Calibra

Calibra Life Starter & Puppy review

Name: Calibra Life Starter & Puppy
Brand: Calibra

70.6/100Excellent

DryPuppy

A lamb-led kibble written to carry a pup from the starter stage through the whole of growth, at the foot of our Excellent band. Salmon oil at 3% is unusually generous for a dry food. Calcium is declared at 1.65% of dry matter, which suits smaller frames but runs above the level large breed rearing is planned to.

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Our view

Likely to suit

Small and medium pups, whose growth sits comfortably with this mineral balance
Pups that get on better with lamb than with a bird
Coat and brain fats in print, from a 3% salmon oil share
Fussy young eaters. Hydrolysed poultry protein and chicken liver work hard on taste
A litter and a growing dog fed from one bag

Worth watching

Calcium above where a large or giant breed growth plan is set
An unnamed bird in the hydrolysed protein and the fat, plus chicken liver outright
Fish in the bowl through the salmon oil
Rice at 20% and brewer's rice at 7% behind the meat

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

How this scores

How we score

70.6/100Excellent

Protein and processingGood

Nutritional balanceExcellent

TransparencyOutstanding

ValueExcellent

The details

Dog fit

Every size from toy to giant is on the bag. For a big pup, set the portions with your vet and keep the pup lean while the skeleton is going up.

Food type

Dry

Life stage

Puppy

Breed size

Toy, Small, Medium, Large, Giant

Main protein

Lamb

The score, in context

Calibra Life Starter & Puppy 70.6

All one Excellent. Typical dry food: Good.

The lamb lead and the generous salmon oil carry it, held back by a supporting cast described by family instead of by name.

What's in it

Lamb protein38%Dried, so most of the share survives into the kibble.
Rice20%
Poultry fat12%Carries most of the energy. The bird is not named.
Hydrolysed poultry protein12%A big inclusion: very easy to digest and very palatable, but again no bird named.
Brewer's rice7%
Apple pulp, dried3%A soft fibre.
Salmon oil3%Most dry foods use a fraction of that. Marine omega 3 for a growing coat and nervous system.
Yeasts, hydrolysed chicken liverliver 2%
Prebiotics: MOS, beta glucans, FOS150 down to 100 mg/kgEach one dosed.
Dried rosemary and thyme, Mojave yucca, Lactobacillus acidophilus (inactivated)250 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg

A fully printed vitamin and trace mineral table, with zinc, iron, manganese, copper and selenium all in organic form.

Calcium converts to 1.65% of dry matter, above the tighter level for large or giant breed growth. Agree a big pup's portions with your vet.

Named ingredients

Lamb protein (38 %), rice (20 %), poultry fat (12 %, preserved with tocopherols), hydrolysed poultry protein (12 %), brewer's rice (7 %), apple pulp dried (3 %), salmon oil (3 %), yeasts, hydrolysed chicken liver (2 %), prebiotics (mannan-oligosaccharides 150 mg/kg, β-glucans 120 mg/kg, fructo-oligosaccharides 100 mg/kg), dried rosemary & thyme (250 mg/kg), Mojave yucca (100 mg/kg), Lactobacillus acidophilus HA - 122 inactivated (15 × 109 cells/kg).

Against the range

Nutritional analysis

Declared analysis

Energy

393 kcal/100g

Protein

32%

Fat

18%

Fibre

2.8%

Ash

7.6%

Moisture

Dry weight

Protein

35.2%

Fat

19.8%

Fibre

3.1%

Ash

8.4%

Carbs

33.5%

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

52%

Carbs

27%

Veg

Oils

15%

Other

Pricing & size