Is blackhawk.com.au Air Dried Dog Food - Chicken a good dog food?
We score it 65/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Why this score?
This recipe achieves an overall score of 65 out of 100. The score is supported by the overall quality of the ingredient list, which added +7 points, alongside the processing format adding +6.3 points. However, ingredients without printed percentages reduced the score by -10.6 points, and the remaining ingredients further reduced the score by -2.5 points.
Only part of the analytical constituents are declared, so the nutritional picture is incomplete.
100% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
- Recipe65
- Nutritionallow87
- Transparency55
- Safety100
- Evidencestrong100
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 65, in the top quarter of dry foods we track.
- Doesn't list grain ingredients.
- Declares energy content, which most labels omit.
Why you might not
- Meat makes up an estimated 8% of the dry matter (20% as fed); carbohydrates dominate.
- 100% of the recipe mass has no printed percentage, so the exact split cannot be verified.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 40%
- Fat
- 30%
- Fibre
- 0.50%
- Moisture
- 19%
- Carbohydrates
- 5.50%
Energy: 485 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Choline; Vitamin E; Thiamine; Vitamin A; Niacin; Pantothenic Acid; Riboflavin; Vitamin B6; Vitamin D; Biotin; Vitamin B12; Folic acid; Chloride; Potassium; Sodium; Phosphorus; Iron; Zinc; Copper; Selenium; Manganese; Iodine; Taurine
Storage
Oxygen absorber sachet included in both 450g and 2kg packs to keep food fresh; sachet is not for pet consumption.
Feeding guide
Less Active (less than 1 hour/day on-lead walking): up to 5kg 65g, 5-10kg 65-110g, 10-15kg 110-150g, 15-25kg 150-220g, 25-35kg 220-280g, over 35kg add 55g per 10kg additional body weight. Active (more than 1 hour/day on-lead walking): up to 5kg 75g, 5-10kg 75-130g, 10-15kg 130-175g, 15-25kg 175-255g, 25-35kg 255-325g, over 35kg add 65g per 10kg additional body weight. If using as a topper or training reward, use 10% of the above. Fresh water should be available at all times. Transition over a week when changing foods.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
- Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
- Doesn't list beef, turkey, lamb, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists chicken
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists green-lipped mussel
- 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 (13)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicken | Chicken | meat | medium | - | 10.0 |
| 2 | Chicken Liver | Chicken Liver | meat | good | - | 9.6 |
| 3 | Coconut Glycerine | Glycerine | other | medium | - | 9.2 |
| 4 | Essential Vitamins | Vitamin | supplement | good | - | 8.8 |
| 5 | Minerals & Amino Acids | Vitamins and minerals | supplement | medium | - | 8.5 |
| 6 | Lecithin | Lecithin | supplement | good | - | 8.1 |
| 7 | Flaxseed | Linseed | veg | good | - | 7.7 |
| 8 | Green-Lipped Mussel | Green-Lipped Mussel | supplement | good | - | 7.3 |
| 9 | Inulin (from chicory root) | Inulin | fibre | good | - | 6.9 |
| 10 | Sweet Potato | Sweet Potatoes | carb | good | - | 6.5 |
| 11 | Maltodextrin | Maltodextrin | carb | poor | - | 6.2 |
| 12 | Kelp | Kelp | veg | good | - | 5.8 |
| 13 | Natural Antioxidants | Antioxidants | additive | medium | - | 5.4 |
Brand
- Phone
- 1300 651 111
- Address
- Lot 2, 31 Topham Rd, Smeaton Grange NSW 2567
- Contact page
- blackhawkpetcare.com
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-17
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- blackhawkpetcare.com
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 | +7.01 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 10.0% | -0.115 | -1.15 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 17.2% | -0.005 | -0.09 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 6.9% | 0.163 | +1.12 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 42.7% | -0.012 | -0.52 |
| Other share of dry matter | 6.6% | -0.375 | -2.46 |
| Recipe graded poor | 6.2% | -0.065 | -0.40 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.876 | -0.88 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 6.2% | 0.060 | +0.37 |
| 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 | -6.46 | 0.222 | -1.43 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.08 | 33.786 | +36.49 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | yes | 6.331 | +6.33 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.8 | 9.191 | +7.01 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 10.0% | -0.115 | -1.15 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.092 | +0.00 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 17.2% | -0.005 | -0.09 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 6.9% | 0.163 | +1.12 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 42.7% | -0.012 | -0.52 |
| Other share of dry matter | 6.6% | -0.375 | -2.46 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.027 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 6.2% | -0.065 | -0.40 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.876 | -0.88 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 6.2% | 0.060 | +0.37 |
| 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 | -6.46 | 0.222 | -1.43 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.08 | 33.786 | +36.49 |
| Processing: Raw | no | -0.054 | +0.00 |
| 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 | yes | 6.331 | +6.33 |
| 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
- +0.28
- Additives declared on label
- +1 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 65.2
- Final score
- 65/100
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.
Guaranteed-analysis FEDIAF score: crude minimums and maximums are bounds, not typical values; moisture (a maximum) uses the processing median where available; experimental US score.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 40 | 44.5 (band 18 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 30 | 33.4 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 0.5 | 0.6 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 70.8 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 485 | 540.1 | 50 |
Scored over 4 declared nutrients (combined weight 60); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 10.2% from the food type.
Portion-control flag: 485 kcal/100g as fed with fat at 33.4% dry matter, above the reference band. High-energy foods need smaller portions.
Low confidence: partial analysis or moisture estimated from the food type.
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) - not on file | 0/15 |
| 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 (Analytical constituents declared, 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.
100/100 · strong — 4 checkable claims: 4 consistent, 0 contradicted.
Consistent with the label
- "Complete Meal for Adult Dogs" — supported by the declared complete and balanced data.
- "0% Grains" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
- "Rich in protein" — supported by the declared high protein data.
- "High-protein treat" — supported by the declared high protein data.
6 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.
Strong: at least three checkable claims, all consistent with the declared label, and no compliance cap.
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gently air dried to lock in essential nutrients and enhance flavour (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Rich in protein to support muscle development and overall wellbeing (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Made with 94% real New Zealand chicken, including liver (on pack) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| 0% Artificial Colours, flavours or grains (on pack) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Complete Meal for Adult Dogs (on pack) | Content | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| 0% Grains (on pack) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| Includes green-lipped mussels, known to support dogs' joint health (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Rich in protein (on pack) | High/low level | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| High-protein treat (on pack) | High/low level | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| Formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance (on pack) | Nutrient | 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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