Our verdict
Is Different Dog Venison & Thyme a good dog food?
We score it 94/100 (Good). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Complete frozen fresh food for dogs of all life stages, with venison, spinach and red pepper as the main ingredients.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for all lifestages
- Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
- Doesn't list chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists salmon oil
- Your dog avoids venison: the label lists venison
- You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein
- You are limiting fat: 27.9% on a dry-matter basis is in the high band
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. Find foods that fit your dog.
Nutrition and feedingProtein 14.80% · Fat 8.40%
Typical analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed | Dry matter |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 14.80% | 49.20% |
| Fat | 8.40% | 27.90% |
| Fibre | 2.80% | 9.30% |
| Ash | 2.10% | 7% |
| Moisture | 69.90% | - |
Energy: 145 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Feeding and storage
Storage
To store: Keep in the freezer.
Additives declared on the label
Nutritional additives
Vitamin A 2500IU; Vitamin D3 400IU; Vitamin E 50mg; Zinc (as Zinc chelate of protein hydrolysates) 18mg; Iron (as Iron (II) chelate of protein hydrolysates) 15mg; Manganese (as Manganese chelate of protein hydrolysates) 7.5mg; Copper (as Copper (II) chelate of protein hydrolysates) 4.5mg; Iodine (as Calcium iodate, anhydrous) 0.025mg
Ingredients (12)1% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- meat 60.0%
- veg 37.3%
- supplement 1.5%
- oil 1.2%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Human-Quality British Venison (60%) | Venison | meat · good | 60 | 60.0 |
| 2 | Spinach (14%) | Spinach | veg · good | 14 | 14.0 |
| 3 | Red Pepper (8%) | Red Pepper | veg · good | 8 | 8.0 |
| 4 | Butternut Squash (6%) | Butternut Squash | veg · good | 6 | 6.0 |
| 5 | Blackberries (5%) | Blackberries | veg · good | 5 | 5.0 |
| 6 | Button Mushrooms (3%) | Mushrooms | veg · good | 3 | 3.0 |
| 7 | Vitamins & Minerals | Vitamin | supplement · good | - | 1.5 |
| 8 | Scottish Salmon Oil (1.2%) | Salmon Oil | oil · good | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| 9 | Thyme (0.7%) | Thyme | veg · good | 0.7 | 0.7 |
| 10 | Chia Seeds (0.3%) | Chia Seeds | veg · good | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| 11 | Kelp Seaweed (0.3%) | Seaweed | veg · good | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| 12 | Turmeric (0.02%) | Turmeric | veg · good | 0.02 | 0.02 |
- 1. Human-Quality British Venison (60%)60% declared60.0% estimated
- 2. Spinach (14%)14% declared14.0% estimated
- 3. Red Pepper (8%)8% declared8.0% estimated
- 4. Butternut Squash (6%)6% declared6.0% estimated
- 5. Blackberries (5%)5% declared5.0% estimated
- 6. Button Mushrooms (3%)3% declared3.0% estimated
- 7. Vitamins & Minerals1.5% estimated
- 8. Scottish Salmon Oil (1.2%)1.2% declared1.2% estimated
- 9. Thyme (0.7%)0.7% declared0.7% estimated
- 10. Chia Seeds (0.3%)0.3% declared0.3% estimated
- 11. Kelp Seaweed (0.3%)0.3% declared0.3% estimated
- 12. Turmeric (0.02%)0.02% declared0.02% estimated
Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-03
Brand and contact: Different Dog
- [email protected]
- Phone
- 01952 456 850
- Address
- Unit 3, Pioneer Park, Halesfield 18, Telford TF7 4FA
- Contact page
- www.differentdog.com
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-03
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- www.differentdog.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.
Brand and retailer reviews
External platform ratings are not scores for this individual recipe.
Trustpilot: 4.8/5 · 2,568 reviews
Spotted a mistake in this listing? Report it here and we'll take a look.
Score details and methodologyCalculations, history and evidence
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Why this score?
We work out the score out of 100 by combining several factors. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +9.1 points, and the meat content contributed +6.3 points. The processing format had a negative effect at -2.4, while being labelled nutritionally complete contributed +2.3. Together these give a final score of 94 out of 100.
Scored with model v3 on 2026-10-25. 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 | 1.0 | 9.191 | +9.09 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 66.1% | 0.096 | +6.35 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 4.7% | -0.092 | -0.43 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 23.9% | -0.005 | -0.12 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 5.4% | -0.012 | -0.07 |
| Undeclared quantities | 1.5% | -0.106 | -0.16 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | yes | 0.707 | +0.71 |
| Fresh × high meat | 1.0 | 11.084 | +11.08 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.10 | 33.786 | +37.16 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | yes | -2.354 | -2.35 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 1.0 | 9.191 | +9.09 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 66.1% | 0.096 | +6.35 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.115 | +0.00 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 4.7% | -0.092 | -0.43 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 23.9% | -0.005 | -0.12 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.163 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 5.4% | -0.012 | -0.07 |
| 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 | 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 | 1.5% | -0.106 | -0.16 |
| 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) | yes | 0.707 | +0.71 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | no | -3.158 | +0.00 |
| 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 | 1.0 | 11.084 | +11.08 |
| Additive penalty | 0.00 | 0.222 | +0.00 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.10 | 33.786 | +37.16 |
| Processing: Raw | no | -0.054 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | yes | -2.354 | -2.35 |
| 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
- Additives declared on label
- +1 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 93.7
- Final score
- 94/100
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.
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 | 14.8 | 49.2 (band 21.677740863787378 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 8.4 | 27.9 (band 6.623754152823921 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 2.8 | 9.3 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 83.7 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 145 | 481.7 | 100 |
Scored over 4 declared nutrients (combined weight 60); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.
Declared fortification: 8 nutritional additives on the label
- Vitamin A 2500IU
- Vitamin D3 400IU
- Vitamin E 50mg
- Zinc (as Zinc chelate of protein hydrolysates) 18mg
- Iron (as Iron (II) chelate of protein hydrolysates) 15mg
- Manganese (as Manganese chelate of protein hydrolysates) 7.5mg
- Copper (as Copper (II) chelate of protein hydrolysates) 4.5mg
- Iodine (as Calcium iodate, anhydrous) 0.025mg
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 (98.5% of the recipe mass) (voluntary) | 19.7/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) | 15/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 5/10 |
| 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 (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.
See all current recalls we track.
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.
100/100 · moderate — 1 checkable claim: 1 consistent, 0 contradicted.
Consistent with the label
- "High in protein" — supported by the declared high protein data.
5 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.
Moderate: every checkable claim is consistent with the declared label.
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| An alternative protein for sensitive dogs (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Protecting their cells and keeping their whole system running strong (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| bursting with goodness for skin, coat and digestive brilliance (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Vitamin C and beta-carotene keep immunity on point (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| maintain healthy energy levels and support immune function (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| High in protein (on page) | High/low level | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
Alternatives to Venison & Thyme
Similar on ingredients, protein, format or nutrition, using the same stored data.
Community0 comments
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share how this went down with your dog.