Ingredient #1Top
Venison
Venison is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
Label analysisGrade CListed ingredientsKibble (Extruded)
Taste of the Wild
Taste of the Wild Appalachian Valley Small Breed Venison Adult
Editor ingredient insight
Taste of the Wild Appalachian Valley Small Breed starts with venison, lamb meal, garbanzo beans, legumes, duck meal, and fish meal.
It is worth considering for active small adults that suit mixed proteins, not for limited-ingredient or legume-light needs.
Fresh-meat leadPlant booster present
01. NUTRIENT PROFILE
Key nutrients & mineral profile
Disclosed protein and fat
Protein 32%Fat 18%Other 50%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 positionHigher
This food is on the higher side for crude protein among extruded foods.
Fat positionHigher
This food is on the higher side for crude fat among extruded foods.
Calorie densityTypical
This food sits around the typical calorie range among extruded foods. Check the feeding guide and weight trend alongside this comparison.
Key guaranteed nutrientsAs-fed
CalciumNot disclosed
PhosphorusNot disclosed
Crude fiber4%
Omega-30.3%
Omega-62.8%
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 · VenisonTop
Fresh MeatIngredient #2 · Lamb MealUpper
Named MealIngredient #3 · Garbanzo BeansLower
Whole Plant ProteinIngredient #2Upper
Lamb Meal
Lamb 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
Garbanzo Beans
Garbanzo Beans 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
Venison — Primary positive ingredientsLamb Meal — Support positive ingredientsGarbanzo Beans — Caution ingredientsPeas — Caution ingredientsLentils — Caution ingredientsPea Protein — High-caution ingredientsCanola Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols) — Neutral ingredientsEgg Product — Primary positive ingredientsDuck Meal — Support positive ingredientsPea Flour — Caution ingredientsDried Tomato Pomace — Neutral ingredientsNatural Flavor — Support positive ingredientsFish Meal — Support positive ingredientsSalt — Neutral ingredientsCholine Chloride — Support positive ingredientsTaurine — Support positive ingredientsDried Chicory Root — Support positive ingredientsTomatoes — Neutral ingredientsBlueberries — Neutral ingredientsRaspberries — Neutral ingredientsYucca Schidigera Extract — Support positive ingredientsDried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product — Support positive ingredientsDried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product — Neutral ingredientsDried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product — Support positive ingredientsDried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product — Support positive ingredientsDried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product — Support positive ingredientsVitamin E Supplement — Support positive ingredientsIron Proteinate — Neutral ingredientsZinc Proteinate — Support positive ingredientsCopper Proteinate — Support positive ingredientsFerrous Sulfate — Neutral ingredientsZinc Sulfate — Support positive ingredientsManganese Sulfate — Neutral ingredientsCopper Sulfate — Support positive ingredientsPotassium Iodide — Neutral ingredientsThiamine Mononitrate — Neutral ingredientsManganese Proteinate — Neutral ingredientsVitamin A Supplement — Neutral ingredientsBiotin — Support positive ingredientsNiacin — Neutral ingredientsCalcium Pantothenate — Neutral ingredientsSodium Selenite — Support positive ingredientsPyridoxine Hydrochloride — Neutral ingredientsVitamin B12 Supplement — Neutral ingredientsRiboflavin — Neutral ingredientsVitamin D3 Supplement — Neutral ingredientsFolic Acid — Neutral ingredients
Primary positive ingredientsSupport positive ingredientsAlternative proteinNeutral ingredientsCaution ingredientsHigh-caution ingredients
Protein sourceIngredient guide
Whole plant source plus processed protein support
Animal protein · Venison (#1), Lamb Meal (#2), Egg Product (#8), Duck Meal (#9), Fish Meal (#13)
Plant protein · Garbanzo Beans (#3), Peas (#4), Lentils (#5), Pea Protein (#6), Pea Flour (#10)
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
TaurineHeart support ingredientChicoryGut support ingredientYucca extractStool odor support ingredientProbioticsGut support ingredientOmega-3Skin and joint support ingredientOmega-6Skin and coat support ingredientVitamin EAntioxidant and skin support ingredient
03. CHOOSING FOR YOUR DOG
What to consider before feeding
Venison, Lamb Meal supply animal protein at the start of the ingredient list. Pea Protein supplement plant protein further down the list, after the first three ingredients. The crude-protein figure includes both animal and plant contributions.
Canola Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols) add fat and energy; fat content is a separate choice criterion from the protein sources.
Across the registered ingredients, multiple protein sources appear, including venison, lamb, egg, duck, unspecified. Some protein sources are not fully identified, which limits choices that require excluding a specific protein.
What works well in this food
- The first ingredient is a species-named fresh meat.
- Crude protein is on the higher side.
- Nutrient disclosure is broad enough to compare real numbers directly.
Check before feeding
- Fresh meat carries a moisture variable, and processed plant protein adds a clearer protein-support signal. The crude-protein number should not be read as purely meat protein.
- Whole plant ingredients and later processed plant protein both appear, so the crude-protein number should be read conservatively.
- Top ingredients include an FDA-investigated non-hereditary DCM ingredient profile, so this part deserves a more cautious read.
When this food fits your dog
Among foods made the same way, protein is higher, fat is higher, and calorie density is typical. This combination is worth comparing when protein matters but a higher-calorie food is not the aim. High protein alone does not make it an active-dog-only food; judge weight changes against total daily calories. Fat is higher even though calories are not, so any fat restriction needs a separate assessment.
Consider it first when
- Public-data-first comparison
- Baseline shortlist building
- Conservative first-pass screening
Choose another food first when
- You want a stronger ingredient-quality story first
- You need dog-specific fit instead of public-review screening
Plant-protein concentration remains the clearest trade-off here.
04. COMPARE FOODS
Smart lamb / venison alternatives
Exact protein-type matches come first, then close protein-family matches fill the comparison.
05. MANUFACTURING & DISCLOSURE
Manufacturer background & public information
Taste of the Wild background
Founded in 2007 in the United States.
Disclosure confidence D
Only basic guaranteed analysis is visible, so deeper nutrition comparison stays hard to trust.
Recall information
This brand has a confirmed recall history, including the 2012 Diamond-manufactured recall.
May 12, 2026