Symply Light / Senior Chicken Dry Dog Food
Dry Extruded complete High meat Clear label
Is Symply Light / Senior Chicken Dry Dog Food a good dog food?
We score it 65/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Why this score?
This recipe achieves an overall score of 65 out of 100 based on several key factors. The processing format contributed -7 points to the score. Meanwhile, the meat content added +6.7 points and the overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +6.4 points. Finally, the carbohydrate content adjusted the score by -3.4 points.
26% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
- Recipe65
- Nutritionalmedium95
- Transparency60
- Safety100
- Evidencelimited33
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 senior dogs, with chicken, dried chicken protein and chicken oil and fat as the main ingredients.
Why you might choose it
- Meat makes up an estimated 58% of the dry matter (45% as fed).
- Prints ingredient percentages on the label.
- Nutritionally complete: formulated to be fed as the whole diet.
Why you might not
We found no significant drawbacks in the data we hold for this product.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 23%
- Fat
- 10.50%
- Fibre
- 4%
- Ash
- 7%
- Moisture
- 8%
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- 0.28%
- Omega-6 fatty acids
- 1.90%
- Calcium
- 1.30%
- Phosphorus
- 0.80%
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Vitamin A 15,000 iu; Vitamin D3 1,200 iu; Vitamin E (as alpha tocopherol) 150 mg; Zinc (Zinc Oxide) 90 mg; Zinc (Zinc Chelate of Amino Acids Hydrate) 45 mg; Copper (Copper (II) Sulphate Pentahydrate) 10 mg; Iodine (Calcium Iodate, Anhydrous) 2 mg; Selenium (Sodium Selenite) 0.2 mg
Technological additives
Natural antioxidants (mixed tocopherols)
Storage
Store in a cool dry place.
Feeding guide
Introduce gradually over 1 week. If your dog looks overweight reduce food intake by 10%. If your dog looks underweight increase food intake by 10%. Always ensure that fresh, clean drinking water is available.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for senior dogs
- Doesn't list beef, turkey, lamb, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists chicken
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists salmon oil
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists oats
- You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein
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 (21)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresh Chicken 26% | Chicken | meat | medium | 26 | 26.0 |
| 2 | Dried Chicken 15.5% | Dried chicken protein | meat | good | 15.5 | 15.5 |
| 3 | Chicken Gravy 1.6% | Chicken | meat | medium | 1.6 | 1.6 |
| 4 | Chicken Fat 1% | Chicken Oil and Fat | oil | good | 1 | 1.0 |
| 5 | Sweet Potato (18%) | Sweet Potatoes | carb | good | 18 | 18.0 |
| 6 | Whole Oats | Oats | carb | medium | - | 2.6 |
| 7 | Potato (11%) | Potatoes | carb | medium | 11 | 11.0 |
| 8 | Pea Starch | Pea Starch | carb | poor | - | 2.5 |
| 9 | Peas | Peas | veg | good | - | 2.4 |
| 10 | Alfalfa | Alfalfa | veg | good | - | 2.3 |
| 11 | Salmon Oil (0.8%) | Salmon Oil | oil | good | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| 12 | Whole Egg | Egg | meat | good | - | 2.2 |
| 13 | Cranberry | Cranberries | veg | good | - | 2.1 |
| 14 | Carrot | Carrots | veg | good | - | 2.0 |
| 15 | Apple | Apples | veg | good | - | 1.9 |
| 16 | Broccoli | Broccoli | veg | good | - | 1.8 |
| 17 | Marigold Flower | Calendula | veg | good | - | 1.7 |
| 18 | Bilberry | Bilberries | veg | good | - | 1.6 |
| 19 | Spinach | Spinach | veg | good | - | 1.5 |
| 20 | Prebiotics - Fructooligosaccharides (0.04%) | Prebiotics | supplement | good | 0.04 | 0.04 |
| 21 | Peppermint | Peppermint | veg | good | - | 1.4 |
Brand
- Website
- https://symplypets.com/
- [email protected]
- Phone
- 01494 775 222
- Address
- Symply Pet Foods Ltd Thomas Road Wooburn Green Buckinghamshire HP10 0PE
- Contact page
- www.symplypetfoods.co.uk
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-13
- Scored with
- Model v2 (methodology)
- Product page
- symplypets.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 v2 on 2026-09-22. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.6 | 9.915 | +6.38 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 57.6% | 0.116 | +6.69 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 30.4% | -0.113 | -3.42 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 4.6% | -0.088 | -0.41 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 7.3% | -0.002 | -0.01 |
| Recipe graded poor | 2.5% | -0.045 | -0.11 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.868 | -0.87 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 2.5% | 0.056 | +0.14 |
| Undeclared quantities | 26.1% | -0.131 | -3.41 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | yes | 3.194 | +3.19 |
| Complete diet | yes | 1.703 | +1.70 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | yes | -0.506 | -0.51 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 57.6 | -0.073 | -4.23 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.996 | -7.00 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.6 | 9.915 | +6.38 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 57.6% | 0.116 | +6.69 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 30.4% | -0.113 | -3.42 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 4.6% | -0.088 | -0.41 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 7.3% | -0.002 | -0.01 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.177 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 0.1% | -0.009 | -0.00 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.371 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.022 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 2.5% | -0.045 | -0.11 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.182 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.868 | -0.87 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 2.5% | 0.056 | +0.14 |
| Undeclared quantities | 26.1% | -0.131 | -3.41 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | yes | 3.194 | +3.19 |
| Complete diet | yes | 1.703 | +1.70 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 11.440 | +0.00 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | yes | -0.506 | -0.51 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | no | -1.988 | +0.00 |
| High carb and low meat | no | -1.250 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 57.6 | -0.073 | -4.23 |
| Meat share × fresh | 0.0 | -0.339 | +0.00 |
| Fresh × high meat | 0.0 | 16.475 | +0.00 |
| Additive penalty | 0.00 | 0.236 | +0.00 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Processing: Raw | no | 13.322 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | 7.712 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | no | 6.583 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Refrigerated | no | 4.857 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | no | 0.072 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Freeze Dried | no | 11.127 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | no | 9.320 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Cold Pressed | no | 4.569 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Baked | no | -2.321 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.996 | -7.00 |
| Processing: Dry Semi Moist | no | -6.833 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Muesli | no | -10.711 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Pate | no | 2.935 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | no | 2.292 | +0.00 |
- Processing-type offset
- -0.01
- Additives declared on label
- +2 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 64.8
- Final score
- 65/100
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.
| Model | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| v2 | 65/100 | current |
| v1 | 65/100 |
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.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 23 | 25 (band 18 to 40%) | 89.1 |
| Fat | 10.5 | 11.4 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 94.5 |
| Fibre | 4 | 4.3 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Calcium | 1.3 | 1.4 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 97.4 |
| Phosphorus | 0.8 | 0.9 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 93.5 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.6 | 1.6 (band 1 to 2%) | 100 |
| 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.
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 (73.9% of the recipe mass) (voluntary) | 14.8/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) | 15/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| 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) | 10/10 |
| Country of manufacture stated (voluntary) | 10/10 |
| Batch and date labelling (mandatory) - not on file | 0/5 |
Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (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.
| Claim | Type | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|
| Omega oils for skin & coat Excellent levels of Omega 3 and 6 to help maintain a shiny coat and healthy skin (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Kind on delicate tummies Made using ingredients that are easy to digest plus prebiotics for healthy digestion (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Delicious fresh chicken A tasty and highly digestible protein source (on page) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| Wheat and gluten-free Our hypoallergenic recipe uses oats, which won't trigger any wheat or gluten allergies (on page) | Free-from | Manufacturer assertion |
| A complete and balanced food for Overweight or Senior Dogs (on page) | Content | Manufacturer 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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