Best-scoring dog foods without chicken on the label for a small adult dog, moderately active, holding weight

Kibble

91 kibble foods fit this dog.

1. 

   1st of 91

   Performatrin Ultra Grain-Free Foothills Recipe Small Bite

   96.5 of 100
   • Balanced protein (31.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (15.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (31.0%) for this dog
2. 

   2nd of 91, level with another

   Acana Highest Protein Pacifica Recipe

   95 of 100
   • Balanced protein (35.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (17.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (35.0%) for this dog

   1.5 points under Performatrin Ultra Grain-Free Foothills Recipe Small Bite:

   • Format suitability, 6 against 10. Regular kibble — compatible with this dog's size. This is regular kibble. For a small dog, full points are given for small kibble.
3. 

   2nd of 91, level with another

   Performatrin Ultra Grain-Free Ocean Recipe

   95 of 100
   • Balanced protein (32.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (15.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (32.0%) for this dog
4. 

   4th of 91, level with another

   Orijen Six Fish Adult Recipe

   94.5 of 100
   • Balanced protein (38.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (18.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (38.0%) for this dog

   0.5 points under Performatrin Ultra Grain-Free Ocean Recipe:

   • Price value, 3.5 against 5. Price per kilogram is above the middle of kibble foods. Full points are given for the cheapest quarter.
5. 

   4th of 91, level with another

   Orijen Regional Red Adult Recipe

   94.5 of 100
   • Balanced protein (38.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (18.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (38.0%) for this dog

Gently cooked

14 gently cooked foods fit this dog.

1. 

   1st of 14

   Performatrin Culinary Gently Cooked Beef Risotto

   85.5 of 100
   • Balanced protein (7.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (4.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (7.0%) for this dog
2. 

   2nd of 14

   Performatrin Culinary Gently Cooked Bison & Beef Bowl

   84.5 of 100
   • Balanced protein (8.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (5.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • High protein content (8.0%) for this dog

   1 point under Performatrin Culinary Gently Cooked Beef Risotto:

   • Nutritional quality, 18 against 20. High protein content (8.0%) for this dog. Optimal caloric density for this dog. Balanced fat content (5.0%) for this dog. Protein is 32.0% of dry matter. Full points for protein start at 33.3%. The label gives no omega-3 figure, so those points could not be given. The label gives no DHA figure, so those points could not be given.
3. 

   3rd of 14

   Tom & Sawyer Italian Beef Pasta Dinner

   84 of 100
   • Balanced protein (8.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (4.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (8.0%) for this dog

   0.5 points under Performatrin Culinary Gently Cooked Bison & Beef Bowl:

   • Price value, 3.5 against 4. Price per kilogram is above the middle of gently cooked foods. Full points are given for the cheapest quarter.

Air-dried

7 air-dried foods fit this dog.

1. 

   1st of 7, level with another

   Open Farm Pollock & Lamb Air-Dried Recipe

   81.5 of 100
   • Balanced protein (40.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (15.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (40.0%) for this dog
2. 

   1st of 7, level with another

   Smack Lip Smacking Lamb

   81.5 of 100
   • Balanced protein (40.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (29.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (40.0%) for this dog
3. 

   3rd of 7

   Smack Prairie Harvest Pork

   81.2 of 100
   • Balanced fat (22.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (48.0%) for this dog
   • Optimal caloric density for this dog

   0.3 points under Smack Lip Smacking Lamb:

   • Activity and goal, 30.6 against 35. Balanced fat (22.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal. Protein is 51.1% of dry matter. For this dog, a moderately active dog holding weight, full points are given between 25% and 50%.

Freeze-dried

31 freeze-dried foods fit this dog.

1. 

   1st of 31

   K9 Natural Beef & Hoki Feast Freeze-Dried Dog Food

   88 of 100
   • Balanced protein (46.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (32.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (46.0%) for this dog
2. 

   2nd of 31

   Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Venison Nuggets

   87.6 of 100
   • Balanced fat (19.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (57.0%) for this dog
   • Excellent Omega-3 (1.13%) for this dog's joints and coat

   0.4 points under K9 Natural Beef & Hoki Feast Freeze-Dried Dog Food:

   • Activity and goal, 30.6 against 35. Balanced fat (19.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal. Protein is 62.0% of dry matter. For this dog, a moderately active dog holding weight, full points are given between 25% and 50%.
   • Price value, 3 against 5. Price per kilogram is in the most expensive quarter of freeze-dried foods. Full points are given for the cheapest quarter.
3. 

   3rd of 31

   Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Beef Nuggets

   86 of 100
   • Balanced protein (42.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
   • Balanced fat (32.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
   • Premium protein content (42.0%) for this dog

   1.6 points under Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Venison Nuggets:

   • Nutritional quality, 15 against 23. Premium protein content (42.0%) for this dog. Optimal caloric density for this dog. Omega-3 is 0.44% as fed. Full points for omega-3 start at 0.8%. The label gives no DHA figure, so those points could not be given. Fat is 34.8% of dry matter. Full points for fat are given between 13.3% and 22.5%.

Toppers

A topper is added to a meal, not fed as one, and is scored on other parts than a meal. Each topper’s score here is for a dog whose food must not name chicken. A topper earns more points for such a dog, so its score here can be higher than on its own page, which is worked out for a dog with no allergy. These are not ranked against the foods above. 8 toppers fit this dog; each number is a topper’s score out of 100:

• Stella & Chewy's Stella's Super Beef Meal Mixers65.3
• Stella & Chewy's Dandy Lamb Meal Mixers65.3
• Stella & Chewy's Duck Duck Goose Meal Mixers72.3
• Stella & Chewy's Tantalizing Turkey Meal Mixers65.3
• Vital Essentials Turkey Entree Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs73
• Vital Essentials Duck Entree Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs77.8
• Vital Essentials Rabbit Entree Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs78
• Vital Essentials Beef Entree Freeze-Dried Crunchy Mini Nibs74.8

Left out here because the label names chicken

• Orijen Small Breed Recipe2nd among kibbles without the allergy, at 96. Its label names chicken.
• Open Farm Small Breed Grain-Free2nd among kibbles without the allergy, at 96. Its label names chicken.
• Performatrin Ultra Grain-Free Original Recipe Small Bite4th among kibbles without the allergy, at 95.5. Its label names chicken.
• Orijen Original Adult Recipe5th among kibbles without the allergy, at 95. Its label names chicken.
• Acana Adult Small Breed Recipe5th among kibbles without the allergy, at 95. Its label names chicken.
• Open Farm Gently Cooked Chicken & Brown Rice1st among gently cooked foods without the allergy, at 86.5. Its label names chicken.
• Performatrin Culinary Gently Cooked Turkey Dinner3rd among gently cooked foods without the allergy, at 84.5. Its label names chicken.
• Smack Chunky Chicken1st among air-dried foods without the allergy, at 82.5. Its label names chicken.
• Open Farm Harvest Chicken Air-Dried Recipe2nd among air-dried foods without the allergy, at 81.5. Its label names chicken.
• Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Scoopable Pronto Chicken3rd among freeze-dried foods without the allergy, at 86. Its label names chicken.
• Stella & Chewy's Chewy's Chicken Meal MixersA topper without the allergy, at 64 as a topper. Its label names chicken.
• Vital Essentials Chicken Entree Freeze-Dried Mini NibsA topper without the allergy, at 66 as a topper. Its label names chicken.

What was left out, and why

151 of the 265 foods fit this dog. The others:

• 28 foodsMade for the puppy life stage, not adult.
• 11 foodsMade for the senior life stage, not adult.
• 2 foodsKibble too large for small breed.
• 2 foodsNot a complete diet.
• 1 foodScored under 50, so it is not offered.
• 70 foodsName chicken on their label.

BowlWise reads the ingredients printed on each label. It cannot see what a label does not say, such as traces from other foods made in the same place. Check the bag itself before you buy.

A dog a little different

The same dog with every food counted: a small adult dog, moderately active and holding weight.

How to read this

These scores are BowlWise’s own, worked out from each food’s label for one kind of dog at a time. They are not veterinary advice. How a score is worked out: How we score.

Worked out on October 13, 2026.