Barking Heads

Barking Heads Golden Years review

Name: Barking Heads Golden Years
Brand: Barking Heads

63.6/100Good

DryAdultSenior

The brand's half-chicken construction re-tuned for an older dog. Fat is measured, and taurine and L-carnitine sit beside a glucosamine and chondroitin pair with doses printed. Rice at 26% leads a familiar grain line-up, and it earns a place in our Good band.

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Our view

Likely to suit

Older dogs beginning to stiffen, with glucosamine at 500mg/kg
An ageing heart. Taurine is in at a substantial 1000mg
Seniors that have done well on chicken all their lives
Homes where a younger adult shares the old dog's bag

Worth watching

Salmon oil near the tail, so fish is in the bowl
A grain recipe, with rice, barley and oats
Carbohydrate a little above typical once estimated on dry matter

Written by our editorial team. Independent guidance, not veterinary advice.

How this scores

How we score

63.6/100Good

Protein and processingGood

Nutritional balanceAverage

TransparencyOutstanding

ValueGood

The details

Dog fit

Listed for adults and seniors of every size. Start at the conservative end of the label's guide and let the waistline vote.

Food type

Dry

Life stage

Adult, Senior

Breed size

Toy, Small, Medium, Large, Giant

Main protein

Chicken

The score, in context

Barking Heads Golden Years 63.6

All one Good. Typical dry food: Good.

A quiet achievement for a senior recipe, reached without tricks: half a named meat, every additive dosed, and a label full enough to read properly.

What's in it

Freshly prepared free run chicken23%
Dried chicken23%Holds its protein through the oven.
Chicken gravy4%For appeal.
Rice26%Leads the plant side.
Barley, potato, peas, oats8% peas, 6% oatsSteady, well tolerated starches.
Lucerne, minerals
Salmon oil1%Marine omega 3, and fish in a chicken recipe.
Yeast products, chicory root extract, beta glucans1000mg/kg each; 300mg/kgGut support.
Glucosamine, chondroitin sulphate500mg/kg, 150mg/kgA dosed joint pair.
Seaweed, dried carrot, mixed herbsGarnish.

Taurine at 1000mg and L-carnitine at 50mg for the ageing heart and metabolism, with a full vitamin run and part of the zinc as a glycine chelate.

Named ingredients

Chicken 50% (23% Freshly Prepared Free Run Chicken, 23% Dried Chicken, 4% Chicken Gravy), Rice (26%), Barley, Potato, Peas (8%), Oats (6%), Lucerne, Minerals, Salmon Oil (1%), Yeast Products (1000mg/kg), Chicory Root Extract (FOS 1000mg/kg), Seaweed, Glucosamine (500mg/kg), Dried Carrot (500mg/kg), Mixed Herbs (Peppermint, Rosemary, Oregano & Thyme 500mg/kg), Beta Glucans (300mg/kg), Chondroitin Sulphate (150mg/kg).

Against the range

One senior recipe: chicken at 50%, half freshly prepared and half dried, on rice, barley, potato, peas and oats. Joint, heart and gut additions all carry doses.

Nutritional analysis

Declared analysis

Energy

352 kcal/100g

Protein

25%

Fat

10%

Fibre

3.5%

Ash

Dry weight

Protein

27.2%

Fat

10.9%

Fibre

3.8%

Ash

7.6%

Carbs

50.5%

As-fed composition

Estimated breakdown of the finished product by ingredient category, from the declared ingredient list and ingoing weights. These are estimates, not measurements.

Meat

46%

Added water

Carbs

46.5%

Veg

0.5%

Oils

Other

1.9%

Pricing & size