Our verdict
Is Natural Instinct Natural Fish a good dog food?
We score it 91/100 (Good). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Complete raw food for adult dogs, with herring, salmon and white fish as the main ingredients.
Only part of the analytical constituents are declared, so the nutritional picture is incomplete.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
- Single named protein: fish
- Doesn't list chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids grain: it is listed as an ingredient
- You are limiting fat: 39.0% on a dry-matter basis is in the high 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 14.60% · Fat 12.30%
Typical analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed |
|---|---|
| Protein | 14.60% |
| Fat | 12.30% |
| Fibre | 0.60% |
| Moisture | 68.50% |
| Calcium | 0.30% |
| Phosphorus | 0.20% |
| Sodium | 0.10% |
Additives & feeding info
Feeding and storage
Storage
Store in the freezer.
Feeding guide
Use the Food Calculator for feeding quantities. Guidelines are approximate and may vary according to lifestyle, appetite and temperament.
No additives recorded yet.
Ingredients (16)20% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- meat 80.0%
- veg 13.1%
- supplement 4.9%
- carb 2.0%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | herring 20% | Herring | meat · good | 20 | 20.0 |
| 2 | salmon 30% | Salmon | meat · good | 30 | 30.0 |
| 3 | white fish mix 30% | White Fish | meat · good | 30 | 30.0 |
| 4 | barley grass | Barley grass | carb · good | - | 2.0 |
| 5 | bilberry powder | Bilberry Powder | veg · good | - | 1.9 |
| 6 | brewers yeast | Brewer's Yeast | supplement · good | - | 1.8 |
| 7 | broccoli | Broccoli | veg · good | - | 1.8 |
| 8 | butternut squash | Butternut Squash | veg · good | - | 1.7 |
| 9 | calcium carbonate | Calcium Carbonate | supplement · medium | - | 1.6 |
| 10 | carrot | Carrots | veg · good | - | 1.5 |
| 11 | dicalcium phosphate | Dicalcium phosphate | supplement · medium | - | 1.5 |
| 12 | kale | Kale | veg · good | - | 1.4 |
| 13 | kelp | Kelp | veg · good | - | 1.3 |
| 14 | peas | Peas | veg · good | - | 1.2 |
| 15 | spirulina | Spirulina | veg · good | - | 1.2 |
| 16 | thyme | Thyme | veg · good | - | 1.1 |
- 1. herring 20%20% declared20.0% estimated
- 2. salmon 30%30% declared30.0% estimated
- 3. white fish mix 30%30% declared30.0% estimated
- 4. barley grass2.0% estimated
- 5. bilberry powder1.9% estimated
- 6. brewers yeast1.8% estimated
- 7. broccoli1.8% estimated
- 8. butternut squash1.7% estimated
- 9. calcium carbonate1.6% estimated
- 10. carrot1.5% estimated
- 11. dicalcium phosphate1.5% estimated
- 12. kale1.4% estimated
- 13. kelp1.3% estimated
- 14. peas1.2% estimated
- 15. spirulina1.2% estimated
- 16. thyme1.1% estimated
Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-14
Brand and contact: Natural Instinct
- Website
- https://naturalinstinct.com/
- Contact page
- www.naturalinstinct.co.uk
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
- naturalinstinct.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?
We scored this product at 91 out of 100. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +8.5 points, while the meat content added a further +6.3 points. On the downside, ingredients without printed percentages deducted -2.1 points and the carbohydrate content cost -0.6 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 | 0.9 | 9.191 | +8.47 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 66.0% | 0.096 | +6.34 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 5.2% | -0.115 | -0.60 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 15.5% | -0.005 | -0.08 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 13.3% | -0.012 | -0.16 |
| Undeclared quantities | 20.0% | -0.106 | -2.11 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | yes | 0.707 | +0.71 |
| Fresh × high meat | 1.0 | 11.084 | +11.08 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.12 | 33.786 | +37.84 |
| Processing: Raw | yes | -0.054 | -0.05 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.9 | 9.191 | +8.47 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 66.0% | 0.096 | +6.34 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 5.2% | -0.115 | -0.60 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.092 | +0.00 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 15.5% | -0.005 | -0.08 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.163 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 13.3% | -0.012 | -0.16 |
| 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 | 20.0% | -0.106 | -2.11 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Complete diet | no | 2.294 | +0.00 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | yes | 0.707 | +0.71 |
| 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 | 1.0 | 11.084 | +11.08 |
| Additive penalty | 0.00 | 0.222 | +0.00 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.12 | 33.786 | +37.84 |
| Processing: Raw | yes | -0.054 | -0.05 |
| 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 | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| 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
- -1.74
- Subtotal
- 90.6
- Final score
- 91/100
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 | 14.6 | 46.3 (band 18 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 12.3 | 39 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 0.6 | 1.9 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 88.7 |
| Calcium | 0.3 | 1 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 83.6 |
| Phosphorus | 0.2 | 0.6 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 81.7 |
| Sodium | 0.1 | 0.3 (band 0.1+%) | 100 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.5 | 1.5 (band 1 to 2%) | 100 |
Scored over 7 declared nutrients (combined weight 85); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.
No nutritional additives section declared on the label.
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 (80% of the recipe mass) (voluntary) | 16/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file | 0/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) - not on file | 0/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) - not on file | 0/5 |
| 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 file | 0/5 |
Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Analytical constituents declared, Additives 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 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" — the declared label says otherwise on grain-free.
4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| complete and balanced raw dog food (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Grain-free (on page) | Free-from | contradicted | Manufacturer assertion |
| 100% recyclable packaging (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Bursting with frozen fresh flavours (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| No artificial colours, additives or preservatives (on page) | Free-from | 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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