Against the Grain Dog Food Review (Canned)

Against the Grain Pulled Chicken with Gravy recipe claims to meet AAFCO nutrient guidelines for all life stages, it received the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 5 stars.

A grain and gluten free recipe formulated with high-quality protein and combined with nutrient‑dense superfoods like carrots and sweet potato, both rich in beta-carotene, essential minerals and dietary fiber.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.¹

Chicken is naturally rich in the 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

The second ingredient is chicken broth. Broths are nutritionally empty. But because they add moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.

The third ingredient is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates in dog food. They are naturally rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene.

The next item includes carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.

The fifth ingredient is apple, a nutrient-rich fruit that’s also high in fiber.

The sixth ingredient includes peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.

However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

The seventh ingredient is tomato paste. Unlike the controversial item, tomato pomace, the tomato paste detailed here does not include the skin or seeds of the fruit.

The next ingredient includes potato starch. Potato starch is a gluten-free carbohydrate used more for its thickening properties than its nutritional value.

The ninth ingredient is liver. Normally, liver can be considered a quality component. However, in this case, the source of the liver is not identified. For this reason, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this item.

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.

But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.

With three notable exceptions…

First, we find olive oil. Olive oil contains oleic acid, a healthy monounsaturated fat. It’s also rich in natural antioxidants and carotenoids.

Next, we note the use of taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.

And lastly, this food contains chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Against the Grain Pulled Chicken with Gravy looks like an above-average wet product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 52.3%, a fat level of 13.6% and estimated carbohydrates of about 20.5%.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 26%.

Above-average protein. Below-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical canned dog food.

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas, this looks like the profile of a canned product containing a significant amount of meat.

Against the Grain Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Against the Grain through June 2026.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

Our Rating of Against the Grain Dog Food

Against the Grain is a grain-free canned dog food using a generous amount of named meats as its primary source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.

Highly Recommended

About

Against the Grain Pet Food is an independent, family-owned company. The brand is operated by siblings Brett, Chelsea and Callie Sher.

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