Wilsons Venison and Duck Fresh Dog Food
Fresh Shelf complete High meat Clear label Full label
Is Wilsons Venison and Duck Fresh Dog Food a good dog food?
We score it 81/100 (Good). 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 81 out of 100 based on several key factors. The overall quality of the ingredient list adds +9.3 to the score, and the meat content contributes +6.8. Additionally, printing percentages on the label provides a boost of +3.2. However, the carbohydrate content impacts the rating with a reduction of -3.2.
- Recipe81
- Nutritionalhigh97
- 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 shelf-stable fresh food for dogs of all life stages, with venison, duck and sweet potatoes as the main ingredients.
Why you might choose it
- Meat makes up an estimated 58% of the dry matter (69% as fed).
- Prints ingredient percentages on the label.
- Prints a percentage for nearly every ingredient, so the recipe is fully auditable.
Why you might not
We found no significant drawbacks in the data we hold for this product.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 18%
- Fat
- 6%
- Fibre
- 1.10%
- Ash
- 3.20%
- Moisture
- 54%
- Calcium
- 0.55%
- Phosphorus
- 0.36%
Energy: 190 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Zinc chelate of lysine and glutamic acid 30 mg/kg; Iron chelate of lysine and glutamic acid 24 mg/kg; Manganese chelate of lysine and glutamic acid 3 mg/kg; Copper chelate of lysine and glutamic acid 2.4 mg/kg; Calcium iodate anhydrous 0.45 mg/kg; Vitamin A as retinyl acetate 5400 IU/kg; Vitamin D3 as cholecalciferol 450 IU/kg; Vitamin E as all-rac-alpha-tocopherol acetate 105 mg/kg
Technological additives
Natural antioxidant - rosemary and tocopherol extracts
Storage
Store in a cool, dry place. After opening, secure top and store in your fridge for up to 4 days.
Feeding guide
New to fresh? Switch gradually over 9 days: Day 1-3 replace 25% of current food, Day 4-6 replace 50%, Day 7-9 replace 75%, Day 9+ feed 100% Wilsons food. Adjust for breed, condition, activity and weight; ensure fresh water is always available.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for all lifestages
- Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
- Doesn't list chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, fish, pork as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids venison: the label lists venison
- Your dog avoids duck: the label lists duck
- 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 (26)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Venison (58%) | Venison | meat | good | 58 | 58.0 |
| 2 | duck (10%) | Duck | meat | medium | 10 | 10.0 |
| 3 | sweet potato (10%) | Sweet Potatoes | carb | good | 10 | 10.0 |
| 4 | quinoa (8%) | Quinoa | carb | good | 8 | 8.0 |
| 5 | peas (7%) | Peas | veg | good | 7 | 7.0 |
| 6 | spinach (3%) | Spinach | veg | good | 3 | 3.0 |
| 7 | minerals and vitamins (1.3%) | Vitamins and minerals | supplement | medium | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| 8 | egg shells (1%) | Egg | meat | good | 1 | 1.0 |
| 9 | sunflower oil (1%) | Sunflower oil | oil | good | 1 | 1.0 |
| 10 | seaweed (0.48%) | Seaweed | veg | good | 0.48 | 0.5 |
| 11 | chicory (0.13%) | Chicory | veg | good | 0.13 | 0.1 |
| 12 | DL-methionine (0.015%) | Methionine | supplement | good | 0.015 | 0.01 |
| 13 | mannan-oligosaccharides (0.015%) | Mannanoligosaccharides | supplement | good | 0.015 | 0.01 |
| 14 | inulin (0.013%) | Inulin | fibre | good | 0.013 | 0.01 |
| 15 | glucosamine (0.012%) | Glucosamine | supplement | good | 0.012 | 0.01 |
| 16 | chondroitin sulphate (0.009%) | Chondroitin | supplement | good | 0.009 | 0.01 |
| 17 | yucca schidigera (0.0075%) | Yucca Schidigera | supplement | good | 0.0075 | 0.01 |
| 18 | natural antioxidant - rosemary and tocopherol extracts (0.0045%) | Rosemary | veg | good | 0.0045 | 0.00 |
| 19 | selenium yeast (0.0032%) | Selenium | mineral | good | 0.0032 | 0.00 |
| 20 | thyme (0.003%) | Thyme | veg | good | 0.003 | 0.00 |
| 21 | carnitine (0.0015%) | Carnitine | supplement | good | 0.0015 | 0.00 |
| 22 | cranberry (0.0015%) | Cranberries | veg | good | 0.0015 | 0.00 |
| 23 | dandelion root (0.0015%) | Dandelion Root | veg | good | 0.0015 | 0.00 |
| 24 | marigold yellow (0.0015%) | Calendula | veg | good | 0.0015 | 0.00 |
| 25 | ginger (0.0015%) | Ginger | veg | good | 0.0015 | 0.00 |
| 26 | turmeric (0.0015%) | Turmeric | veg | good | 0.0015 | 0.00 |
Brand
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-15
- Scored with
- Model v2 (methodology)
- Product page
- www.wilsonspetfood.co.uk
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 | 0.9 | 9.915 | +9.32 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 58.4% | 0.116 | +6.78 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 28.8% | -0.113 | -3.25 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 3.0% | -0.088 | -0.26 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 5.9% | -0.002 | -0.01 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 3.8% | -0.009 | -0.03 |
| 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 | 58.4 | -0.073 | -4.28 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | yes | 0.072 | +0.07 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 32.336 | +32.34 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.9 | 9.915 | +9.32 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 58.4% | 0.116 | +6.78 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 28.8% | -0.113 | -3.25 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 3.0% | -0.088 | -0.26 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 5.9% | -0.002 | -0.01 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.177 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 3.8% | -0.009 | -0.03 |
| 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 | 0.0% | -0.045 | +0.00 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.182 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 0 | -0.868 | +0.00 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 0.0% | 0.056 | +0.00 |
| Undeclared quantities | 0.0% | -0.131 | +0.00 |
| 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 | 58.4 | -0.073 | -4.28 |
| 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 | yes | 0.072 | +0.07 |
| 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 | no | -6.996 | +0.00 |
| 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
- -0.13
- Additives declared on label
- +2 transparency bonus
- Nearly all quantities printed on label
- +2 full-disclosure bonus
- Subtotal
- 81.3
- Final score
- 81/100
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 | 81/100 | current |
| v1 | 80/100 | |
| v1.9 | 82/100 |
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 | 18 | 39.1 (band 18 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 6 | 13 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 1.1 | 2.4 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 95.2 |
| Calcium | 0.55 | 1.2 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 90.9 |
| Phosphorus | 0.36 | 0.8 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 89.1 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.5 | 1.5 (band 1 to 2%) | 100 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 190 | 413 | 100 |
Scored over 7 declared nutrients (combined weight 90); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.
High confidence: full analysis plus minerals or omegas and declared energy.
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 (100% of the recipe mass) (voluntary) | 20/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) | 15/15 |
| 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) - 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Rich in essential nutrients to support immunity (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Rich in antioxidants to help protect against cell damage (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Packed with highly digestible protein for sensitive tums (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Gentle on digestion and perfect for sensitivities (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Loaded with fatty acids, vitamins and minerals which support metabolism, red blood cell production, nerve function, and overall vitality (on page) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Supports Digestive Health (on pack) | Functional | Manufacturer assertion |
| Nutritionally Complete for Dogs of all Ages (on pack) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| Packed with Whole and Superfoods (on pack) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| Natural Pre and Post Biotics (on pack) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| Gently Steamed for Freshness (on pack) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| Ready to Eat (on pack) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| Minimally Processed (on pack) | Content | Manufacturer assertion |
| No artificial preservatives (on pack) | Free-from | Manufacturer assertion |
| Stored in the Cupboard (on pack) | 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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