Score it for your dog

Best-scoring dog foods

Best-scoring dog foods for a small senior dog, moderately active, holding weight

For a small senior dog, moderately active and holding weight, the best-scoring food among the 265 dog foods BowlWise scores, all sold in Canada, is Open Farm Small Breed Grain-Free, a kibble, at 96.5 out of 100. The best-scoring of each kind: kibble, Open Farm Small Breed Grain-Free at 96.5; gently cooked, Open Farm Gently Cooked Chicken & Brown Rice at 78.5; air-dried, Open Farm Harvest Chicken Air-Dried Recipe and Open Farm Pollock & Lamb Air-Dried Recipe at 76.9; freeze-dried, Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Venison Nuggets at 85.3. 155 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 Small Breed Grain-Free: On March 3, 2026 Pet Valu listed the 4.99 kg bag at $64.99 in Canadian dollars.

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Kibble

93 kibble foods fit this dog.

  1. 96.5 of 100
    • Balanced protein (34.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
    • Balanced fat (17.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
    • Premium protein content (34.0%) for this dog
  2. 96 of 100
    • Balanced protein (38.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
    • Balanced fat (15.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
    • Premium protein content (38.0%) for this dog

    0.5 points under Open Farm Small Breed Grain-Free:

    • Format suitability, 6 against 10. Regular kibble — compatible with this dog's size. This is regular kibble. For a small dog, full points are given for small kibble.
  3. 95 of 100
    • Balanced protein (32.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
    • Balanced fat (15.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
    • Premium protein content (32.0%) for this dog

    1 point under Orijen Senior Recipe:

    • Nutritional quality, 24 against 25. Premium protein content (32.0%) for this dog. Excellent Omega-3 (1.2%) for this dog's joints and coat. Optimal caloric density for this dog. Balanced fat content (15.0%) for this dog. DHA is 0.2% as fed. Full points for DHA start at 0.3%.
  4. 94.5 of 100
    • Balanced protein (27.5%) for this dog's moderate activity
    • Balanced fat (16.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
    • High protein content (27.5%) for this dog

    0.5 points under Performatrin Ultra Grain-Free Ocean Recipe:

    • Nutritional quality, 21 against 24. High protein content (27.5%) for this dog. Excellent Omega-3 (1.2%) for this dog's joints and coat. Optimal caloric density for this dog. Balanced fat content (16.0%) for this dog. Protein is 30.6% of dry matter. Full points for protein start at 33.3%. DHA is 0.15% as fed. Full points for DHA start at 0.3%.
    • Price value, 3.5 against 5. Price per kilogram is above the middle of kibble foods. Full points are given for the cheapest quarter.
  5. 94.2 of 100
    • Balanced protein (31.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
    • Balanced fat (15.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
    • Premium protein content (31.0%) for this dog

    0.3 points under Open Farm Small Breed Ancient Grains:

    • Life stage, 12.7 against 15. Formulated for this dog's senior life stage. Excellent Omega-3 (1.0%) for this dog's aging joints. Fibre is 4.0% as fed. For a senior dog, full points start at 5%.

Gently cooked

3 gently cooked foods fit this dog.

  1. 78.5 of 100
    • Balanced protein (9.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
    • Balanced fat (4.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
    • Premium protein content (9.0%) for this dog
  2. 76 of 100
    • Balanced protein (10.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
    • Balanced fat (5.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
    • Premium protein content (10.0%) 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.
  3. 71.5 of 100
    • Balanced protein (9.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
    • Balanced fat (5.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
    • Premium protein content (9.0%) for this dog

    4.5 points under Freshpet Vital Healthy Aging: Chicken & Salmon Recipe:

    • Nutritional quality, 13 against 18. 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%.
    • 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.

Air-dried

10 air-dried foods fit this dog.

  1. 1st of 10, level with another

    Open Farm Harvest Chicken Air-Dried Recipe

    76.9 of 100
    • Balanced protein (32.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
    • Balanced fat (28.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
    • Premium protein content (32.0%) for this dog

  2. 1st of 10, level with another

    Open Farm Pollock & Lamb Air-Dried Recipe

    76.9 of 100
    • Balanced protein (40.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
    • Balanced fat (15.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
    • Premium protein content (40.0%) for this dog
  3. 74.5 of 100
    • Balanced protein (35.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
    • Balanced fat (24.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
    • Premium protein content (35.0%) for this dog

    2.4 points under Open Farm Pollock & Lamb 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

39 freeze-dried foods fit this dog.

  1. 85.3 of 100
    • Balanced fat (19.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
    • Premium protein content (57.0%) for this dog
    • Excellent Omega-3 (1.13%) for this dog's joints and coat
  2. 83.7 of 100
    • Balanced protein (39.0%) for this dog's moderate activity
    • Balanced fat (30.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
    • Premium protein content (39.0%) for this dog

    1.6 points under Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Venison Nuggets:

    • Nutritional quality, 16 against 23. Premium protein content (39.0%) for this dog. Excellent Omega-3 (0.93%) for this dog's joints and coat. The label gives no DHA figure, so those points could not be given. Calories are 4,985 kcal per kg of dry matter. For freeze-dried food, full points are given between 5,000 and 6,200. Fat is 32.6% of dry matter. Full points for fat are given between 13.3% and 22.5%.
  3. 81.3 of 100
    • Balanced fat (23.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal
    • Premium protein content (54.0%) for this dog
    • Excellent Omega-3 (1.18%) for this dog's joints and coat

    2.4 points under Primal Freeze-Dried Raw Scoopable Pronto Chicken:

    • Activity and goal, 30.6 against 35. Balanced fat (23.0%) supports this dog's maintenance goal. Protein is 58.7% of dry matter. For this dog, a moderately active dog holding weight, full points are given between 25% and 50%.
    • Price value, 3 against 4. Price per kilogram is in the most expensive quarter of freeze-dried foods. Full points are given for the cheapest quarter.

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:

What was left out, and why

155 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.
  • 3 foodsKibble too large for small breed.
  • 2 foodsNot a complete diet.

A dog a little different

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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