Score it for your dog

Best-scoring dog foods

Best-scoring dog foods without beef on the label for a large senior dog, calm, losing weight

For a large senior dog, calm and losing weight, leaving out every food that names beef on its label, the best-scoring food among the 265 dog foods BowlWise scores, all sold in Canada, is Now Fresh Large Breed Senior Turkey, Salmon & Duck Grain-Free, a kibble, at 84.7 out of 100. The best-scoring of each kind: kibble, Now Fresh Large Breed Senior Turkey, Salmon & Duck Grain-Free at 84.7. 110 of the 265 foods fit this dog. The scores are BowlWise’s own, worked out from each food’s label on October 13, 2026.

Now Fresh Large Breed Senior Turkey, Salmon & Duck Grain-Free: On March 21, 2026 Pet Valu listed the 11.34 kg bag at $127.99 in Canadian dollars.

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Kibble

68 kibble foods fit this dog.

  1. 84.7 of 100
    • Adequate protein (25.0%) for this dog's lower activity level
    • Low fat (11.0%) + high fiber (5.5%) — ideal for this dog's weight loss
    • Formulated for this dog's senior life stage
  2. 84 of 100
    • Adequate protein (24.0%) for this dog's lower activity level
    • Low fat (12.0%) + high fiber (5.0%) — ideal for this dog's weight loss
    • Excellent Omega-3 (0.8%) for this dog's joints and coat

    0.7 points under Now Fresh Large Breed Senior Turkey, Salmon & Duck Grain-Free:

    • Format suitability, 6 against 10. Regular kibble — compatible with this dog's size. This is regular kibble. For a large dog, full points are given for large kibble.
  3. 80 of 100
    • Adequate protein (24.0%) for this dog's lower activity level
    • Low fat (12.0%) + high fiber (5.0%) — ideal for this dog's weight loss
    • Excellent Omega-3 (1.2%) for this dog's joints and coat

    4 points under Go! Solutions Digestion + Gut Health Chicken Dry with Grains:

    • Formulation integrity, 6 against 10. No controversial ingredients — clean nutrition for this dog. None of the label's first five ingredients is a meat named as itself. The label names 1 main protein. Full points for variety are given for 3 or more. No feeding trial is on file for this food.
  4. 78.7 of 100
    • Adequate protein (23.0%) for this dog's lower activity level
    • Low fat (12.0%) + high fiber (6.0%) — ideal for this dog's weight loss
    • Balanced fat content (12.0%) for this dog

    1.3 points under Go! Solutions Digestion + Gut Health Salmon Dry with Grains:

    • Nutritional quality, 10 against 13. Balanced fat content (12.0%) for this dog. Protein is 25.6% of dry matter. Full points for protein start at 33.3%. Omega-3 is 0.55% as fed. Full points for omega-3 start at 0.8%. DHA is 0.14% as fed. Full points for DHA start at 0.3%. Calories are 3,926 kcal per kg of dry matter. For kibble, full points are given between 4,000 and 5,000.
    • Life stage, 12.7 against 15. Formulated for this dog's senior life stage. High fiber (6.0%) supports this dog's senior digestion. Omega-3 is 0.55% as fed. For a senior dog, full points start at 0.8%.
  5. 76.4 of 100
    • Adequate protein (28.0%) for this dog's lower activity level
    • High protein content (28.0%) for this dog
    • Excellent Omega-3 (1.1%) for this dog's joints and coat

    2.3 points under Performatrin Ultra Grain-Free Senior Recipe:

    • Activity and goal, 26.2 against 35. Adequate protein (28.0%) for this dog's lower activity level. Fat is 11.1% of dry matter and fibre is 4.5% as fed. For this dog, a calm dog losing weight, full points need fat under 13.5% with fibre of 5% or more.
    • Formulation integrity, 9 against 10. Fresh meat as primary ingredient for this dog. No controversial ingredients — clean nutrition for this dog. The label names 1 main protein. Full points for variety are given for 3 or more. No formulator with a veterinary nutrition credential or a doctorate in nutrition is on file for this food. No feeding trial is on file for this food.
    • Price value, 3.5 against 5. Price per kilogram is above the middle of kibble foods. Full points are given for the cheapest quarter.

Gently cooked

2 gently cooked foods fit this dog. No gently cooked food scores 70 or more for this dog; the closest is Open Farm Gently Cooked Chicken & Brown Rice at 56.6.

  1. 56.6 of 100
    • Adequate protein (9.0%) for this dog's lower activity level
    • Premium protein content (9.0%) for this dog
    • Optimal caloric density for this dog
  2. 54.1 of 100
    • Adequate protein (10.0%) for this dog's lower activity level
    • Premium protein content (10.0%) for this dog
    • Optimal caloric density for this dog

    2.5 points under Open Farm Gently Cooked Chicken & Brown Rice:

    • Nutritional quality, 18 against 20. Premium protein content (10.0%) for this dog. Optimal caloric density for this dog. Omega-3 is 0.2% as fed. Full points for omega-3 start at 0.8%. The label gives no DHA figure, so those points could not be given. Fat is 22.7% of dry matter. Full points for fat are given between 13.3% and 22.5%.
    • Price value, 3.5 against 5. Price per kilogram is above the middle of gently cooked foods. Full points are given for the cheapest quarter.

Air-dried

7 air-dried foods fit this dog. No air-dried food scores 70 or more for this dog; the closest is Smack Prairie Harvest Pork at 55.6.

  1. 55.6 of 100
    • Adequate protein (48.0%) for this dog's lower activity level
    • Premium protein content (48.0%) for this dog
    • Optimal caloric density for this dog
  2. 55 of 100
    • Adequate protein (32.0%) for this dog's lower activity level
    • Premium protein content (32.0%) for this dog
    • Optimal caloric density for this dog

    0.6 points under Smack Prairie Harvest Pork:

    • Nutritional quality, 15 against 18. Premium protein content (32.0%) for this dog. Optimal caloric density for this dog. The label gives no omega-3 figure, so those points could not be given. The label gives no DHA figure, so those points could not be given. Fat is 34.1% of dry matter. Full points for fat are given between 13.3% and 22.5%.
    • Price value, 4 against 5. Good value for this dog. Price per kilogram is in the cheaper half of air-dried foods, above the cheapest quarter. Full points are given for the cheapest quarter.
  3. 52.6 of 100
    • Adequate protein (35.0%) for this dog's lower activity level
    • Premium protein content (35.0%) for this dog
    • Optimal caloric density for this dog

    2.4 points under Open Farm Harvest Chicken Air-Dried Recipe:

    • Life stage, 3.5 against 6.9. Formulated for this dog's senior life stage. Fibre is 2.5% as fed. For a senior dog, full points start at 5%. The label gives no omega-3 figure, so those points could not be given.

Freeze-dried

25 freeze-dried foods fit this dog. No freeze-dried food scores 70 or more for this dog; the closest is Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Venison Nuggets at 67.8.

  1. 67.8 of 100
    • Adequate protein (57.0%) for this dog's lower activity level
    • Premium protein content (57.0%) for this dog
    • Excellent Omega-3 (1.13%) for this dog's joints and coat
  2. 63.8 of 100
    • Adequate protein (54.0%) for this dog's lower activity level
    • Premium protein content (54.0%) for this dog
    • Excellent Omega-3 (1.18%) for this dog's joints and coat

    4 points under Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Venison Nuggets:

    • Nutritional quality, 19 against 23. Premium protein content (54.0%) for this dog. Excellent Omega-3 (1.18%) for this dog's joints and coat. The label gives no DHA figure, so those points could not be given. Calories are 4,891 kcal per kg of dry matter. For freeze-dried food, full points are given between 5,000 and 6,200. Fat is 25.0% of dry matter. Full points for fat are given between 13.3% and 22.5%.

  3. 3rd of 25, level with another

    Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Chicken Nuggets

    62.8 of 100
    • Adequate protein (45.0%) for this dog's lower activity level
    • Premium protein content (45.0%) for this dog
    • Excellent Omega-3 (0.96%) for this dog's joints and coat

    1 point under Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Turkey & Sardine Nuggets:

    • Nutritional quality, 16 against 19. Premium protein content (45.0%) for this dog. Excellent Omega-3 (0.96%) for this dog's joints and coat. The label gives no DHA figure, so those points could not be given. Calories are 4,783 kcal per kg of dry matter. For freeze-dried food, full points are given between 5,000 and 6,200. Fat is 35.9% of dry matter. Full points for fat are given between 13.3% and 22.5%.

  4. 3rd of 25, level with another

    Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Lamb Nuggets

    62.8 of 100
    • Adequate protein (39.0%) for this dog's lower activity level
    • Premium protein content (39.0%) for this dog
    • Optimal caloric density for this dog

Toppers

A topper is added to a meal, not fed as one, and is scored on other parts than a meal. Each topper’s score here is for a dog whose food must not name beef. A topper earns more points for such a dog, so its score here can be higher than on its own page, which is worked out for a dog with no allergy. These are not ranked against the foods above. 8 toppers fit this dog; each number is a topper’s score out of 100:

Left out here because the label names beef

What was left out, and why

110 of the 265 foods fit this dog. The others:

  • 77 foodsMade for the adult life stage, not senior.
  • 28 foodsMade for the puppy life stage, not senior.
  • 6 foodsKibble too small for large breed.
  • 2 foodsNot a complete diet.
  • 3 foodsScored under 50, so it is not offered.
  • 39 foodsName beef on their label.

BowlWise reads the ingredients printed on each label. It cannot see what a label does not say, such as traces from other foods made in the same place. Check the bag itself before you buy.

A dog a little different

The same dog with every food counted: a large senior dog, calm and losing weight.

How to read this

These scores are BowlWise’s own, worked out from each food’s label for one kind of dog at a time. They are not veterinary advice. How a score is worked out: How we score.

Worked out on October 13, 2026.

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