Winalot Small Dog: Mixed in Jelly (Chicken, Lamb, Beef) review

Both boxes share one recipe, one analysis and our Good band, with transparency reading Outstanding and protein and processing Poor. Above them sits our Excellent band, where the typical adult wet food finishes, and what carries these two nearest to it is a nutritional balance reading of Outstanding. The analysis is the reason: protein converts to 52.5% of dry matter and estimated carbohydrate to 17.5%, which is close to the 15.8% the typical adult wet food runs at. What keeps these two from climbing further is naming, since vegetable protein extracts, derivatives of vegetable origin and fish and fish derivatives are all left as categories that could be filled in several different ways.

Ingredients, as declared: Chunks With Beef, Potatoes and Peas, Meat and animal derivatives (of which beef 4% in the chunks*), Vegetable protein extracts, Derivatives of vegetable origin, Fish and fish derivatives, Vegetables (0.8% dehydrated potato equivalent to 7.2% potatoes and 0.8% dehydrated peas equivalent to 7.2% peas), Minerals, Various sugars, Chunks with Chicken, Carrots and Beans, Meat and animal derivatives (of which chicken 10%), Vegetable protein extracts, Derivatives of vegetable origin, Fish and fish derivatives, Vegetables (0.6% dehydrated carrots equivalent to 5.4% carrots and 0.6% dehydrated green beans equivalent to 5.4% green beans), Minerals, Various sugars, Chunks with Lamb, Rice and Carrots, Meat and animal derivatives (of which lamb 4% in the chunks*), Vegetable protein extracts, Derivatives of vegetable origin, Fish and fish derivatives, Cereals (1% uncooked rice equivalent to 6% cooked rice), Vegetables (0.7% dehydrated carrots equivalent to 6.3% carrots), Minerals, Various sugars, *pouch contains 40% chunks

Three chunk recipes share the box, beef with potatoes and peas, chicken with carrots and green beans, and lamb with rice and carrots, at 40% chunks a pouch. Chicken is the most generously declared of the three at 10%, with beef and lamb at 4% of their chunks. Meat and animal derivatives leads each list. The named animal is the fixed point, and nothing describes what else goes in.

Fish and fish derivatives sits in all three recipes, which is easy to miss on a label whose front names beef, chicken and lamb. It is a broad term covering fish of any species and any part, and for most small dogs it is simply extra animal protein. For a household deliberately keeping fish out of the bowl it matters, and it is the reason these pouches cannot serve as a single-animal diet.

The vegetables are given at both weights. There is 0.8% dehydrated potato standing in for 7.2% potatoes, with the same again for peas. Then 0.6% dehydrated carrots for 5.4% carrots with green beans to match, and 0.7% dehydrated carrots for 6.3% carrots in the lamb recipe. The lamb chunks also carry 1% uncooked rice, equivalent to 6% cooked rice, which is the only named grain anywhere in the range. Vegetable protein extracts and derivatives of vegetable origin sit alongside them, both unnamed.

The panel is where these pouches earn their placement. Protein converts to 52.5% of dry matter, fat to a lean 15.0%, fibre to 6.0% and estimated carbohydrate to 17.5%, with energy declared at 78 kcal per 100g. Taurine is printed at 525 mg/kg, an amino acid that supports heart muscle and one small breeds are often given deliberately. The vitamins and trace minerals are each dosed in print. Vitamin A is at 1158 IU/kg and vitamin D3 at 160 IU/kg, then zinc at 2.00 mg/kg, iron at 1.40 mg/kg, manganese at 0.19 mg/kg, copper at 0.10 mg/kg and iodine at 0.04 mg/kg.

The jelly version of the same three recipes, sold in the smaller box only. Jelly is the firmer eating of the two, which some small dogs much prefer and others leave sitting in the bowl, so it is worth trying one box before settling on it.

Sold in 85g pouches, 12 to a box, with the gravy version also offered as a box of 40.

For a dog between 1kg and 5kg, the label's own guide asks 170 to 510 grams a day, and between 5kg and 10kg it asks 510 to 765 grams a day.