Healthy Paws British Free-Run Chicken & Brown Rice

Dry Extruded · completeClear label

British Free-Run Chicken & Brown Rice
Average
our rating

Our verdict

Is Healthy Paws British Free-Run Chicken & Brown Rice a good dog food?

We score it 55/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.

Complete extruded dry food for senior dogs, with dried chicken protein, rice and oats as the main ingredients.

How we score

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

76% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.

Why you might choose it

  • Prints ingredient percentages on the label.
  • Nutritionally complete: formulated to be fed as the whole diet.

Why you might not

  • Low in protein: 20% protein on a dry-matter basis.

Who is this food for?

Suits

  • Labelled by the manufacturer for senior dogs
  • Doesn't list beef, turkey, lamb, venison, pork, duck as ingredients

Consider something else if:

  • Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists dried chicken protein
  • Your dog avoids fish: the label lists salmon oil
  • Your dog avoids grain: the label lists rice - brown / whole grain
  • You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein
  • You need more protein than this: 19.5% on a dry-matter basis is in the low 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 19.50% · Fat 12%

Typical analysis (as fed)

NutrientAs fed
Protein19.50%
Fat12%
Fibre4.50%
Ash6%

Additives & feeding info

Additives declared on the label

Nutritional additives

Vitamin A 14400 IU; Vitamin D3 2160 IU; Vitamin C 168 mg; Vitamin E 100 mg; Ferrous Sulphate Monohydrate 160 mg; Zinc Sulphate Monohydrate 133 mg; Manganous Sulphate Monohydrate 105 mg; Cupric Sulphate Pentahydrate 58 mg; Calcium Iodate Anhydrous 1.57 mg; Sodium Selenite 0.64 mg; DL-M 2200 mg

Ingredients (10)76% of the recipe is estimated

Estimated composition

  • carb 34.2%
  • meat 29.4%
  • oil 19.0%
  • fibre 9.9%
  • veg 7.6%
#As declaredMatchedLabel readingDeclared %Est. %
1Dried Chicken 21%Dried chicken proteinmeat · good2121.0
2Brown RiceRice - brown / whole graincarb · medium-12.2
3White RiceRice - whitecarb · medium-11.4
4OatsOatscarb · medium-10.6
5Beet PulpBeet Pulpfibre · medium-9.9
6Sunflower OilSunflower oiloil · good-9.1
7Chicken Fat 3%Chicken Oil and Fatoil · good33.0
8Chicken StockChicken Brothmeat · medium-8.4
9AlfalfaAlfalfaveg · good-7.6
10Salmon OilSalmon Oiloil · good-6.8
  1. 1. Dried Chicken 21%21% declared21.0% estimated
    Dried chicken protein · meat · good
  2. 2. Brown Rice12.2% estimated
    Rice - brown / whole grain · carb · medium
  3. 3. White Rice11.4% estimated
    Rice - white · carb · medium
  4. 4. Oats10.6% estimated
    Oats · carb · medium
  5. 5. Beet Pulp9.9% estimated
    Beet Pulp · fibre · medium
  6. 6. Sunflower Oil9.1% estimated
    Sunflower oil · oil · good
  7. 7. Chicken Fat 3%3% declared3.0% estimated
    Chicken Oil and Fat · oil · good
  8. 8. Chicken Stock8.4% estimated
    Chicken Broth · meat · medium
  9. 9. Alfalfa7.6% estimated
    Alfalfa · veg · good
  10. 10. Salmon Oil6.8% estimated
    Salmon Oil · oil · good

Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-14

Brand and contact: Healthy Paws
Healthy Paws logo
Phone
+44 (0)116 260 2100

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
healthypaws.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.

Score details and methodologyCalculations, history and evidence

Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated

Why this score?

This recipe achieves a final score of 55 out of 100 based on several key factors. The overall quality of the ingredient list added +6.3 points. However, ingredients without printed percentages reduced the score by -8. Additionally, the processing format deducted -6.7 and the carbohydrate content contributed -4.4.

Scored with model v3 on 2026-10-25. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.

ComponentInputCoefficientContribution
Base score-30.909+30.91
Average ingredient quality0.79.191+6.33
Meat share of dry matter24.5%0.096+2.35
Carb share of dry matter38.2%-0.115-4.39
Oil share of dry matter23.8%-0.092-2.19
Vegetable share of dry matter1.4%-0.005-0.01
Undeclared quantities76.0%-0.106-8.02
Complete dietyes2.294+2.29
Processing multiplier0.9833.786+33.11
Processing: Dry Extrudedyes-6.713-6.71
Show all 40 components
ComponentInputCoefficientContribution
Base score-30.909+30.91
Average ingredient quality0.79.191+6.33
Meat share of dry matter24.5%0.096+2.35
Carb share of dry matter38.2%-0.115-4.39
Oil share of dry matter23.8%-0.092-2.19
Vegetable share of dry matter1.4%-0.005-0.01
Additive share of dry matter0.0%0.163+0.00
Supplement share of dry matter0.0%-0.012+0.00
Other share of dry matter0.0%-0.375+0.00
Unrecognised share of dry matter0.0%-0.027+0.00
Recipe graded poor0.0%-0.065+0.00
Poor-quality meat in recipe0.0%-0.179+0.00
Number of poor ingredients0-0.876+0.00
Largest single poor ingredient0.0%0.060+0.00
Undeclared quantities76.0%-0.106-8.02
Prints ingredient percentagesno0.000+0.00
Complete dietyes2.294+2.29
Frozen or chilled freshno0.000+0.00
High meat (30%+ of dry matter)no0.707+0.00
Low meat (under 10% of dry matter)no-3.158+0.00
High carb and low meatno-1.180+0.00
Meat share × printed percentages0.00.000+0.00
Meat share × fresh0.00.000+0.00
Fresh × high meat0.011.084+0.00
Additive penalty0.000.222+0.00
Processing multiplier0.9833.786+33.11
Processing: Rawno-0.054+0.00
Processing: Fresh Chilledno-2.354+0.00
Processing: Fresh Frozenno-2.354+0.00
Processing: Fresh Refrigeratedno0.000+0.00
Processing: Fresh Shelfno-0.672+0.00
Processing: Dry Freeze Driedno6.629+0.00
Processing: Dry Air Driedno6.331+0.00
Processing: Dry Cold Pressedno-6.713+0.00
Processing: Dry Bakedno-6.713+0.00
Processing: Dry Extrudedyes-6.713-6.71
Processing: Dry Semi Moistno-6.174+0.00
Processing: Dry Mueslino-10.146+0.00
Processing: Wet Pateno-0.672+0.00
Processing: Wet Chunksno-0.672+0.00
Processing-type offset
+0.02
Additives declared on label
+1 transparency bonus
Subtotal
54.7
Final score
55/100

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
v355/100current
v255/100
v154/100
v1.955/100
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
Protein19.521.5 (band 18 to 40%)79.7
Fat1213.3 (band 5.5 to 20%)100
Fibre4.55 (band 0.5 to 5%)100

Scored over 3 declared nutrients (combined weight 50); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 9.5% from the food type.

Declared fortification: 11 nutritional additives on the label
  • Vitamin A 14400 IU
  • Vitamin D3 2160 IU
  • Vitamin C 168 mg
  • Vitamin E 100 mg
  • Ferrous Sulphate Monohydrate 160 mg
  • Zinc Sulphate Monohydrate 133 mg
  • Manganous Sulphate Monohydrate 105 mg
  • Cupric Sulphate Pentahydrate 58 mg
  • Calcium Iodate Anhydrous 1.57 mg
  • Sodium Selenite 0.64 mg
  • DL-M 2200 mg

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.

ItemPoints
✓ Ingredient list on the label (mandatory)10/10
✓ Printed percentages on the label (24% of the recipe mass) (voluntary)4.8/20
✗ Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file0/15
✓ Additives declared (mandatory)5/10
✗ Energy value declared (voluntary) - not on file0/5
✓ Complete/complementary designation (mandatory)5/5
✗ Feeding guidance given (mandatory) - not on file0/10
✓ Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory)5/10
✓ 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 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.

Claims on file; none we can check against the label

ClaimTypeCheckSubstantiation
Crunchy kibble promotes good oral hygiene (on page)Functionalnot checkableManufacturer assertion
added glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM to support and maintain healthy hips and joints (on page)Functionalnot checkableManufacturer assertion
low GI rice and oats supplying more fibre to keep hunger at bay for longer (on page)Functionalnot checkableManufacturer assertion
delicious blend of vegetables and herbs helps to keep fleas and worms at bay too (on page)Functionalnot checkableManufacturer assertion
wheat and wheat gluten free recipe (on page)Free-fromnot checkableManufacturer 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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