Is Healthy Paws Pet Food Bison Canine Complete a good dog food?
We score it 61/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Why this score?
The overall score for this recipe is 61 out of 100. It gained +7.6 points for the overall quality of the ingredient list and +2.3 points for being labelled nutritionally complete. It lost -10.6 points for ingredients without printed percentages and -0.9 points for the oil and fat content.
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.
- Recipe61
- Nutritionallow75
- Transparency40
- 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
- Doesn't list grain ingredients.
- Declares energy content, which most labels omit.
- Nutritionally complete: formulated to be fed as the whole diet.
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
- 16%
- Fat
- 4%
- Fibre
- 0.30%
- Moisture
- 78.20%
- Calcium
- 210%
- Phosphorus
- 160%
Energy: 100 kcal/100g
Dry matter basis
- Protein
- 73.40%
- Fat
- 18.30%
- Fibre
- 1.40%
Additives & feeding info
No additives recorded yet.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for all lifestages
- Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
- Doesn't list chicken, turkey, lamb, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids beef: the label lists beef
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists fish oil
- 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 (22)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bison | Bison | meat | good | - | 6.0 |
| 2 | beef with bone | Beef | meat | medium | - | 5.8 |
| 3 | liver | Liver | meat | good | - | 5.7 |
| 4 | heart | Heart | meat | good | - | 5.6 |
| 5 | kidney | Kidney | meat | good | - | 5.4 |
| 6 | kale | Kale | veg | good | - | 5.3 |
| 7 | cauliflower | Cauliflower | veg | good | - | 5.2 |
| 8 | pumpkin | Pumpkin | veg | good | - | 5.0 |
| 9 | carrots | Carrots | veg | good | - | 4.9 |
| 10 | cucumbers | Cucumber | veg | good | - | 4.7 |
| 11 | apples | Apples | veg | good | - | 4.6 |
| 12 | celery | Celery Seeds | veg | good | - | 4.5 |
| 13 | romaine | unmatched | - | - | - | 4.3 |
| 14 | Cold Water Fish Oil (herring) | Fish Oil | oil | good | - | 4.2 |
| 15 | Atlantic Sea Kelp | Kelp | veg | good | - | 4.1 |
| 16 | organic agave inulin | Inulin | fibre | good | - | 3.9 |
| 17 | chamomile flower | Chamomile | veg | good | - | 3.8 |
| 18 | Lactobacillus casei K9-1 | Lactobacillus casei | supplement | good | - | 3.7 |
| 19 | Lactobacillus fermentum K9-2 | Lactobacillus fermentum | supplement | good | - | 3.5 |
| 20 | Lactobacillus reuteri WF-1 | Limosilactobacillus reuteri | supplement | good | - | 3.4 |
| 21 | Enterococcus faecium | Enterococcus Faecium | supplement | good | - | 3.3 |
| 22 | Pediococcus acidilactici | unmatched | - | - | - | 3.1 |
Brand
- [email protected]
- Phone
- +1 (416) 741-4888
- Address
- 2691 Clifford St, Smithville, ON, L0R 2A0
- Contact page
- www.healthypawspetfood.ca
- Social
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.healthypawspetfood.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 | 0.8 | 9.191 | +7.60 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 10.0% | -0.092 | -0.92 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 22.6% | -0.005 | -0.12 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 30.7% | -0.012 | -0.37 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 9.0% | -0.027 | -0.24 |
| 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 |
| 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 | +7.60 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.115 | +0.00 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 10.0% | -0.092 | -0.92 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 22.6% | -0.005 | -0.12 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.163 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 30.7% | -0.012 | -0.37 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.375 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 9.0% | -0.027 | -0.24 |
| 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 | 0.00 | 0.222 | +0.00 |
| 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
- Subtotal
- 61.5
- Final score
- 61/100
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 | 16 | 73.4 (band 18 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 4 | 18.3 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 0.3 | 1.4 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 81.7 |
| Calcium | 210 | 963.3 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 0 |
| Phosphorus | 160 | 733.9 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 0 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.3 | 1.3 (band 1 to 2%) | 88.8 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 100 | 458.7 | 100 |
Scored over 7 declared nutrients (combined weight 90); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.
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) - not on file | 0/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) | 5/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) - not on file | 0/10 |
| 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, Additives declared, Feeding guidance given, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pastured-Raised (on page) | provenance | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| 5-strain probiotic blend contains and exhibits prebiotics, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Ideal for a lower-fat diet and the perfect alternative to other red meats (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Hormone & Antibiotic-Free (on page) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Bison is lower in sodium, higher in iron, and moderate in zinc compared to other domestic meats (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Double-Grind (finer texture) (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Contains Healthy Paws™ K9-5 Species-Specific Probiotic Blend, Atlantic Sea Kelp and an omega-3 blend made with herring (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.
Other products from Healthy Paws Pet Food
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Foods in our database that are similar on ingredients, protein, format or price. Scores and figures are from the same deterministic model used everywhere on the site.
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