Is The Maine Pooch Small Batch Frozen Lamb Patties a good dog food?
We score it 60/100 (Average). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Why this score?
The overall score came out at 60 out of 100. Ingredients without printed percentages pulled the score down by -10.6 points, while the overall quality of the ingredient list added +7.2 and the additives in the recipe contributed +2.5. The processing format reduced the score by -2.4 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.
- Recipe60
- 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 60, in the top quarter of fresh foods we track.
- Doesn't list grain ingredients.
- A minimally processed format: kept frozen, not heat-treated.
Why you might not
- Meat makes up an estimated 7% of the dry matter (11% as fed); carbohydrates dominate.
- 100% of the recipe mass has no printed percentage, so the exact split cannot be verified.
- Needs freezer space and defrosting before serving.
Estimated composition
Typical analysis (as fed)
- Protein
- 13.20%
- Fat
- 12.10%
- Fibre
- 1%
- Moisture
- 70.50%
Energy: 156 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Nutritional additives
Vitamin E Supplement
Storage
Available in-store / pick up only (frozen product)
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 heart
- 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. Use the homepage filter to find foods that fit your dog.
Ingredients (23)
| # | As declared | Matched | Category | Tier | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamb Heart | Lamb Heart | meat | good | - | 5.7 |
| 2 | Ground Lamb Bone | Bone | mineral | medium | - | 5.6 |
| 3 | Lamb Liver | Lambs Liver | meat | good | - | 5.5 |
| 4 | Organic Butternut Squash | Butternut Squash | veg | good | - | 5.3 |
| 5 | Organic Celery | Celery Seeds | veg | good | - | 5.2 |
| 6 | Organic Bok Choy | unmatched | - | - | - | 5.1 |
| 7 | Organic Broccoli | Broccoli | veg | good | - | 5.0 |
| 8 | Organic Kale | Kale | veg | good | - | 4.8 |
| 9 | Organic Green Beans | Green Beans | veg | good | - | 4.7 |
| 10 | Organic Sunflower Seeds | Sunflower Seeds | veg | good | - | 4.6 |
| 11 | Organic Dandelion Greens | Dandelion Root | veg | good | - | 4.5 |
| 12 | Cod Liver Oil | Cod Liver Oil | oil | good | - | 4.3 |
| 13 | Organic Pumpkin Seeds | Pumpkin Seeds | veg | good | - | 4.2 |
| 14 | Organic Spinach | Spinach | veg | good | - | 4.1 |
| 15 | Organic Blueberries | Blueberries | veg | good | - | 4.0 |
| 16 | Organic Cilantro | Coriander | veg | good | - | 3.9 |
| 17 | Organic Apple Cider Vinegar | Vinegar | additive | medium | - | 3.7 |
| 18 | Sea Salt | Salt | additive | medium | - | 3.6 |
| 19 | Dried Organic Kelp | Kelp | veg | good | - | 3.5 |
| 20 | Vitamin E Supplement | Vitamin E | supplement | good | - | 3.4 |
| 21 | Organic Oregano | Oregano | veg | good | - | 3.2 |
| 22 | Organic Shiitake Mushroom | Shiitake mushroom | veg | good | - | 3.1 |
| 23 | Organic Thyme | Thyme | veg | good | - | 3.0 |
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 | +7.19 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 9.9% | -0.092 | -0.91 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 42.8% | -0.005 | -0.22 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 15.1% | 0.163 | +2.46 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 7.1% | -0.012 | -0.09 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 5.8% | -0.027 | -0.15 |
| 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 | -8.87 | 0.222 | -1.97 |
| 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 | +7.19 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.115 | +0.00 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 9.9% | -0.092 | -0.91 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 42.8% | -0.005 | -0.22 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 15.1% | 0.163 | +2.46 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 7.1% | -0.012 | -0.09 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.375 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 5.8% | -0.027 | -0.15 |
| 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 | -8.87 | 0.222 | -1.97 |
| 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
- 59.9
- Final score
- 60/100
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 | 13.2 | 44.7 (band 18 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 12.1 | 41 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 1 | 3.4 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Energy (kcal/100g) | 156 | 528.8 | 100 |
Scored over 4 declared nutrients (combined weight 60); 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) | 5/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) | 5/5 |
| 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
- "highly digestible protein and whole food-derived nutrients without synthetic additives or grains" — supported by the declared grain-free data.
- "complete and balanced raw recipe" — supported by the declared complete and balanced data.
4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| single-protein formula supports rotational feeding (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Organic produce provides gentle fiber and antioxidants (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for all life stages, excluding growth of large breed dogs (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| highly digestible protein and whole food-derived nutrients without synthetic additives or grains (on page) | Free-from | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| complete and balanced raw recipe (on page) | Content | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| 80% humanely raised lamb, organs, and bone (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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