Label analysisGrade CKibble (Extruded)

Instinct

Instinct Raw Boost Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken Puppy

Editor ingredient insight

Instinct Raw Boost Chicken Puppy starts with chicken, turkey meal, and peas, so it is not a simple chicken-only puppy food. With 36% protein, 21.5% fat, 4,450 kcal/kg, and DHA, I would use it for energetic puppies that need calories, not for poultry/pea sensitivity or easy weight gain.

Logic-based verdict

This food can stay in comparison, but ingredient quality still needs a more conservative read.

Manufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety

Protein source

Ingredient guide

Whole plant protein source in the top 3

Animal protein

Chicken (#1), Turkey Meal (#2), Menhaden Fish Meal (#4), Egg Product (#5), Chicken Meal (#6), Freeze Dried Chicken (#10), Freeze Dried Chicken Liver (#13), Lamb Meal (#14), Freeze Dried Chicken Heart (#17)

Plant protein

Peas (#3), Chickpeas (#9)

The crude protein number may include influence from whole plant ingredients.

This is not the same as processed protein boosting, but it is not purely meat-led.

Included support ingredients

Nutrient guide

Salmon oil

Skin and joint support ingredient

Cranberry

Urinary support ingredient

Taurine

Heart support ingredient

Probiotics

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

View full ingredients
Solid build

Ingredient grade

B

Grade B

Top ingredient profile

Chicken
Turkey Meal
Peas
Fresh-meat leadPlant booster present
Crude protein36%
Crude protein36%
Crude fat21.5%
Other 43%

Calcium

1.2%

Phosphorus

1%

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

biotechProtein position
Higher
query_statsFat position
Higher
local_fire_departmentCalorie density
Higher

There is enough public data to keep this food in comparison, but the top ingredient structure does not support a stronger positive claim yet.

Nutritional strengths

  • The first ingredient is a species-named fresh meat.
  • Crude protein is on the higher side.
  • Nutrient disclosure is broad enough to compare real numbers directly.

What still needs work

  • Phosphorus is 1% 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.
  • Fresh meat carries a moisture variable. When whole plant protein sources are also high in the list, part of the crude-protein number may come from those plant ingredients.
  • Whole plant protein sources can contribute to crude protein, so the animal-protein share still needs a closer read.

Alternative foods

Smart chicken / turkey alternatives

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

102 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.

Instinct

Raw Boost Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken Adult

Adult · All sizes

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

3.5/5

Grade B

Instinct

Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Beef

Adult · All sizes

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

3.5/5

Grade B

Instinct

Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Salmon

Adult · All sizes

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

3.5/5

Grade B

Instinct

Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken

Adult · All sizes

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

3.5/5

Grade C

Brand context

Brand background availableRecall history confirmed

Founded in 2002 in the United States. This brand has a confirmed public recall history.

Ingredient analysis

The top ingredients give this recipe a strong first protein read, so the ingredient section starts from a favorable position.

restaurantIngredient Quality Analysis

B4.5/6
Ingredient Grade
Good
1Chicken
Fresh Meat · Top
2Turkey Meal
Named Meal · Upper
3Peas
Whole Plant Protein · Lower

Ingredient Analysis Comments

  • •Chicken is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
  • •Turkey 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.
  • •Peas is a whole plant-protein ingredient. It is not a processed protein concentrate, but when it appears near the top it can still weaken the animal-protein-led structure. It reads as an lower-tier plant protein booster.
restaurantIngredient Grade BGood

Full collected ingredient list

31 ingredients
ChickenTurkey MealPeasMenhaden Fish MealEgg ProductChicken MealTapiocaChicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid)ChickpeasFreeze Dried ChickenSalmon OilMontmorillonite ClayFreeze Dried Chicken LiverLamb MealNatural FlavorPumpkinseedsFreeze Dried Chicken HeartSaltVitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin)Potassium ChlorideCarrotsApplesCranberriesMinerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide)Dried Tomato PomaceCholine ChlorideTaurineDried KelpBlueberriesDried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation ProductRosemary Extract
Primary positive ingredients
Support positive ingredients
Alternative protein
Neutral ingredients
Caution ingredients
High-caution ingredients

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)

C1 tier

Current data and recipe-level variation are visible, but validation breadth still needs a closer look.

Final word

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

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