Label analysisGrade BKibble (Extruded)

Now Fresh

Now Fresh Grain-Free Small Breed Puppy Turkey, Salmon & Duck

Editor ingredient insight

Now Fresh Grain-Free Small Breed Puppy is a turkey-and-egg growth option for small puppies when chicken-heavy puppy foods are not ideal. It leads with de-boned turkey and whole dried egg, then moves quickly into peas, pea flour, potatoes, and potato flour. With 28% protein, 18% fat, 3,773 kcal/kg, calcium at 1.1%, phosphorus at 1.0%, and EPA+DHA at 0.2%, I would use it for small puppies that tolerate that carb structure, not for pea, potato, or meat-forward expectations.

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

de-boned turkey (#1), whole dried egg (#2), de-boned salmon (#11), de-boned duck (#12)

Plant protein

peas (#3), pea flour (#4), lentils (#29)

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

Cranberry

Urinary support ingredient

Marine algae oil

Skin and joint support ingredient

Chicory

Gut support ingredient

Taurine

Heart support ingredient

Probiotics

Gut support ingredient

L-carnitine

Heart and weight support ingredient

Omega-3

Skin and joint support ingredient

Omega-6

Skin and coat support ingredient

EPA+DHA

Skin, joint, and heart support ingredient

Vitamin E

Antioxidant and skin support ingredient

View full ingredients
Solid build

Ingredient grade

B

Grade B

Top ingredient profile

De-Boned Turkey
Whole Dried Egg
Peas
Fresh-meat leadPlant booster present
Crude protein29%
Crude protein29%
Crude fat19%
Other 52%

Calcium

1.2%

Phosphorus

1%

Sodium

0.3%

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 two ingredients are both species-named animal ingredients.
  • 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 turkey alternatives

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

46 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.

Now Fresh

Grain-Free Large Breed Adult Turkey, Salmon & Duck

Adult · Large breed

Best valueHigh nutrient disclosurePlant-protein boosted

Label score

4.5/5

Grade A

Now Fresh

Grain-Free Large Breed Puppy Turkey, Salmon & Duck

Puppy · Large breed

High nutrient disclosurePlant-protein boosted

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

Now Fresh

Grain-Free Small Breed Adult Turkey, Salmon & Duck

Adult · Small breed

High nutrient disclosurePlant-protein boosted

Label score

3.5/5

Grade B

Now Fresh

Grain-Free Adult Turkey, Salmon & Duck

Adult · All sizes

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

2.5/5

Grade C

Brand context

Brand background availableRecall mention not confirmed

Founded in 2007 in Canada. There are recall or withdrawal mentions, but they are not confirmed enough to treat as established 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
1De-Boned Turkey
Fresh Meat · Top
2Whole Dried Egg
Egg Protein · Upper
3Peas
Whole Plant Protein · Lower

Ingredient Analysis Comments

  • •De-Boned Turkey is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
  • •Whole Dried Egg is an egg-based animal protein ingredient. It is not fresh meat, but the animal protein 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

44 ingredients
de-boned turkeywhole dried eggpeaspea flourpotatoespotato flourcanola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols)natural flavormonocalcium phosphatecoconut oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols)de-boned salmonde-boned duckflaxseedapplespea fibercalcium carbonatesuncured alfalfatomatocarrotspumpkinsweet potatoessquashbananasblueberriescranberriesblackberriespomegranatepapayaslentilsbroccolisaltmarine microalgae oildried chicory rootcholine chloridetaurinevitamins (vitamin E supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (a source of vitamin C), niacin, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, beta-carotene, vitamin B12 supplement, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid)minerals (ferrous sulfate, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, selenium yeast, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate)dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation productdried Enterococcus faecium fermentation productDL-methionineL-lysinepotassium chlorideL-carnitinedried rosemary
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

Broad disclosure

Disclosure is broad enough that this section works as evidence, not guesswork.

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

Detailed nutrition is visible, but not at a product-level traceability standard.

Final word

This is a credible shortlist food, but the personalized step is where the final order should be decided.

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