Label analysisGrade BKibble (Extruded)

NutriSource

NutriSource Small & Medium Breed Puppy Chicken & Rice

Editor ingredient insight

NutriSource Small/Medium Breed Puppy Chicken & Rice leads with chicken meal, chicken, brown rice, and chicken fat. At 32% protein, 21% fat, and high disclosed joint nutrients, I would use it for energetic puppies, not calorie-sensitive or mineral-sensitive cases.

Logic-based verdict

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

Manufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety

Protein source

Ingredient guide

Named meal/dehydrated animal protein led

Animal protein

Chicken meal (#1), chicken (#2), menhaden fishmeal (#5)

Named dry animal protein gives a relatively clear protein source.

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

Included support ingredients

Nutrient guide

Taurine

Heart support ingredient

Yucca extract

Stool odor support ingredient

Yeast culture

Gut 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

Glucosamine

Joint support ingredient

Chondroitin

Joint support ingredient

Vitamin E

Antioxidant and skin support ingredient

View full ingredients
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%

Calcium

2.1%

Phosphorus

1.4%

Sodium

0.4%

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 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.

Alternative foods

Smart chicken alternatives

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

36 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.

NutriSource

Grain Free High Plains Select

Adult · All sizes

High nutrient disclosurePlant-protein boosted

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

NutriSource

Adult Chicken & Rice

Adult · All sizes

High nutrient disclosure

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

NutriSource

Large Breed Adult Chicken & Rice

Adult · Large breed

High nutrient disclosure

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

NutriSource

Large Breed Puppy Chicken & Rice

Puppy · Large breed

High nutrient disclosure

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

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
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

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.

Final word

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

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