Our verdict
Is Golden Eagle Holistic Duck Formula a good dog food?
We score it 52/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Complete extruded dry food for dogs of all life stages, with dried duck protein, whole grains and chicken as the main ingredients.
Only part of the analytical constituents are declared, so the nutritional picture is incomplete.
89% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for all lifestages
- Doesn't list beef, turkey, lamb, venison, pork as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists chicken
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists salmon oil
- Your dog avoids duck: the label lists dried duck protein
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists whole grains
- 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. Find foods that fit your dog.
Nutrition and feedingProtein 22% · Fat 13%
Typical analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed |
|---|---|
| Protein | 22% |
| Fat | 13% |
| Fibre | 5% |
| Ash | 9% |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 0.80% |
| Omega-6 fatty acids | 2.40% |
| Calcium | 1.70% |
| Phosphorus | 1.20% |
Additives & feeding info
Additives declared on the label
Nutritional additives
A-vitamin 25700 iu/kg; D3-vitamin 1700 iu/kg; E-vitamin 192 iu/kg; Copper 20 mg/kg; Iron 96 mg/kg; Zink 154 mg/kg
Ingredients (24)89% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- veg 27.5%
- supplement 26.6%
- meat 15.0%
- carb 15.0%
- mineral 7.2%
- fibre 4.4%
- oil 4.2%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duck meal | Dried Duck Protein | meat · good | - | 5.7 |
| 2 | whole grain white rice | Whole Grains | carb · good | - | 5.6 |
| 3 | whole grain brown rice | Whole Grains | carb · good | - | 5.4 |
| 4 | purified chicken fat | Chicken | meat · medium | - | 5.3 |
| 5 | oatmeal | Oats | carb · medium | - | 5.2 |
| 6 | whole grain linseed | Linseed | veg · good | - | 5.1 |
| 7 | tomato paste | Tomato | veg · good | - | 4.9 |
| 8 | beet pulp | Beet Pulp | fibre · medium | - | 4.8 |
| 9 | egg | Egg | meat · good | - | 4.7 |
| 10 | salmon oil | Salmon Oil | oil · good | - | 4.6 |
| 11 | peas | Peas | veg · good | - | 4.4 |
| 12 | carrot | Carrots | veg · good | - | 4.3 |
| 13 | seaweed (0 .5 %) | Seaweed | veg · good | - | 4.2 |
| 14 | chicken liver sauce (0.5 %) | Liver | meat · good | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| 15 | monosodium phosphate | Sodium phosphate | additive · poor | - | 4.1 |
| 16 | potassium chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement · medium | - | 4.0 |
| 17 | Yucca | Yucca Schidigera | supplement · good | - | 3.8 |
| 18 | selenium | Selenium | mineral · good | - | 3.7 |
| 19 | L-carnitine | L-Carnitine | supplement · medium | - | 3.6 |
| 20 | dried apple | Apples | veg · good | - | 3.5 |
| 21 | cranberry | Cranberries | veg · good | - | 3.3 |
| 22 | Prebiotics | Prebiotics | supplement · good | - | 3.2 |
| 23 | Probiotics | Probiotic | supplement · good | - | 3.1 |
| 24 | Minerals and vitamins | Vitamins and minerals | supplement · medium | - | 3.0 |
- 1. Duck meal5.7% estimated
- 2. whole grain white rice5.6% estimated
- 3. whole grain brown rice5.4% estimated
- 4. purified chicken fat5.3% estimated
- 5. oatmeal5.2% estimated
- 6. whole grain linseed5.1% estimated
- 7. tomato paste4.9% estimated
- 8. beet pulp4.8% estimated
- 9. egg4.7% estimated
- 10. salmon oil4.6% estimated
- 11. peas4.4% estimated
- 12. carrot4.3% estimated
- 13. seaweed (0 .5 %)4.2% estimated
- 14. chicken liver sauce (0.5 %)0.5% declared0.5% estimated
- 15. monosodium phosphate4.1% estimated
- 16. potassium chloride4.0% estimated
- 17. Yucca3.8% estimated
- 18. selenium3.7% estimated
- 19. L-carnitine3.6% estimated
- 20. dried apple3.5% estimated
- 21. cranberry3.3% estimated
- 22. Prebiotics3.2% estimated
- 23. Probiotics3.1% estimated
- 24. Minerals and vitamins3.0% estimated
Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-08-22
Brand and contact: Golden Eagle
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-08-22
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- www.goldeneaglepetfoods.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.
Score details and methodologyCalculations, history and evidence
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Why this score?
This recipe achieves an overall score of 52 out of 100 based on several key factors. The inclusion of ingredients without printed percentages contributed -9.3 points, while the overall quality of the ingredient list added +7.3 points. Additionally, the processing format adjusted the score by -6.7, and being labelled nutritionally complete contributed +2.3 points.
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 | 0.8 | 9.191 | +7.31 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.2% | 0.096 | +0.02 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 18.0% | -0.115 | -2.08 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 5.7% | -0.092 | -0.52 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 17.7% | -0.005 | -0.09 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 33.4% | -0.012 | -0.41 |
| Undeclared quantities | 88.5% | -0.106 | -9.34 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| Processing multiplier | 0.98 | 33.786 | +33.11 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.713 | -6.71 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.8 | 9.191 | +7.31 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.2% | 0.096 | +0.02 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 18.0% | -0.115 | -2.08 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 5.7% | -0.092 | -0.52 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 17.7% | -0.005 | -0.09 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.163 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 33.4% | -0.012 | -0.41 |
| 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 | 88.5% | -0.106 | -9.34 |
| 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 | 0.98 | 33.786 | +33.11 |
| Processing: Raw | no | -0.054 | +0.00 |
| 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 | yes | -6.713 | -6.71 |
| 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
- +0.02
- Additives declared on label
- +1 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 52.4
- Final score
- 52/100
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 | 22 | 24.3 (band 18 to 40%) | 87.2 |
| Fat | 13 | 14.4 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 5 | 5.5 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Calcium | 1.7 | 1.9 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 100 |
| Phosphorus | 1.2 | 1.3 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 100 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.4 | 1.4 (band 1 to 2%) | 95 |
| 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 9.5% from the food type.
Declared fortification: 6 nutritional additives on the label
- A-vitamin 25700 iu/kg
- D3-vitamin 1700 iu/kg
- E-vitamin 192 iu/kg
- Copper 20 mg/kg
- Iron 96 mg/kg
- Zink 154 mg/kg
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 (11.5% of the recipe mass) (voluntary) | 2.3/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file | 0/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 5/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) - not on file | 0/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) - not on file | 0/10 |
| Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory) | 5/10 |
| 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, 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.
0/100 · limited — 2 checkable claims: 0 consistent, 2 contradicted.
Contradicted by the label
- "Does not contain wheat, soy or corn" — the declared label says otherwise on grain-free.
- "single protein source diet, meaning there is only duck as the main protein source in the formula" — the declared label says otherwise on single protein.
5 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.
Limited: at least one claim contradicts the declared label, or a recent upheld ASA ruling applies.
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| designed for dogs needing special taste or help in digestive upsets (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| perfect for reducing intolerances to artificial substances (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Contains the unique holistic pre- and probiotic supplements BioHealth™ and LactoHealth™ (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Does not contain wheat, soy or corn (on page) | Free-from | contradicted | Manufacturer assertion |
| Natural and holistic dry dog food contains selected, high-quality duck meat protein and sources of carbohydrates, as well as healthy vegetables and fruits (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| without chemical preservatives, flavors or coloring agents (on page) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| single protein source diet, meaning there is only duck as the main protein source in the formula (on page) | Content | contradicted | Manufacturer assertion |
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
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