Is Polkadog Four-Star Chicken À La Veg a good dog food?
We score it 47/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Why this score?
This recipe achieves a final score of 47 out of 100 based on several key factors. The overall quality of the ingredient list added +6.2 points. However, ingredients without printed percentages reduced the score by -10.6. Additionally, the processing format deducted -6.7 and the carbohydrate content contributed -3.2.
100% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
- Recipe47
- NutritionalNot recorded
- Transparency40
- 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
- Nutritionally complete: formulated to be fed as the whole diet.
Why you might not
- No analytical breakdown is published.
- 100% of the recipe mass has no printed percentage, so the exact split cannot be verified.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
No analysis recorded yet.
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Choline Chloride; Potassium Chloride; Vitamin E Supplement; Ascorbic Acid; Calcium Carbonate; Riboflavin Supplement; Niacin Supplement; Calcium Pantothenate; Vitamin A Supplement; Vitamin D3 Supplement; Biotin; Vitamin B12 Supplement; Thiamine Mononitrate; Folic Acid; Zinc Sulfate; Manganese Sulfate; Ferrous Sulfate; Magnesium Sulfate; Zinc Proteinate; Calcium Carbonate; Ferrous Proteinate; Manganese Proteinate; Copper Sulfate; Magnesium Proteinate; Copper Proteinate; Calcium Iodate; Sodium Selenite; Taurine; Dried Lactobacillus paracasei Fermentation Product; Dried Lactobacillus reuteri Fermentation Product; Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product; Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product
Technological additives
Mixed tocopherols (preservative for chicken fat and salmon oil); Sorbic Acid (Preservative)
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for all lifestages
- 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 meal
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists oats
- 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 (41)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicken | Chicken | meat | medium | - | 3.2 |
| 2 | Chicken Broth | Cooking broth | other | medium | - | 3.2 |
| 3 | Chicken Meal | Dried chicken protein | meat | good | - | 3.1 |
| 4 | Oatmeal | Oats | carb | medium | - | 3.1 |
| 5 | Pearled Barley | Barley | carb | medium | - | 3.1 |
| 6 | Sweet Potatoes | Sweet Potatoes | carb | good | - | 3.0 |
| 7 | Brown Rice | Rice - brown / whole grain | carb | medium | - | 3.0 |
| 8 | White Rice | Rice - white | carb | medium | - | 3.0 |
| 9 | Menhaden Fish Meal | Fish Meal | meat | medium | - | 2.9 |
| 10 | Whole Oats | Oats | carb | medium | - | 2.9 |
| 11 | Dried Egg Product | Dried Egg | meat | medium | - | 2.8 |
| 12 | Dried Tomato Pomace | Tomato Pomace | fibre | medium | - | 2.8 |
| 13 | Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols) | Chicken Oil and Fat | oil | medium | - | 2.8 |
| 14 | Salmon Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols) | Salmon Oil | oil | good | - | 2.7 |
| 15 | Whole Barley | Barley | carb | medium | - | 2.7 |
| 16 | Millet | Millet | carb | good | - | 2.6 |
| 17 | Cheese | Cheese | other | medium | - | 2.6 |
| 18 | Flaxseed | Linseed | veg | good | - | 2.6 |
| 19 | Potatoes | Potatoes | carb | medium | - | 2.5 |
| 20 | Dried Yeast | Yeast | supplement | good | - | 2.5 |
| 21 | Chicken Liver | Chicken Liver | meat | good | - | 2.4 |
| 22 | Carrots | Carrots | veg | good | - | 2.4 |
| 23 | Apples | Apples | veg | good | - | 2.4 |
| 24 | Broccoli | Broccoli | veg | good | - | 2.3 |
| 25 | Celery | Celery Seeds | veg | good | - | 2.3 |
| 26 | Salt | Salt | additive | medium | - | 2.2 |
| 27 | Monosodium Phosphate | Sodium phosphate | additive | poor | - | 2.2 |
| 28 | Vitamins [Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Calcium Carbonate, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid] | Calcium pantothenate | supplement | good | - | 2.2 |
| 29 | Chicory Root Extract | Chicory Root Extract | fibre | good | - | 2.1 |
| 30 | Chicken Cartilage | Cartilage | supplement | good | - | 2.1 |
| 31 | Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Ferrous Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Magnesium Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Iodate] | Manganese proteinate | supplement | good | - | 2.0 |
| 32 | Sorbic Acid (Preservative) | Sorbic acid | additive | poor | - | 2.0 |
| 33 | Cranberries | Cranberries | veg | good | - | 2.0 |
| 34 | Yucca Schidigera Extract | Yucca Schidigera | supplement | good | - | 1.9 |
| 35 | Blueberries | Blueberries | veg | good | - | 1.9 |
| 36 | Sodium Selenite | Sodium selenite | supplement | poor | - | 1.8 |
| 37 | Taurine | Taurine | supplement | good | - | 1.8 |
| 38 | Dried Lactobacillus paracasei Fermentation Product | Lacticaseibacillus paracasei | supplement | good | - | 1.8 |
| 39 | Dried Lactobacillus reuteri Fermentation Product | Limosilactobacillus reuteri | supplement | good | - | 1.7 |
| 40 | Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product | Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product | supplement | good | - | 1.7 |
| 41 | Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product | Lactobacillus plantarum | supplement | good | - | 1.7 |
Brand
- Website
- https://www.polkadog.com/
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.polkadog.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 | +6.20 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 27.5% | -0.115 | -3.16 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 7.7% | -0.092 | -0.71 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 6.1% | -0.005 | -0.03 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 5.5% | 0.163 | +0.89 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 27.9% | -0.012 | -0.34 |
| Other share of dry matter | 2.1% | -0.375 | -0.78 |
| Recipe graded poor | 3.9% | -0.065 | -0.25 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 2 | -0.876 | -1.75 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 2.0% | 0.060 | +0.12 |
| 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 | -5.14 | 0.222 | -1.14 |
| Processing multiplier | 0.98 | 33.786 | +33.11 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.713 | -6.71 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.7 | 9.191 | +6.20 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 27.5% | -0.115 | -3.16 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 7.7% | -0.092 | -0.71 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 6.1% | -0.005 | -0.03 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 5.5% | 0.163 | +0.89 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 27.9% | -0.012 | -0.34 |
| Other share of dry matter | 2.1% | -0.375 | -0.78 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.027 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 3.9% | -0.065 | -0.25 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 2 | -0.876 | -1.75 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 2.0% | 0.060 | +0.12 |
| 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 | -5.14 | 0.222 | -1.14 |
| Processing multiplier | 0.98 | 33.786 | +33.11 |
| 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 | yes | -6.713 | -6.71 |
| 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
- +0.02
- Additives declared on label
- +2 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 46.9
- Final score
- 47/100
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
Analytical constituents not declared
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) - not on file | 0/10 |
| 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, Feeding guidance given, 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.
Claims on file; none we can check against the label
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAMILY OWNED-AND-OPERATED: Produced, prepared, and packaged at Fromm's Wisconsin-based facilities (on page) | provenance | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| can be alternated with other Fromm Four-Star recipes (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| High nutrient digestibility and utilization (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Third party pathogenic bacteria testing on all production batches (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| complete and balanced nutrition for dogs of all ages (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Includes Fromm's specially developed blend of probiotics (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| chicken, chicken broth, sweet potatoes, and an assortment of fruits and vegetables (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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