Calibra Dog Life Senior Medium & Large Chicken
Dry Extruded complete High meat Clear label
Is Calibra Dog Life Senior Medium & Large Chicken a good dog food?
We score it 67/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Why this score?
This recipe achieves a total score of 67 out of 100. The processing format contributed -7 to the overall score, while the carbohydrate content added -3.9. On the positive side, the overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +6.7, and the meat content added +5.3.
- Recipe67
- Nutritionalhigh98
- Transparency93
- Safety100
- Evidencelimited33
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 senior dogs, with dried chicken protein, rice and apple fibre as the main ingredients.
Why you might choose it
- Meat makes up an estimated 46% of the dry matter (45% as fed).
- Prints ingredient percentages on the label.
Why you might not
We found no significant drawbacks in the data we hold for this product.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 26%
- Fat
- 10%
- Fibre
- 3.50%
- Ash
- 6.20%
- Moisture
- 9%
- Carbohydrates
- 45.30%
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- 0.25%
- Omega-6 fatty acids
- 1.40%
- Calcium
- 1.50%
- Phosphorus
- 1.10%
- Sodium
- 0.30%
Energy: 354 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
vitamin A (3a672a) 16,500 I.U.; vitamin D3 (E671) 1,650 I.U.; vitamin E (3a700) 300 mg; vitamin C (3a312) 250 mg; vitamin B1 (3a820) 4.8 mg; vitamin B2 6 mg; niacinamide (3a315) 23 mg; calcium pantothenate (3a841) 12 mg; vitamin B6 (3a831) 4.8 mg; folic acid (3a316) 0.6 mg; vitamin B12 0.05 mg; biotin (3a880) 0.65 mg; choline chloride (3a890) 1,800 mg; organic zinc (3b606) 90 mg; organic iron (3b106) 75 mg; organic manganese (3b504) 30 mg; organic copper (3b406) 14 mg; iodine (3b201) 0.7 mg; organic selenium (3b810) 0.2 mg
Technological additives
tocopherol extracts from vegetable oil (1b306); ascorbyl palmitate (1b304); rosemary extract
Storage
Keep in a dry and cool place, avoid exposure of direct sunlight. Recommended use before the date shown on the package.
Feeding guide
Follow recommended daily dose. Adjust according to age, activity and environment. Serve dry or moistened with water or broth. Always ensure fresh water is available.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for senior dogs
- Doesn't list beef, lamb, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists dried chicken protein
- Your dog avoids turkey: the label lists hydrolysed poultry protein
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists salmon oil
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists rice - white
- 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 (16)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | chicken protein (40%) | Dried chicken protein | meat | good | 40 | 40.0 |
| 2 | rice (28%) | Rice - white | carb | medium | 28 | 28.0 |
| 3 | brewer's rice (8%) | Rice - white | carb | medium | 8 | 8.0 |
| 4 | apple pulp dried (6%) | Apple Fibre | fibre | medium | 6 | 6.0 |
| 5 | dried beet pulp | Beet Pulp | fibre | medium | - | 1.6 |
| 6 | hydrolysed poultry protein (3%) | Hydrolysed Poultry Protein | meat | medium | 3 | 3.0 |
| 7 | poultry fat | Poultry Fat | oil | medium | - | 1.5 |
| 8 | preserved with tocopherols | Tocopherols | additive | good | - | 1.4 |
| 9 | yeasts | Yeast | supplement | good | - | 1.3 |
| 10 | hydrolysed chicken liver (2%) | Hydrolysed Chicken Liver | meat | medium | 2 | 2.0 |
| 11 | salmon oil (2%) | Salmon Oil | oil | good | 2 | 2.0 |
| 12 | glucosamine | Glucosamine | supplement | good | - | 1.2 |
| 13 | dried rosemary & thyme | Rosemary | veg | good | - | 1.1 |
| 14 | chondroitine sulphate | Chondroitin | supplement | good | - | 1.0 |
| 15 | Mojave yucca | Yucca Schidigera | supplement | good | - | 1.0 |
| 16 | Lactobacillus acidophilus HA – 122 inactivated | Inactivated Lactobacillus helveticus | supplement | good | - | 0.9 |
Brand
- Website
- https://calibrastore.co.uk/
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-15
- Scored with
- Model v2 (methodology)
- Product page
- calibrastore.co.uk
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.
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.7 | 9.915 | +6.73 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 45.7% | 0.116 | +5.30 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 35.0% | -0.113 | -3.94 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 3.8% | -0.088 | -0.34 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 1.4% | 0.177 | +0.25 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 5.5% | -0.009 | -0.05 |
| Undeclared quantities | 11.0% | -0.131 | -1.44 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | yes | 3.194 | +3.19 |
| Complete diet | yes | 1.703 | +1.70 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | yes | -0.506 | -0.51 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 45.7 | -0.073 | -3.35 |
| Additive penalty | -1.68 | 0.236 | -0.40 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.996 | -7.00 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.7 | 9.915 | +6.73 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 45.7% | 0.116 | +5.30 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 35.0% | -0.113 | -3.94 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 3.8% | -0.088 | -0.34 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 1.1% | -0.002 | -0.00 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 1.4% | 0.177 | +0.25 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 5.5% | -0.009 | -0.05 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.371 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.022 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 0.0% | -0.045 | +0.00 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.182 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 0 | -0.868 | +0.00 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 0.0% | 0.056 | +0.00 |
| Undeclared quantities | 11.0% | -0.131 | -1.44 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | yes | 3.194 | +3.19 |
| Complete diet | yes | 1.703 | +1.70 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 11.440 | +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 meat | no | -1.250 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 45.7 | -0.073 | -3.35 |
| Meat share × fresh | 0.0 | -0.339 | +0.00 |
| Fresh × high meat | 0.0 | 16.475 | +0.00 |
| Additive penalty | -1.68 | 0.236 | -0.40 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Processing: Raw | no | 13.322 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | 7.712 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | no | 6.583 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Refrigerated | no | 4.857 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | no | 0.072 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Freeze Dried | no | 11.127 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | no | 9.320 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Cold Pressed | no | 4.569 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Baked | no | -2.321 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.996 | -7.00 |
| Processing: Dry Semi Moist | no | -6.833 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Muesli | no | -10.711 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Pate | no | 2.935 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | no | 2.292 | +0.00 |
- Processing-type offset
- -0.01
- Additives declared on label
- +2 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 66.8
- Final score
- 67/100
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.
| Model | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| v2 | 67/100 | current |
| v1 | 64/100 | |
| v1.9 | 65/100 |
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.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 26 | 28.6 (band 18 to 40%) | 98.8 |
| Fat | 10 | 11 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 92.7 |
| Fibre | 3.5 | 3.8 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Calcium | 1.5 | 1.6 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 100 |
| Phosphorus | 1.1 | 1.2 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 100 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.4 | 1.4 (band 1 to 2%) | 91.8 |
| Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3) | - | - | 100 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 354 | 389 | 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.
High confidence: full analysis plus minerals or omegas and declared energy.
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 (89% of the recipe mass) (voluntary) | 17.8/20 |
| 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) | 5/10 |
| Country of manufacture stated (voluntary) | 10/10 |
| Batch and date labelling (mandatory) | 5/5 |
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.
| Claim | Type | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|
| complete & balanced dry dog food (on page) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| rice as a low-grain source to support sensitive digestion (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| includes chondroprotectives to help maintain joint health (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| prebiotics (FOS, MOS) and Mojave yucca to support digestive function (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| chondroprotectives (chondroitin sulphate and glucosamine) - support joint health and mobility (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| prebiotics (FOS, MOS) - support digestive balance and intestinal function (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Mojave yucca - supports digestive comfort and helps reduce stool odour (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| vitamins and chelated minerals - support overall health and immune function (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| free from wheat and gluten (on page) | Free-from | Manufacturer assertion |
| developed for senior dogs of medium and large breeds (over 10kg, 6+ years) (on page) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| contains 85% animal protein for high nutritional value (on page) | Content | Manufacturer 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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