Calibra Verve GF Senior Chicken & Duck

Dry Extruded complete High meat Clear label

Verve GF Senior Chicken & Duck
Good
our rating

Is Calibra Verve GF Senior Chicken & Duck a good dog food?

We score it 72/100 (Good). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.

How we score

Why this score?

This food achieves a score of 72 out of 100 based on several key factors. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +8, and the meat content added +7.6. Conversely, the processing format adjusted the score by -7. Finally, printing percentages on the label contributed +3.2 to the overall evaluation.

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 deboned chicken, dried duck protein and potatoes as the main ingredients.

Why you might choose it

  • Scores 72, in the top quarter of dry foods we track.
  • Meat makes up an estimated 66% of the dry matter (61% 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.

View the source page

Estimated composition

meat61.0%
carb16.0%
veg8.2%
supplement8.0%
oil3.8%
fibre3.0%

Typical analysis (as fed)

Protein
28%
Fat
15%
Fibre
3%
Ash
8%
Moisture
10%
Omega-3 fatty acids
0.30%
Omega-6 fatty acids
2.10%
Calcium
1.70%
Phosphorus
1.30%
Sodium
0.30%

Energy: 371 kcal/100g

Additives & feeding info

Nutritional additives

vitamin A (3a672a) 16,500 I.U.; vitamin D3 (3a671) 1,650 I.U.; vitamin E (3a700) 300 mg; vitamin C (3a312) 250 mg; vitamin B1 (3a820) 4.8 mg; vitamin B2 (3a825i) 6 mg; niacinamide (3a315) 23 mg; calcium-D-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(i)); 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. You can adjust dose having regard to age, activity, environment of dog. Watch optimal physical condition of dog and avoid overfeeding. It‘s recommended to serve food dry or moistened with water or broth. Always ensure there is plenty of fresh water.

Who is this food for?

Suits

  • Labelled by the manufacturer for senior dogs
  • Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
  • Doesn't list beef, lamb, venison, pork as ingredients

Consider something else if:

  • Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists deboned chicken
  • Your dog avoids turkey: the label lists hydrolysed poultry protein
  • Your dog avoids fish: the label lists green-lipped mussel
  • Your dog avoids duck: the label lists dried duck protein
  • 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 (18)

#As declaredMatchedCategoryTierDeclared %Est. %
1fresh deboned chicken (30 %)Deboned Chickenmeatgood3030.0
2duck protein (26 %)Dried Duck Proteinmeatgood2626.0
3potatoes (16 %)Potatoescarbmedium1616.0
4poultry fatPoultry Fatoilmedium-1.8
5pumpkin (4 %)Pumpkinveggood44.0
6peas (4 %)Peasveggood44.0
7apple pulp dried (3 %)Apple Fibrefibremedium33.0
8hydrolysed poultry protein (3 %)Hydrolysed Poultry Proteinmeatmedium33.0
9yeastsYeastsupplementgood-1.7
10hydrolysed chicken liver (2 %)Hydrolysed Chicken Livermeatmedium22.0
11salmon oil (2 %)Salmon Oiloilgood22.0
12milk thistle seed (0.1 %)Milk Thistleveggood0.10.1
13pineapple dried (0.1 %)Pineappleveggood0.10.1
14glucosamineGlucosaminesupplementgood-1.5
15chondroitin sulphateChondroitinsupplementgood-1.4
16Mojave yuccaYucca Schidigerasupplementgood-1.3
17Boswellia serrata driedBoswellia Serratasupplementgood-1.1
18Perna canaliculusGreen-Lipped Musselsupplementgood-1.0

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
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.

ComponentInputCoefficientContribution
Base score-32.336+32.34
Average ingredient quality0.89.915+7.96
Meat share of dry matter65.9%0.116+7.64
Carb share of dry matter7.1%-0.113-0.80
Oil share of dry matter6.7%-0.088-0.59
Supplement share of dry matter13.2%-0.009-0.12
Undeclared quantities9.8%-0.131-1.28
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 percentages65.9-0.073-4.83
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 quality0.89.915+7.96
Meat share of dry matter65.9%0.116+7.64
Carb share of dry matter7.1%-0.113-0.80
Oil share of dry matter6.7%-0.088-0.59
Vegetable share of dry matter2.3%-0.002-0.00
Additive share of dry matter0.0%0.177+0.00
Supplement share of dry matter13.2%-0.009-0.12
Other share of dry matter0.0%-0.371+0.00
Unrecognised share of dry matter0.0%-0.022+0.00
Recipe graded poor0.0%-0.045+0.00
Poor-quality meat in recipe0.0%-0.182+0.00
Number of poor ingredients0-0.868+0.00
Largest single poor ingredient0.0%0.056+0.00
Undeclared quantities9.8%-0.131-1.28
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 percentages65.9-0.073-4.83
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
72.0
Final score
72/100

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
v272/100current
v168/100
v1.970/100
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
Protein2831.1 (band 18 to 40%)100
Fat1516.7 (band 5.5 to 20%)100
Fibre33.3 (band 0.5 to 5%)100
Calcium1.71.9 (band 0.5 to 2.5%)100
Phosphorus1.31.4 (band 0.4 to 1.6%)100
Calcium:phosphorus ratio1.31.3 (band 1 to 2%)88.5
Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3)--100
Energy (kcal/100g)371412.2100

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.

ItemPoints
Ingredient list on the label (mandatory)10/10
Printed percentages on the label (90.2% of the recipe mass) (voluntary)18/20
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.

ClaimTypeSubstantiation
Pineapple – natural immunity support boost (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
Vitamin C – immunity support / antioxidative properties (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
Prebiotics (MOS, FOS, β-glucans) – digestion support, immunity support (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
70/30 ratio, 70 % of animal origin (on page)ContentManufacturer assertion
Complete grain free dry dog food for adult dogs of small breeds (1–10 kg, 7+ years). (on page)Free-fromManufacturer assertion
30 % of fresh chicken (on page)ContentManufacturer assertion
Mojave yucca - reduction smell of stool & flatulence (on page)FunctionalManufacturer 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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