AVA Veterinary Approved Optimum Health Cocker Spaniel Dry Dog Food Chicken

Dry Extruded complete High meat Clear label

Veterinary Approved Optimum Health Cocker Spaniel Dry Dog Food Chicken
Average
our rating

Is AVA Veterinary Approved Optimum Health Cocker Spaniel Dry Dog Food Chicken 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.

How we score

Why this score?

This recipe achieves an overall score of 63 out of 100. Positive contributions come from the meat content, which adds +4 points, and the overall quality of the ingredient list, which contributes +4.1 points. However, the score is reduced by the processing format, contributing -7 points, and the carbohydrate content, which adds -5.1 points.

Only part of the analytical constituents are declared, so the nutritional picture is incomplete.

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.

Complete extruded dry food for adult dogs, with dried chicken protein, chicken and rice as the main ingredients.

Why you might choose it

  • Meat makes up an estimated 34% of the dry matter (45% as fed).
  • Prints ingredient percentages on the label.
  • Nutritionally complete: formulated to be fed as the whole diet.

Why you might not

We found no significant drawbacks in the data we hold for this product.

View the source page

Estimated composition

meat45.2%
carb38.3%
fibre10.6%
supplement3.0%
oil2.9%
veg0.1%

Typical analysis (as fed)

Protein
25%
Fat
12%
Fibre
7%
Ash
8.50%
Omega-3 fatty acids
0.60%
Omega-6 fatty acids
1.70%
Calcium
1.40%
Phosphorus
0.90%

Additives & feeding info

Nutritional additives

Vitamin A 56,000 IU; Vitamin D3 2,000 IU; Vitamin E 750 mg; Taurine 1000 mg; L-Carnitine 300 mg; Zinc (as Zinc Chelate of Protein Hydrolysates) 100 mg; Copper (as Copper (II) Chelate of Amino Acids Hydrate) 10 mg; Manganese (as Manganese Chelate of Protein Hydrolysates) 25 mg; Iodine (as Calcium Iodate Anhydrous) 1.59 mg; Iron (as Iron (II) Chelate of Protein Hydrolysates) 60 mg; Selenium (as Organic form of Selenium produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3060 (Selenised yeast inactivated)) 0.2 mg

Technological additives

Antioxidants

Storage

For best before date and batch code see top of pack.

Feeding guide

Daily feed: 10-12kg: 160-185g; 12-14kg: 185-205g; 14-16kg: 205-230g. Divide into 2 equal portions daily. Introduce over 7-10 days when transitioning.

Who is this food for?

Suits

  • Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
  • Doesn't list beef, turkey, lamb, venison, pork, duck as ingredients

Consider something else if:

  • Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists dried chicken protein
  • Your dog avoids fish: the label lists salmon oil
  • Your dog avoids grain: the label lists rice - brown / whole grain
  • 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 declaredMatchedCategoryTierDeclared %Est. %
1Chicken Meal (20.8%)Dried chicken proteinmeatgood20.820.8
2Chicken (18.8%)Chickenmeatmedium18.818.8
3Brown Rice (18.8%)Rice - brown / whole graincarbmedium18.818.8
4Maize (11.0%)Maize / Corncarbpoor1111.0
5Flaked Oats (8.5%)Oatscarbmedium8.58.5
6Beet Pulp (6.8%)Beet Pulpfibremedium6.86.8
7Cellulose (3.8%)Cellulosefibremedium3.83.8
8Brewers YeastBrewer's Yeastsupplementgood-2.2
9Chicken Gravy (2.1%)Chickenmeatmedium2.12.1
10EggEggmeatgood-1.9
11Chicken Fat (1.7%)Chicken Oil and Fatoilgood1.71.7
12Salmon OilSalmon Oiloilgood-1.7
13MineralsVitamins and mineralssupplementmedium-1.4
14a source of prebiotic Fructooligosaccharides (0.2%)Fructo-oligosaccharidessupplementgood0.20.2
15Yeasts (as a source of Beta-glucans and Prebiotic Mannanoligosaccharide) (0.14%)Yeastsupplementgood0.140.1
16Mint (0.044%)Mintveggood0.0440.04
17Yucca Extract (0.025%)Yucca Schidigerasupplementgood0.0250.03
18Cranberry Extract (0.018%)Cranberry Extractsupplementgood0.0180.02
19Glucosamine (0.017%)Glucosaminesupplementgood0.0170.02
20Chondroitin Sulphate (0.013%)Chondroitinsupplementgood0.0130.01
21Pomegranate Extract (0.009%)Pomegranate Extractsupplementgood0.0090.01
22Green Tea Extract (0.009%)Green Teaveggood0.0090.01

Brand

Trust and provenance

Recall history
No recalls recorded in our database
Label data last checked
2026-09-14
Scored with
Model v2 (methodology)
Product page
www.petsathome.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 v2 on 2026-09-22. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.

ComponentInputCoefficientContribution
Base score-32.336+32.34
Average ingredient quality0.49.915+4.06
Meat share of dry matter34.3%0.116+3.98
Carb share of dry matter45.3%-0.113-5.10
Oil share of dry matter3.8%-0.088-0.34
Supplement share of dry matter3.7%-0.009-0.03
Recipe graded poor11.0%-0.045-0.49
Number of poor ingredients1-0.868-0.87
Largest single poor ingredient11.0%0.056+0.62
Undeclared quantities5.1%-0.131-0.67
Prints ingredient percentagesyes3.194+3.19
Complete dietyes1.703+1.70
High meat (30%+ of dry matter)yes-0.506-0.51
Meat share × printed percentages34.3-0.073-2.52
Processing multiplier1.0032.336+32.34
Processing: Dry Extrudedyes-6.996-7.00
Show all 40 components
ComponentInputCoefficientContribution
Base score-32.336+32.34
Average ingredient quality0.49.915+4.06
Meat share of dry matter34.3%0.116+3.98
Carb share of dry matter45.3%-0.113-5.10
Oil share of dry matter3.8%-0.088-0.34
Vegetable share of dry matter0.0%-0.002+0.00
Additive share of dry matter0.0%0.177+0.00
Supplement share of dry matter3.7%-0.009-0.03
Other share of dry matter0.0%-0.371+0.00
Unrecognised share of dry matter0.0%-0.022+0.00
Recipe graded poor11.0%-0.045-0.49
Poor-quality meat in recipe0.0%-0.182+0.00
Number of poor ingredients1-0.868-0.87
Largest single poor ingredient11.0%0.056+0.62
Undeclared quantities5.1%-0.131-0.67
Prints ingredient percentagesyes3.194+3.19
Complete dietyes1.703+1.70
Frozen or chilled freshno11.440+0.00
High meat (30%+ of dry matter)yes-0.506-0.51
Low meat (under 10% of dry matter)no-1.988+0.00
High carb and low meatno-1.250+0.00
Meat share × printed percentages34.3-0.073-2.52
Meat share × fresh0.0-0.339+0.00
Fresh × high meat0.016.475+0.00
Additive penalty0.000.236+0.00
Processing multiplier1.0032.336+32.34
Processing: Rawno13.322+0.00
Processing: Fresh Chilledno7.712+0.00
Processing: Fresh Frozenno6.583+0.00
Processing: Fresh Refrigeratedno4.857+0.00
Processing: Fresh Shelfno0.072+0.00
Processing: Dry Freeze Driedno11.127+0.00
Processing: Dry Air Driedno9.320+0.00
Processing: Dry Cold Pressedno4.569+0.00
Processing: Dry Bakedno-2.321+0.00
Processing: Dry Extrudedyes-6.996-7.00
Processing: Dry Semi Moistno-6.833+0.00
Processing: Dry Mueslino-10.711+0.00
Processing: Wet Pateno2.935+0.00
Processing: Wet Chunksno2.292+0.00
Processing-type offset
-0.01
Additives declared on label
+2 transparency bonus
Subtotal
62.7
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.

Score history across model versions

The score shown above is always computed with the latest published model. Earlier scores are kept for the record and are never edited or deleted; a scoring change ships as a new model version with a public write-up on the methodology page.

ModelScore
v263/100current
v159/100
v1.960/100
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.

NutrientAs fed (label)Dry matter (scored)Score
Protein2527.2 (band 18 to 40%)95
Fat1213 (band 5.5 to 20%)100
Fibre77.6 (band 0.5 to 5%)100
Calcium1.41.5 (band 0.5 to 2.5%)100
Phosphorus0.91 (band 0.4 to 1.6%)98.9
Calcium:phosphorus ratio1.61.6 (band 1 to 2%)100
Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3)--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 7 declared nutrients (combined weight 90); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 8% from the food type.

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.

ItemPoints
Ingredient list on the label (mandatory)10/10
Printed percentages on the label (94.9% of the recipe mass) (voluntary)19/20
Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file0/15
Additives declared (mandatory)10/10
Energy value declared (voluntary) - not on file0/5
Complete/complementary designation (mandatory)5/5
Feeding guidance given (mandatory)10/10
Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory)5/10
Country of manufacture stated (voluntary)10/10
Batch and date labelling (mandatory)5/5

Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Analytical constituents declared).

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.

See all current recalls we track.

Evidence: what the brand claims, and what supports it

The marketing claims made on the pack and product page, and how much evidence sits behind them. We record the claims as stated; we do not assess whether they are true.

ClaimTypeSubstantiation
Hypoallergenic chicken recipe with Imuvita, ideal for sensitive stomachs and supporting good health and immunity (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
Contains MOS and FOS prebiotics to help support the growth of healthy gut bacteria and Yucca to help reduce stool odour (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
Added L-carnitine to help promote a healthy weight and maintain lean muscle mass (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
Slow release carbohydrates and of soluble and insoluble fibre help maintain energy levels and a healthy intestinal function (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
Added Glucosamine and Chondroitin helps support joint condition and general mobility (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
Natural source of omega 3 and 6 helps support skin and coat condition, heart and kidney health and ongoing brain function development (on page)NutrientManufacturer assertion
Optimised ratios of Calcium and Phosphorus help maintain strong teeth and bones and maintain overall oral health (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
Added Taurine to support heart muscle condition (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
+Imuvita includes Vitamins A, D3 and E to support vitality, immunity and general wellbeing (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
Beta-Glucans to aid the effectiveness of your dog's natural immune system (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
Veterinary Approved (on page)ContentManufacturer assertion
Cranberry, pomegranate, and green tea extracts to deliver a source of antioxidants (on page)ContentManufacturer assertion
With no added wheat, wheat gluten, beef, pork, and soya (on page)Free-fromManufacturer assertion

Limited: at least one claim rests on manufacturer assertion alone.

The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.

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