K9 Optimum

K9 Optimum Adult Mini review

Name: K9 Optimum Adult Mini
Brand: K9 Optimum

63.3/100Good

DryAdult

Good under our scoring, and the meatiest of K9 Optimum's cereal-based recipes. The dried chicken at 19% is placed ahead of the fresh at 18%, an order that helps, and protein reaches 30.8% of dry matter. Salmon, salmon meal, salmon oil and marine algae give a small dog a proper marine omega supply.

Where to buy: coming soon

Live retailer links are coming soon. Once we have them from UK retailers, where to buy and the best price will appear here.

Our view

Likely to suit

Small breed adults. The feeding table is drawn for dogs between 4kg and 9kg
Little dogs that need density in a small bowl: protein at 30.8% of dry matter
An older small dog, as marine algae supplies DHA
Dogs in need of a bit of shine, from salmon oil and full fat linseed at 1% each
Fussy small eaters. Chicken gravy sits high on the list

Worth watching

Fish four times over, which matters for a fish-avoiding dog
Rice and maize both in the top four
Joint extras with no amounts, so read them as encouragement
Chicken carries the meat almost single-handed

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

How this scores

How we score

63.3/100Good

Protein and processingGood

Nutritional balanceGood

TransparencyOutstanding

ValueGood

The details

Dog fit

Listed for small breed adults. Follow the maker's table, 75 to 95 grams at 5kg rising to 120 to 145 grams at 9kg.

Food type

Dry

Life stage

Adult

Breed size

Small

Main protein

Chicken

The score, in context

K9 Optimum Adult Mini 63.3

All one Good. Typical dry food: Good.

Protein is what clears the bar, and for a small dog the practical reading is a dense, well-labelled bowl with a marine omega supply most small breed foods leave out.

What's in it

Chicken dried19%Ahead of the fresh, so more of the labelled meat reaches the finished kibble.
Chicken18%Sheds most of its weight as water in the cooking.
Rice, maizeA fair share of the starch.
Chicken gravyA palatant, no small thing for small dogs that turn their nose up.
Salmon, salmon meal4%, salmonFish protein as well as fish oil.
Chicken fat, whole oats, prairie meal, brewers yeast, beet pulpOats and beet pulp for fibre; yeast brings B vitamins.
Full fat linseed, salmon oil1% eachPlant and marine omega 3, working at different speeds towards the same end.
Egg powder, marine algaeAlgae is there for DHA, the omega 3 the brain, eyes and nerves use.
MOS, nucleotides, marigoldA prebiotic, then a bonus; marigold for lutein.
Glucosamine, green lipped mussel, MSM, turmeric, fruit and herbsNo amounts given.

Dosed throughout: taurine, zinc as a glycine chelate and a sulphate, and selenium as sodium selenite at the usual small dose.

Named ingredients

Chicken Dried (19%), Chicken (18%), Rice, Maize, Chicken Gravy, Salmon (4%), Chicken Fat, Whole Oats, Prairie Meal, Salmon Meal, Brewers Yeast, Beet Pulp, Full Fat Linseed (1%), Salmon Oil (1%), Egg Powder, Marine Algae (Source Of Docosahexaenoic Acid (Dha)), Minerals, Marigold (Source Of Lutein), Mannan Oligosaccharides, Glucosamine, Nucleotides, Turmeric, Blackcurrant, Yucca Schidigera, Nz Green Lipped Mussel, Methylsulphonylmethane, Rosemary, Pomegranate

Against the range

Nutritional analysis

Declared analysis

Energy

353.5 kcal/100g

Estimated using Modified Atwater factors*

Protein

28%

Fat

14%

Fibre

Ash

Moisture

Dry weight

Protein

30.8%

Fat

15.4%

Fibre

3.3%

Ash

7.7%

Carbs

42.8%

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

52.3%

Carbs

40.5%

Veg

0.2%

Oils

Other

2.1%

Pricing & size

Price per kilo: £3.17 (RRP)
Pack: 12kg (a 2kg bag, SKU 54859, is still enabled in the catalogue but its page is withdrawn)
A 15kg dog eats (our estimate): 220 to 265 g a day, 245 in the middle
Cost per day, 15kg dog: £0.78

A small dog food, so the maker's table matters more than our 15kg figure.

Budget end of the market for a dry food, though a little dear for what the analysis shows.

Ingredients and nutrition are taken from manufacturer data. Retailer pricing is not yet live for this food.