Nutro Natural Choice Review: Clean Label Dog Food?

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Introduction: The “Clean Label” Standard?

In the modern pet food landscape, dog owners are often forced to choose between two extremes: highly processed grocery store kibble filled with mystery meats, or astronomically expensive “boutique” diets that require a second mortgage to afford. For decades, Nutro Natural Choice has positioned itself comfortably in the middle. It promises a “clean label” philosophy—no chicken by-product meal, no corn, no wheat, and no soy—at a price point that remains accessible for the average household.

But with the recent explosion of grain-free trends (and the subsequent return to grains), does this classic Chicken & Brown Rice formula still hold up? Is it a nutritional powerhouse, or just a safe, boring choice? We decided to break down the ingredient list and test this 30lb bag to see if Nutro’s specific blend of fiber and protein delivers on its promise of “Whole Body Health.”

Key Features and Ingredient Analysis

Nutro’s marketing leans heavily on what they leave out of the bag. However, a critical review requires looking at what they actually put in. Here is a breakdown of the nutritional architecture of this formula.

The “No By-Products” Stance

The biggest selling point for Nutro Natural Choice is the explicit exclusion of Chicken By-Product Meal. In the pet food industry, “by-products” can technically be nutritious organ meats, but they can also include less desirable parts of the bird. By using Real Chicken as the #1 ingredient and standard Chicken Meal (flesh and skin only) as the secondary protein, Nutro offers a higher transparency standard than competitors like Purina Pro Plan or Royal Canin, which often rely on by-products.

Brown Rice vs. Corn/Wheat

This is a grain-inclusive formula, but the choice of grains matters. Instead of using cheap fillers like corn or wheat—which are common allergens and cause blood sugar spikes—Nutro uses Whole Grain Brown Rice and Sorghum. These are complex carbohydrates. They digest slowly, providing sustained energy throughout the day rather than a “sugar rush” followed by a crash. For dogs with normal digestion, this fiber profile is often superior to grain-free potato-heavy diets.

Essential Fats for Skin Health

Nutro includes a guaranteed level of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. The primary fat source is chicken fat preserved with mixed tocopherols (Vitamin E). While this is standard, the ratio is balanced specifically to improve skin barrier function. If your dog suffers from dry, flaky skin but doesn’t have a specific food allergy, increasing the quality of fat intake is often the first line of defense.

Non-GMO Ingredients

While not always plastered on the front in neon lights, Nutro is one of the few major brands that commits to non-GMO ingredients for their “Natural Choice” line. This means the corn, soy, or fillers that might be genetically modified in other foods are simply absent here. For owners concerned about the long-term effects of industrial agriculture on their pet’s health, this is a significant “peace of mind” feature.

Hands-On Experience: The 30lb Bag Test

We fed this formula to “Duke,” a 7-year-old Labrador mix who has a sensitive stomach and a tendency to gain weight if fed calorie-dense foods.

Kibble Characteristics

The first thing we noticed was the smell. Unlike cheaper brands that smell greasy or heavily artificial, Nutro has a milder, earthy scent. The kibble pieces are a standard disc shape, medium-sized, and relatively dry to the touch. This “dryness” is actually a good sign—it means the food isn’t sprayed with excessive rendered fats just to trick the dog into eating it.

Palatability

Because the food relies on natural chicken flavor rather than salt and artificial sprays, it might be less “exciting” to some dogs initially. Duke, who is a typical Lab, ate it happily. However, if you are transitioning a picky eater from a “junk food” brand (high sugar/salt), they might find Nutro a bit bland at first. We recommend mixing it with warm water to release the chicken aroma.

Digestion and Stool Quality

This is where Nutro shines. Within three days of transitioning, Duke’s digestion was noticeably better. The high fiber content from the brown rice and split peas resulted in firm, compact stools that were easy to pick up. For dogs that struggle with loose stool on rich, grain-free diets, the stability of brown rice acts as a fantastic digestive regulator.

Coat Condition

After finishing the 30lb bag (which took about 5 weeks), Duke’s coat appeared healthy. While we didn’t see the dramatic “glossy” shift you might get from a pure Salmon-based diet, his skin was free of dandruff, and he wasn’t scratching. It maintains a healthy baseline very well.

Pros and Cons

Nutro Natural Choice is a safe harbor in the pet food storm, but it isn’t perfect. Here is our critical assessment.

Product Comparison

How does Nutro Natural Choice stack up against its biggest rivals in the “Natural” aisle?

Final Verdict

Nutro Natural Choice Chicken & Brown Rice is the “Toyota Camry” of dog foods: it is reliable, safe, efficient, and holds its value incredibly well. It may not have the flashy marketing of wolf-diet brands or the shredded meaty bits of its competitors, but it delivers rock-solid nutrition without the fillers.

If you are looking for a significant upgrade from supermarket brands (like Pedigree or Dog Chow) and want to eliminate by-products and corn from your dog’s diet without spending $80 a bag, this is the perfect middle ground. It is particularly good for Labradors, Retrievers, and Shepherds who need consistent digestion and weight management.