Is New Zealand Petfoods Ltd Puppy Biscuits a good dog food?
We score it 41/100 (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 41 out of 100 based on several key factors. The overall quality of the ingredient list added +2.7 points. However, ingredients without printed percentages reduced the score by -10.6. Additionally, the processing format deducted -6.7 and the carbohydrate content contributed -2.7.
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.
- Recipe41
- Nutritionallow100
- Transparency45
- Safety100
- EvidenceNot recorded
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.
Why you might choose it
- Nutritionally complete: formulated to be fed as the whole diet.
Why you might not
- Only protein and fat declared; fibre, ash and moisture missing from the analysis.
- 100% of the recipe mass has no printed percentage, so the exact split cannot be verified.
- Its additive load costs about 3 points in the rating.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 29%
- Fat
- 11%
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
zinc sulfate; ferrous sulfate; copper sulfate; potassium iodate; sodium selenite; Vitamin E supplement; niacin (Vitamin B3); Vitamin A supplement; calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5); thiamine mononitrate (Vitamin B1); riboflavin supplement (Vitamin B6); Vitamin D3 supplement; biotin (Vitamin B7); menadione sodium bisulfite complex (Vitamin K); potassium chloride
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for puppies
- 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 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
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 (18)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicken | Chicken | meat | medium | - | 7.3 |
| 2 | rice | Rice - white | carb | medium | - | 7.1 |
| 3 | whole wheat | Wheat | carb | poor | - | 6.9 |
| 4 | chicken meal | Dried chicken protein | meat | good | - | 6.7 |
| 5 | corn gluten meal | Maize gluten | carb | poor | - | 6.5 |
| 6 | chicken fat (preserved with mixed-tocopherols) | Chicken Oil and Fat | oil | medium | - | 6.3 |
| 7 | whole peas | Peas | veg | medium | - | 6.1 |
| 8 | fish oil | Fish Oil | oil | good | - | 5.9 |
| 9 | natural flavour | Smoked Flavour | additive | poor | - | 5.7 |
| 10 | lysine | Lysine | supplement | medium | - | 5.5 |
| 11 | pea fibre | Pea Fibre | fibre | medium | - | 5.3 |
| 12 | dried chicory root | Chicory root | veg | good | - | 5.1 |
| 13 | flaxseed | Linseed | veg | good | - | 4.8 |
| 14 | spinach | Spinach | veg | good | - | 4.6 |
| 15 | fructooligosaccharides | Fructo-oligosaccharides | supplement | good | - | 4.4 |
| 16 | dried beet pulp | Beet Pulp | fibre | medium | - | 4.2 |
| 17 | salt | Salt | additive | medium | - | 4.0 |
| 18 | choline chloride | Choline | supplement | good | - | 3.8 |
Brand
- Website
- https://nzpetfoods.co.nz/
- [email protected]
- Phone
- 03 683 1084
- Address
- 32 Redruth St, Timaru NZ
- Contact page
- nzpetfoods.co.nz
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-19
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- nzpetfoods.co.nz
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 2026-09-26. 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 | 0.3 | 9.191 | +2.75 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 23.6% | -0.115 | -2.71 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 15.7% | -0.092 | -1.44 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 7.8% | -0.005 | -0.04 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 11.4% | 0.163 | +1.85 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 16.5% | -0.012 | -0.20 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 3.3% | -0.027 | -0.09 |
| Recipe graded poor | 19.0% | -0.065 | -1.23 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 3 | -0.876 | -2.63 |
| 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 | -11.91 | 0.222 | -2.64 |
| 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 | 0.3 | 9.191 | +2.75 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 23.6% | -0.115 | -2.71 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 15.7% | -0.092 | -1.44 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 7.8% | -0.005 | -0.04 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 11.4% | 0.163 | +1.85 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 16.5% | -0.012 | -0.20 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.375 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 3.3% | -0.027 | -0.09 |
| Recipe graded poor | 19.0% | -0.065 | -1.23 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 3 | -0.876 | -2.63 |
| 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 | -11.91 | 0.222 | -2.64 |
| 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
- +1 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 40.9
- Final score
- 41/100
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.
Nutritional: declared analysis vs reference ranges
How the declared analysis compares with FEDIAF reference ranges for puppies and growth. 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.
Scored against FEDIAF growth minima; puppy scoring is under review; Guaranteed-analysis FEDIAF score: crude minimums and maximums are bounds, not typical values; moisture (a maximum) uses the processing median where available; experimental US score.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 29 | 32 | 100 |
| Fat | 11 | 12.2 | 100 |
Scored over 2 declared nutrients (combined weight 40); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 9.5% from the food type.
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 (voluntary) - not on file | 0/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file | 0/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 5/10 |
| 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) | 5/5 |
Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Analytical constituents declared, Feeding guidance given).
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.
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.
Claims on file; none we can check against the label
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| with DHA from fish oil to support healthy brain development and vision (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Balanced calcium and phosphorus ratios support growing bones and teeth (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Formulated to meet AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for Growth (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| No synthetic colours, flavours, or added sugar (on page) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| A growth-formula puppy kibble made with real chicken, rice, and vegetables, including spinach and beet kibble (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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