Most dog-food review sites give you one number with no explanation. We do two things differently. First, every score is paired with an evidence rating — because a 9.4 from complete data means something different than a 9.4 from a partially-disclosed bag. Second, the rubric is open. Scan any food and you can recompute the score yourself from the rules below.
The two axes
Every Sniff product page shows a score and an evidence rating. They're independent.
Full ingredient list, guaranteed analysis, AAFCO statement, manufacturer disclosure, and recall history all present.
Ingredients confirmed but one or more data fields (typically sourcing or manufacturing location) is missing.
Partial data — the manufacturer hasn't published enough for a full audit. We score conservatively.
The score (0 – 10)
Each food earns or loses points across six signals. The final score is a weighted average.
1. Named protein first (25%)
The first ingredient should be a specific, named animal protein — "deboned chicken," not "meat meal" or "animal by-product." Foods that lead with a vague protein source lose the full weight of this signal.
2. Ingredient quality (25%)
Every ingredient is checked against a curated flag library of 247+ known additives. Whole foods (brown rice, sweet potato, salmon oil) score positively. Synthetic preservatives (BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin), known inflammatories (carrageenan), and artificial colors (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2) score negatively. See the live flag library on the homepage.
3. AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement (15%)
The bag must declare a life stage and indicate either formulation to AAFCO nutrient profiles or completion of AAFCO feeding trials. Feeding-trial validation scores higher than formulation alone.
4. Guaranteed analysis (15%)
Protein, fat, fiber, and moisture percentages must be present. We compare against breed-and-life-stage benchmarks from WSAVA's global nutrition guidelines.
5. Recall history (10%)
We pull from openFDA weekly. Recalls in the past 24 months reduce the score; recalls older than 24 months do not. A recall for a contamination issue costs more than a recall for a labeling issue.
6. Manufacturer disclosure (10%)
Foods made by the brand on the bag (rather than co-packed by an undisclosed third party) score higher. Where food is manufactured matters; foods sourced from countries with weaker pet-food oversight score lower.
How your dog's profile shifts the score
The score above is the food's raw rating. When you build a dog profile, we re-weight against your specific dog. A high-protein formula scores higher for an active young Labrador than a senior with kidney sensitivity. A grain-free formula loaded with legumes loses points for breeds the FDA has flagged in DCM investigations. You'll see both the raw score and the personalized score on every product page.
What we don't do
- We don't accept money from brands. Ever. No sponsored placements, no paid rankings, no manufacturer fees.
- We don't manually adjust scores to favor brands we like or punish brands we don't.
- We don't use AI to generate the scoring text — every score and every reason is computed from the rules above.
- We don't paywall safety information. The full ingredient breakdown and recall feed are always free.
Disagree with a score?
We publish a 14-day brand-challenge process. If you're a manufacturer and believe a score reflects outdated or incorrect data, we read every challenge and update or annotate the record where warranted.