Pulsar is a kibble-only line of 10 recipes, each led by a named meat meal. Seven are grain free and built on red lentils and peas. The rest use whole grain hulless barley, rye and oats with no peas or lentils. Two of the grain-free recipes are made for small breeds.
Protein runs from 24% to 30% as fed, fat from 12% to 16%, and estimated starch from 32.3% to 42.3%. Calories span 361 to 418 kcal per cup. Fish, chicken and egg each appear in 4 recipes, turkey in 3, pork in 2 and lamb in 1. Line averages of 26.7% protein, 38.2% estimated starch and 396 kcal per cup sit close to the catalog kibble averages of 26.9%, 37.4% and 395.
The main trade-off follows the grain choice. The grain-free recipes carry more protein, while the whole grain recipes all sit at 24% protein and hold the highest estimated starch figures, up to 42.3% in Whole Grain Chicken Formula. Owners avoiding legumes can choose only from the whole grain recipes.
| Recipe | Protein | Fat | Starch | Kcal / cup | First ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Breed ALS - Grain-Free | 30% | 16% | 32.3% | 393 | CHICKEN MEAL, RED LENTILS, TURKEY |
| Small Breed Weight Mgmt - Grain-Free | 28% | 12% | 37.2% | 361 | CHICKEN MEAL, RED LENTILS, TURKEY |
| Grain-Free Salmon Formula | 28% | 15% | 37% | 410 | Salmon Meal, Red Lentils, Peas |
| Grain-Free Chicken Formula | 28% | 15% | 37% | 408 | Chicken Meal, Red Lentils, Peas |
| Grain-Free Turkey Formula | 27.5% | 15% | 38% | 392 | Turkey Meal, Red Lentils, Peas |
| Grain-Free Pork Formula | 27% | 14.5% | 37.9% | 402 | Pork Meal, Red Lentils, Peas |
| Grain-Free Lamb Formula | 26% | 14% | 39.8% | 418 | Lamb Meal, Red Lentils, Peas |
| WG Salmon - | 24% | 16% | 40.4% | 398 | SALMON MEAL, WHOLE GRAIN HULLESS BARLEY, WHOLE GRAIN RYE |
| Whole Grain Chicken Formula | 24% | 14% | 42.3% | 391 | Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Hulless Barley, Whole Grain Rye |
| Whole Grain Pork Formula | 24% | 15% | 40.2% | 387 | PORK MEAL, WHOLE GRAIN HULLESS BARLEY, WHOLE GRAIN RYE |
| Line average | 26.7% | 14.7% | 38.2% | 396 |
All figures as fed, from the guaranteed analysis on each label. Starch is our estimate, since no bag prints it. Highest in the line is marked in bold, lowest in italics.
30% protein · 16% fat · 32.3% starch · 393 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
Sold for small breeds at all life stages, it has the most protein in the line at 30% and the least estimated starch at 32.3%. With chicken fat fifth on the list and 393 kcal per cup, it suits owners of small dogs who want the line's highest protein.
Full review of Small Breed ALS - Grain-Free28% protein · 12% fat · 37.2% starch · 361 kcal/cup
Made for weight management in small breeds, it has the least fat in the line at 12% and the fewest calories at 361 kcal per cup, with 6.8% fiber. Chicken meal, red lentils, turkey and pea flour lead the list, suiting small dogs whose owners want a lighter kibble.
Full review of Small Breed Weight Mgmt - Grain-Free28% protein · 15% fat · 37% starch · 410 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
The grain-free fish choice, led by salmon meal, red lentils, peas and pea starch, with 28% protein and 15% fat. At 410 kcal per cup it is more calorie dense than most line mates and suits owners wanting fish in a grain-free kibble.
Full review of Grain-Free Salmon Formula28% protein · 15% fat · 37% starch · 408 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
This all-breeds grain-free chicken recipe pairs chicken meal and chicken with egg, red lentils, peas and pea starch. At 28% protein and 408 kcal per cup it has more protein than Whole Grain Chicken Formula and suits owners wanting chicken without grain.
Full review of Grain-Free Chicken Formula27.5% protein · 15% fat · 38% starch · 392 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
Turkey meal leads, and turkey and egg are the only animal proteins listed, with 27.5% protein and 15% fat. At 392 kcal per cup and 38% estimated starch, it suits owners who want poultry other than chicken in a grain-free kibble.
Full review of Grain-Free Turkey Formula27% protein · 14.5% fat · 37.9% starch · 402 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
Pork meal comes first and pork fifth, after red lentils, peas and pea starch, making this the grain-free pick for owners who want pork as the only animal protein. It lands mid-line at 27% protein and 37.9% estimated starch.
Full review of Grain-Free Pork Formula26% protein · 14% fat · 39.8% starch · 418 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
The only lamb recipe in the line, with lamb meal first and lamb fifth after red lentils, peas and pea starch. It has the most calories in the line at 418 kcal per cup with 26% protein, suiting owners who want lamb or a more calorie-dense cup.
Full review of Grain-Free Lamb Formula24% protein · 16% fat · 40.4% starch · 398 kcal/cup
The only whole grain recipe built on fish, with salmon meal and salmon around barley, rye and oats. At 16% fat and 398 kcal per cup it has the most fat and calories of the whole grain recipes and suits owners wanting fish without peas or lentils.
Full review of WG Salmon -24% protein · 14% fat · 42.3% starch · 391 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
Chicken is the only animal protein here, with chicken meal and chicken alongside barley, rye and oats and no peas or lentils. It carries the most estimated starch in the line at 42.3% with 24% protein, suiting owners who prefer a grain-based chicken kibble.
Full review of Whole Grain Chicken Formula24% protein · 15% fat · 40.2% starch · 387 kcal/cup · All Life Stages
Pork meal and pork pair with barley, rye and oats, making this the choice for pork without peas or lentils. It has 24% protein, 15% fat and 387 kcal per cup, the lowest calorie count of the whole grain recipes.
Full review of Whole Grain Pork FormulaNot every recipe. Seven of the 10 kibbles are grain free, including the Grain-Free Chicken, Salmon, Turkey, Pork and Lamb Formulas. WG Salmon, Whole Grain Chicken Formula and Whole Grain Pork Formula use barley, rye and oats.
Small Breed ALS Grain-Free has the most at 30% as fed, and it also has the least estimated starch at 32.3%. WG Salmon, Whole Grain Chicken Formula and Whole Grain Pork Formula have the least at 24%.
All seven grain-free recipes list red lentils second, and each also lists peas, pea starch or pea flour. WG Salmon, Whole Grain Chicken Formula and Whole Grain Pork Formula contain no peas or lentils.
Protein is close to the average kibble we review (29.5% on a dry matter basis).
100% of recipes lead with a meat, fish or egg ingredient (89% across the site).
70% of recipes are grain-free.
this range, lowest to highest its average average of all 3,205 foods we review
Starch is our estimate from the guaranteed analysis, since no manufacturer prints it. How we work it out
Share of recipes that list each animal protein as an ingredient, not counting oils, fats or flavorings. Useful if your dog has a food sensitivity.
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