

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