Best-scoring dog foods

Best-scoring dog foods without beef on the label for a medium puppy, moderately active, losing weight

For a medium puppy, moderately active 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 Open Farm Pollock & Oatmeal Digestive Health, a kibble, at 91.5 out of 100. The best-scoring of each kind: kibble, Open Farm Pollock & Oatmeal Digestive Health at 91.5. 122 of the 265 foods fit this dog. The scores are BowlWise’s own, worked out from each food’s label on October 13, 2026.

Open Farm Pollock & Oatmeal Digestive Health: On March 11, 2026 Pet Valu listed the 9.98 kg bag at $114.99 in Canadian dollars.

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Kibble

77 kibble foods fit this dog.

1st of 77
Open Farm Pollock & Oatmeal Digestive Health
91.5 of 100
- Low fat (10.0%) supports this dog's weight loss goal
- High protein content (28.0%) for this dog
- Excellent Omega-3 (1.1%) for this dog's joints and coat
2nd of 77
Open Farm Goodbowl Wild-Caught Salmon & Brown Rice
87 of 100
- Low fat (12.0%) supports this dog's weight loss goal
- Balanced fat content (12.0%) for this dog
- Formulated for this dog's puppy life stage
4.5 points under Open Farm Pollock & Oatmeal Digestive Health:
- Nutritional quality, 13 against 19. Balanced fat content (12.0%) for this dog. Protein is 27.8% of dry matter. Full points for protein start at 33.3%. The label gives no omega-3 figure, so those points could not be given. DHA is 0.1% as fed. Full points for DHA start at 0.3%. Calories are 3,889 kcal per kg of dry matter. For kibble, full points are given between 4,000 and 5,000.
3rd of 77
Open Farm Salmon Grain-Free Puppy
86.5 of 100
- Premium protein content (30.0%) for this dog
- Excellent Omega-3 (1.0%) for this dog's joints and coat
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
0.5 points under Open Farm Goodbowl Wild-Caught Salmon & Brown Rice:
- Activity and goal, 25 against 35. Fat is 16.7% of dry matter. For this dog, a moderately active dog losing weight, full points need fat under 13.5%.
- Price value, 3.5 against 5. Price per kilogram is above the middle of kibble foods. Full points are given for the cheapest quarter.
4th of 77, level with three others
Open Farm Salmon & Ancient Grains Puppy
85 of 100
- High protein content (27.0%) for this dog
- Excellent Omega-3 (1.0%) for this dog's joints and coat
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
1.5 points under Open Farm Salmon Grain-Free Puppy:
- Nutritional quality, 22 against 24. High protein content (27.0%) for this dog. Excellent Omega-3 (1.0%) for this dog's joints and coat. Optimal caloric density for this dog. Balanced fat content (14.0%) for this dog. Protein is 30.0% of dry matter. Full points for protein start at 33.3%. DHA is 0.2% as fed. Full points for DHA start at 0.3%.
4th of 77, level with three others
Open Farm RawMix Wild Ocean Grain-Free
85 of 100
- Premium protein content (31.0%) for this dog
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
- Balanced fat content (14.0%) for this dog
4th of 77, level with three others
Open Farm RawMix Wild Ocean Ancient Grains
85 of 100
- Premium protein content (31.0%) for this dog
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
- Balanced fat content (14.0%) for this dog
4th of 77, level with three others
Open Farm RawMix Ancient Grains Puppy
85 of 100
- Premium protein content (31.0%) for this dog
- Excellent Omega-3 (1.0%) for this dog's joints and coat
- Balanced fat content (13.0%) for this dog

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 64.

1st of 2
Open Farm Gently Cooked Chicken & Brown Rice
64 of 100
- Premium protein content (9.0%) for this dog
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
- Balanced fat content (4.0%) for this dog
2nd of 2
Open Farm Gently Cooked Puppy
63.5 of 100
- Premium protein content (10.0%) for this dog
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
- Formulated for this dog's puppy life stage
0.5 points under Open Farm Gently Cooked Chicken & Brown Rice:
- Nutritional quality, 15 against 20. Premium protein content (10.0%) for this dog. Optimal caloric density for this dog. Omega-3 is 0.3% as fed. Full points for omega-3 start at 0.8%. DHA is 0.08% as fed. Full points for DHA start at 0.3%. Fat is 35.4% of dry matter. Full points for fat are given between 13.3% and 22.5%.

Air-dried

8 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 64.

1st of 8
Smack Prairie Harvest Pork
64 of 100
- Premium protein content (48.0%) for this dog
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
- Formulated for this dog's puppy life stage
2nd of 8
Smack Chunky Chicken
61 of 100
- Premium protein content (35.0%) for this dog
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
- Formulated for this dog's puppy life stage
3 points under Smack Prairie Harvest Pork:
- Nutritional quality, 15 against 18. Premium protein content (35.0%) 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 25.8% of dry matter. Full points for fat are given between 13.3% and 22.5%.
3rd of 8, level with another
Open Farm Harvest Chicken Air-Dried Recipe
60 of 100
- Premium protein content (32.0%) for this dog
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
- Formulated for this dog's puppy life stage
1 point under Smack Chunky Chicken:
- 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.
3rd of 8, level with another
Smack Lip Smacking Lamb
60 of 100
- Premium protein content (40.0%) for this dog
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
- Formulated for this dog's puppy life stage

Freeze-dried

27 freeze-dried foods fit this dog. No freeze-dried food scores 70 or more for this dog; the closest are Open Farm Chicken & Salmon Freeze-Dried Raw Puppy Patties and Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Venison Nuggets at 67.

1st of 27, level with another
Open Farm Chicken & Salmon Freeze-Dried Raw Puppy Patties
67 of 100
- Premium protein content (42.0%) for this dog
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
- Formulated for this dog's puppy life stage
1st of 27, level with another
Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Venison Nuggets
67 of 100
- Premium protein content (57.0%) for this dog
- Excellent Omega-3 (1.13%) for this dog's joints and coat
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
3rd of 27
Open Farm Chicken & Salmon Freeze-Dried Raw Morsels for Puppies
66.5 of 100
- Premium protein content (42.0%) for this dog
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
- Formulated for this dog's puppy life stage
0.5 points under Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Venison Nuggets:
- Nutritional quality, 17 against 23. Premium protein content (42.0%) for this dog. Optimal caloric density for this dog. Omega-3 is 0.75% as fed. Full points for omega-3 start at 0.8%. DHA is 0.1% as fed. Full points for DHA start at 0.3%. Fat is 38.7% of dry matter. Full points for fat are given between 13.3% and 22.5%.

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:

Stella & Chewy's Chewy's Chicken Meal Mixers60.8
Stella & Chewy's Dandy Lamb Meal Mixers62.8
Stella & Chewy's Duck Duck Goose Meal Mixers69.8
Stella & Chewy's Tantalizing Turkey Meal Mixers62.8
Vital Essentials Chicken Entree Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs62.8
Vital Essentials Turkey Entree Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs64.8
Vital Essentials Duck Entree Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs67.8
Vital Essentials Rabbit Entree Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs74

Left out here because the label names beef

Open Farm RawMix Tide & Terrain Grain-Free4th among kibbles without the allergy, at 86. Its label names beef.
Open Farm RawMix Tide & Terrain Ancient Grains4th among kibbles without the allergy, at 86. Its label names beef.
Open Farm Gently Cooked Beef & Brown Rice3rd among gently cooked foods without the allergy, at 57. Its label names beef.
Open Farm Pollock & Lamb Air-Dried Recipe3rd among air-dried foods without the allergy, at 60. Its label names beef.
Stella & Chewy's Stella's Super Beef Meal MixersA topper without the allergy, at 57.8 as a topper. Its label names beef.
Vital Essentials Beef Entree Freeze-Dried Crunchy Mini NibsA topper without the allergy, at 59.8 as a topper. Its label names beef.

What was left out, and why

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

77 foodsMade for the adult life stage, not puppy.
11 foodsMade for the senior life stage, not puppy.
13 foodsKibble size not suitable for medium breed.
2 foodsNot a complete diet.
40 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 medium puppy, moderately active 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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