Is Polkadog Gold Adult Recipe Large Breed a good dog food?
We score it 43/100 (Poor). The main reasons are set out in "Why you might not" below, and every step of the calculation is shown under "How we calculated this score".
Why this score?
This recipe achieves a final score of 43 out of 100 based on several key factors. The overall quality of the ingredient list added +5.9 points. However, ingredients without printed percentages reduced the score by -10.6. Additionally, the processing format deducted -6.7 and the carbohydrate content contributed -2.
100% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
- Recipe43
- NutritionalNot recorded
- Transparency30
- 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
No additives recorded yet.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
- Labelling or feeding guide is aimed at large dogs
- Doesn't list beef, turkey, venison, pork as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists dried chicken protein
- Your dog avoids lamb: the label lists lamb
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists fish meal
- Your dog avoids duck: the label lists duck
- 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 (36)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duck | Duck | meat | medium | - | 3.7 |
| 2 | Chicken Meal | Dried chicken protein | meat | good | - | 3.6 |
| 3 | Chicken | Chicken | meat | medium | - | 3.6 |
| 4 | Oatmeal | Oats | carb | medium | - | 3.5 |
| 5 | Pearled Barley | Barley | carb | medium | - | 3.5 |
| 6 | Brown Rice | Rice - brown / whole grain | carb | medium | - | 3.4 |
| 7 | White Rice | Rice - white | carb | medium | - | 3.4 |
| 8 | Dried Tomato Pomace | Tomato Pomace | fibre | medium | - | 3.3 |
| 9 | Dried Whole Egg | Dried Whole Egg | meat | good | - | 3.3 |
| 10 | Menhaden Fish Meal | Fish Meal | meat | medium | - | 3.2 |
| 11 | Lamb | Lamb | meat | medium | - | 3.2 |
| 12 | Potatoes | Potatoes | carb | medium | - | 3.1 |
| 13 | Chicken Fat | Chicken Oil and Fat | oil | medium | - | 3.1 |
| 14 | Cheese | Cheese | other | medium | - | 3.0 |
| 15 | Salmon Oil | Salmon Oil | oil | good | - | 3.0 |
| 16 | Flaxseed | Linseed | veg | good | - | 2.9 |
| 17 | Brewers Dried Yeast | Yeast | supplement | good | - | 2.9 |
| 18 | Alfalfa Meal | Alfalfa Meal | fibre | medium | - | 2.8 |
| 19 | Carrots | Carrots | veg | good | - | 2.8 |
| 20 | Lettuce | Lettuce | veg | medium | - | 2.7 |
| 21 | Celery | Celery Seeds | veg | good | - | 2.7 |
| 22 | Chicken Cartilage | Cartilage | supplement | good | - | 2.6 |
| 23 | Monocalcium Phosphate | Monocalcium phosphate | supplement | good | - | 2.5 |
| 24 | Calcium Sulfate | Calcium Carbonate | supplement | medium | - | 2.5 |
| 25 | Salt | Salt | additive | medium | - | 2.4 |
| 26 | Potassium Chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement | medium | - | 2.4 |
| 27 | L-Tryptophan | L-Tryptophan | supplement | good | - | 2.3 |
| 28 | DL-Methionine | Methionine | supplement | good | - | 2.3 |
| 29 | Taurine | Taurine | supplement | good | - | 2.2 |
| 30 | Chicory Root Extract | Chicory Root Extract | fibre | good | - | 2.2 |
| 31 | Yucca Schidigera Extract | Yucca Schidigera | supplement | good | - | 2.1 |
| 32 | Sodium Selenite | Sodium selenite | supplement | poor | - | 2.1 |
| 33 | Sorbic Acid (Preservative) | Sorbic acid | additive | poor | - | 2.0 |
| 34 | Vitamins | Vitamins and minerals | supplement | medium | - | 2.0 |
| 35 | Minerals | Vitamins and minerals | supplement | medium | - | 1.9 |
| 36 | Probiotics | Probiotic | supplement | good | - | 1.9 |
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 | 0.6 | 9.191 | +5.92 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 17.1% | -0.115 | -1.97 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 7.9% | -0.092 | -0.73 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 5.1% | -0.005 | -0.03 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 5.4% | 0.163 | +0.87 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 36.4% | -0.012 | -0.44 |
| Other share of dry matter | 2.0% | -0.375 | -0.75 |
| Recipe graded poor | 4.1% | -0.065 | -0.27 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 2 | -0.876 | -1.75 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 2.1% | 0.060 | +0.13 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| Additive penalty | -5.43 | 0.222 | -1.21 |
| 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 | 0.6 | 9.191 | +5.92 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 17.1% | -0.115 | -1.97 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 7.9% | -0.092 | -0.73 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 5.1% | -0.005 | -0.03 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 5.4% | 0.163 | +0.87 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 36.4% | -0.012 | -0.44 |
| Other share of dry matter | 2.0% | -0.375 | -0.75 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.027 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 4.1% | -0.065 | -0.27 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 2 | -0.876 | -1.75 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 2.1% | 0.060 | +0.13 |
| 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 | -5.43 | 0.222 | -1.21 |
| 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
- Subtotal
- 43.4
- Final score
- 43/100
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) - not on file | 0/10 |
| 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, Additives 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enhanced with probiotics to aid digestion (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| For breeds with adult weights exceeding 50 pounds (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| and salmon oil for a healthy coat (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| PROBIOTICS FOR PETS: Fromm's specially-developed blend of probiotics is included in all dry food recipes for high nutrient digestibility and utilization (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| FAMILY OWNED-AND-OPERATED: Produced, prepared, and packaged at Fromm's Wisconsin-based facilities (on page) | provenance | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Prepared with duck, chicken, lamb, whole eggs, and real Wisconsin cheese (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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