1st Choice Skin & Coat Medium and Large Breeds Lamb & Fish
Dry Extruded complete
Is 1st Choice Skin & Coat Medium and Large Breeds Lamb & Fish a good dog food?
We score it 48/100 (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 48 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 +6.1 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.
- Recipe48
- Nutritionalmedium96
- 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
- Declares energy content, which most labels omit.
- Nutritionally complete: formulated to be fed as the whole diet.
Why you might not
- Meat makes up an estimated 5% of the dry matter; 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
- 23%
- Fat
- 13%
- Fibre
- 6%
- Ash
- 10%
- Moisture
- 10%
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- 1%
- Omega-6 fatty acids
- 4%
- Calcium
- 1.20%
- Phosphorus
- 0.80%
- Sodium
- 0.20%
Energy: 343 kcal/100g
Dry matter basis
- Protein
- 25.60%
- Fat
- 14.40%
- Fibre
- 6.70%
- Ash
- 11.10%
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Choline chloride; Taurine; DL-methionine; Glucosamine hydrochloride 500 mg/kg minimum; Ferrous sulfate; Alpha-tocopheryl acetate (Vitamin E) 150 IU/kg minimum; Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C); Zinc oxide; L-carnitine; Manganous oxide; Niacin; D-calcium pantothenate; Zinc proteinate; Vitamin A supplement 18,000 IU/kg minimum; Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3) 1,700 IU/kg minimum; Thiamine mononitrate; Biotin; Sodium selenite; Manganese proteinate; Riboflavin; Pyridoxine hydrochloride; Vitamin B12 supplement; Copper proteinate; Calcium iodate; Folic acid
Technological additives
Mixed tocopherols (preservative); Sodium hexametaphosphate
Feeding guide
Adult dog 1-8 years. 9.5-15.5 kg (20-35 lb): 155-220 g (1 3/8-2 cups); 15.5-22.5 kg (35-50 lb): 220-295 g (2-2 5/8 cups); 22.5-33.5 kg (50-75 lb): 295-395 g (2 5/8-3 1/2 cups); 33.5-45.5 kg (75-100 lb): 395-500 g (3 1/2-4 3/8 cups); 45.5+ kg (100+ lb): 500 g + 40 g per 5 kg (4 3/8 cups + 3/8 cup per 10 lb). Standard 250 ml cup = 120 g.
Reviews
Trustpilot: 4.9/5 · 2,373 reviews
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
- Labelling or feeding guide is aimed at medium and large dogs
- Doesn't list chicken, beef, turkey, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids lamb: the label lists lamb
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists fish meal
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists barley
- 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 (54)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamb meal (a source of chondroitin sulfate) | Lamb | meat | medium | - | 2.5 |
| 2 | menhaden fish meal | Fish Meal | meat | medium | - | 2.4 |
| 3 | peas | Peas | veg | medium | - | 2.4 |
| 4 | barley | Barley | carb | medium | - | 2.4 |
| 5 | oats | Oats | carb | medium | - | 2.4 |
| 6 | millet | Millet | carb | good | - | 2.3 |
| 7 | pea starch | Pea Starch | carb | poor | - | 2.3 |
| 8 | vegetable oil preserved with mixed tocopherols | Vegetable oil | oil | medium | - | 2.3 |
| 9 | pea fiber | Pea Fibre | fibre | medium | - | 2.3 |
| 10 | natural flavor | Flavor | additive | poor | - | 2.2 |
| 11 | flaxseed | Linseed | veg | good | - | 2.2 |
| 12 | suncured alfalfa meal | Alfalfa Meal | fibre | medium | - | 2.2 |
| 13 | dried citrus pulp | Citrus Pulp | fibre | medium | - | 2.2 |
| 14 | salmon oil | Salmon Oil | oil | good | - | 2.2 |
| 15 | salt | Salt | additive | medium | - | 2.1 |
| 16 | yeast extract | Yeast | supplement | good | - | 2.1 |
| 17 | choline chloride | Choline | supplement | good | - | 2.1 |
| 18 | calcium carbonate | Calcium Carbonate | supplement | medium | - | 2.1 |
| 19 | chicory extract (a source of inulin) | Chicory Root Extract | fibre | good | - | 2.0 |
| 20 | taurine | Taurine | supplement | good | - | 2.0 |
| 21 | DL-methionine | Methionine | supplement | good | - | 2.0 |
| 22 | potassium chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement | medium | - | 2.0 |
| 23 | glucosamine hydrochloride | Glucosamine | supplement | good | - | 2.0 |
| 24 | ferrous sulfate | Iron sulfate | supplement | good | - | 1.9 |
| 25 | alpha-tocopheryl acetate (a source of vitamin E) | Vitamin E | supplement | good | - | 1.9 |
| 26 | sodium hexametaphosphate | Sodium hexametaphosphate | additive | medium | - | 1.9 |
| 27 | ascorbic acid (vitamin C) | Vitamin C | supplement | good | - | 1.9 |
| 28 | zinc oxide | Zinc Oxide | supplement | good | - | 1.8 |
| 29 | turmeric | Turmeric | veg | good | - | 1.8 |
| 30 | dried rosemary | Rosemary | veg | good | - | 1.8 |
| 31 | cloves | Cloves | veg | good | - | 1.8 |
| 32 | yucca schidigera extract | Yucca Schidigera | supplement | good | - | 1.7 |
| 33 | L-carnitine | L-Carnitine | supplement | medium | - | 1.7 |
| 34 | manganous oxide | Manganese (II) Oxide | supplement | good | - | 1.7 |
| 35 | niacin | Niacin | supplement | good | - | 1.7 |
| 36 | d-calcium pantothenate | Calcium pantothenate | supplement | good | - | 1.7 |
| 37 | zinc proteinate | Zinc Proteinate | supplement | good | - | 1.6 |
| 38 | grapefruit extract | Grapefruit | veg | medium | - | 1.6 |
| 39 | vitamin A supplement | Vitamin A | supplement | good | - | 1.6 |
| 40 | cholecalciferol (a source of vitamin D3) | Vitamin D3 supplement | supplement | good | - | 1.6 |
| 41 | thiamine mononitrate | Thiamine mononitrate | supplement | good | - | 1.5 |
| 42 | biotin | Biotin | supplement | good | - | 1.5 |
| 43 | dried spearmint | Spearmint | veg | good | - | 1.5 |
| 44 | dried parsley | Parsley | veg | good | - | 1.5 |
| 45 | green tea extract | Green Tea | veg | good | - | 1.5 |
| 46 | dried ginger | Ginger | veg | good | - | 1.4 |
| 47 | sodium selenite | Sodium selenite | supplement | poor | - | 1.4 |
| 48 | manganese proteinate | Manganese proteinate | supplement | good | - | 1.4 |
| 49 | riboflavin | Riboflavin | supplement | good | - | 1.4 |
| 50 | pyridoxine hydrochloride | Pyridoxine hydrochloride | supplement | good | - | 1.3 |
| 51 | vitamin B12 supplement | Vitamin B12 | supplement | good | - | 1.3 |
| 52 | copper proteinate | Copper proteinate | supplement | good | - | 1.3 |
| 53 | calcium iodate | Calcium iodate | supplement | medium | - | 1.3 |
| 54 | folic acid | Folic acid | supplement | good | - | 1.2 |
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 | +6.14 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 9.5% | -0.115 | -1.09 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 5.1% | -0.092 | -0.47 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 13.4% | -0.005 | -0.07 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 6.5% | 0.163 | +1.05 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 51.5% | -0.012 | -0.63 |
| Recipe graded poor | 6.0% | -0.065 | -0.39 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 3 | -0.876 | -2.63 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 2.3% | 0.060 | +0.14 |
| 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 | -7.61 | 0.222 | -1.69 |
| 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 | +6.14 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 9.5% | -0.115 | -1.09 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 5.1% | -0.092 | -0.47 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 13.4% | -0.005 | -0.07 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 6.5% | 0.163 | +1.05 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 51.5% | -0.012 | -0.63 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.375 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.027 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 6.0% | -0.065 | -0.39 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 3 | -0.876 | -2.63 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 2.3% | 0.060 | +0.14 |
| 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 | -7.61 | 0.222 | -1.69 |
| 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
- 48.3
- Final score
- 48/100
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 | 23 | 25.4 (band 18 to 40%) | 90.2 |
| Fat | 13 | 14.4 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 6 | 6.6 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Calcium | 1.2 | 1.3 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 94.8 |
| Phosphorus | 0.8 | 0.9 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 94.2 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.5 | 1.5 (band 1 to 2%) | 100 |
| Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3) | - | - | 100 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 343 | 379 | 100 |
Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3): scored as the mean of its declared components (omega-6 100). The FEDIAF minimum for omega-6 is linoleic acid specifically.
Scored over 8 declared nutrients (combined weight 100); 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.
Claims on file; none we can check against the label
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defense+ This formula contains our Healthy Aging SOLUTION, a clinically proven blend of polyphenol-rich plants and extracts that helps strengthen adult dog's immune system (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| An optimal ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids reduces shedding, protects the skin, and makes the coat shiny (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Antioxidants help reduce inflammation. The addition of glucosamine and chondroitin also helps support cartilage and joint health (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| 13% Fat (on pack) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| 23% Protein (on pack) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Lamb & Fish (on pack) | 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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