Is Royal Canin Mini Starter - Mother & Babydog a good dog food?
We score it 42/100 (Poor). The main reasons are set out in "Why you might not" below, and every step of the calculation is shown under "How we calculated this score".
Why this score?
This recipe achieves a final score of 42 out of 100 based on several key factors. The overall quality of the ingredient list added +3.6 points. However, ingredients without printed percentages reduced the score by -10.6. Additionally, the processing format deducted -6.7 and the carbohydrate content contributed -2.5.
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.
- Recipe42
- Nutritionalmedium89
- Transparency60
- Safety100
- Evidencemoderate100
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 extruded dry food for dogs of all life stages, with dehydrated poultry proteins, rice and unspecified animal fats and oils as the main ingredients.
Why you might choose it
- High in protein: 30% protein on a dry-matter basis.
- Declares energy content, which most labels omit.
- Nutritionally complete: formulated to be fed as the whole diet.
Why you might not
- 4 poor-graded ingredients make up about 27% of the recipe.
- High in fat: 22% fat on a dry-matter basis.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 30%
- Fat
- 22%
- Fibre
- 1.30%
- Ash
- 8.50%
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- 0.20%
Energy: 420.9 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Vitamin A: 18500 IU; Vitamin D3: 1200 IU; Iron (3b103): 40 mg; Iodine (3b201, 3b202): 4 mg; Copper (3b405, 3b406): 12 mg; Manganese (3b502, 3b504): 52 mg; Zinc (3b603, 3b605, 3b606): 131 mg; Selenium (3b801, 3b811, 3b812): 0.07 mg
Technological additives
Clinoptilolite of sedimentary origin: 10 g; Preservatives; Antioxidants
Storage
Store the product in a cool, dry place.
Feeding guide
Feeding amounts provided are a guideline. Speak to a pet professional regarding specific amounts for your pet. Fresh water should be available at all times.
Reviews
80 reviews on this product · 4.8/5
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for all lifestages
- 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 dehydrated poultry proteins
- Your dog avoids turkey: the label lists dehydrated poultry proteins
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists fish oil
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists rice - white
- You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein
- You are limiting fat: 22.0% 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. Use the homepage filter to find foods that fit your dog.
Ingredients (16)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dehydrated poultry protein | Dehydrated Poultry Proteins | meat | good | - | 8.2 |
| 2 | rice | Rice - white | carb | medium | - | 7.9 |
| 3 | animal fats | Unspecified Animal Fats and Oils | oil | poor | - | 7.7 |
| 4 | wheat gluten | Wheat Gluten | carb | poor | - | 7.4 |
| 5 | maize | Maize / Corn | carb | medium | - | 7.1 |
| 6 | beet pulp | Beet Pulp | fibre | medium | - | 6.9 |
| 7 | hydrolysed animal proteins | Hydrolysed Animal Protein | meat | medium | - | 6.6 |
| 8 | minerals | Vitamins and minerals | supplement | medium | - | 6.4 |
| 9 | soya oil | Soybean oil | oil | medium | - | 6.1 |
| 10 | fish oil | Fish Oil | oil | good | - | 5.9 |
| 11 | fructo-oligo-saccharides | Fructo-oligosaccharides | supplement | good | - | 5.6 |
| 12 | hydrolysed yeast | Hydrolysed Yeast | additive | medium | - | 5.4 |
| 13 | algal oil Schizochytrium sp | Algae Oil | oil | good | - | 5.1 |
| 14 | (source of DHA) | DHA | supplement | good | - | 4.8 |
| 15 | butyric acid salt | Butyric Acid | supplement | medium | - | 4.6 |
| 16 | marigold meal | Calendula | veg | good | - | 4.3 |
Brand
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-09
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- www.royalcanin.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.
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Scored with model v3 on 2026-10-06. 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 | 0.4 | 9.191 | +3.56 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 21.4% | -0.115 | -2.46 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 26.5% | -0.092 | -2.44 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 4.2% | -0.005 | -0.02 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 4.5% | 0.163 | +0.73 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 22.1% | -0.012 | -0.27 |
| Recipe graded poor | 19.6% | -0.065 | -1.28 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 3 | -0.876 | -2.63 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 7.7% | 0.060 | +0.46 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| Additive penalty | -5.83 | 0.222 | -1.29 |
| 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 | 0.4 | 9.191 | +3.56 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 21.4% | -0.115 | -2.46 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 26.5% | -0.092 | -2.44 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 4.2% | -0.005 | -0.02 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 4.5% | 0.163 | +0.73 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 22.1% | -0.012 | -0.27 |
| 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 | 19.6% | -0.065 | -1.28 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 3 | -0.876 | -2.63 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 7.7% | 0.060 | +0.46 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| 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) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| 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 | -5.83 | 0.222 | -1.29 |
| 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
- 42.3
- Final score
- 42/100
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 | 30 | 33.1 (band 20.928729281767957 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 22 | 24.3 (band 6.394889502762431 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 1.3 | 1.4 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 82.5 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 420.9 | 465.1 | 50 |
Scored over 4 declared nutrients (combined weight 60); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 9.5% from the food type.
Portion-control flag: 420.9 kcal/100g as fed with fat at 24.3% dry matter, above the reference band. High-energy foods need smaller portions.
Declared fortification: 8 nutritional additives on the label
- Vitamin A: 18500 IU
- Vitamin D3: 1200 IU
- Iron (3b103): 40 mg
- Iodine (3b201, 3b202): 4 mg
- Copper (3b405, 3b406): 12 mg
- Manganese (3b502, 3b504): 52 mg
- Zinc (3b603, 3b605, 3b606): 131 mg
- Selenium (3b801, 3b811, 3b812): 0.07 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.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Ingredient list on the label (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Printed percentages on the label (voluntary) - not on file | 0/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file | 0/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) | 5/5 |
| 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) | 5/5 |
Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Analytical constituents declared).
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 feed for dogs - For the small breed bitch (up to 10 kg) and her puppies: bitch at the end of gestation and during lactation - Weaning puppies up to 2 months old." — supported by the declared complete and balanced data.
2 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.
Moderate: every checkable claim is consistent with the declared label.
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supports the development of the puppy’s healthy immune system with the inclusion of a complex of nutrients, including vitamins E and C. (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Combination of prebiotics (MOS) & highly digestible proteins to help support a healthy balance of intestinal microbiota for digestive health. (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Complete feed for dogs - For the small breed bitch (up to 10 kg) and her puppies: bitch at the end of gestation and during lactation - Weaning puppies up to 2 months old. (on page) | Content | consistent | 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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