Is California Dog Kitchen Grain-Free Turkey a good dog food?
We score it 56/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Why this score?
The product scored 56 out of 100. Undeclared ingredient shares reduced the score by -10.6, as the label lists ingredients without printed percentages. The overall quality of the ingredient list added +7.3 points. However, the processing format cost -2.4 points, and the additive load reduced the score by a further -1.5.
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.
- Recipe56
- Nutritionallow75
- Transparency45
- Safety100
- Evidencelimited75
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
- Meat makes up an estimated 3% of the dry matter (7% as fed); carbohydrates dominate.
- 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
- 13.20%
- Fat
- 7.70%
- Fibre
- 0.40%
- Moisture
- 72%
- Calcium
- 1.39%
- Phosphorus
- 1.08%
Energy: 120 kcal/100g
Dry matter basis
- Protein
- 47.10%
- Fat
- 27.50%
- Fibre
- 1.40%
Additives & feeding info
No additives recorded yet.
Storage
Store frozen. Defrost in fridge. Use within 5 days of defrosting.
Feeding guide
Adult dogs: 1 cube (4oz) per day for every 10 lbs of body weight. Puppies, pregnant or nursing dogs: feed 2-3x the recommended amount. Adjust based on the dog's weight and activity level.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for all lifestages
- Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
- Doesn't list chicken, beef, lamb, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids turkey: the label lists turkey
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists cod liver 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 (18)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turkey (ground, heart, gizzard, liver) | Turkey | meat | medium | - | 7.3 |
| 2 | organic sweet potato | Sweet Potatoes | carb | good | - | 7.1 |
| 3 | organic zucchini | Courgette | veg | good | - | 6.9 |
| 4 | organic kale | Kale | veg | good | - | 6.7 |
| 5 | spinach | Spinach | veg | good | - | 6.5 |
| 6 | organic blueberries | Blueberries | veg | good | - | 6.3 |
| 7 | apples | Apples | veg | good | - | 6.1 |
| 8 | seaweed calcium | Seaweed Lime | mineral | medium | - | 5.9 |
| 9 | dicalcium phosphate | Dicalcium phosphate | supplement | medium | - | 5.7 |
| 10 | sea salt | Salt | additive | medium | - | 5.5 |
| 11 | cod liver oil | Cod Liver Oil | oil | good | - | 5.3 |
| 12 | nutritional yeast | Yeast | supplement | good | - | 5.1 |
| 13 | zinc | Zinc Oxide | supplement | good | - | 4.8 |
| 14 | iron | Iron | mineral | good | - | 4.6 |
| 15 | vitamin E | Vitamin E | supplement | good | - | 4.4 |
| 16 | copper | Copper | mineral | good | - | 4.2 |
| 17 | manganese | Manganese | supplement | good | - | 4.0 |
| 18 | organic kelp powder. | Kelp | veg | good | - | 3.8 |
Brand
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-14
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- www.californiadogkitchen.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 | +7.34 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 3.0% | -0.115 | -0.35 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 8.9% | -0.092 | -0.82 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 14.2% | -0.005 | -0.07 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 8.4% | 0.163 | +1.37 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 37.9% | -0.012 | -0.46 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| Additive penalty | -6.65 | 0.222 | -1.48 |
| 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 | +7.34 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 3.0% | -0.115 | -0.35 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 8.9% | -0.092 | -0.82 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 14.2% | -0.005 | -0.07 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 8.4% | 0.163 | +1.37 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 37.9% | -0.012 | -0.46 |
| 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 | 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 | no | 2.294 | +0.00 |
| 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 | -6.65 | 0.222 | -1.48 |
| 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
- Subtotal
- 55.8
- Final score
- 56/100
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 | 13.2 | 47.1 (band 18 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 7.7 | 27.5 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 0.4 | 1.4 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 82.4 |
| Calcium | 1.39 | 5 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 1.4 |
| Phosphorus | 1.08 | 3.9 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 0 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.3 | 1.3 (band 1 to 2%) | 87.2 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 120 | 428.6 | 100 |
Scored over 7 declared nutrients (combined weight 90); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 72% 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) - not on file | 0/10 |
| 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, Additives 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.
75/100 · limited — 4 checkable claims: 3 consistent, 1 contradicted.
Contradicted by the label
- "About 65% turkey and about 35% vegetables" — the declared label says otherwise on single protein.
Consistent with the label
- "Complete and balanced" — supported by the declared complete and balanced data.
- "Grain-free" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
- "Formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages including growth of large-size dogs (70lbs or more as an adult)" — supported by the declared complete and balanced data.
6 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.
Limited: at least one claim contradicts the declared label, or a recent upheld ASA ruling applies.
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-protein recipe (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| No preservatives, wheat, corn or soy (on page) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Made from human-grade, preservative-free turkey (including organ meats) and organic vegetables (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| About 65% turkey and about 35% vegetables (on page) | Content | contradicted | Manufacturer assertion |
| USA-raised, USDA-inspected turkey (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Fresh, gently-cooked dog food (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Complete and balanced (on page) | Content | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| Grain-free (on page) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| Formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages including growth of large-size dogs (70lbs or more as an adult) (on pack) | Content | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| 98% of the non-meat ingredients in our recipes are USDA Certified Organic (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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