Is A Pup Above Turkey Pawella a good dog food?
We score it 58/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Why this score?
The score is 58 out of 100. Undeclared ingredient shares, meaning ingredients without printed percentages, contributed -10.6. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +7, and the processing format contributed -2.4. Being labelled nutritionally complete contributed +2.3.
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.
- Recipe58
- Nutritionallow100
- Transparency50
- Safety100
- Evidencemoderate100
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
- Scores 58, in the top quarter of fresh foods we track.
- Meat makes up an estimated 32% of the dry matter (38% as fed).
- A minimally processed format: kept frozen, not heat-treated.
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
- 13.80%
- Fat
- 7%
- Fibre
- 2.10%
- Moisture
- 68.10%
Energy: 154 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Dicalcium Phosphate; Calcium Carbonate; Potassium Chloride; Sodium Bicarbonate; Magnesium Oxide; Zinc Amino Acid Chelate; Iron Amino Acid Chelate; Copper Amino Acid Chelate; Manganese Amino Acid Chelate; Potassium Iodide; Sodium Selenite; Vitamin D3; Vitamin E
Storage
Frozen item. Ships in insulated box with dry ice or gel packs to keep food at safe temperature in transit. Good in the fridge for 5 to 7 days once defrosted and open; vacuum sealed patties good in the fridge for 14 days unopened. Store remaining patties in the freezer and defrost one at a time. Move food to freezer as soon as possible on delivery day.
Feeding guide
Feed as a complete meal or topper. 1 Patty = 1 LB. Adult maintenance guideline: 5 lbs → 1/4 patty/day; 10 lbs → 1/3; 15 lbs → 1/2; 20 lbs → 3/4; 30 lbs → 1; 40 lbs → 1; 50 lbs → 1 1/3; 60 lbs → 1 1/2; 70 lbs → 1 1/2; 80 lbs → 1 3/4. Approximate bag needs: 5–10 lbs → 2–3 lb Bags over 3 weeks; 15 lbs → 2–7 lb Bags over 4 weeks; 20–30 lbs → 3–7 lb Bags over 4 weeks; 40 lbs → 4–7 lb Bags over 4 weeks; 50 lbs → 4–7 lb Bags over 3 weeks; 60 lbs → 6–7 lb Bags over 4 weeks; 70 lbs → 3–7 lb Bags over 2 weeks; 80 lbs → 4–7 lb Bags over 2 weeks. Divide daily amount into two servings. Adjust as needed to reach desired weight goal.
Reviews
Trustpilot: 4.4/5 · 101 reviews
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for all lifestages
- Doesn't list beef, lamb, fish, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists poultry heart
- Your dog avoids turkey: the label lists turkey
- 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 (13)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turkey | Turkey | meat | medium | - | 10.0 |
| 2 | turkey hearts | Poultry Heart | meat | good | - | 9.6 |
| 3 | turkey livers | Turkey liver | meat | good | - | 9.2 |
| 4 | turkey gizzards | Turkey Gizzard | meat | good | - | 8.8 |
| 5 | tomatoes | Tomato | veg | good | - | 8.5 |
| 6 | carrots | Carrots | veg | good | - | 8.1 |
| 7 | turkey bone broth | Cooking broth | other | medium | - | 7.7 |
| 8 | green peas | Peas | veg | medium | - | 7.3 |
| 9 | rice | Rice - white | carb | medium | - | 6.9 |
| 10 | turmeric | Turmeric | veg | good | - | 6.5 |
| 11 | thyme | Thyme | veg | good | - | 6.2 |
| 12 | parsley | Parsley | veg | good | - | 5.8 |
| 13 | APA nutrient mix (dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, magnesium oxide, zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, potassium iodide, sodium selenite, vitamin D3, vitamin E). | Dicalcium phosphate | supplement | medium | - | 5.4 |
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 | 0.8 | 9.191 | +6.98 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 18.3% | -0.115 | -2.11 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 33.9% | -0.005 | -0.17 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 14.9% | -0.012 | -0.18 |
| Other share of dry matter | 1.2% | -0.375 | -0.43 |
| 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 |
| 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 | 0.8 | 9.191 | +6.98 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 18.3% | -0.115 | -2.11 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.092 | +0.00 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 33.9% | -0.005 | -0.17 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.163 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 14.9% | -0.012 | -0.18 |
| Other share of dry matter | 1.2% | -0.375 | -0.43 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.027 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 0.0% | -0.065 | +0.00 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 0 | -0.876 | +0.00 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 0.0% | 0.060 | +0.00 |
| 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 | 0.00 | 0.222 | +0.00 |
| 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
- 57.6
- Final score
- 58/100
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 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.
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 | 13.8 | 43.3 (band 18 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 7 | 21.9 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 2.1 | 6.6 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 154 | 482.8 | 100 |
Scored over 4 declared nutrients (combined weight 60); 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
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 — 2 checkable claims: 2 consistent, 0 contradicted.
Consistent with the label
- "Formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists (ACVN) to meet AAFCO standards for all life stages" — supported by the declared complete and balanced data.
- "High protein" — supported by the declared high protein data.
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gently cooked, human-grade dog food made in a USDA-certified facility in the United States (on page) | provenance | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| High protein, grain-friendly recipe (on page) | Content | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| Each batch is tested for E. coli, listeria, and salmonella before it leaves our facility (on page) | Content | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| Formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists (ACVN) to meet AAFCO standards for all life stages (on page) | Content | consistent | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| 10g protein per 100kcal (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| 93% digestible (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| Non-GMO veggies (on page) | Content | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| 1,543 kcal/kg (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| Cage-free turkey (on page) | Content | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| No antibiotics or growth hormones (on page) | Free-from | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| Rich in taurine and antioxidants for joint and heart health (turkey hearts) (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| Supports vision, skin and immune health (turkey liver) (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| Rich in glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health (turkey gizzards) (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| Lycopene supports heart health (tomatoes) (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| Beta carotene supports vision and immune health (carrots) (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| Supports gut health and joint rejuvenation (turkey bone broth) (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| High in fiber for digestive health (green peas) (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| Anti-inflammatory, supports joint and bone health (turmeric) (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| Supports digestive health; rich in antioxidants (thyme) (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| Supports digestive health and freshens breath (parsley) (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| Research suggests dogs fed fresh food live up to 2.5 more healthy years than kibble-fed dogs (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| 100% money-back guarantee if your dog doesn't love it (on page) | Content | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| High protein (on page) | High/low level | consistent | Peer-reviewed source cited |
| 100% Human Grade Standards: Our food is made in USDA-inspected, human-grade kitchens (on page) | Content | not checkable | Peer-reviewed source cited |
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
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