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.
Label analysisGrade CListed ingredientsKibble (Extruded)
Natural Balance
Natural Balance Fat Dogs
Editor ingredient insight
Natural Balance Fat Dogs is clearly a weight-control food: chicken meal and salmon meal lead, then chickpeas and peas, with 26% protein, 7.5% fat, 10.5% fiber, and 3,070 kcal/kg.
It is worth considering for satiety-focused weight control, not for poultry, fish, egg, legume, or high-fiber sensitivity.
Meal-basedPlant booster present
01. NUTRIENT PROFILE
Key nutrients & mineral profile
Disclosed protein and fat
Protein 26%Fat 7.5%Other 66.5%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 positionLower
This food is on the lower side for crude fat 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
Calcium0.6%
Phosphorus0.5%
Crude fiber10.5%
Omega-30.45%
Omega-62.5%
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 gradeMixed
Ingredient #1 · Chicken MealUpper
Named MealIngredient #2 · Salmon MealUpper
Named MealIngredient #3 · ChickpeasLower
Whole Plant ProteinIngredient #2Upper
Salmon Meal
Salmon 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 #3Lower
Chickpeas
Chickpeas 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.
Available ingredient listIn disclosed order
Chicken Meal — Support positive ingredientsSalmon Meal — Support positive ingredientsChickpeas — Caution ingredientsPeas — Caution ingredientsOat Groats — Neutral ingredientsPearled Barley — Neutral ingredientsDried Plain Beet Pulp — Support positive ingredientsPea Fiber — Neutral ingredientsDehydrated Alfalfa Meal — Neutral ingredientsChicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols) — Neutral ingredientsOat Fiber — Neutral ingredientsPea Protein — High-caution ingredientsDried Tomato Pomace — Neutral ingredientsNatural Flavor — Support positive ingredientsSalt — Neutral ingredientsDried Egg Product — Primary positive ingredientsBrewers Dried Yeast — Neutral ingredientsSpinach — Neutral ingredientsParsley — Neutral ingredientsCarrots — Neutral ingredientsSalmon Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols) — Support positive ingredientsPotassium Chloride — Support positive ingredientsDL-Methionine — Neutral ingredientsTaurine — Support positive ingredientsVitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin) — Support positive ingredientsCholine Chloride — Support positive ingredientsInulin — Support positive ingredientsMinerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate) — Support positive ingredientsAscorbic Acid (Source of Vitamin C) — Neutral ingredientsL-Carnitine — Support positive ingredientsL-Lysine Monohydrochloride — Neutral ingredientsCitric Acid (Preservative) — Neutral ingredientsMixed Tocopherols (Preservative) — Neutral ingredientsYucca Schidigera Extract — Support positive ingredientsRosemary Extract — Neutral ingredients
Primary positive ingredientsSupport positive ingredientsAlternative proteinNeutral ingredientsCaution ingredientsHigh-caution ingredients
Protein sourceIngredient guide
Whole plant source plus processed protein support
Animal protein · Chicken Meal (#1), Salmon Meal (#2), Dried Egg Product (#16)
Plant protein · Chickpeas (#3), Peas (#4), Pea Protein (#12)
The top-3 whole plant source is a possibility signal, while the later processed plant protein is a clear protein-support signal.
Because both possible and clear plant-protein signals appear, the protein number is read conservatively.
Included support ingredientsNutrient guide
Salmon oilSkin and joint support ingredientTaurineHeart support ingredientInulinGut support ingredientL-carnitineHeart and weight support ingredientYucca extractStool odor support ingredientOmega-3Skin and joint support ingredientOmega-6Skin and coat support ingredientEPA+DHASkin, joint, and heart support ingredientGlucosamineJoint support ingredientVitamin EAntioxidant and skin support ingredient
03. CHOOSING FOR YOUR DOG
What to consider before feeding
Chicken Meal, Salmon Meal supply animal protein at the start of the ingredient list. Oat Groats, Pearled Barley supply carbohydrate energy. The recipe combines animal protein sources with carbohydrate sources.
Pea Protein supplement plant protein further down the list, after the first three ingredients. The crude-protein figure includes both animal and plant contributions. Pea Fiber supply fiber. For stool or satiety considerations, the disclosed crude-fiber amount adds useful context beyond the ingredient's presence.
Across the registered ingredients, multiple protein sources appear, including chicken, salmon, egg. If a protein must be excluded, any of these sources can change the decision; the first ingredient alone does not make this a single-protein diet.
What works well in this food
- Crude protein does not drop into a clearly low band.
- Crude fat does not run high, which helps the weight-management read.
- Nutrient disclosure is broad enough to compare real numbers directly.
Check before feeding
- Whole plant ingredients and later processed plant protein both appear, so the crude-protein number should be read conservatively.
- If higher energy density matters more, another option may fit better.
- Species-named meals supply protein with less moisture. Their position cannot establish a meat-percentage or digestibility advantage over fresh meat because moisture levels differ.
When this food fits your dog
Among foods made the same way, protein is typical, fat is lower, and calorie density is lower. This is a candidate for reducing calories per gram. Fat is also lower, but a weight-management choice still needs fiber, portions and total daily calories including treats to be considered together.
Consider it first when
- Weight-management priorities
- Portion-control friendly shopping
- Lower-calorie comparisons first
Choose another food first when
- Higher energy density is the first priority
- A stronger meat-first recipe matters more than calorie control
Plant-protein concentration remains the clearest trade-off here.
04. COMPARE FOODS
Smart chicken / salmon alternatives
Exact protein-type matches come first, then close protein-family matches fill the comparison.
05. MANUFACTURING & DISCLOSURE
Manufacturer background & public information
Natural Balance background
Founded in 1989 in the United States.
Disclosure confidence B
Current data is maintained, so the baseline trust level is still fairly high.
Recall information
This brand has a confirmed public recall history.
May 12, 2026