Happy Dog Ostrich Small Breed Dog Food (Mini Africa)

Dry Extruded complete

Ostrich Small Breed Dog Food (Mini Africa)
Poor
our rating

Is Happy Dog Ostrich Small Breed Dog Food (Mini Africa) a good dog food?

We score it 39/100 (Poor). The main reasons are set out in "Why you might not" below, and every step of the calculation is shown under "How we calculated this score".

How we score

Why this score?

This recipe achieves an overall rating of 39 out of 100. Several factors influence this result, starting with ingredients without printed percentages, which contributed -11 points. Additionally, the processing format accounted for -7 points, the remaining ingredients added -3.4 points, and the additive load resulted in -2.4 points.

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

84% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.

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.

Estimated composition

carb26.0%
fibre19.3%
meat16.0%
oil11.8%
other10.9%
additive8.4%
supplement7.6%

Typical analysis (as fed)

Protein
24%
Fat
12%
Fibre
2.50%
Ash
8.50%
Omega-3 fatty acids
0.30%
Omega-6 fatty acids
2.50%
Calcium
1.30%
Phosphorus
0.95%
Sodium
0.45%

Energy: 359 kcal/100g

Additives & feeding info

Nutritional additives

Vitamin A (3a672a) 12000 IU/kg; Vitamin D3 (3a671) 1200 IU/kg; Vitamin E (all rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate 3a700) 75 mg/kg; Vitamin B1 (thiamine mononitrate 3a821) 4 mg/kg; Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 6 mg/kg; Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride 3a831) 4 mg/kg; Biotin (D (+)-biotin 3a880) 575 mcg/kg; Pantothenic acid (calcium D-pantothenate 3a841) 10 mg/kg; Niacin (3a314) 40 mg/kg; Vitamin B12 70 mcg/kg; Choline chloride (3a890) 60 mg/kg; Taurine (3a370) 500 mg/kg; Iron (E1, iron (II) sulfate monohydrate 3b103) 105 mg/kg; Copper (E4, copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate 3b405) 12 mg/kg; Zinc (zinc oxide 3b603, amino acid zinc chelate hydrate 3b606) 125 mg/kg; Manganese (E5, manganese (II) oxide 3b502) 25 mg/kg; Iodine (calcium iodate, anhydrous 3b202) 2 mg/kg; Selenium (E8, sodium selenite) 0.15 mg/kg

Technological additives

Tocopherol extracts from vegetable oils 1b306(i)

Who is this food for?

Suits

  • Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
  • Labelling or feeding guide is aimed at small dogs
  • Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
  • Single named protein: ostrich
  • Doesn't list chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, fish, venison, pork, duck as ingredients

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 (9)

#As declaredMatchedCategoryTierDeclared %Est. %
1PotatoesPotatoescarbmedium-13.4
2Ostrich Protein (16%)Ostrich Proteinmeatmedium1616.0
3Potato ProteinPotato proteincarbmedium-12.6
4Oils and FatsOils and Fatsoilpoor-11.8
5Hydrolysed ProteinProtein Hydrolysateotherpoor-10.9
6Beet PulpBeet Pulpfibremedium-10.1
7Apple PomaceApple Fibrefibremedium-9.2
8Sodium ChlorideSaltadditivepoor-8.4
9Yeast ExtractYeastsupplementgood-7.6

Brand

Happy Dog logo
Phone
(530) 267-6262
Address
300 Salem Street Chico,CA 95928
Contact page
www.happydog.com

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.happydoguk.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 quality-0.09.915-0.44
Meat share of dry matter7.5%0.116+0.87
Carb share of dry matter10.9%-0.113-1.22
Oil share of dry matter19.4%-0.088-1.71
Additive share of dry matter12.6%0.177+2.23
Supplement share of dry matter11.6%-0.009-0.10
Other share of dry matter9.1%-0.371-3.38
Recipe graded poor31.1%-0.045-1.39
Number of poor ingredients3-0.868-2.60
Largest single poor ingredient11.8%0.056+0.66
Undeclared quantities84.0%-0.131-11.00
Complete dietyes1.703+1.70
Low meat (under 10% of dry matter)yes-1.988-1.99
Additive penalty-10.250.236-2.41
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 quality-0.09.915-0.44
Meat share of dry matter7.5%0.116+0.87
Carb share of dry matter10.9%-0.113-1.22
Oil share of dry matter19.4%-0.088-1.71
Vegetable share of dry matter0.0%-0.002+0.00
Additive share of dry matter12.6%0.177+2.23
Supplement share of dry matter11.6%-0.009-0.10
Other share of dry matter9.1%-0.371-3.38
Unrecognised share of dry matter0.0%-0.022+0.00
Recipe graded poor31.1%-0.045-1.39
Poor-quality meat in recipe0.0%-0.182+0.00
Number of poor ingredients3-0.868-2.60
Largest single poor ingredient11.8%0.056+0.66
Undeclared quantities84.0%-0.131-11.00
Prints ingredient percentagesno3.194+0.00
Complete dietyes1.703+1.70
Frozen or chilled freshno11.440+0.00
High meat (30%+ of dry matter)no-0.506+0.00
Low meat (under 10% of dry matter)yes-1.988-1.99
High carb and low meatno-1.250+0.00
Meat share × printed percentages0.0-0.073+0.00
Meat share × fresh0.0-0.339+0.00
Fresh × high meat0.016.475+0.00
Additive penalty-10.250.236-2.41
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
38.9
Final score
39/100

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.

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.

Guaranteed-analysis FEDIAF score: crude minimums and maximums are bounds, not typical values; moisture (a maximum) uses the processing median where available; experimental US score.

NutrientAs fed (label)Dry matter (scored)Score
Protein2426.1 (band 18 to 40%)92.1
Fat1213 (band 5.5 to 20%)100
Fibre2.52.7 (band 0.5 to 5%)99.6
Calcium1.31.4 (band 0.5 to 2.5%)97.4
Phosphorus0.951 (band 0.4 to 1.6%)100
Calcium:phosphorus ratio1.41.4 (band 1 to 2%)92.1
Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3)--100
Energy (kcal/100g)359390.2100

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. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 8% from the food type.

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.

ItemPoints
Ingredient list on the label (mandatory)10/10
Printed percentages on the label (16% of the recipe mass) (voluntary)3.2/20
Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file0/15
Additives declared (mandatory)10/10
Energy value declared (voluntary)5/5
Complete/complementary designation (mandatory)5/5
Feeding guidance given (mandatory) - not on file0/10
Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory)10/10
Country of manufacture stated (voluntary)10/10
Batch and date labelling (mandatory) - not on file0/5

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 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
For Small Breeds (on page)ContentManufacturer assertion
Allergy-Friendly (on page)ContentManufacturer assertion
Single novel protein: ostrich (on page)ContentManufacturer assertion
Extra-small kibble for small breeds (on page)ContentManufacturer assertion
Novel Protein (on page)ContentManufacturer assertion
Grain-free and gluten-free (on page)Free-fromManufacturer assertion
Vet-recommended for food intolerances (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids care for skin and coat (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
reduces intolerance risks and supports sensitive stomachs (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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