Our verdict
Is Wagg Senior Dog Food with Chicken a good dog food?
We score it 47/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Complete extruded dry food for senior dogs, with meat meal, chicken and wheat as the main ingredients.
Only part of the analytical constituents are declared, so the nutritional picture is incomplete.
68% 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 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 wheat
- You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein
- You need more protein than this: 20.0% on a dry-matter basis is in the low 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 20% · Fat 7.50%
Typical analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed |
|---|---|
| Protein | 20% |
| Fat | 7.50% |
| Fibre | 3% |
| Ash | 8.50% |
Additives & feeding info
Additives declared on the label
Nutritional additives
Vitamin A 12000 iu; Vitamin D3 1200 iu; Vitamin E 90 mg; Zinc sulphate monohydrate 50 mg; Iron (ll) sulphate monohydrate 30 mg; Manganous oxide 30 mg; Copper (ll) sulphate pentahydrate 5 mg; Calcium iodate anhydrous 0.5 mg; Sodium selenite 0.1 mg
Technological additives
Antioxidant
Ingredients (16)68% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- carb 32.6%
- meat 26.0%
- supplement 18.1%
- veg 11.0%
- oil 6.5%
- fibre 5.8%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26% Meat Meal & Gravy | Meat Meal | meat · medium | 26 | 26.0 |
| 2 | 4% Chicken | Chicken | meat · medium | 4 | 4.0 |
| 3 | Whole Grain Wheat | Wheat | carb · poor | - | 6.9 |
| 4 | Maize | Maize / Corn | carb · medium | - | 6.6 |
| 5 | Whole Grain Barley | Barley | carb · medium | - | 6.3 |
| 6 | Wheat Fibre | Wheat | carb · poor | - | 6.1 |
| 7 | 5% Whole Grain Rice | Rice - brown / whole grain | carb · medium | 5 | 5.0 |
| 8 | Whole Linseed | Linseed | veg · good | - | 5.8 |
| 9 | 1% Chicken Fat | Chicken Oil and Fat | oil · good | 1 | 1.0 |
| 10 | Beet Pulp | Beet Pulp | fibre · medium | - | 5.5 |
| 11 | Salmon Oil | Salmon Oil | oil · good | - | 5.2 |
| 12 | Minerals & Vitamins | Vitamin | supplement · good | - | 4.9 |
| 13 | Chicory Root | Chicory root | veg · good | - | 4.6 |
| 14 | Glucosamine | Glucosamine | supplement · good | - | 4.3 |
| 15 | Yucca | Yucca Schidigera | supplement · good | - | 4.0 |
| 16 | Chondroitin | Chondroitin | supplement · good | - | 3.7 |
- 1. 26% Meat Meal & Gravy26% declared26.0% estimated
- 2. 4% Chicken4% declared4.0% estimated
- 3. Whole Grain Wheat6.9% estimated
- 4. Maize6.6% estimated
- 5. Whole Grain Barley6.3% estimated
- 6. Wheat Fibre6.1% estimated
- 7. 5% Whole Grain Rice5% declared5.0% estimated
- 8. Whole Linseed5.8% estimated
- 9. 1% Chicken Fat1% declared1.0% estimated
- 10. Beet Pulp5.5% estimated
- 11. Salmon Oil5.2% estimated
- 12. Minerals & Vitamins4.9% estimated
- 13. Chicory Root4.6% estimated
- 14. Glucosamine4.3% estimated
- 15. Yucca4.0% estimated
- 16. Chondroitin3.7% estimated
Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-08-22
Brand and contact: Wagg
- Website
- https://waggfoods.com/
- Address
- Wagg Foods Ltd, Dalton Airfield, Topcliffe, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3HE, UK
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-08-22
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- waggfoods.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?
This recipe achieves an overall rating of 47 out of 100 based on several key factors. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +3.9 points to the total. However, the presence of ingredients without printed percentages reduced the score by -7.2. Furthermore, the processing format decreased the score by -6.7, and the carbohydrate content lowered the final result by -5.1.
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 | 0.4 | 9.191 | +3.89 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 3.2% | 0.096 | +0.31 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 43.9% | -0.115 | -5.05 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 9.9% | -0.092 | -0.91 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 9.6% | -0.005 | -0.05 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 25.5% | -0.012 | -0.31 |
| Recipe graded poor | 13.8% | -0.065 | -0.90 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 2 | -0.876 | -1.75 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 7.4% | 0.060 | +0.44 |
| Undeclared quantities | 68.0% | -0.106 | -7.18 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| 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 | +3.89 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 3.2% | 0.096 | +0.31 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 43.9% | -0.115 | -5.05 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 9.9% | -0.092 | -0.91 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 9.6% | -0.005 | -0.05 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.163 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 25.5% | -0.012 | -0.31 |
| 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 | 13.8% | -0.065 | -0.90 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 2 | -0.876 | -1.75 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 7.4% | 0.060 | +0.44 |
| Undeclared quantities | 68.0% | -0.106 | -7.18 |
| 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 | 0.00 | 0.222 | +0.00 |
| 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
- 47.0
- Final score
- 47/100
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 | 20 | 22.1 (band 18 to 40%) | 81.2 |
| Fat | 7.5 | 8.3 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 81.5 |
| Fibre | 3 | 3.3 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
Scored over 3 declared nutrients (combined weight 50); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 9.5% from the food type.
Declared fortification: 9 nutritional additives on the label
- Vitamin A 12000 iu
- Vitamin D3 1200 iu
- Vitamin E 90 mg
- Zinc sulphate monohydrate 50 mg
- Iron (ll) sulphate monohydrate 30 mg
- Manganous oxide 30 mg
- Copper (ll) sulphate pentahydrate 5 mg
- Calcium iodate anhydrous 0.5 mg
- Sodium selenite 0.1 mg
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 (32% of the recipe mass) (voluntary) | 6.4/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file | 0/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) - not on file | 0/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) - not on file | 0/10 |
| 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 (Analytical constituents declared, 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
- "100% complete & balanced with natural ingredients" — supported by the declared complete and balanced data.
8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contains probiotic FOS to support the population of healthy bacteria within the gut (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Contains an extract from the yucca plant thought to help reduce flatulent odours (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Contains the amino acid L-Carnitine to help support lean muscle in older dogs (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Balanced Calcium and Vitamin D for healthy teeth and bones (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Added Glucosamine, Chondroitin and fish oils work together to help support mobile joints (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| No Artificial Colours or Flavours (on page) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Rich in Chicken (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| 100% complete & balanced with natural ingredients (on page) | Content | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| with rice & tasty gravy (on page) | Content | 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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