Nature's Variety Complete Food mini Lamb

Dry Freeze Dried · completeHigh meatClear label

Complete Food mini Lamb
Good
our rating

Our verdict

Is Nature's Variety Complete Food mini Lamb a good dog food?

We score it 93/100 (Good). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.

Complete freeze-dried food for adult dogs, with deboned lamb, lamb lung and lamb heart as the main ingredients.

How we score

Why you might choose it

  • Scores 93, in the top quarter of dry foods we track.
  • Meat makes up an estimated 78% of the dry matter (80% as fed).
  • Prints ingredient percentages on the label.

Why you might not

  • High in fat: 38% fat on a dry-matter basis.

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: lamb
  • Doesn't list chicken, beef, turkey, fish, venison, pork, duck as ingredients

Consider something else if:

  • You are limiting fat: 38.3% 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 38% · Fat 36%

Typical analysis (as fed)

NutrientAs fed
Protein38%
Fat36%
Fibre5%
Ash7%
Moisture6%
Omega-3 fatty acids1.40%
Omega-6 fatty acids1.60%
Calcium2.10%
Phosphorus1.50%

Additives & feeding info

Feeding and storage

Storage

Freeze dried raw food, maximum nutrients preservation

Additives declared on the label

Nutritional additives

vitamin A 1000 IU; vitamin D 100 IU; vitamin E 14 mg; iron(II) sulphate monohydrate 20 mg; calcium iodate anhydrous 0.4 mg; zinc sulphate monohydrate 50.1 mg

Ingredients (24)5% of the recipe is estimated

Estimated composition

  • meat 80.0%
  • veg 15.6%
  • fibre 1.7%
  • supplement 1.4%
  • carb 1.0%
  • oil 0.4%
#As declaredMatchedLabel readingDeclared %Est. %
1deboned lamb meat 35%Deboned Lambmeat · good3535.0
2lamb lung 35%Lamb Lungmeat · medium3535.0
3lamb heart 5%Lamb Heartmeat · good55.0
4lamb liver 5%Lambs Livermeat · good55.0
5carrots (5%)Carrotsveg · good55.0
6apples (5%)Applesveg · good55.0
7pea fibre (1.25%)Pea Fibrefibre · medium1.251.3
8butternut squash (1%)Butternut Squashveg · good11.0
9sweet potato (1%)Sweet Potatoescarb · good11.0
10minerals (1%)Vitamins and mineralssupplement · medium11.0
11cranberries (0.5%)Cranberriesveg · good0.50.5
12blackberries (0.5%)Blackberriesveg · good0.50.5
13flaxseedLinseedveg · good-0.5
14chicory rootChicory rootveg · good-0.5
15kaleKaleveg · good-0.5
16peppermintPeppermintveg · good-0.4
17coconut oilCoconut Oiloil · medium-0.4
18beet pulpBeet Pulpfibre · medium-0.4
19green teaGreen Teaveg · good-0.4
20yuccaYucca Schidigerasupplement · good-0.4
21rosemaryRosemaryveg · good-0.3
22parsleyParsleyveg · good-0.3
23dandelion rootDandelion Rootveg · good-0.3
24hawthorn leafHawthornveg · medium-0.3
  1. 1. deboned lamb meat 35%35% declared35.0% estimated
    Deboned Lamb · meat · good
  2. 2. lamb lung 35%35% declared35.0% estimated
    Lamb Lung · meat · medium
  3. 3. lamb heart 5%5% declared5.0% estimated
    Lamb Heart · meat · good
  4. 4. lamb liver 5%5% declared5.0% estimated
    Lambs Liver · meat · good
  5. 5. carrots (5%)5% declared5.0% estimated
    Carrots · veg · good
  6. 6. apples (5%)5% declared5.0% estimated
    Apples · veg · good
  7. 7. pea fibre (1.25%)1.25% declared1.3% estimated
    Pea Fibre · fibre · medium
  8. 8. butternut squash (1%)1% declared1.0% estimated
    Butternut Squash · veg · good
  9. 9. sweet potato (1%)1% declared1.0% estimated
    Sweet Potatoes · carb · good
  10. 10. minerals (1%)1% declared1.0% estimated
    Vitamins and minerals · supplement · medium
  11. 11. cranberries (0.5%)0.5% declared0.5% estimated
    Cranberries · veg · good
  12. 12. blackberries (0.5%)0.5% declared0.5% estimated
    Blackberries · veg · good
  13. 13. flaxseed0.5% estimated
    Linseed · veg · good
  14. 14. chicory root0.5% estimated
    Chicory root · veg · good
  15. 15. kale0.5% estimated
    Kale · veg · good
  16. 16. peppermint0.4% estimated
    Peppermint · veg · good
  17. 17. coconut oil0.4% estimated
    Coconut Oil · oil · medium
  18. 18. beet pulp0.4% estimated
    Beet Pulp · fibre · medium
  19. 19. green tea0.4% estimated
    Green Tea · veg · good
  20. 20. yucca0.4% estimated
    Yucca Schidigera · supplement · good
  21. 21. rosemary0.3% estimated
    Rosemary · veg · good
  22. 22. parsley0.3% estimated
    Parsley · veg · good
  23. 23. dandelion root0.3% estimated
    Dandelion Root · veg · good
  24. 24. hawthorn leaf0.3% estimated
    Hawthorn · veg · medium

Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-28

Brand and contact: Nature's Variety

Trust and provenance

Recall history
No recalls recorded in our database
Label data last checked
2026-09-28
Scored with
Model v3 (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.

Score details and methodologyCalculations, history and evidence

Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated

Why this score?

The product scored 93 out of 100. The meat content contributed +7.5 points, and the overall quality of the ingredient list added a further +7.4 points. The processing format gave +6.6 points, while being labelled nutritionally complete added +2.3 points to the final result.

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 quality0.89.191+7.37
Meat share of dry matter78.5%0.096+7.54
Carb share of dry matter0.9%-0.115-0.10
Oil share of dry matter1.5%-0.092-0.14
Vegetable share of dry matter9.5%-0.005-0.05
Supplement share of dry matter4.4%-0.012-0.05
Undeclared quantities4.8%-0.106-0.50
Complete dietyes2.294+2.29
High meat (30%+ of dry matter)yes0.707+0.71
Processing multiplier1.1133.786+37.50
Processing: Dry Freeze Driedyes6.629+6.63
Show all 40 components
ComponentInputCoefficientContribution
Base score-30.909+30.91
Average ingredient quality0.89.191+7.37
Meat share of dry matter78.5%0.096+7.54
Carb share of dry matter0.9%-0.115-0.10
Oil share of dry matter1.5%-0.092-0.14
Vegetable share of dry matter9.5%-0.005-0.05
Additive share of dry matter0.0%0.163+0.00
Supplement share of dry matter4.4%-0.012-0.05
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 quantities4.8%-0.106-0.50
Prints ingredient percentagesno0.000+0.00
Complete dietyes2.294+2.29
Frozen or chilled freshno0.000+0.00
High meat (30%+ of dry matter)yes0.707+0.71
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 multiplier1.1133.786+37.50
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 Driedyes6.629+6.63
Processing: Dry Air Driedno6.331+0.00
Processing: Dry Cold Pressedno-6.713+0.00
Processing: Dry Bakedno-6.713+0.00
Processing: Dry Extrudedno-6.713+0.00
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
+0.06
Additives declared on label
+1 transparency bonus
Subtotal
93.2
Final score
93/100

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
v393/100current
v294/100
v192/100
v1.995/100
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
Protein3840.4 (band 18 to 40%)100
Fat3638.3 (band 5.5 to 20%)100
Fibre55.3 (band 0.5 to 5%)100
Calcium2.12.2 (band 0.5 to 2.5%)100
Phosphorus1.51.6 (band 0.4 to 1.6%)100
Calcium:phosphorus ratio1.41.4 (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 7 declared nutrients (combined weight 90); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.

Declared fortification: 6 nutritional additives on the label
  • vitamin A 1000 IU
  • vitamin D 100 IU
  • vitamin E 14 mg
  • iron(II) sulphate monohydrate 20 mg
  • calcium iodate anhydrous 0.4 mg
  • zinc sulphate monohydrate 50.1 mg

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 (95.3% of the recipe mass) (voluntary)19.1/20
✓ Analytical constituents declared (mandatory)15/15
✓ 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 (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.

100/100 · moderate — 1 checkable claim: 1 consistent, 0 contradicted.

Consistent with the label

  • "Complete and balanced pet food for mini-sized adult dogs" — supported by the declared complete and balanced data.

4 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.

Moderate: every checkable claim is consistent with the declared label.

ClaimTypeCheckSubstantiation
Freeze dried for maximum nutrients preservation (on page)Functionalnot checkableManufacturer assertion
Complete and balanced pet food for mini-sized adult dogs (on page)ContentconsistentManufacturer assertion
Made with 100% natural ingredients, with added vitamins and minerals (on page)Contentnot checkableManufacturer assertion
100% Natural ingredients with added vitamins and minerals (on pack)Contentnot checkableManufacturer assertion
HIGH QUALITY DEBONED LAMB MEAT (on page)Contentnot 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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