My Pet Says Grain Free Puppy: Chicken with Sweet Potato, Carrots & Peas review

Both recipes land in our Excellent band, a step up from the middle of the puppy dry field, which settles in our Good band. Value reads Excellent on both of them, transparency reads Outstanding on both, and protein and processing and nutritional balance read Good. What earns that is a label doing the hard work for you: a 60% animal share split out ingredient by ingredient, calcium declared on both, and every supplement given with its dose.

Ingredients, as declared: Chicken, Turkey & Salmon 60% (including Freshly Prepared Chicken 20%, Dried Chicken 14%, Freshly Prepared Turkey 7%, Freshly Prepared Salmon 7%, Dried Turkey 7%, Dried Salmon 3% & Chicken Stock 2%), Sweet Potato (22%), Potato, Linseed, Omega 3 Supplement, Beet Pulp, Minerals, Vitamins, Carrot (0.2%), Peas (0.07%), Glucosamine (170 mg/kg), Methylsulfonylmethane (170 mg/kg), Chondroitin Sulphate (125 mg/kg), Vegetable Stock, Nucleotides, FOS (96 mg/kg), MOS (24 mg/kg). Vitamins: Vitamin A 15,000 IU, Vitamin D3 2,000 IU, Vitamin E 95 IU. Trace Elements: Zinc (Zinc Sulphate Monohydrate) 50mg, Iron (Iron (II) Sulphate Monohydrate) 50mg, Manganese (Manganous Sulphate Monohydrate) 35mg, Copper (Copper (II) Sulphate Pentahydrate) 15mg, Iodine (Calcium Iodate Anhydrous) 1mg, Selenium (Sodium Selenite) 0.3mg.

Both recipes open on 60% animal content and then show their working, entry by entry. That level of itemisation is the difference between a headline you take on trust and one you can check for yourself, and it is the main reason this range reads so well.

Sweet potato heads the plant side in each recipe, potato comes next, and there is no cereal in either. Beet pulp brings a gentle fibre. The fats are looked after by linseed and an omega 3 supplement. Carbohydrate converts to an estimated 41.9% of dry matter in the poultry recipe, 42.0% in the fish one, both a shade above the 39.0% puppy typical. That is the usual trade for a grain free bag.

Both declare calcium: 1.3% of dry matter in the poultry recipe, 1.41% in the fish one. Each sits where a growing skeleton needs it. Getting calcium right is the single most important part of feeding a puppy, so having it printed and in range on both counts for a great deal.

Both bags carry the same supplement tail. Glucosamine and methylsulfonylmethane are at 170 mg/kg each, chondroitin sulphate at 125 mg/kg. Nucleotides follow, with the prebiotic pairing of FOS at 96 mg/kg and MOS at 24 mg/kg. Vitamin E at 95 IU heads a fully dosed vitamin and trace element panel on both, with vitamins A and D3, zinc, iron, manganese, copper and iodine all given their own figures.

One honest caveat applies to each recipe, since neither omega 3 supplement has its source named. It is a small entry, but an elimination diet is only ever as good as its weakest line, so have it confirmed with the maker before you rely on either bag for that particular job.

Three animals share the 60% here. Chicken leads with 20% freshly prepared and 14% dried, turkey follows at 7% fresh and 7% dried, and salmon brings 7% fresh with 3% dried. Chicken stock at 2% finishes it. Carrot at 0.2% and peas at 0.07% are garnish rather than substance. It declares 29.0% protein and 15.0% fat for 384 kcal per 100g, and calcium converts to 1.3% of dry matter. The maker lists it for toy pups through to giant ones.

£4.53 a kilo for the poultry recipe and £4.63 a kilo for the fish one, both sold in 6kg, 12kg and 24kg bags, with 15kg and 30kg working dog packs alongside.

A puppy's daily amount rises over the first months, then eases back. Take your figure from the bag's chart, using their weight today and the adult size ahead of them. Let their shape have the final word.