Label analysisGrade CKibble (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. I would use it for satiety-focused weight control, not for poultry, fish, egg, legume, or high-fiber sensitivity.

Logic-based verdict

This food suits weight-management priorities better than higher-energy feeding.

Manufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety

Protein source

Ingredient 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 ingredients

Nutrient guide

Salmon oil

Skin and joint support ingredient

Taurine

Heart support ingredient

Inulin

Gut support ingredient

L-carnitine

Heart and weight support ingredient

Yucca extract

Stool odor 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

Vitamin E

Antioxidant and skin support ingredient

View full ingredients
Needs context

Ingredient grade

C

Grade C

Top ingredient profile

Chicken Meal
Salmon Meal
Chickpeas
Meal-basedPlant booster present
Crude protein26%
Crude protein26%
Crude fat7.5%
Other 67%

Calcium

0.6%

Phosphorus

0.5%

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

biotechProtein position
Typical
query_statsFat position
Lower
local_fire_departmentCalorie density
Lower

Calorie density is lower, crude fat does not run high, and protein does not collapse. That makes this easier to keep in a weight-management shortlist.

Nutritional strengths

  • 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.

What still needs work

  • 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.
  • The recipe leans on named rendered meal ingredients, so palatability and digestibility can feel weaker than a fresh-meat-led recipe.

Alternative foods

Smart chicken / salmon alternatives

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

165 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.

Natural Balance

Original Ultra Whole Body Health Chicken

All life stages · All sizes

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

Natural Balance

LID Chicken & Brown Rice

Adult · All sizes

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

Natural Balance

LID Salmon & Sweet Potato

Adult · All sizes

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

Natural Balance

LID Lamb & Brown Rice

Adult · All sizes

Label score

3.5/5

Grade B

Brand context

Brand background availableRecall history confirmed

Founded in 1989 in the United States. This brand has a confirmed public recall history.

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 Meal
Named Meal · Upper
2Salmon Meal
Named Meal · Upper
3Chickpeas
Whole Plant Protein · Lower

Ingredient Analysis Comments

  • •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.
  • •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.
  • •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.
restaurantIngredient Grade CMixed

Full collected ingredient list

35 ingredients
Chicken MealSalmon MealChickpeasPeasOat GroatsPearled BarleyDried Plain Beet PulpPea FiberDehydrated Alfalfa MealChicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols)Oat FiberPea ProteinDried Tomato PomaceNatural FlavorSaltDried Egg ProductBrewers Dried YeastSpinachParsleyCarrotsSalmon Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols)Potassium ChlorideDL-MethionineTaurineVitamins (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)Choline ChlorideInulinMinerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate)Ascorbic Acid (Source of Vitamin C)L-CarnitineL-Lysine MonohydrochlorideCitric Acid (Preservative)Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative)Yucca Schidigera ExtractRosemary 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)

B tier

Current data is maintained, so the baseline trust level is still fairly high.

Final word

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

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