Our verdict
Is California Dog Kitchen Lamb & Squash 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.
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.
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, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids lamb: the label lists lamb
- 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. Find foods that fit your dog.
Ingredients (16)100% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- veg 26.3%
- supplement 26.0%
- carb 15.1%
- oil 12.2%
- mineral 12.2%
- meat 8.2%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamb (ground, liver) | Lamb | meat · medium | - | 8.2 |
| 2 | organic yellow squash | Butternut Squash | veg · good | - | 7.9 |
| 3 | organic quinoa | Quinoa | carb · good | - | 7.7 |
| 4 | organic sweet potatoes | Sweet Potatoes | carb · good | - | 7.4 |
| 5 | spinach | Spinach | veg · good | - | 7.1 |
| 6 | cranberries | Cranberries | veg · good | - | 6.9 |
| 7 | cold-pressed sunflower oil | Sunflower oil | oil · good | - | 6.6 |
| 8 | seaweed calcium | Seaweed Lime | mineral · medium | - | 6.4 |
| 9 | dicalcium phosphate | Dicalcium phosphate | supplement · medium | - | 6.1 |
| 10 | sea salt | Sea Salt | mineral · medium | - | 5.9 |
| 11 | cod liver oil | Cod Liver Oil | oil · good | - | 5.6 |
| 12 | nutritional yeast | Yeast | supplement · good | - | 5.4 |
| 13 | vitamin E | Vitamin E | supplement · good | - | 5.1 |
| 14 | manganese gluconate | Manganese | supplement · good | - | 4.8 |
| 15 | zinc gluconate | Zinc Oxide | supplement · good | - | 4.6 |
| 16 | organic kelp powder. | Kelp | veg · good | - | 4.3 |
- 1. Lamb (ground, liver)8.2% estimated
- 2. organic yellow squash7.9% estimated
- 3. organic quinoa7.7% estimated
- 4. organic sweet potatoes7.4% estimated
- 5. spinach7.1% estimated
- 6. cranberries6.9% estimated
- 7. cold-pressed sunflower oil6.6% estimated
- 8. seaweed calcium6.4% estimated
- 9. dicalcium phosphate6.1% estimated
- 10. sea salt5.9% estimated
- 11. cod liver oil5.6% estimated
- 12. nutritional yeast5.4% estimated
- 13. vitamin E5.1% estimated
- 14. manganese gluconate4.8% estimated
- 15. zinc gluconate4.6% estimated
- 16. organic kelp powder.4.3% estimated
Nutrition and feedingProtein 11% · Fat 4.10%
Guaranteed analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed | Dry matter | Directory average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 11% | 39.30% | - |
| Fat | 4.10% | 14.60% | - |
| Fibre | 0.50% | 1.80% | - |
| Moisture | 72% | - | - |
| Calcium | 1.44% | - | - |
| Phosphorus | 1.23% | - | - |
Energy: 120 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Feeding and storage
Storage
Store frozen. Defrost in fridge. Use within 5 days of defrosting.
Feeding guide
For adult dogs: use 1 cube (4oz) per day for every 10 lbs of the dog's weight. For puppies, nursing or pregnant dogs: feed 2-3x the amount recommended above. Adjust according to weight and activity level.
Additives declared on the label
Nutritional additives
Vitamin E; Manganese gluconate; Zinc gluconate
Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-14
Brand and contact: California Dog Kitchen
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.
Score details and methodologyCalculations, history and evidence
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Why this score?
The score is 57 out of 100. Undeclared ingredient shares, meaning ingredients without printed percentages, contributed -10.6. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +7.4, and the processing format contributed -2.4. Being labelled nutritionally complete contributed +2.3.
Scored with model v3 on 2026-10-25. 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 | +7.39 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 13.1% | -0.115 | -1.50 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 18.4% | -0.092 | -1.70 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 10.9% | -0.005 | -0.06 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 36.4% | -0.012 | -0.44 |
| 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 | -0.12 | 0.222 | -0.03 |
| 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 | +7.39 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 13.1% | -0.115 | -1.50 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 18.4% | -0.092 | -1.70 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 10.9% | -0.005 | -0.06 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.163 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 36.4% | -0.012 | -0.44 |
| 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 | 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 | -0.12 | 0.222 | -0.03 |
| 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
- 57.2
- 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 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 | 11 | 39.3 (band 19.28571428571429 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 4.1 | 14.6 (band 5.892857142857144 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 0.5 | 1.8 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 87.1 |
| Calcium | 1.44 | 5.1 (band 0.5357142857142858 to 2.5%) | 0 |
| Phosphorus | 1.23 | 4.4 (band 0.42857142857142866 to 1.6%) | 0 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.2 | 1.2 (band 1 to 2%) | 80.2 |
| 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.
Declared fortification: 3 nutritional additives on the label
- Vitamin E
- Manganese gluconate
- Zinc gluconate
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
- "Contains no preservatives, wheat, corn or soy" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
- "High-protein recipe" — supported by the declared high protein data.
6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian-raised lamb (on page) | provenance | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Complete and balanced (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Complete and balanced for all life stages (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Designed by a PhD vet nutritionist (on page) | Functional | not checkable | 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 page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Contains no preservatives, wheat, corn or soy (on page) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| 98% of the non-meat ingredients in our recipes are USDA Certified Organic (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| High-protein recipe (on page) | High/low level | consistent | 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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