SmartHeart
Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor
Rating
Is SmartHeart Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor dry dog food good?
SmartHeart Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor is a dry dog food rated 0.5 stars, with low ingredient transparency and limited animal protein content. However, several animal ingredients are described in generic terms, which reduces sourcing transparency. This recipe is free from Gluten grains, Dairy, Egg, Nuts, Red meat, Shellfish but contains Grains (gluten-free), Legumes, Poultry, Fish, Unknown Poultry Meal.
Allergy Highlights
Contains:
Free From:
Cons
- Contains several unnamed animal ingredients, which reduces ingredient transparency.
Nutrition Breakdown
- Protein 26%
- Fat 9%
- Est. Carbs 53%
- Fiber 4%
- Ash 8%
Moisture (10%) removed so you can compare foods fairly.
Dry matter basis = label value ÷ (100% − moisture%). Carbs estimated from remaining.
- Protein 23%
- Fat 8%
- Est. Carbs 48%
- Fiber 4%
- Moisture 10%
- Ash 7%
Ash value not listed on label; 7% used as a standard estimate.
As-fed values are the raw percentages printed on the product label.
Tips
- Protein is Medium (26% dry matter) on our label-based comparison range. This may be reasonable for many adult dogs, though active, growing, pregnant, or nursing dogs may need a more specific fit.
- Fat is Low (9% dry matter) on our label-based comparison range. This may suit some lower-calorie goals, but very active, growing, pregnant, or nursing dogs may need more energy.
Ingredients Analysis
13 of 13 matched
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1 Corn
CarbsDescription
A grain that is often referred as "cheap filler" in pet foods, mainly due to its high carbs content and low to moderate nutrition profile.
Why Concerned?
A controversial filler with limited nutrition value to dogs / cats.
Allergen Concern
One of the most reported ingredients to be the likely cause of allergies. This could be due to the undiscovered contaminants within corns. Contrary to the real situation, studies show that the chance of getting corn allergy is 14% and only accounts for 3% of allergies.
Digestion Concern
It is high in cellulose, which is an insoluble fiber that is hard to digest.
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2 Poultry Meal
Animal ProteinDescription
A dehydrated form of unnamed poultry products, a meat concentrate that could contain 400% more protein than fresh form. Poultry is a generic name that could include any domestic fowl like chicken, turkey, or duck of any condition.
Why Notice?
Often times generic name like poultry is used to cover the inferior meat quality from unknown sources, commonly found in low quality pet foods.
Uncertain/Risky
Unnamed poultry products could be made of "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), turkey, chicken, roadkill, birds, which are not safe for consumption.
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3 Rice
CarbsDescription
Without its bran and germ (the main source of nutrients), white rice is considered as "empty carbs".
Why Concerned?
A common filler without gluten, with limited nutrition value to dogs / cats.
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4 Soybean Meal
Plant Protein ConcentrateDescription
Made by milling soybeans, it contains around 45% protein, is a relatively inexpensive source to boost up the protein level of pet foods.
Why Notice?
High level of plant-based protein is not easy to digest and offers less biological value. Good quality pet foods should obtain sufficient protein from animal sources.
Allergen Concern
Soy is one of the most reported allergens, causing itchy skin, hair loss, and excessive scratching.
Digestion Concern
Legume contains oligosaccharides, which is a 3 - 5 carbon short-chain sugar that are indigestible by dogs / cats.
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5 Chicken Oil
FatDescription
he fatty layer separated during the cooking process. It is a quality animal fat source with a high level of omega 6s, which is more preferable by dogs and cats over other types of fats.
Why Prefer?
A high-quality animal fat with high digestibility and biological value.
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6 Full Fat Soybean
Plant ProteinDescription
Whole soybeans with fat content intact, a protein and fat source.
Why Concerned?
Soy is a common allergen and provides plant protein rather than animal protein.
Allergen Concern
Soy is a common allergen for some pets.
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7 Brewers Dried Yeast
(Detected): Brewer's Dried Yeast
Plant Protein ConcentrateDescription
Made from fungus and often used to make beer, a rich source of minerals such as selenium. B-complex vitamins, and chromium. It contains around 40% protein.
Why Concerned?
A controversial ingredient, some believe it can support the immune system, while others say it can be linked to allergies and bloating. However, no scientific research can provide a concrete conclusion.
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8 Lecithin
FatDescription
A fat essential in body cells, it could be extracted from different food like soybean. It acts as an emulsifier that helps fats mixing with other ingredients.
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9 Fish Oil
FatDescription
Oil derived from fish, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, DHA, and EPA.
Why Concerned?
A high-quality animal fat with high digestibility and biological value.
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10 Vitamins and Minerals
SupplementDescription
A generic blend of vitamins and minerals to ensure complete nutrition.
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11 Anti-oxidants
(Detected): Antioxidants
SupplementDescription
Helps protect the body from damage caused by free radicals caused by oxidative stress.
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12 Beef Steak Flavoring
Food AdditiveDescription
Artificial or natural flavoring designed to taste like beef steak.
Why Concerned?
Flavorings may mask low quality ingredients and their specific composition is often unclear.
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13 Food Coloring
Food AdditiveDescription
An artificial food dye that is added to "decorate" the pet foods. It offers no nutrition value.
Why Notice?
A food additive that might cause health issues.
Uncertain/Risky
Some artificial colorings are founds to be linked with cancer and other severe illness.
Tips
- Some protein sources are less clear: Poultry Meal appear near the top without a clearly defined animal source.
- Plant protein signal: Soybean Meal, Full Fat Soybean may raise the listed protein percentage without meaning there is more meat.
- Higher-priority ingredients to review: Poultry Meal, Soybean Meal, Food Coloring.
- Higher-caution ingredients: Poultry Meal, Food Coloring have caution notes in the ingredient database.
- Possible allergy triggers: Corn, Soybean Meal, Full Fat Soybean have allergen notes; review them if your pet has sensitivities.
Protein Analysis
How this recipe earned its protein scores.
Protein Clarity
Low- Unnamed 100%
Low clarity: only 0% of SmartHeart Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor's animal-protein ingredients are clearly named. 100% use vague terms such as "meat meal" and 0% are by-products. Named protein ingredients let you verify the source and spot allergens; vague ones don't.
Contributing ingredients
Unnamed
Animal Protein
Low- Animal 47%
- Plant 5%
- Plant concentrate 47%
- Auxiliary 2%
Protein in SmartHeart Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor leans on plant signals: only 47% comes from animal sources, while plant-protein concentrates make up 47% and whole plant proteins 5%. Plant concentrates like pea or soy isolate are cheap protein boosters but lack the amino-acid profile pets need from meat.
Contributing ingredients
Animal
Plant
Plant concentrate
Auxiliary
SmartHeart Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor dry dog food Review
SmartHeart Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor scores 0.5 stars on this analysis, with low ingredient transparency and limited animal protein content. There are several concerns in this label that may make it a poor fit.
Avoid if
- You're avoiding legumes
- You need to know the exact animal source of every protein
- Ingredient transparency is non-negotiable
Key takeaways
- Plant-protein concentrates appear in the top 10 ingredients: Soybean Meal.
- Contains common allergens: Grains (gluten-free), Legumes, Poultry, Fish, Unknown Poultry Meal.
- On a dry-matter basis: 26% protein, 9% fat, 53% estimated carbohydrates.
- Free from Gluten grains, Dairy, Egg, Nuts, Red meat, Shellfish.
- Overall rating: 0.5 stars, based on transparency, protein source, and macro balance.
Frequently asked questions
Is SmartHeart Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor good for dogs?
This recipe scored 0.5 stars, with low ingredient transparency and limited animal protein content. Worth understanding the concerns before choosing it for your dog.
Does SmartHeart Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor contain Dairy?
No — based on the ingredient list, SmartHeart Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor doesn't include Dairy or related ingredients, so pets sensitive to Dairy can typically avoid this allergen here.
Does SmartHeart Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor contain Egg?
No — based on the ingredient list, SmartHeart Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor doesn't include Egg or related ingredients, so pets sensitive to Egg can typically avoid this allergen here.
Does SmartHeart Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor contain Legumes?
Yes — based on the ingredient list, SmartHeart Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor contains Legumes, so pets sensitive to Legumes should generally avoid this product or consult a vet first.
Does SmartHeart Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor contain Nuts?
No — based on the ingredient list, SmartHeart Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor doesn't include Nuts or related ingredients, so pets sensitive to Nuts can typically avoid this allergen here.
Is SmartHeart Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor grain-free?
No — the recipe contains Grains (gluten-free).
What are the main protein sources in SmartHeart Small Breed Beef Steak Flavor?
Animal proteins include Poultry Meal, though some are listed in generic terms rather than by species.
