Label analysisGrade CKibble (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. I would use it for active small adults that suit mixed proteins, not for limited-ingredient or legume-light needs.

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 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 ingredients

Nutrient guide

Taurine

Heart support ingredient

Chicory

Gut support ingredient

Yucca extract

Stool odor support ingredient

Probiotics

Gut support ingredient

Omega-3

Skin and joint support ingredient

Omega-6

Skin and coat support ingredient

Vitamin E

Antioxidant and skin support ingredient

View full ingredients
Needs context

Ingredient grade

C

Grade C

Top ingredient profile

Venison
Lamb Meal
Garbanzo Beans
Fresh-meat leadPlant booster present
Crude protein32%
Crude protein32%
Crude fat18%
Other 50%

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
Typical

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 ingredient is a species-named fresh meat.
  • Crude protein is on the higher side.
  • Nutrient disclosure is broad enough to compare real numbers directly.

What still needs work

  • 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.

Alternative foods

Smart lamb / venison alternatives

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

66 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.

Taste of the Wild

High Prairie Puppy Grain-Free Bison & Venison

Puppy · All sizes

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

3.0/5

Grade C

Taste of the Wild

High Prairie Grain-Free Bison & Venison Adult

Adult · All sizes

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

3.0/5

Grade C

Taste of the Wild

Wetlands Grain-Free Duck & Turkey Adult

Adult · All sizes

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

3.0/5

Grade C

Taste of the Wild

Sierra Mountain Grain-Free Lamb Adult

Adult · All sizes

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

2.5/5

Grade C

Brand context

Brand background availableRecall history confirmed

Founded in 2007 in the United States. This brand has a confirmed recall history, including the 2012 Diamond-manufactured recall.

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
1Venison
Fresh Meat · Top
2Lamb Meal
Named Meal · Upper
3Garbanzo Beans
Whole Plant Protein · Lower

Ingredient Analysis Comments

  • •Venison is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
  • •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.
  • •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.
restaurantIngredient Grade CMixed

Full collected ingredient list

47 ingredients
VenisonLamb MealGarbanzo BeansPeasLentilsPea ProteinCanola Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols)Egg ProductDuck MealPea FlourDried Tomato PomaceNatural FlavorFish MealSaltCholine ChlorideTaurineDried Chicory RootTomatoesBlueberriesRaspberriesYucca Schidigera ExtractDried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation ProductDried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation ProductDried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation ProductDried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation ProductDried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation ProductVitamin E SupplementIron ProteinateZinc ProteinateCopper ProteinateFerrous SulfateZinc SulfateManganese SulfateCopper SulfatePotassium IodideThiamine MononitrateManganese ProteinateVitamin A SupplementBiotinNiacinCalcium PantothenateSodium SelenitePyridoxine HydrochlorideVitamin B12 SupplementRiboflavinVitamin D3 SupplementFolic Acid
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)

D tier

Only basic guaranteed analysis is visible, so deeper nutrition comparison stays hard to trust.

Final word

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

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