Is A Pup Above Puppy Recipe a good dog food?
We score it 57/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Why this score?
The overall score is 57 out of 100. The meat content contributed -10.6 points. The overall ingredient quality contributed +5.9 points, and the additives contributed +2.3 points. On the negative side, the processing format took off -2.4 points.
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.
- Recipe57
- Nutritionallow97
- Transparency50
- 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
- Doesn't list grain ingredients.
- A minimally processed format: kept frozen, not heat-treated.
- Declares energy content, which most labels omit.
Why you might not
- 100% of the recipe mass has no printed percentage, so the exact split cannot be verified.
- Needs freezer space and defrosting before serving.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 9.50%
- Fat
- 2%
- Fibre
- 2%
- Moisture
- 80%
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- 0.10%
- Omega-6 fatty acids
- 0.50%
- Calcium
- 0.40%
- Phosphorus
- 0.30%
Energy: 117 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Vitamin A supplement; Vitamin D3 supplement; Vitamin E supplement; Vitamin B1 (thiamine hydrochloride); Vitamin B2 (riboflavin); Vitamin B3 (niacin); Vitamin B5 (calcium pantothenate); Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride); Vitamin B12 (cobalamin); Folic acid; Choline bitartrate; Zinc amino acid chelate; Iron amino acid chelate; Copper amino acid chelate; Manganese amino acid chelate; Potassium iodide; Sodium selenite
Feeding guide
Feed as a complete meal or a topper. Divide daily amount into two servings. 1-4 months: e.g. 5 lb pup = 3/4 patty/day; 60 lb pup = 4 3/4 patties/day. 4-12 months: e.g. 5 lb pup = 1/2 patty/day; 60 lb pup = 3 1/4 patties/day. 1 patty = 1 pound of food. Adjust as needed to reach desired weight.
Reviews
Trustpilot: 4.4/5 · 101 reviews
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for puppies
- Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
- 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
- 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 (14)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicken | Chicken | meat | medium | - | 9.3 |
| 2 | chicken liver | Chicken Liver | meat | good | - | 9.0 |
| 3 | sweet potato | Sweet Potatoes | carb | good | - | 8.6 |
| 4 | butternut squash | Butternut Squash | veg | good | - | 8.3 |
| 5 | green beans | Green Beans | veg | good | - | 8.0 |
| 6 | chicken heart | Chicken Heart | meat | good | - | 7.6 |
| 7 | chicken bone broth | Cooking broth | other | medium | - | 7.3 |
| 8 | whole egg | Egg | meat | good | - | 7.0 |
| 9 | thyme | Thyme | veg | good | - | 6.6 |
| 10 | turmeric | Turmeric | veg | good | - | 6.3 |
| 11 | parsley | Parsley | veg | good | - | 6.0 |
| 12 | salt | Salt | additive | medium | - | 5.6 |
| 13 | Icelandic fish oil | Fish Oil | oil | good | - | 5.3 |
| 14 | APA nutrient mix (calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium chloride, magnesium oxide, zinc amino acid chelate, choline bitartrate, iron amino acid chelate, potassium iodide, vitamin B5 (calcium pantothenate), manganese amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, vitamin E supplement, vitamin B12 (cobalamin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B1 (thiamine hydrochloride), vitamin A supplement, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid) | Sodium selenite | supplement | poor | - | 5.0 |
Brand
- Website
- https://apupabove.com/
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-18
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- apupabove.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 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 | 0.6 | 9.191 | +5.88 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 5.9% | -0.115 | -0.68 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 14.3% | -0.092 | -1.32 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 27.3% | -0.005 | -0.14 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 13.9% | 0.163 | +2.26 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 12.5% | -0.012 | -0.15 |
| Other share of dry matter | 1.0% | -0.375 | -0.37 |
| Recipe graded poor | 5.0% | -0.065 | -0.32 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.876 | -0.88 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 5.0% | 0.060 | +0.30 |
| 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 | -6.89 | 0.222 | -1.53 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.10 | 33.786 | +37.16 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | yes | -2.354 | -2.35 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.6 | 9.191 | +5.88 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 5.9% | -0.115 | -0.68 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 14.3% | -0.092 | -1.32 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 27.3% | -0.005 | -0.14 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 13.9% | 0.163 | +2.26 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 12.5% | -0.012 | -0.15 |
| Other share of dry matter | 1.0% | -0.375 | -0.37 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.027 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 5.0% | -0.065 | -0.32 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.876 | -0.88 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 5.0% | 0.060 | +0.30 |
| 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 | -6.89 | 0.222 | -1.53 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.10 | 33.786 | +37.16 |
| Processing: Raw | no | -0.054 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | yes | -2.354 | -2.35 |
| 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 | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| 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
- -1.74
- Additives declared on label
- +1 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 56.6
- Final score
- 57/100
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.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 9.5 | 47.5 | 100 |
| Fat | 2 | 10 | 100 |
| Calcium | 0.4 | 2 | 75 |
| Phosphorus | 0.3 | 1.5 | 100 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.3 | 1.3 | 100 |
| Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3) | - | - | 100 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 117 | 585 | 100 |
Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3): scored as the mean of its declared components (omega-6 100, omega-3 100). 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.
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) | 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 (Analytical constituents declared, 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.
Evidence: what the brand claims, and what supports it
No on-pack claims on file: nothing to verify.
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
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