Our verdict
Is Happy Dog Sensible Mini XS Japan a good dog food?
We score it 58/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Only part of the analytical constituents are declared, so the nutritional picture is incomplete.
67% 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 adult dogs
- Labelling or feeding guide is aimed at small dogs
- Doesn't list beef, lamb, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists chicken
- Your dog avoids turkey: the label lists poultry fat
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists trout
- 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. Find foods that fit your dog.
Nutrition and feedingProtein 27% · Fat 16%
Typical analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed |
|---|---|
| Protein | 27% |
| Fat | 16% |
| Fibre | 3.50% |
| Ash | 8.50% |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 0.40% |
| Omega-6 fatty acids | 4% |
| Calcium | 1.40% |
| Phosphorus | 1% |
| Sodium | 0.60% |
Additives & feeding info
Additives declared on the label
Nutritional additives
Vitamin A (3a672a); Vitamin D3 (3a671); Iron (iron(II) sulphate monohydrate 3b103); Copper (copper(II) sulphate pentahydrate 3b405); Zinc (zinc oxide 3b603, zinc chelate of amino acids hydrate 3b606); Manganese (manganese(II) oxide 3b502); Iodine (calcium iodate, anhydrous 3b202); Selenium (sodium selenite 3b801)
Technological additives
Tocopherol-rich extracts from plant oils 1b306(i)
Ingredients (38)67% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- meat 36.1%
- veg 28.2%
- carb 10.7%
- supplement 8.5%
- oil 7.7%
- fibre 6.5%
- additive 2.2%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicken meat (22%) | Chicken | meat · medium | 22 | 22.0 |
| 2 | rice | Rice - white | carb · medium | - | 2.8 |
| 3 | rice flour | Rice flour | carb · medium | - | 2.8 |
| 4 | trout meal (7%) | Trout | meat · good | 7 | 7.0 |
| 5 | poultry fat | Poultry Fat | oil · medium | - | 2.7 |
| 6 | rice protein | Rice Protein | carb · medium | - | 2.7 |
| 7 | beet pulp | Beet Pulp | fibre · medium | - | 2.7 |
| 8 | linseed (2.6%) | Linseed | veg · good | 2.6 | 2.6 |
| 9 | sunflower oil | Sunflower oil | oil · good | - | 2.6 |
| 10 | apple pomace (1.3%) | Apple Fibre | fibre · medium | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| 11 | hydrolysed liver | Liver Hydrolysate | meat · medium | - | 2.6 |
| 12 | cellulose | Cellulose | fibre · medium | - | 2.5 |
| 13 | fish hydrolysate | Hydrolyzed Fish Protein | meat · medium | - | 2.5 |
| 14 | potassium chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement · medium | - | 2.4 |
| 15 | canola oil | Rapeseed oil | oil · good | - | 2.4 |
| 16 | maize | Maize / Corn | carb · medium | - | 2.3 |
| 17 | yeasts | Yeast | supplement · good | - | 2.3 |
| 18 | sodium chloride | Salt | additive · poor | - | 2.2 |
| 19 | seaweed (0.27%) | Seaweed | veg · good | 0.27 | 0.3 |
| 20 | chicory powder | Chicory root | veg · good | - | 2.2 |
| 21 | yeasts (extract) | Yeast | supplement · good | - | 2.1 |
| 22 | yucca schidigera (0.1%) | Yucca Schidigera | supplement · good | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| 23 | mussel meat | Mussel Meat Meal | meat · medium | - | 2.1 |
| 24 | turmeric | Turmeric | veg · good | - | 2.1 |
| 25 | milk thistle | Milk Thistle | veg · good | - | 2.0 |
| 26 | artichoke | Artichoke | veg · good | - | 2.0 |
| 27 | dandelion | Dandelion Root | veg · good | - | 1.9 |
| 28 | ginger | Ginger | veg · good | - | 1.9 |
| 29 | birch leaves | Birch Leaves | veg · medium | - | 1.8 |
| 30 | stinging nettle | Nettles | veg · good | - | 1.8 |
| 31 | camomile | Chamomile | veg · good | - | 1.7 |
| 32 | coriander | Coriander | veg · good | - | 1.7 |
| 33 | rosemary | Rosemary | veg · good | - | 1.6 |
| 34 | sage | Sage | veg · good | - | 1.6 |
| 35 | liquorice root | Licorice Root | supplement · medium | - | 1.6 |
| 36 | thyme | Thyme | veg · good | - | 1.5 |
| 37 | total dried herbs: 0.16% | Herbs | veg · medium | 0.16 | 0.2 |
| 38 | dried. | unmatched | - | - | 1.5 |
- 1. Chicken meat (22%)22% declared22.0% estimated
- 2. rice2.8% estimated
- 3. rice flour2.8% estimated
- 4. trout meal (7%)7% declared7.0% estimated
- 5. poultry fat2.7% estimated
- 6. rice protein2.7% estimated
- 7. beet pulp2.7% estimated
- 8. linseed (2.6%)2.6% declared2.6% estimated
- 9. sunflower oil2.6% estimated
- 10. apple pomace (1.3%)1.3% declared1.3% estimated
- 11. hydrolysed liver2.6% estimated
- 12. cellulose2.5% estimated
- 13. fish hydrolysate2.5% estimated
- 14. potassium chloride2.4% estimated
- 15. canola oil2.4% estimated
- 16. maize2.3% estimated
- 17. yeasts2.3% estimated
- 18. sodium chloride2.2% estimated
- 19. seaweed (0.27%)0.27% declared0.3% estimated
- 20. chicory powder2.2% estimated
- 21. yeasts (extract)2.1% estimated
- 22. yucca schidigera (0.1%)0.1% declared0.1% estimated
- 23. mussel meat2.1% estimated
- 24. turmeric2.1% estimated
- 25. milk thistle2.0% estimated
- 26. artichoke2.0% estimated
- 27. dandelion1.9% estimated
- 28. ginger1.9% estimated
- 29. birch leaves1.8% estimated
- 30. stinging nettle1.8% estimated
- 31. camomile1.7% estimated
- 32. coriander1.7% estimated
- 33. rosemary1.6% estimated
- 34. sage1.6% estimated
- 35. liquorice root1.6% estimated
- 36. thyme1.5% estimated
- 37. total dried herbs: 0.16%0.16% declared0.2% estimated
- 38. dried.1.5% estimated
Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-14
Brand and contact: Happy Dog
- Website
- https://www.happydoguk.com/
- [email protected]
- 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 v3 (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.
Brand and retailer reviews
External platform ratings are not scores for this individual recipe.
6 reviews on this product · 4.3/5
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 rating of 58 out of 100. The inclusion of ingredients without printed percentages contributed -7 points, and the processing format adjusted the score by -6.7. Conversely, the overall quality of the ingredient list added +6 points, while being labelled nutritionally complete contributed +2.3 points to the final evaluation.
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 | 0.7 | 9.191 | +6.01 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 20.1% | 0.096 | +1.93 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 15.1% | -0.115 | -1.73 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 12.2% | -0.092 | -1.13 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 19.2% | -0.005 | -0.10 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 3.2% | 0.163 | +0.52 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 12.5% | -0.012 | -0.15 |
| Recipe graded poor | 2.2% | -0.065 | -0.15 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.876 | -0.88 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 2.2% | 0.060 | +0.13 |
| Undeclared quantities | 66.7% | -0.106 | -7.05 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Additive penalty | -2.74 | 0.222 | -0.61 |
| 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 | 0.7 | 9.191 | +6.01 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 20.1% | 0.096 | +1.93 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 15.1% | -0.115 | -1.73 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 12.2% | -0.092 | -1.13 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 19.2% | -0.005 | -0.10 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 3.2% | 0.163 | +0.52 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 12.5% | -0.012 | -0.15 |
| 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 | 2.2% | -0.065 | -0.15 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.876 | -0.88 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 2.2% | 0.060 | +0.13 |
| Undeclared quantities | 66.7% | -0.106 | -7.05 |
| 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) | 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 | 0.0 | 11.084 | +0.00 |
| Additive penalty | -2.74 | 0.222 | -0.61 |
| 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
- +2 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 58.4
- Final score
- 58/100
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.
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.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 27 | 29.8 (band 18 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 16 | 17.7 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 3.5 | 3.9 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Calcium | 1.4 | 1.5 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 100 |
| Phosphorus | 1 | 1.1 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 100 |
| Sodium | 0.6 | 0.7 (band 0.1+%) | 100 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.4 | 1.4 (band 1 to 2%) | 94 |
| 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 8 declared nutrients (combined weight 95); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 9.5% from the food type.
Declared fortification: 8 nutritional additives on the label
- Vitamin A (3a672a)
- Vitamin D3 (3a671)
- Iron (iron(II) sulphate monohydrate 3b103)
- Copper (copper(II) sulphate pentahydrate 3b405)
- Zinc (zinc oxide 3b603, zinc chelate of amino acids hydrate 3b606)
- Manganese (manganese(II) oxide 3b502)
- Iodine (calcium iodate, anhydrous 3b202)
- Selenium (sodium selenite 3b801)
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 (33.3% of the recipe mass) (voluntary) | 6.7/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file | 0/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| 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) | 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 (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 — 1 checkable claim: 0 consistent, 1 contradicted.
Contradicted by the label
- "grain-free, soy-free, and with no added sugar" — the declared label says otherwise on grain-free.
6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| For increased vitality (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Helps to reduce pet waste odour (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids along with seaweed promote a glossy coat and support your four-legged friend's natural skin barrier (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| The extra-small biscuits are perfectly adapted to the teeth of extra-small dogs up to 5 kg (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Gluten-free recipe (on pack) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| grain-free, soy-free, and with no added sugar (on page) | Free-from | contradicted | Manufacturer assertion |
| Complete feed for adult dogs of small to extra-small breeds (on pack) | Content | not checkable | 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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