Nutro Max is built around chicken meal, which is the first ingredient in all eight kibbles. A grain mix of sorghum, brewers rice and barley follows it. Every recipe contains grain and peas or lentils, and none contains potato. Chicken appears in all eight recipes, while lamb, beef and egg each show up in only one.
Protein runs from 20% to 26% as fed, fat from 12% to 16%, and estimated starch from 38% to 46%. Calories range from 334 to 380 kcal per cup. Most adult recipes sit at 22% protein and 44% starch, so the line is fairly uniform. Puppy Chicken is the outlier, with the most protein and the least starch.
Compared with the catalog average for kibble (1,834 foods), Max averages 22.8% protein against 26.9%, 43.3% starch against 37.4%, and 348 kcal per cup against 395. The trade-off is clear. This line has more grain, less protein and fewer calories per cup than a typical kibble, which suits some owners and not others. The lamb and beef recipes still lead with chicken meal.
| Recipe | Protein | Fat | Starch | Kcal / cup | First ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puppy Chicken | 26% | 16% | 38% | 380 | Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Barley, Chicken |
| Senior Chicken | 24% | 12% | 44% | 352 | Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Sorghum, Brewers Rice |
| Large Breed Puppy Chicken | 24% | 14% | 42% | 336 | Chicken Meal (source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate), Whole Grain Barley, Brewers Rice |
| Adult Lamb | 22% | 14% | 44% | 343 | Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Sorghum, Brewers Rice |
| Adult Chicken | 22% | 14% | 44% | 354 | Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Sorghum, Brewers Rice |
| Adult Beef | 22% | 14% | 44% | 344 | Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Sorghum, Brewers Rice |
| Minichunks Chicken | 22% | 14% | 44% | 334 | Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Sorghum, Brewers Rice |
| Large Breed Adult Chicken | 20% | 14% | 46% | 341 | Chicken Meal (source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate), Brewers Rice, Whole Grain Sorghum |
| Line average | 22.8% | 14% | 43.3% | 348 |
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.
26% protein · 16% fat · 38% starch · 380 kcal/cup · Puppy
Puppy Chicken leads the line on protein at 26%, fat at 16% and calories at 380 kcal per cup, and it has the least estimated starch at 38%. Chicken is third in its ingredient list, and it suits all-breed puppies whose owners want the most protein Max offers.
Full review of Puppy Chicken24% protein · 12% fat · 44% starch · 352 kcal/cup · Senior
Senior Chicken is sold for seniors and has the least fat in the line at 12% and the lowest figure of 3,540 kcal per kg. Its 24% protein is higher than the adult recipes, so it suits owners of older dogs who want a leaner chicken kibble.
Full review of Senior Chicken24% protein · 14% fat · 42% starch · 336 kcal/cup · Puppy
This recipe is made for large breed puppies, is the only Max kibble with egg, and lists barley right after chicken meal. At 24% protein, 42% estimated starch and 336 kcal per cup, it has less protein and fewer calories than Puppy Chicken.
Full review of Large Breed Puppy Chicken22% protein · 14% fat · 44% starch · 343 kcal/cup · Adult
Adult Lamb is the only Max kibble with lamb, but lamb does not appear among its first five ingredients, which start with chicken meal. At 22% protein, 44% estimated starch and 343 kcal per cup, it suits owners who want lamb for variety rather than a chicken-free food.
Full review of Adult Lamb22% protein · 14% fat · 44% starch · 354 kcal/cup · Adult
This is the plain chicken adult recipe, at 22% protein and 44% estimated starch, and its 354 kcal per cup is the most of any adult recipe in the line. It ties Puppy Chicken at 3,647 kcal per kg and suits all-breed adults on a chicken-only recipe.
Full review of Adult Chicken22% protein · 14% fat · 44% starch · 344 kcal/cup · Adult
Adult Beef is the only Max kibble with beef, yet chicken meal and chicken lead its ingredient list and beef is not among the first five. With 14% fat and 344 kcal per cup, it suits owners who rotate flavors within the line and are not avoiding chicken.
Full review of Adult Beef22% protein · 14% fat · 44% starch · 334 kcal/cup · Adult
Minichunks Chicken has the fewest calories in the line at 334 kcal per cup and otherwise matches the adult figures of 22% protein and 44% estimated starch. It suits all-breed adults whose owners prefer the Minichunks kibble and a chicken-only recipe.
Full review of Minichunks Chicken20% protein · 14% fat · 46% starch · 341 kcal/cup · Adult
This recipe is sold for large breed adults and has the least protein in the line at 20% and the most estimated starch at 46%. Split peas appear in its first five ingredients, so it suits owners of big adult dogs who are fine with a grain-heavy kibble.
Full review of Large Breed Adult ChickenNo. All eight Nutro Max recipes contain grain, with sorghum, brewers rice and barley among the first ingredients of each. All eight also contain peas or lentils.
Puppy Chicken has the most protein in the line at 26%. Large Breed Adult Chicken has the least at 20%.
Yes. Adult Lamb lists chicken meal as its first ingredient and chicken in its first five. Adult Beef does the same, so neither recipe is free of chicken.
Protein runs lower than the average kibble we review (25.3% vs 30.1% on a dry matter basis).
Starch is higher than average, at 43% of the food as fed.
100% of recipes lead with a meat, fish or egg ingredient (89% across the site).
0% 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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