Leader Beef Dog Food

Dry Extruded complete

Beef Dog Food
Average
our rating

Is Leader Beef Dog Food a good dog food?

We score it 47/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.

How we score

Why this score?

This recipe achieves an overall rating of 47 out of 100 based on several key factors. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +4.3 points to the total. However, ingredients without printed percentages reduced the score by -13.1, the processing format subtracted -7, and the additive load contributed -2.6 points.

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

100% 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.

Complete dry food for senior small breed dogs, with dehydrated chicken and rice as the main ingredients.

Estimated composition

meat21.9%
fibre17.4%
supplement16.1%
carb12.9%
oil11.6%
veg11.0%
additive9.0%

Typical analysis (as fed)

Protein
20%
Fat
11%
Fibre
2.40%
Ash
9%

Additives & feeding info

Nutritional additives

Vitamin A 24,000 i.u./kg; Vitamin D3 2,000 i.u./kg; Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol Acetate) 250 i.u./kg; Copper (Copper Sulphate Pentahydrate) 7 mg/kg; Selenium (Sodium Selenite) 0.15 mg/kg; Iron (Iron Sulphate Monohydrate) 75 mg/kg; Manganese (Manganese Oxide) 40 mg/kg; Zinc (Zinc Oxide) 70 mg/kg; Zinc (Zinc Chelate of Glycine Hydrate) 30 mg/kg; Iodine (Calcium Iodate) 1.50 mg/kg

Technological additives

Antioxidants; Preservatives

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.

Feeding guide

Daily feeding guide by body weight and activity: 4–10kg: 100–170g resting, 110–190g light work, 125–225g rigorous work, 150–300g sustained work; 11–25kg: 170–345g resting, 190–400g light work, 225–440g rigorous work, 300–600g sustained work; 25–32kg: 345–400g resting, 400–470g light work, 440–500g rigorous work, 600–750g sustained work; 30kg+: 90g per 10kg body weight resting, 110g per 10kg light work, 125g per 10kg rigorous work, 175g per 10kg sustained work.

Who is this food for?

Suits

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

Consider something else if:

  • Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists poultry fat
  • Your dog avoids beef: the label lists beef
  • Your dog avoids turkey: the label lists poultry fat
  • Your dog avoids grain: the label lists rice - white
  • You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein
  • You need more protein than this: 20.0% 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. Use the homepage filter to find foods that fit your dog.

Ingredients (10)

#As declaredMatchedCategoryTierDeclared %Est. %
1RiceRice - whitecarbmedium-12.9
2dehydrated Beef MeatBeefmeatmedium-12.3
3Poultry FatPoultry Fatoilmedium-11.6
4Whole LinseedLinseedveggood-11.0
5Beet PulpBeet Pulpfibremedium-10.3
6Natural DigestDigestmeatpoor-9.7
7Sodium ChlorideSaltadditivepoor-9.0
8Calcium CarbonateCalcium Carbonatesupplementmedium-8.4
9Yeast ExtractYeastsupplementgood-7.7
10Chicory InulinInulinfibregood-7.1

Brand

Trust and provenance

Recall history
No recalls recorded in our database
Label data last checked
2026-09-13
Scored with
Model v2 (methodology)

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 quality0.49.915+4.28
Meat share of dry matter16.4%0.116+1.90
Carb share of dry matter13.3%-0.113-1.50
Oil share of dry matter13.5%-0.088-1.19
Vegetable share of dry matter11.6%-0.002-0.02
Additive share of dry matter9.5%0.177+1.69
Supplement share of dry matter17.4%-0.009-0.15
Recipe graded poor18.7%-0.045-0.84
Poor-quality meat in recipe9.7%-0.182-1.76
Number of poor ingredients2-0.868-1.74
Largest single poor ingredient9.7%0.056+0.55
Undeclared quantities100.0%-0.131-13.09
Complete dietyes1.703+1.70
Additive penalty-11.020.236-2.60
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 quality0.49.915+4.28
Meat share of dry matter16.4%0.116+1.90
Carb share of dry matter13.3%-0.113-1.50
Oil share of dry matter13.5%-0.088-1.19
Vegetable share of dry matter11.6%-0.002-0.02
Additive share of dry matter9.5%0.177+1.69
Supplement share of dry matter17.4%-0.009-0.15
Other share of dry matter0.0%-0.371+0.00
Unrecognised share of dry matter0.0%-0.022+0.00
Recipe graded poor18.7%-0.045-0.84
Poor-quality meat in recipe9.7%-0.182-1.76
Number of poor ingredients2-0.868-1.74
Largest single poor ingredient9.7%0.056+0.55
Undeclared quantities100.0%-0.131-13.09
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)no-1.988+0.00
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-11.020.236-2.60
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
46.9
Final score
47/100

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
v247/100current
v158/100
v1.959/100
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
Protein2021.7 (band 18 to 40%)80.2
Fat1112 (band 5.5 to 20%)96.7
Fibre2.42.6 (band 0.5 to 5%)98.1

Scored over 3 declared nutrients (combined weight 50); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 8% from the food type.

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 (voluntary) - not on file0/20
Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file0/15
Additives declared (mandatory)10/10
Energy value declared (voluntary) - not on file0/5
Complete/complementary designation (mandatory)5/5
Feeding guidance given (mandatory)10/10
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, 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
Fully balanced for sustained health and vitality (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
for lightly active dogs (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
With beetroot and chicory for fibre (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
highly digestible (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
25% protein (on page)NutrientManufacturer assertion
25% meat content (on page)ContentManufacturer assertion
Provides optimum nutrition for the working dog (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
extra protein for muscle strength (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
give them the endurance they need (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
shiny coat (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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