The Maine Pooch Freeze Dried Whitefish & Salmon Dog Food
Dry Freeze Dried complete
Is The Maine Pooch Freeze Dried Whitefish & Salmon Dog Food a good dog food?
We score it 71/100 (Good). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Why this score?
The overall score is 71 out of 100. Undeclared ingredient shares, meaning ingredients without printed percentages, contributed -10.6 points, while the overall quality of the ingredient list added +7.6. The processing format brought +6.6 points to the score. On the downside, the additive load subtracted -2.8 points, reflecting a heavier use of additives in the recipe.
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.
- Recipe71
- Nutritionallow100
- Transparency40
- 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 71, in the top quarter of dry foods we track.
- Single named animal protein: fish.
- Doesn't list grain ingredients.
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.
- Its additive load costs about 3 points in the rating.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 52%
- Fat
- 30%
- Fibre
- 7%
- Moisture
- 5%
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Zinc Proteinate; Iron Proteinate; Vitamin E Supplement; Copper Proteinate; Manganese Proteinate; Vitamin D Supplement
Technological additives
Mixed Tocopherols (as preservative)
Storage
Shelf-stable; does not need to be refrigerated or frozen. Store in a cool, dry place. Once opened, keep the product in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for all lifestages
- Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
- Single named protein: fish
- Doesn't list chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
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 (25)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whitefish with Ground Bone | Bone | mineral | medium | - | 5.3 |
| 2 | Salmon with Ground Bone | Salmon | meat | good | - | 5.2 |
| 3 | Broccoli | Broccoli | veg | good | - | 5.1 |
| 4 | Sweet Potatoes | Sweet Potatoes | carb | good | - | 4.9 |
| 5 | Apples | Apples | veg | good | - | 4.8 |
| 6 | Ground Flaxseed | Linseed | veg | good | - | 4.7 |
| 7 | Fish Oil | Fish Oil | oil | good | - | 4.6 |
| 8 | Salmon Oil | Salmon Oil | oil | good | - | 4.5 |
| 9 | Apple Cider Vinegar | Vinegar | additive | medium | - | 4.4 |
| 10 | Blueberry | Blueberries | veg | good | - | 4.3 |
| 11 | Cranberry | Cranberries | veg | good | - | 4.2 |
| 12 | Inulin | Inulin | fibre | good | - | 4.1 |
| 13 | Dried Kelp | Kelp | veg | good | - | 4.0 |
| 14 | Potassium Chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement | medium | - | 3.9 |
| 15 | Sodium Chloride | Salt | additive | medium | - | 3.8 |
| 16 | Ginger | Ginger | veg | good | - | 3.7 |
| 17 | Parsley | Parsley | veg | good | - | 3.6 |
| 18 | Garlic | Garlic | veg | medium | - | 3.5 |
| 19 | Zinc Proteinate | Zinc Proteinate | supplement | good | - | 3.4 |
| 20 | Iron Proteinate | Iron Proteinate | mineral | good | - | 3.3 |
| 21 | Vitamin E Supplement | Vitamin E | supplement | good | - | 3.2 |
| 22 | Copper Proteinate | Copper proteinate | supplement | good | - | 3.1 |
| 23 | Manganese Proteinate | Manganese proteinate | supplement | good | - | 2.9 |
| 24 | Mixed Tocopherols (as preservative) | Tocopherols | additive | good | - | 2.8 |
| 25 | Vitamin D Supplement | Vitamin D | supplement | good | - | 2.7 |
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-21
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- themainepooch.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 | +7.55 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 1.7% | -0.115 | -0.20 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 16.6% | -0.092 | -1.53 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 21.4% | -0.005 | -0.11 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 14.4% | 0.163 | +2.34 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 25.9% | -0.012 | -0.32 |
| 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 | -12.76 | 0.222 | -2.83 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.11 | 33.786 | +37.50 |
| Processing: Dry Freeze Dried | yes | 6.629 | +6.63 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.8 | 9.191 | +7.55 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 1.7% | -0.115 | -0.20 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 16.6% | -0.092 | -1.53 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 21.4% | -0.005 | -0.11 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 14.4% | 0.163 | +2.34 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 25.9% | -0.012 | -0.32 |
| 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 | -12.76 | 0.222 | -2.83 |
| Processing multiplier | 1.11 | 33.786 | +37.50 |
| 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 | yes | 6.629 | +6.63 |
| 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
- +0.06
- Additives declared on label
- +2 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 70.6
- Final score
- 71/100
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 | 52 | 54.7 (band 18 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 30 | 31.6 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 7 | 7.4 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
Scored over 3 declared nutrients (combined weight 50); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.
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) - 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.
100/100 · moderate — 2 checkable claims: 2 consistent, 0 contradicted.
Consistent with the label
- "corn, wheat, and soy-free" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
- "Grain-free" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| complete and balanced diet (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| No need to keep frozen - an easy way to feed raw at home or on the go (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Easy to break apart - great for treats and training (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Extremely palatable taste makes for a nutritious snack or meal (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| A healthy alternative to canned food for small breeds and seniors with dental issues or a preference for a wet diet (just rehydrate!) (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Crumble over your pet's kibble for a natural bio-available food supplement topper (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| HPP (High-Pressure Processing) effectively kills pathogens and increases food safety without nutrient-degrading heat (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| follows raw feeding principles (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| corn, wheat, and soy-free (on page) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| gluten-free (on page) | Free-from | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Grain-free (on page) | Free-from | 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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