Back to all foods/NutriSource
Public ReviewGrade BKibble (Extruded)Manufacturing: Kibble (Extruded)

NutriSource

NutriSource Small & Medium Breed Puppy Chicken & Rice

4.0★Public ScoreManufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety

Key points

Protein source

Practical pick

Named meal/dehydrated animal protein led

Top 3: Chicken meal, chicken, brown rice

Named dry animal protein gives a relatively clear protein source.

It can be clearer for actual protein contribution than a flashy fresh-meat label.

Ingredient guide

Included support ingredients

Nutrient guide
TaurineHeart support ingredientYucca extractStool odor support ingredientYeast cultureGut support ingredientProbioticsGut support ingredientL-carnitineHeart and weight support ingredientOmega-3Skin and joint support ingredientOmega-6Skin and coat support ingredientEPA+DHASkin, joint, and heart support ingredientGlucosamineJoint support ingredientChondroitinJoint support ingredientVitamin EAntioxidant and skin support ingredient
Premium

Ingredient grade

A

Grade A

Top ingredient profile

Chicken meal
chicken
brown rice
Meal-basedNo plant booster
Crude protein32%
Crude protein32%
Crude fat21%
Other 47%

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

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

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

  • A species-named meal keeps protein levels stable through a practical rendered-protein approach.
  • Crude protein is on the higher side.
  • Top ingredients do not show a prominent FDA-investigated non-hereditary DCM ingredient profile.

What still needs work

  • Phosphorus is 1.4% 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.
  • Calcium Excess sits near the upper end of the preferred range, so a more conservative read makes sense.
  • The recipe leans on named rendered meal ingredients, so palatability and digestibility can feel weaker than a fresh-meat-led recipe.

Brand context

Brand background availableRecall history confirmed

Founded in 1964 in the United States. This brand appears in public voluntary recall lists during the researched period.

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

A5.5/6
Ingredient Grade
Premium
1Chicken meal
Named Meal · Upper
2chicken
Fresh Meat · Top
3brown rice
Whole Grain · Upper

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.
  • •chicken is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
  • •brown rice 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.
restaurantIngredient Grade APremium

Full collected ingredient list

35 ingredients
Chicken mealchickenbrown ricechicken fat (preserved with tocopherols and citric acid)menhaden fishmealoatmealbarleyflax seeddried plain beet pulpdried yeastnatural chicken flavordried tomato pomacepotassium chlorideDL methioninesaltcholine chlorideminerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, selenium yeast, copper proteinate, magnesium proteinate, manganese proteinate, ethylenediamine dihydroiodide)brewers dried yeastvitamins (vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, biotin, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid)calcium carbonatehydrolyzed yeastlactic acidtaurineL-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C)yucca schidigera extractyeast culturedried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extractdried Bacillus subtilis fermentation productdried Bacillus licheniformis fermentation productdried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extractdried Enterococcus faecium fermentation productdried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation productdried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extractL-carnitinerosemary extract
Primary positive ingredients
Support positive ingredients
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

Broad disclosure

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

Safety verification

1 warnings

There is no immediate hard stop here, but a few caution rows are still worth checking.

Public data trust (ETF)

C1 tier

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

Where it sits in the same processing cohort

Kibble (Extruded) cohortTop tier

Within the Kibble (Extruded) cohort, this recipe sits in the top tier band.

Final word

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

Back to all foods

What to compare next

Criteria to compare with this food

These criteria come from the product name, brand, veterinary purpose, and disclosed nutrients, so you can compare similar foods after reading the review.

Brand analysis

Royal Canin dog food analysis: veterinary diets, breed lines, and label checks

Royal Canin spans veterinary, breed, and daily lines, so product purpose matters first.

Heart criteria

Best dog food for heart disease: sodium, taurine, L-carnitine, omega-3, and DCM context

Heart context should connect sodium, taurine, L-carnitine, and omega-3 disclosure.

Allergy criteria

Best dog food for dogs with allergies: protein history, hydrolyzed diets, and label checks

Allergy context depends on protein history, hydrolyzed formulas, and limited ingredients.

GI criteria

Best dog food for sensitive stomachs: digestibility, fat, fiber, and transition checks

GI context should connect fat, fiber, transition speed, and veterinary purpose.

Joint criteria

Best dog food for joint support: weight control, EPA/DHA, glucosamine, and mobility checks

Joint context should connect weight control, EPA+DHA, and disclosed support ingredients.