Quick answer
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Beef and Brown Rice Recipe Senior Dog scores 55/100 (good), a dry food for senior dogs. Protein is 20% on a dry matter basis, with beef as the main protein. Carbohydrates are about 60% on a dry matter basis. We found no FDA dog food recalls for Blue Buffalo in the last 5 years.
- AAFCO: adult maintenance
- No FDA recalls for this brand in 5 years
Scores are most meaningful when compared with other dry foods.
- Food type
- Dry
- Life stage
- Senior
- Size
- All Sizes
Label checked October 2026. How we rate
Our verdict
What we like
- Named meat listed first: Deboned Beef
- 2 named animal proteins in the top 5 ingredients
- No artificial colors, preservatives or added sugars
- Complete and balanced (formulated to AAFCO profiles)
- No FDA recalls in the last 5 years
Watch out for
- Lower protein: 20% on a dry matter basis
- Higher in carbohydrates: about 60%
- Contains unnamed animal sources: Fish Meal (source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids)
Scores come from our published formula. No brand can pay for a score.
Nutrients at a glance
Dry matter basis: water removed so wet and dry foods compare fairly.
Protein
Fat
Carbs (est.)
| Method | Protein | Fat | Fiber (dietary) | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Label (as fed) 10% moisture | 18% min | 10% min | 14% max | 54% |
| Dry matter | 20% | 11.1% | 15.6% | 60% |
| Share of calories (estimated) | 18.7% | 25.2% | – | 56.1% |
Carbs here are the label's Total Carbohydrate (54% as fed). The label gives fiber only as a maximum, so we don't subtract it.
This label lists dietary fiber (new label format) instead of crude fiber.
Score breakdown
Why it scored this way: every check
- Protein 20.0% (dry matter); full points from 45%.
- Fat 11.1% (dry matter); full points from 14%.
- Carbohydrates (label total; fiber only given as a maximum) 60.0% (dry matter); full points at 10% or less, none at 50% or more.
- First main ingredient is a named animal protein (Deboned Beef).
- 2 named animal protein(s) in the top 5 main ingredients.
- Contains unnamed animal sources: Fish Meal (source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids).
- No artificial colors, artificial preservatives, or added sugars.
- No plant protein concentrates in top 10.
- Complete and balanced by formulation (AAFCO nutrient profiles).
- No recalls in the last 5 years.
Good to know
- Fiber is only given as a maximum, so carbohydrates are scored on the label’s total carbohydrate figure.
Ingredients
Listed by weight before cooking. The first five (in bold) usually make up most of the recipe.
- Named meat, fish or egg 2
- Unnamed animal source 1
- Grains and starches 7
- Peas, lentils and beans 2
- Vitamins and minerals 33
- Deboned Beef
- Brown Rice
- Oatmeal
- Barley
- Chicken Meal
- Peas
- Pea Starch
- Potatoes
- Potato Starch
- Fish Meal (source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids)
- Powdered Cellulose
- Natural Flavor
- Miscanthus Grass
- Dried Yeast
- Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols)
- Flaxseed (source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids)
- Fish Oil (source of DHA-Docosahexaenoic Acid)
- Dicalcium Phosphate
- Potassium Citrate
- Calcium Carbonate
- Direct Dehydrated Alfalfa Pellets
- Choline Chloride
- Salt
- Dried Tomato Pomace
- L-Lysine
- DL-Methionine
- Dried Chicory Root
- Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate
- Potassium Chloride
- L-Threonine
- Taurine
- Vitamin E Supplement
- preserved with Mixed Tocopherols
- Dried Sweet Potatoes
- Carrots
- L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C)
- Glucosamine Hydrochloride
- L-Carnitine
- Zinc Amino Acid Chelate
- Zinc Sulfate
- Vegetable Juice for color
- Ferrous Sulfate
- Iron Amino Acid Chelate
- Chondroitin Sulfate
- Blueberries
- Cranberries
- Barley Grass
- Parsley
- Turmeric
- Dried Kelp
- Yucca Schidigera Extract
- Niacin (Vitamin B3)
- Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5)
- Copper Sulfate
- Biotin (Vitamin B7)
- Vitamin A Supplement
- Copper Amino Acid Chelate
- Manganese Sulfate
- Manganese Amino Acid Chelate
- Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1)
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- Vitamin D3 Supplement
- Vitamin B12 Supplement
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6)
- Calcium Iodate
- Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)
- Sodium Selenite
- Oil of Rosemary
AAFCO statement
BLUE Life Protection Formula Beef and Brown Rice Recipe for Senior Dogs 7+ is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.
Recipe changes
No recipe changes found since we started tracking this label in October 2026. All recalls and recipe changes.
Blue Buffalo recall history
FDA dog food recalls in our records for this brand.
No FDA dog food recalls found for this brand in our records.
Get an email if this changes
We'll tell you about FDA recalls and recipe changes for Blue Buffalo and every other brand we rate.
More dry food from Blue Buffalo
Label information from the manufacturer’s website (source), collected October 2026. Always check the package label, and ask your veterinarian about your own dog’s needs.
Similar foods compared
Other rated dry foods for senior dogs with the closest scores. Protein and carbs on a dry matter basis.
| Food | Score | Protein | Carbs | kcal per cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Beef and Brown Rice Recipe Senior Dog (this food) | 55/100 | 20% | 60% | – |
| Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Lamb and Brown Rice Recipe Senior Dog | 53/100 | 21.1% | 58.9% | – |
Questions about this food
Has Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Beef and Brown Rice Recipe Senior Dog been recalled?
We found no FDA dog food recalls for Blue Buffalo in the last 5 years. We check FDA dog food recall records going back 5 years.
Is Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Beef and Brown Rice Recipe Senior Dog complete and balanced?
Yes. The label says: "BLUE Life Protection Formula Beef and Brown Rice Recipe for Senior Dogs 7+ is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance."
What is the first ingredient in Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Beef and Brown Rice Recipe Senior Dog?
The first ingredient is Deboned Beef. Ingredients are listed by weight before cooking.
Why does Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Beef and Brown Rice Recipe Senior Dog score 55/100?
It earns 25/35 for ingredients, 6/25 for protein, 8/10 for fat, 0/10 for carbs, 6/10 for nutritional adequacy and 10/10 for recall history. Most points are lost on protein, down 19 points: protein 20.0% on a dry matter basis, with full points from 45%.
Ask your vet about your own dog's needs.