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What's actually in Dave's Naturally Healthy?
We pulled the current panel for Dave's Naturally Healthy Adult Dry from davespetfood.com (verified 2026-05-16). The first five ingredients are chicken meal, ground barley, ground oats, ground brown rice, and chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols). Fresh chicken follows at #6, then flaxseed meal at #7.
Chicken meal at #1 is a tradeoff. Whole-meat-first openers (like Castor & Pollux's organic chicken or Orijen's deboned chicken) look better on the panel because they put a familiar word at the top, but they lose mass during cooking. Chicken meal, having already been rendered, contributes its full post-cook protein weight to the finished kibble. So a meal-first formula like this typically delivers more usable animal protein per cup than a fresh-meat-first formula with a meal further down the panel. The protein math is on Dave's side here.
Three additional named animal proteins appear in the formula: fresh chicken at #6, lamb meal at #10, and salmon at #12. Four animal protein sources from three species is solid amino-acid breadth at this price point. Shop on Amazon →
The good stuff
The grain selection is among the cleanest in the value-tier dry segment. Ground barley, ground oats, and ground brown rice are all minimally processed whole grains supplying digestible carbohydrate, soluble fiber, B-vitamins, and natural antioxidants. None of the cheap shortcuts (corn, wheat, soy) appear anywhere on the panel.
Flaxseed meal at #7 contributes omega-3 ALA and soluble fiber. Combined with the salmon at #12, the formula delivers both plant and marine omega-3 sources — though only salmon offers the directly usable EPA/DHA forms that bypass the inefficient ALA-to-EPA conversion pathway.
Yeast culture appears mid-panel as a natural digestive aid. Yeast cultures supply mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) and beta-glucans, which can support gut microbiome health and immune signaling. It's less specific than the named bacterial fermentation products on Holistic Select or Fromm, but it's a real functional addition — not just a label-claim filler.
Turmeric (curcumin) at the supplement end of the panel is an unusual addition. Curcumin has been studied for anti-inflammatory effect in dogs, particularly for joint comfort and oxidative-stress modulation. Dave's is one of the few B-tier kibbles that includes it. Taurine is added as well — cardiac-support insurance that the FDA's DCM investigation has made standard practice on responsible formulations.
Whole-food micronutrients include sweet potatoes, carrots, blueberries, cranberries, and raspberries — a deeper fruit-and-vegetable inclusion than most $1.70/lb shelf kibbles. Mixed tocopherols (natural vitamin E) preserve the fats; no BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin.
The not-so-good stuff
Chicken fat at #5 is higher up the panel than ideal. Most B-tier formulas place added fat at positions 6–8. The earlier position suggests a fat-rich formulation, which is fine for active adult dogs but worth noting for owners of dogs with a history of pancreatitis or with predisposed breeds (Mini Schnauzers, Yorkies, Cockers). Talk to your vet if pancreatitis history applies.
Tomato pomace at #8 is a tomato-processing by-product (skins, seeds, and pulp left after juice extraction). It contributes some fiber and lycopene but is primarily a low-cost fiber filler. Not harmful, but it's a place where Dave's kept the formula affordable. Within-tier limitation, not a structural concern.
Dehydrated alfalfa meal further down the panel adds protein and fiber from a legume source. Alfalfa is a long-standing pet food ingredient with reasonable safety data, but it's another modest input where Dave's traded cost for premium-ingredient density. The combined "tomato pomace + alfalfa meal + natural flavor" cluster is where the B-tier vs A-tier line gets drawn.
No named probiotic strains. Yeast culture covers some digestive ground, but for dogs with chronic GI sensitivity, the deeper bacterial fermentation product stacks on Fromm Gold, Holistic Select, or NutriSource are functionally meaningful upgrades.
How it compares
At B/79, Dave's Naturally Healthy Adult Dry sits in the same B+ band as NutriSource Adult Chicken & Rice (B/78), Holistic Select Adult Health, and Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural. The four-protein lineup edges most B-tier competitors on amino-acid breadth.
The closest stylistic comp is NutriSource — both family-mill brands, both grain-inclusive, both clean grain selections. Dave's vs NutriSource head-to-head splits on supplement depth (NutriSource carries the deeper named-probiotic stack; Dave's counters with turmeric and yeast culture) and on protein positioning (NutriSource fronts whole chicken, Dave's fronts chicken meal).
Against the major-brand competitors, Dave's scores comfortably above Pedigree, Purina ONE, and Iams on grain quality and ingredient transparency, and below premium-tier Orijen and Fromm Gold on protein density and supplement depth. The Naturally Healthy line sits firmly in the “quality-value” sweet spot.
The bottom line
Dave's Pet Food Naturally Healthy Adult Dry earns a B grade (79/100) from KibbleIQ. Four named animal proteins, three clean whole grains, flaxseed meal for plant omega-3, salmon for marine omega-3, yeast culture for digestive support, taurine and turmeric for cardiac and anti-inflammatory support, mixed tocopherols for natural preservation, and a respectable whole-food micronutrient panel. The chicken-fat positioning at #5, tomato pomace, and missing named-probiotic strains are the within-tier deductions; the four-protein breadth, turmeric inclusion, and grain selection are the unique strengths. For owners who like family-owned pet food companies and aren't ready to jump to the $3+/lb tier, Dave's flagship dry is a defensible mid-tier pick. Shop on Amazon →