Our verdict
Is Royal Canin Starter Mother & Babydog a good dog food?
We score it 45/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Complete extruded dry food for dogs of all life stages, with rice, dehydrated poultry proteins and unspecified animal fats and oils as the main ingredients.
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.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for all lifestages
- 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. Find foods that fit your dog.
Nutrition and feedingProtein 30% · Fat 22%
Typical analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed |
|---|---|
| Protein | 30% |
| Fat | 22% |
| Fibre | 1.80% |
| Ash | 8.40% |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 0.19% |
Energy: 417 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Feeding and storage
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.
Additives declared on the label
Nutritional additives
Vitamin A: 18500 IU; Vitamin D3: 1200 IU; Iron (3b103): 42 mg; Iodine (3b201, 3b202): 4.2 mg; Copper (3b405, 3b406): 13 mg; Manganese (3b502, 3b504): 55 mg; Zinc (3b603, 3b605, 3b606): 136 mg; Selenium (3b801, 3b811, 3b812): 0.06 mg; Vitamin E: 500 mg/kg; Vitamin C: 400 mg/kg
Technological additives
Clinoptilolite of sedimentary origin: 10 g; Preservatives; Antioxidants
Ingredients (18)100% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- oil 22.2%
- carb 20.4%
- supplement 19.2%
- fibre 16.4%
- meat 13.3%
- additive 4.6%
- veg 3.8%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rice | Rice - white | carb · medium | - | 7.3 |
| 2 | dehydrated poultry protein | Dehydrated Poultry Proteins | meat · good | - | 7.1 |
| 3 | animal fats | Unspecified Animal Fats and Oils | oil · poor | - | 6.9 |
| 4 | wheat gluten | Wheat Gluten | carb · poor | - | 6.7 |
| 5 | maize | Maize / Corn | carb · medium | - | 6.5 |
| 6 | hydrolysed animal proteins | Hydrolysed Animal Protein | meat · medium | - | 6.3 |
| 7 | minerals | Vitamins and minerals | supplement · medium | - | 6.1 |
| 8 | beet pulp | Beet Pulp | fibre · medium | - | 5.9 |
| 9 | soya oil | Soybean oil | oil · medium | - | 5.7 |
| 10 | vegetable fibres | Vegetable fibre | fibre · medium | - | 5.5 |
| 11 | fish oil | Fish Oil | oil · good | - | 5.3 |
| 12 | psyllium husks and seeds | Psyllium | fibre · good | - | 5.1 |
| 13 | fructo-oligo-saccharides | Fructo-oligosaccharides | supplement · good | - | 4.8 |
| 14 | hydrolysed yeast | Hydrolysed Yeast | additive · medium | - | 4.6 |
| 15 | algal oil Schizochytrium sp | Algae Oil | oil · good | - | 4.4 |
| 16 | (source of DHA) | DHA | supplement · good | - | 4.2 |
| 17 | butyric acid salt | Butyric Acid | supplement · medium | - | 4.0 |
| 18 | marigold meal | Calendula | veg · good | - | 3.8 |
- 1. Rice7.3% estimated
- 2. dehydrated poultry protein7.1% estimated
- 3. animal fats6.9% estimated
- 4. wheat gluten6.7% estimated
- 5. maize6.5% estimated
- 6. hydrolysed animal proteins6.3% estimated
- 7. minerals6.1% estimated
- 8. beet pulp5.9% estimated
- 9. soya oil5.7% estimated
- 10. vegetable fibres5.5% estimated
- 11. fish oil5.3% estimated
- 12. psyllium husks and seeds5.1% estimated
- 13. fructo-oligo-saccharides4.8% estimated
- 14. hydrolysed yeast4.6% estimated
- 15. algal oil Schizochytrium sp4.4% estimated
- 16. (source of DHA)4.2% estimated
- 17. butyric acid salt4.0% estimated
- 18. marigold meal3.8% estimated
Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-09
Brand and contact: Royal Canin
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.
Brand and retailer reviews
External platform ratings are not scores for this individual recipe.
6 reviews on this product · 5.0/5
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 an overall rating of 45 out of 100. The inclusion of ingredients without printed percentages contributed -10.6 points, and the processing format adjusted the score by -6.7. Conversely, the overall quality of the ingredient list added +4.2 points, while being labelled nutritionally complete contributed +2.3 points to the final evaluation.
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 | 0.5 | 9.191 | +4.19 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 19.5% | -0.115 | -2.24 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 23.9% | -0.092 | -2.19 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 3.7% | -0.005 | -0.02 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 4.5% | 0.163 | +0.74 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 19.1% | -0.012 | -0.23 |
| Recipe graded poor | 13.5% | -0.065 | -0.88 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 2 | -0.876 | -1.75 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 6.9% | 0.060 | +0.41 |
| 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 | -5.78 | 0.222 | -1.28 |
| 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 | 0.5 | 9.191 | +4.19 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 19.5% | -0.115 | -2.24 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 23.9% | -0.092 | -2.19 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 3.7% | -0.005 | -0.02 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 4.5% | 0.163 | +0.74 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 19.1% | -0.012 | -0.23 |
| 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 | 13.5% | -0.065 | -0.88 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 2 | -0.876 | -1.75 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 6.9% | 0.060 | +0.41 |
| 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 | -5.78 | 0.222 | -1.28 |
| 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
- 44.6
- Final score
- 45/100
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 20.734806629834257 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 22 | 24.3 (band 6.335635359116023 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 1.8 | 2 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 89.9 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 417 | 460.8 | 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: 417 kcal/100g as fed with fat at 24.3% dry matter, above the reference band. High-energy foods need smaller portions.
Declared fortification: 10 nutritional additives on the label
- Vitamin A: 18500 IU
- Vitamin D3: 1200 IU
- Iron (3b103): 42 mg
- Iodine (3b201, 3b202): 4.2 mg
- Copper (3b405, 3b406): 13 mg
- Manganese (3b502, 3b504): 55 mg
- Zinc (3b603, 3b605, 3b606): 136 mg
- Selenium (3b801, 3b811, 3b812): 0.06 mg
- Vitamin E: 500 mg/kg
- Vitamin C: 400 mg/kg
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 large breed bitch 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.
4 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 nutritional needs of new mothers and their puppies (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| helps to support a healthy balance of intestinal microbiota for good digestion (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| enriched with Omega-3 fatty acids to help support healthy brain development in young puppies (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| contains nutrients such as vitamins C and E to help support natural defences (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Complete feed for dogs - For the large breed bitch 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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