Is Dave's Pet Food Bland Chicken & Rice Pouch Recipe 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 overall score is 58 out of 100. Undeclared ingredient shares, meaning ingredients without printed percentages, contributed -10.6 points against the score. Overall ingredient quality, referring to the overall quality of the ingredient list, contributed +6.6 points. Complete recipe, being labelled nutritionally complete, contributed +2.3 points, and printed percentages, meaning printing percentages for most of the recipe, contributed +2 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.
- 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 wet foods we track.
- Single named animal protein: chicken.
Why you might not
- Meat makes up an estimated 9% of the dry matter (11% as fed); carbohydrates dominate.
- Only fat declared; protein, fibre, ash and moisture missing from the analysis.
- 100% of the recipe mass has no printed percentage, so the exact split cannot be verified.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Fat
- 6%
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Ferrous Sulfate; Zinc Oxide; Copper Proteinate; Sodium Selenite; Manganese Sulfate; Potassium Iodide; Vitamin E Supplement; Thiamine Mononitrate; Niacin Supplement; D-Calcium Pantothenate; Vitamin A Supplement; Riboflavin Supplement; Biotin; Vitamin B12 Supplement; Pyridoxine Hydrochloride; Vitamin D3 Supplement; Folic Acid
Technological additives
Guar Gum; Agar-Agar
Storage
Resealable pouch; store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days after opening
Feeding guide
Feed alone as a meal or use as a topper with kibble. Consult a veterinarian before putting your pet on a restricted diet.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for all lifestages
- Single named protein: chicken
- Doesn't list beef, turkey, lamb, fish, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists rice - white
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 (22)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicken | Chicken | meat | medium | - | 6.0 |
| 2 | White Rice | Rice - white | carb | medium | - | 5.8 |
| 3 | Pumpkin | Pumpkin | veg | good | - | 5.7 |
| 4 | Glycine | Manganese Glycine Chelate | supplement | good | - | 5.6 |
| 5 | Sunflower Oil | Sunflower oil | oil | good | - | 5.4 |
| 6 | Tricalcium Phosphate | Tricalcium phosphate | supplement | good | - | 5.3 |
| 7 | Parsley | Parsley | veg | good | - | 5.2 |
| 8 | Dried Egg White | Dried Egg | meat | medium | - | 5.0 |
| 9 | Chicken Broth | Cooking broth | other | medium | - | 4.9 |
| 10 | Magnesium Sulfate | Magnesium sulfate | supplement | good | - | 4.7 |
| 11 | Vitamins (Choline Chloride, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement) | Vitamins and minerals | supplement | medium | - | 4.6 |
| 12 | Salt | Salt | additive | medium | - | 4.5 |
| 13 | Potassium Chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement | medium | - | 4.3 |
| 14 | Zinc Proteinate | Zinc Proteinate | supplement | good | - | 4.2 |
| 15 | Iron Proteinate | Iron Proteinate | mineral | good | - | 4.1 |
| 16 | Rosemary | Rosemary | veg | good | - | 3.9 |
| 17 | Sage | Sage | veg | good | - | 3.8 |
| 18 | Thyme | Thyme | veg | good | - | 3.7 |
| 19 | Copper Proteinate | Copper proteinate | supplement | good | - | 3.5 |
| 20 | Manganese Proteinate | Manganese proteinate | supplement | good | - | 3.4 |
| 21 | Potassium Iodide | Potassium iodide | supplement | good | - | 3.3 |
| 22 | Selenium Yeast | Selenium | mineral | good | - | 3.1 |
Brand
- Website
- https://davespetfood.com/
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-12
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- davespetfood.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 | 0.7 | 9.191 | +6.62 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 7.7% | -0.115 | -0.88 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 8.0% | -0.092 | -0.74 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 5.0% | -0.005 | -0.03 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 6.0% | 0.163 | +0.98 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 53.4% | -0.012 | -0.65 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.4% | -0.375 | -0.14 |
| 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 | -5.46 | 0.222 | -1.21 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 33.786 | +33.79 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | yes | -0.672 | -0.67 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.7 | 9.191 | +6.62 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 7.7% | -0.115 | -0.88 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 8.0% | -0.092 | -0.74 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 5.0% | -0.005 | -0.03 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 6.0% | 0.163 | +0.98 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 53.4% | -0.012 | -0.65 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.4% | -0.375 | -0.14 |
| 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 | -5.46 | 0.222 | -1.21 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.00 | 33.786 | +33.79 |
| 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 | 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 | yes | -0.672 | -0.67 |
- Processing-type offset
- -0.08
- Additives declared on label
- +2 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 58.5
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fat | 6 | 28.6 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
Scored over 1 declared nutrients (combined weight 15); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score. Moisture was not declared and was estimated at 79% 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) | 10/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) - not on file | 0/5 |
| 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 — 1 checkable claim: 1 consistent, 0 contradicted.
Consistent with the label
- "Complete and balanced nutrition for dogs" — supported by the declared complete and balanced data.
7 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 steamed in the pouch to help preserve flavor and nutrients (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Ready-to-serve, resealable pouch for freshness and convenience (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Pumpkin helps support healthy digestion (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Complete and balanced nutrition for dogs (on page) | Content | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| Made with human-grade ingredients you can feel good about serving (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Made with real chicken, wholesome pumpkin, and white rice (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| No by-products or artificial preservatives (on page) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance (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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