Chewy Complete Nutrition Grain Inclusive Dog Food Review (Dry)

Chewy (formerly American Journey) Complete Nutrition Grain Inclusive dry product range consists of 14 recipes with ratings varying from 4.5 to 5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 5 stars.

Each recipe features real deboned meat or fish as the first ingredient, wholesome fiber-rich grains like brown rice, and omegas for coat health without corn, wheat, soy, or poultry by-product meals

The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Chewy Complete Nutrition Chicken, Brown Rice & Vegetables Recipe was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.

After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.

The second ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The third ingredient is brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The next ingredient includes rice bran, a healthy by-product of milling whole grain rice. The bran is the fiber-rich outer layer of the grain containing starch, protein, fat as well as vitamins and minerals.

The fifth ingredient lists 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 meat content of this dog food.

The sixth item is barley, a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. However, aside from its energy content, this cereal grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

After the natural flavor, we find chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.

Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.

The ninth ingredient is flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.

However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

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 American Journey product.

With four notable exceptions…

First, this food includes alfalfa meal. Although alfalfa meal is high in plant protein (about 18%) and fiber (25%), this hay-family item is more commonly associated with horse feeds.

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.

Since taurine deficiency appears to be more common in pets consuming grain-free diets, we view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.

Additionally, chicory root is rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.

Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.

This product also 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, Chewy Complete Nutrition Chicken, Brown Rice & Vegetables Recipe looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 28.8%, a fat level of 17.4% and estimated carbohydrates of about 39.3%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 28.8% and a mean fat level of 15.6%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 40.6% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 54%.

Which means this American Journey product line contains…

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

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas, flaxseed and alfalfa meal, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a notable amount of meat.

Chewy Own Brand Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Chewy Own Brand through August 2026.

No recalls noted.

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

Our Rating of Chewy Complete Nutrition Grain Inclusive Dry Dog Food

Chewy Complete Nutrition is a grain-inclusive dry dog food using a notable amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus receiving 5 stars.

Highly Recommended

About

Chewy, Inc is an American online retailer of pet food and other related products, founded in 2011 by Ryan Cohen and Michael Day.

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