Willow Creek Free-Range Duck Review: 31% Protein Dry Dog Food for All life stages

Willow Creek Free-Range Duck is a novel-protein duck formula for elimination diets. On the numbers it delivers 31% crude protein and 18% fat at 420 kcal per cup, which puts it in the upper band of the dry-food market for all life stages dogs.

Nutrition at a glance

Protein of 31% sits comfortably above the 22% minimum for adult maintenance and, for most house dogs, above the point where extra protein stops paying for itself. Fat at 18% is the variable that decides how much you feed: at 420 kcal per cup, a moderately active 25 kg dog needs roughly 3.1 cups a day, split across two meals.

Who it suits — and who should skip it

This formula is built for all life stages dogs that tolerate limited ingredient recipes. It is a sensible fit if your dog holds weight easily on moderate portions and has no history of food reactions.

• Good fit: healthy dogs with no diagnosed food allergy and a body condition score of 4–5/9.
• Think twice: dogs with a confirmed sensitivity to duck — pick a novel protein instead.
• Skip: puppies under 12 months unless the AAFCO statement explicitly covers growth.

If your dog has had ear infections, paw licking or intermittent loose stools, resolve that first with a vet-guided elimination trial. Changing bags to treat a suspected allergy usually just moves the problem.

Feeding and transition notes

Start from the bag chart and adjust weekly. As a reference point, a 10 kg adult on this food needs about 1.55 cups a day, a 25 kg adult about 3.1 cups, and a 40 kg adult roughly 4.52 cups.

Transition over seven days in 25% steps. Store the bag sealed, use it within six weeks of opening, and never top up old kibble with new — that is how stale fat at the bottom of the bin keeps getting fed.

Judge Willow Creek Free-Range Duck by the numbers and your dog’s body condition, not by the front of the bag: 31% protein at $12.10/kg is competitive, and the feeding math above tells you the real monthly cost.