Is 1st Choice Hypoallergenic Adult All Breeds Cod a good dog food?
We score it 49/100 (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 rating of 49 out of 100. The inclusion of ingredients without printed percentages contributed -10.6 points, and the processing format adjusted the score by -6.7. Conversely, the overall quality of the ingredient list added +6 points, while being labelled nutritionally complete contributed +2.3 points to the final evaluation.
100% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
- Recipe49
- Nutritionalmedium93
- Transparency60
- 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
- Single named animal protein: fish.
- Doesn't list grain ingredients.
- Declares energy content, which most labels omit.
Why you might not
- Meat makes up an estimated 4% of the dry matter (5% 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
- 22%
- Fat
- 12%
- Fibre
- 7%
- Ash
- 9%
- Moisture
- 10%
- Calcium
- 1%
- Phosphorus
- 0.80%
- Sodium
- 0.20%
Energy: 332 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Ferrous sulfate; Calcium carbonate; Alpha-tocopherol acetate (a source of vitamin E); Zinc oxide; Niacin; Manganous oxide; D-calcium pantothenate; Vitamin A supplement; Zinc proteinate; Thiamine mononitrate; Riboflavin; Pyridoxine hydrochloride; Biotin; Manganese proteinate; Calcium iodate; Copper proteinate; Vitamin B12 supplement; Cholecalciferol (a source of vitamin D3); Folic acid; Sodium selenite; DL-methionine; L-threonine; Taurine; L-lysine; Choline chloride
Technological additives
Calcium propionate (as a preservative); Mixed tocopherols (preservative in vegetable oil)
Feeding guide
Adult 1+ years: 40-515 g/day based on body weight (1.5-45.5 kg+); 100 g = ~1 standard 250 ml measuring cup; add ~40 g per 5 kg additional body weight.
Reviews
Trustpilot: 4.9/5 · 2,373 reviews
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
- Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
- Single named protein: fish
- Doesn't list chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
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 (49)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresh cod | Cod | meat | good | - | 2.7 |
| 2 | menhaden fish meal | Fish Meal | meat | medium | - | 2.7 |
| 3 | peas | Peas | veg | medium | - | 2.6 |
| 4 | lentils | Lentils | veg | medium | - | 2.6 |
| 5 | sweet potatoes | Sweet Potatoes | carb | good | - | 2.6 |
| 6 | pea starch | Pea Starch | carb | poor | - | 2.6 |
| 7 | vegetable oil preserved with mixed tocopherols | Vegetable oil | oil | medium | - | 2.5 |
| 8 | flaxseed | Linseed | veg | good | - | 2.5 |
| 9 | pea fiber | Pea Fibre | fibre | medium | - | 2.5 |
| 10 | suncured alfalfa meal | Alfalfa Meal | fibre | medium | - | 2.5 |
| 11 | natural flavor | Flavor | additive | poor | - | 2.4 |
| 12 | monocalcium phosphate | Monocalcium phosphate | supplement | good | - | 2.4 |
| 13 | lecithin | Lecithin | supplement | good | - | 2.4 |
| 14 | DL-methionine | Methionine | supplement | good | - | 2.3 |
| 15 | yeast extract | Yeast | supplement | good | - | 2.3 |
| 16 | salt | Salt | additive | medium | - | 2.3 |
| 17 | choline chloride | Choline | supplement | good | - | 2.3 |
| 18 | L-threonine | Threonine | supplement | medium | - | 2.2 |
| 19 | calcium propionate | Calcium Carbonate | supplement | medium | - | 2.2 |
| 20 | chicory extract | Chicory Root Extract | fibre | good | - | 2.2 |
| 21 | taurine | Taurine | supplement | good | - | 2.2 |
| 22 | L-lysine | Lysine | supplement | medium | - | 2.1 |
| 23 | ferrous sulfate | Iron sulfate | supplement | good | - | 2.1 |
| 24 | calcium carbonate | Calcium Carbonate | supplement | medium | - | 2.1 |
| 25 | alpha-tocopherol acetate | Vitamin E | supplement | good | - | 2.0 |
| 26 | zinc oxide | Zinc Oxide | supplement | good | - | 2.0 |
| 27 | yucca schidigera extract | Yucca Schidigera | supplement | good | - | 2.0 |
| 28 | dried whey | Sweet whey powder | other | medium | - | 2.0 |
| 29 | niacin | Niacin | supplement | good | - | 1.9 |
| 30 | manganous oxide | Manganese (II) Oxide | supplement | good | - | 1.9 |
| 31 | D-calcium pantothenate | Calcium pantothenate | supplement | good | - | 1.9 |
| 32 | vitamin A supplement | Vitamin A | supplement | good | - | 1.8 |
| 33 | zinc proteinate | Zinc Proteinate | supplement | good | - | 1.8 |
| 34 | thiamine mononitrate | Thiamine mononitrate | supplement | good | - | 1.8 |
| 35 | riboflavin | Riboflavin | supplement | good | - | 1.8 |
| 36 | pyridoxine hydrochloride | Pyridoxine hydrochloride | supplement | good | - | 1.7 |
| 37 | biotin | Biotin | supplement | good | - | 1.7 |
| 38 | manganese proteinate | Manganese proteinate | supplement | good | - | 1.7 |
| 39 | dried spearmint | Spearmint | veg | good | - | 1.7 |
| 40 | dried parsley | Parsley | veg | good | - | 1.6 |
| 41 | green tea extract | Green Tea | veg | good | - | 1.6 |
| 42 | dried ginger | Ginger | veg | good | - | 1.6 |
| 43 | dried pineapple | Pineapple | veg | good | - | 1.5 |
| 44 | calcium iodate | Calcium iodate | supplement | medium | - | 1.5 |
| 45 | copper proteinate | Copper proteinate | supplement | good | - | 1.5 |
| 46 | vitamin B12 supplement | Vitamin B12 | supplement | good | - | 1.5 |
| 47 | cholecalciferol | Vitamin D3 supplement | supplement | good | - | 1.4 |
| 48 | folic acid | Folic acid | supplement | good | - | 1.4 |
| 49 | sodium selenite. | Sodium selenite | supplement | poor | - | 1.4 |
Brand
- Website
- https://www.1stchoice.ca/
- Phone
- 1 866 752-7378
- Address
- 1361, Graham Bell Street, Boucherville, Quebec, J4B 6A1, Canada
- Contact page
- www.1stchoice.ca
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
- www.1stchoice.ca
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 | 0.7 | 9.191 | +6.01 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 3.5% | -0.115 | -0.41 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 3.1% | -0.092 | -0.28 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 11.0% | -0.005 | -0.06 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 5.2% | 0.163 | +0.84 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 64.3% | -0.012 | -0.78 |
| Other share of dry matter | 1.2% | -0.375 | -0.45 |
| Recipe graded poor | 6.4% | -0.065 | -0.41 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 3 | -0.876 | -2.63 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 2.6% | 0.060 | +0.15 |
| 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 | -5.76 | 0.222 | -1.28 |
| Processing multiplier | 0.98 | 33.786 | +33.11 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.713 | -6.71 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.7 | 9.191 | +6.01 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 3.5% | -0.115 | -0.41 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 3.1% | -0.092 | -0.28 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 11.0% | -0.005 | -0.06 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 5.2% | 0.163 | +0.84 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 64.3% | -0.012 | -0.78 |
| Other share of dry matter | 1.2% | -0.375 | -0.45 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.027 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 6.4% | -0.065 | -0.41 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 3 | -0.876 | -2.63 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 2.6% | 0.060 | +0.15 |
| 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 | -5.76 | 0.222 | -1.28 |
| Processing multiplier | 0.98 | 33.786 | +33.11 |
| 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 | 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 | yes | -6.713 | -6.71 |
| 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
- +0.02
- Additives declared on label
- +2 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 48.6
- Final score
- 49/100
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 | 22 | 24.3 (band 18 to 40%) | 87.2 |
| Fat | 12 | 13.3 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 7 | 7.7 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Calcium | 1 | 1.1 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 88.1 |
| Phosphorus | 0.8 | 0.9 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 94.2 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.3 | 1.3 (band 1 to 2%) | 85 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 332 | 366.9 | 100 |
Scored over 7 declared nutrients (combined weight 90); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 9.5% from the food type.
Medium confidence: the full five-part analysis is on file; where moisture was not declared it was 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) | 15/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| 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.
100/100 · strong — 3 checkable claims: 3 consistent, 0 contradicted.
Consistent with the label
- "Grain-Free" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
- "Gluten-Free" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
- "Chicken-Free" — supported by the declared chicken data.
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hypoallergenic (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Suitable for food intolerances (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Formulated to be gentle on the digestive system (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Fresh cod and menhaden are better tolerated and less allergenic than chicken (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| The absence of chicken, grains and gluten-source ingredients reduces the risk of allergy and makes food easier to digest (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Helps digestion and supports intestinal function (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| The prebiotic fiber balance supports intestinal function and nourishes the microbiota, strengthening the immune system (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Helps reduce inadequate defense reactions such as allergic reactions (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Improves stool quality (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Cod 22% Protein 12% Fat (on pack) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Grain-Free (on pack) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| Gluten-Free (on pack) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| Chicken-Free (on pack) | Free-from | consistent | 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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