Specific

Specific CXD-XL Adult large & giant breed review

Name: Specific CXD-XL Adult large & giant breed
Brand: Specific

35.7/100Average

DryAdult

Specific's everyday kibble for the biggest dogs, and the small print shows someone thought about them. Taurine and L-carnitine both appear, an uncommon pairing outside a heart recipe, and psyllium keeps a large gut moving. Wheat and maize protein sit ahead of the fish meal, and that order puts it in our Average band.

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Our view

Likely to suit

Large and giant breed adults, with a table that runs up to 95kg
Fibre working quietly: psyllium husk and beet pulp
Big dogs whose hearts deserve some thought, with taurine and L-carnitine declared
Dogs that fare better on fish than on poultry
Energy kept in check, at 367 kcal per 100 grams and fat at 10.9%

Worth watching

Part of the 23.6% protein comes from wheat and maize protein
Pork fat and an unnamed animal protein hydrolysate, so a strict avoidance plan cannot rest on it
No calcium figure, the number large breed owners look for first
No joint supplement declared, so glucosamine would need adding separately

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

How this scores

How we score

35.7/100Average

Protein and processingPoor

Nutritional balanceAverage

TransparencyGood

ValueAverage

The details

Dog fit

Listed for large and giant breed adults; the label asks 260 grams a day at 20kg up to 835 grams at 95kg. Check your dog's weight against that table before ordering a 12kg bag.

Food type

Dry

Life stage

Adult

Breed size

Large, Giant

Main protein

Fish

The score, in context

Specific CXD-XL Adult large & giant breed 35.7

All one Average. Typical dry food: Good.

The first two ingredients write the band; past them, the recipe does sensible things for a big dog.

What's in it

WheatFirst on the list.
Maize proteinThe protein fraction left when the starch is stripped out. It lifts the declared figure without adding meat.
Fish mealThe animal backbone. Concentrated, so it outweighs its position.
Beet pulp
Pork fatCarries the energy, and at least it is named.
MaizeMaize turns up twice.
Animal protein hydrolysateNo species given.
Minerals, fish oil, vitamins and trace elementsFish oil for long-chain omega 3s; the trace elements are chelated.
Egg powder, psyllium huskPsyllium holds water and gives a large gut something predictable to move.
Lysine, methionine, threonine, tryptophan, taurine, L-carnitine, rosemary extractAmino acid top-ups for the plant protein, then the heart pair.

No calcium or ash figure printed, the numbers large breed owners tend to look for first.

Named ingredients

Wheat, maize protein, fish meal, beet pulp, pork fat, maize, animal protein hydrolysate, minerals, fish oil, vitamins and trace elements (including chelated trace elements), egg powder, lysine, psyllium husk, methionine, threonine, tryptophan, taurine, L-carnitine, rosemary extract. With natural antioxidants (tocopherols and vitamin C).

Against the range

Wheat and maize protein lead, with fish meal the main animal ingredient behind them. Pork fat and fish oil hold fat to 10.9%, psyllium and beet pulp share the fibre, and the tail carries taurine, L-carnitine and chelated trace elements.

Nutritional analysis

Declared analysis

Energy

366.6 kcal/100g

Protein

23.6%

Fat

10.9%

Fibre

2.8%

Moisture

8.5%

Dry weight

Protein

25.8%

Fat

11.9%

Fibre

3.1%

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

18.9%

Carbs

75.5%

Oils

3.9%

Other

1.7%

Pricing & size