Burns Dog Food Review & Ratings

Burns was founded by a vet, John Burns, on an unfashionable idea: most dogs are overfed, and simpler recipes with fewer ingredients cause fewer problems. Decades later that is still the whole proposition, and it is still unfashionable.

Across the 32 foods we have rated it averages 69/100 (Good), ranking 188 of 290. Meat content is solid for the price and the recipes are short, which our score likes.

Two honest caveats. The recipes are lower in protein and fat than current market fashion, deliberately - that is the philosophy rather than an oversight, and for a typical pet dog it is defensible. It will not suit a genuinely hard-working or very active dog. Second, some recipes lead on carbohydrate: "Potato, Duck Meal, Buckwheat, Duck Fat, Peas" puts potato first, which is a real choice with real trade-offs.

Burns also asks you to feed less than you are used to. Follow their guide rather than your instinct, or you will overfeed a food specifically designed not to be overfed.

The range runs 56 to 79, its best is Burns Working Active - Chicken & Rice at 79/100, and the cheapest works out around £0.42 a day. A short ingredient list is a feature, not a shortcut.