Best-scoring dog foods
Best-scoring dog foods for a small puppy, moderately active, losing weight
For a small puppy, moderately active and losing weight, 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 87.5 out of 100. The best-scoring of each kind: kibble, Open Farm Pollock & Oatmeal Digestive Health at 87.5. 168 of the 265 foods fit this dog. The scores are BowlWise’s own, worked out from each food’s label on October 12, 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.
Open the form with this dog filled inKibble
102 kibble foods fit this dog.
87.5 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
83 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.
82.5 of 1003rd of 102
Open Farm Salmon Grain-Free Puppy
- 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.
82 of 1004th of 102, level with another
Open Farm RawMix Tide & Terrain Grain-Free
- Premium protein content (30.0%) for this dog
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
- Balanced fat content (15.0%) for this dog
0.5 points under Open Farm Salmon Grain-Free Puppy:
- Nutritional quality, 23 against 24. Premium protein content (30.0%) for this dog. Optimal caloric density for this dog. Balanced fat content (15.0%) for this dog. Omega-3 is 0.5% as fed. Full points for omega-3 start at 0.8%. DHA is 0.2% as fed. Full points for DHA start at 0.3%.
- Price value, 3 against 3.5. Price per kilogram is in the most expensive quarter of kibble foods. Full points are given for the cheapest quarter.
82 of 1004th of 102, level with another
Open Farm RawMix Tide & Terrain Ancient Grains
- Premium protein content (30.0%) for this dog
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
- Balanced fat content (14.0%) for this dog
Gently cooked
4 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.
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
63.5 of 1002nd of 4
Open Farm Gently Cooked Puppy
- 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%.
57 of 100- Premium protein content (9.0%) for this dog
- Formulated for this dog's puppy life stage
- Optimal calcium-phosphorus ratio for this dog's growing bones
6.5 points under Open Farm Gently Cooked Puppy:
- Nutritional quality, 13 against 15. Premium protein content (9.0%) 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. Calories are 6,455 kcal per kg of dry matter. For gently cooked food, full points are given between 4,500 and 5,800. Fat is 22.7% of dry matter. Full points for fat are given between 13.3% and 22.5%.
- Life stage, 10 against 12.5. Formulated for this dog's puppy life stage. Optimal calcium-phosphorus ratio for this dog's growing bones. The label gives no DHA figure, so those points could not be given.
- 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, 4 against 5. Good value for this dog. Price per kilogram is in the cheaper half of gently cooked foods, above the cheapest quarter. Full points are given for the cheapest quarter.
Air-dried
10 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.
64 of 1001st of 10
Smack Prairie Harvest Pork
- Premium protein content (48.0%) for this dog
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
- Formulated for this dog's puppy life stage
61 of 1002nd of 10
Smack Chunky Chicken
- 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%.
60 of 1003rd of 10, level with two others
Open Farm Harvest Chicken Air-Dried Recipe
- 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.
60 of 1003rd of 10, level with two others
Open Farm Pollock & Lamb Air-Dried Recipe
- Premium protein content (40.0%) for this dog
- Balanced fat content (15.0%) for this dog
- Formulated for this dog's puppy life stage
60 of 1003rd of 10, level with two others
Smack Lip Smacking Lamb
- Premium protein content (40.0%) for this dog
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
- Formulated for this dog's puppy life stage
Freeze-dried
42 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.
67 of 1001st of 42, level with another
Open Farm Chicken & Salmon Freeze-Dried Raw Puppy Patties
- Premium protein content (42.0%) for this dog
- Optimal caloric density for this dog
- Formulated for this dog's puppy life stage
67 of 1001st of 42, level with another
Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Venison Nuggets
- 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
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. These are not ranked against the foods above. 10 toppers fit this dog; each number is a topper’s score out of 100:
- Stella & Chewy's Stella's Super Beef Meal Mixers57.8
- Stella & Chewy's Chewy's Chicken Meal Mixers55.8
- Stella & Chewy's Dandy Lamb Meal Mixers57.8
- Stella & Chewy's Duck Duck Goose Meal Mixers59.8
- Stella & Chewy's Tantalizing Turkey Meal Mixers57.8
- Vital Essentials Chicken Entree Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs57.8
- Vital Essentials Turkey Entree Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs59.8
- Vital Essentials Duck Entree Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs57.8
- Vital Essentials Rabbit Entree Freeze-Dried Mini Nibs64
- Vital Essentials Beef Entree Freeze-Dried Crunchy Mini Nibs59.8
What was left out, and why
168 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.
- 7 foodsKibble too large for small breed.
- 2 foodsNot a complete diet.
A dog a little different
- Another sizemedium, large
- Another agean adult dog, a senior dog
- More or less activecalm, very active
- Another goalholding weight, building muscle
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 12, 2026.
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