Is Big Dog Pet Foods Optimal Support Raw Dog Food a good dog food?
We score it 63/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Why this score?
The overall score is 63 out of 100. Undeclared ingredient shares, meaning ingredients without printed percentages, contributed -10.6 points against the score. Overall ingredient quality, referring to the overall quality of the ingredient list, contributed +7.7 points. Complete recipe, being labelled nutritionally complete, contributed +2.3 points, and printed percentages, meaning printing percentages for most of the recipe, contributed +1 points.
100% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
- Recipe63
- Nutritionalhigh96
- Transparency60
- Safety100
- EvidenceNot recorded
The Recipe score measures how attractive and transparent the declared ingredient list is. It is not, by itself, proof that the food is nutritionally appropriate for long-term feeding. The Nutritional and Evidence scores measure what we can verify towards that stronger claim.
Why you might choose it
- Scores 63, in the top quarter of raw foods we track.
- Doesn't list grain ingredients.
- Declares energy content, which most labels omit.
Why you might not
- 100% of the recipe mass has no printed percentage, so the exact split cannot be verified.
- Needs freezer space and defrosting before serving.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 12.50%
- Fat
- 10%
- Fibre
- 1.50%
- Ash
- 2%
- Moisture
- 73%
- Carbohydrates
- 2.50%
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- 0.75%
- Calcium
- 0.25%
- Phosphorus
- 0.15%
Energy: 137 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Bovine Colostrum 1040mg per serve (250g); Turmeric 500mg per serve; Chlorella 625mg per serve; Spirulina 395mg per serve; Probiotics 1.25 billion good bacteria per serve (Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium thermophilum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces boulardii); Cordyceps 380mg per serve; Chaga 135mg per serve; Reishi 135mg per serve; Lion's Mane 135mg per serve; Dandelion 200mg per serve; Milk Thistle 150mg per serve; Corn Silk 100mg per serve; Celery Seed 50mg per serve
Storage
Store frozen. Keep raw food frozen until ready for thawing. Thaw before feeding; avoid re-freezing. To thaw, place portion in a container and allow to thaw in the fridge, or place in a sink of lukewarm water for 15-30 minutes. Once thawed, use within 2-3 days and keep in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator. Do not cook (contains bone). Pet food only, not for human consumption.
Feeding guide
Refer to Feeding Calculator or packaging for recommended serving size based on age and weight. Transition guide: Days 1-3 20% new diet/80% old, Days 4-6 40%/60%, Days 7-9 60%/40%, Days 10-12 80%/20%, Day 12+ 100% new diet.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
- Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
- Doesn't list turkey, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists chicken
- Your dog avoids beef: it is listed as an ingredient
- Your dog avoids lamb: the label lists lamb
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists ocean fish
- You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein
These points are derived from declared ingredients and analysis, not a substitute for veterinary advice. If your dog has a diagnosed condition, food choice is a medical nutrition decision: speak to your vet. Use the homepage filter to find foods that fit your dog.
Ingredients (35)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicken (meat, heart) | Chicken | meat | medium | - | 3.8 |
| 2 | lamb (tripe, kidney) | Lamb | meat | medium | - | 3.7 |
| 3 | ocean fish (barramundi, perch, snapper) | Ocean Fish | meat | medium | - | 3.7 |
| 4 | goat (meat, liver, kidney, trachea, heart, lung) | Goat | meat | good | - | 3.6 |
| 5 | apple | Apples | veg | good | - | 3.6 |
| 6 | green banana | Banana | veg | good | - | 3.5 |
| 7 | green-lipped mussels | Green-Lipped Mussel | supplement | good | - | 3.5 |
| 8 | orange | Orange | veg | medium | - | 3.4 |
| 9 | natural betatine | unmatched | - | - | - | 3.3 |
| 10 | alfalfa | Alfalfa | veg | good | - | 3.3 |
| 11 | green beans | Green Beans | veg | good | - | 3.2 |
| 12 | sprouted wheatgrass | Wheatgrass | carb | good | - | 3.2 |
| 13 | lettuce | Lettuce | veg | medium | - | 3.1 |
| 14 | broccoli sprouts | Broccoli | veg | good | - | 3.1 |
| 15 | blueberries | Blueberries | veg | good | - | 3.0 |
| 16 | strawberries | Strawberries | veg | good | - | 3.0 |
| 17 | beetroot | Beetroot | veg | good | - | 2.9 |
| 18 | eggs | Egg | meat | good | - | 2.9 |
| 19 | bovine colostrum | Colostrum | supplement | medium | - | 2.8 |
| 20 | chlorella | Chlorella | supplement | good | - | 2.7 |
| 21 | cold pressed flaxseed oil | Linseed oil | oil | good | - | 2.7 |
| 22 | turmeric | Turmeric | veg | good | - | 2.6 |
| 23 | spirulina | Spirulina | veg | good | - | 2.6 |
| 24 | psyllium | Psyllium | fibre | good | - | 2.5 |
| 25 | kelp | Kelp | veg | good | - | 2.5 |
| 26 | ginger | Ginger | veg | good | - | 2.4 |
| 27 | goats whey | Goat | meat | good | - | 2.4 |
| 28 | probiotics | Probiotic | supplement | good | - | 2.3 |
| 29 | garlic | Garlic | veg | medium | - | 2.3 |
| 30 | apple cider vinegar | Vinegar | additive | medium | - | 2.2 |
| 31 | mushrooms | Mushrooms | veg | good | - | 2.2 |
| 32 | herbs | Herbs | veg | medium | - | 2.1 |
| 33 | organic fulvic acid | Fulvic Acid | supplement | medium | - | 2.0 |
| 34 | cinnamon | Cinnamon | veg | good | - | 2.0 |
| 35 | black pepper. | Black Pepper | veg | medium | - | 1.9 |
Brand
- [email protected]
- Phone
- 07 3285 7444
- Address
- 106 Potassium Street, Narangba QLD 4504
- Contact page
- www.bigdogpetfoods.com
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-19
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- bigdogpetfoods.com.au
Recall history is presentation-only and never affects the score. Dates are when we recorded the data, not when the manufacturer last changed the recipe.
Spotted a mistake in this listing? Report it here and we'll take a look.
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Scored with model v3 on 2026-09-26. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.8 | 9.191 | +7.70 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 6.3% | -0.115 | -0.73 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 6.1% | -0.092 | -0.56 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 38.6% | -0.005 | -0.20 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 4.5% | 0.163 | +0.73 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 22.9% | -0.012 | -0.28 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 3.8% | -0.027 | -0.10 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| Additive penalty | -2.65 | 0.222 | -0.59 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.12 | 33.786 | +37.84 |
| Processing: Raw | yes | -0.054 | -0.05 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.8 | 9.191 | +7.70 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 6.3% | -0.115 | -0.73 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 6.1% | -0.092 | -0.56 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 38.6% | -0.005 | -0.20 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 4.5% | 0.163 | +0.73 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 22.9% | -0.012 | -0.28 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.375 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 3.8% | -0.027 | -0.10 |
| Recipe graded poor | 0.0% | -0.065 | +0.00 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 0 | -0.876 | +0.00 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 0.0% | 0.060 | +0.00 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | no | 0.707 | +0.00 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| High carb and low meat | no | -1.180 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × fresh | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Fresh × high meat | 0.0 | 11.084 | +0.00 |
| Additive penalty | -2.65 | 0.222 | -0.59 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.12 | 33.786 | +37.84 |
| Processing: Raw | yes | -0.054 | -0.05 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Refrigerated | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Freeze Dried | no | 6.629 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | no | 6.331 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Cold Pressed | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Baked | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Semi Moist | no | -6.174 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Muesli | no | -10.146 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Pate | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
- Processing-type offset
- -1.74
- Additives declared on label
- +1 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 62.5
- Final score
- 63/100
Contributions are rounded to two decimals, so they may not sum exactly to the subtotal. The full coefficient table is published on the methodology page.
Nutritional: declared analysis vs reference ranges
How the declared analysis compares with FEDIAF reference ranges for adult dogs. The label prints as-fed values; we convert to a dry-matter basis before scoring, and the bands are dry-matter ranges. Scores rise to 100 at the band midpoint: the reference is adequacy, not maximisation. Nutrients with a published upper limit taper again above it; fat is policed through calorie density rather than a direct penalty.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 12.5 | 46.3 (band 18 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 10 | 37 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 1.5 | 5.6 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Calcium | 0.25 | 0.9 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 82.8 |
| Phosphorus | 0.15 | 0.6 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 77.8 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.7 | 1.7 (band 1 to 2%) | 100 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 137 | 507.4 | 100 |
Scored over 7 declared nutrients (combined weight 90); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.
High confidence: full analysis plus minerals or omegas and declared energy.
This measures agreement with published reference ranges, not suitability for an individual dog. For medical conditions, follow veterinary guidance.
Transparency: what the label discloses
How much the manufacturer discloses, measured against the FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice and Regulation 767/2009. Mandatory items dominate the weighting.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Ingredient list on the label (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Printed percentages on the label (voluntary) - not on file | 0/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) | 15/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 5/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) | 5/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Country of manufacture stated (voluntary) | 10/10 |
| Batch and date labelling (mandatory) - not on file | 0/5 |
Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Batch and date labelling).
Safety: recall history
Recall and safety-notice history, time-decayed. This dimension is shown alongside the score and never feeds the headline number.
No recalls recorded in our database.
Evidence: what the brand claims, and what supports it
The claims made on the pack and product page, checked against the declared label. We record claims as stated; "consistent" means our stored label data supports the claim, "contradicted" means it conflicts with it. Functional claims are recorded but never scored.
Claims on file; none we can check against the label
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-natural recipe specifically formulated for dogs for the dietary support and maintenance of healthy organs such as kidney and liver (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Low in phosphorous which may help delay the progression of further organ damage (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Nutrient dense ingredients known for organ support and protection qualities (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Formulated with highly digestible proteins with lower levels of fat to reduce organ workload, allowing time for natural detoxification and repair (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Mushroom blend containing anti-inflammatory properties to improve organ function (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Herbal blend providing antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties to support organ health (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Scientifically formulated with raw and all-natural ingredients (on pack) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Optimal Omega 6:3 ratio of 2.5:1 (less than 4:1 ideal) (on pack) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Contains probiotics (1.25 billion good bacteria per serve) (on pack) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Suitable for all adult dogs (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Made with 100% fresh, raw ingredients (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
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