Black Hawk
Hill's Science Diet
Black Hawk vs Hill's Science Diet
A score-by-score comparison of Black Hawk and Hill's Science Diet: value, ingredients, transparency, what each costs to feed and where you can actually buy it, run through the same independent 100-point methodology.
Reviewed by the Dog Food Reviews editorial team
Independent scoringUpdated August 2026Not veterinary advice
Edition· Scores and prices entered and checked by hand
At a glance
The whole comparison, in one table
Every measure we hold for both brands. Where a figure is comparable, the leading side is marked; where it is a description rather than a contest, neither side is.
| Measure | Black Hawk | Hill's Science Diet |
|---|---|---|
| Overall scoreOut of 100 · higher is better | 76Leads | 66 |
| Our ratingThe band that score falls in | Good | Average |
| Pillars ledOf 6 scored pillars | 5 of 6Leads | 1 of 6 |
| Cheapest per kgLower is better · editorial estimate | $8.45/kgLeads | $11.58/kg |
| Cost per dayLower is better · a ~15kg adult dog | $2.10Leads | $2.70 |
| Price tierWhere it sits in the market | Premium | Super-premium |
| Retailers we indexHigher is better · chains we price-check | 9 retailersLeads | 6 retailers |
| Recipes we priceDepth of our index, not a score | 2 | 2 |
| FormatHow the food is sold | Dry · Wet | Dry · Wet · Prescription |
| Made inCountry of manufacture | Australia | USA / Multiple |
The contenders
What you are choosing between
Two brands, the same six pillars and the same price index. Each column carries the brand's own product photography, what we hold on it and the door to the full review.
Black Hawk
Premium
Brand pack shot
A popular premium-mainstream brand that's everywhere and reasonably priced in big bags: but its strength is reach, not ingredients. Quality swings noticeably across the range: the better formulas lead with named meat, while cheaper lines lean on rice and grain to bulk out the panel. You're partly paying for shelf presence and marketing, so read the specific recipe rather than the brand badge.
- Format
- Dry · Wet
- Made in
- Australia
- Price per kg
- $8.45-$10.60/kg
- Cost per day
- $2.10-$2.50
- Retailers indexed
- 9 retailers
Hill's Science Diet
Super-premium
Brand pack shot
A science-led brand with a deep, well-researched prescription range: clinically rigorous and consistent. Outside the therapeutic lines, though, the value is below average for the price: the standard panels lean on corn, grain and by-product meals rather than named single-source protein, and you carry a vet-clinic price premium for the brand and its shelf presence. The prescription range is the reason to buy it, not the everyday food.
- Format
- Dry · Wet · Prescription
- Made in
- USA / Multiple
- Price per kg
- $11.58-$12.42/kg
- Cost per day
- $2.70-$2.90
- Retailers indexed
- 6 retailers
The scorecard
Pillar by pillar
Every pillar of our methodology, side by side. Higher is better on every row, the weighting shows how far each pillar moves the overall figure, and the leader is marked purely by the numbers.
Black Hawk leads on
5of 6 pillars
Hill's Science Diet leads on
1of 6 pillars
Price per kg, cost per day, subscription discount, sale frequency and value vs similar formulas.
Named meat first, protein source quality, wholefoods, fillers, artificial colours/flavours, grain quality.
Complete & balanced claim, life-stage suitability, protein/fat levels, sensitive-stomach and vet use cases.
Clear ingredient list, country of manufacture, ownership, feeding-guide clarity, recall visibility.
Stock availability, delivery options, repeat delivery and retailer availability.
Review sentiment, repeat complaints and product consistency feedback.
Cost to feed
What each one costs a day
Price per kg is not the comparison that matters. A fresh bowl and a dry kibble are served in very different daily weights, so the figure to compare is what lands in the bowl each day.
Editorial estimate
Cost per day, a ~15kg adult dog
The span runs from the cheapest recipe we price to the dearest; the heavy rule is the median of those recipes.
| Brand | Cheapest | Typical | Dearest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Hawk | $2.10 | $2.30 | $2.50 |
| Hill's Science Diet | $2.70 | $2.80 | $2.90 |
Dog Food Reviews index
| Recipe | Format | Price per kg | Cost per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Chicken & Rice 20kgBlack Hawk | Dry · 20kgAdult | $8.45 | $2.10 |
| Grain Free Adult Chicken 15kgBlack Hawk | Dry · 15kgAdult | $10.60 | $2.50 |
| Adult Chicken 12kgHill's Science Diet | Dry · 12kgAdult | $11.58 | $2.70 |
| Sensitive Stomach 12kgHill's Science Diet | Dry · 12kgAdult | $12.42 | $2.90 |
Which fits your dog
Should you pick Black Hawk or Hill's Science Diet?
Neither brand is the answer for every dog. These lists are built from the pillars each one wins, the prices we hold and what each brand is best suited to.
Choose Black Hawk if
- On our scorecard it leads price & value (74 to 52, a pillar worth 25 points), ingredient quality (76 to 57, a pillar worth 25 points) and transparency (74 to 67, a pillar worth 15 points).
- It is the cheaper of the two to feed: the cheapest recipe we price works out at about $2.10 a day against $2.70, as an editorial estimate for a ~15kg adult dog.
- It is the easier one to buy: we index 9 retailers stocking it, against 6 for Hill's Science Diet.
- Everyday feeding if you pick the right recipe
- Owners who want availability over peak ingredients
Choose Hill's Science Diet if
- On our scorecard it leads nutrition & suitability (77 to 76, a pillar worth 20 points).
- Vet-prescribed therapeutic diets
- Genuine condition-specific feeding
- Senior and weight-management cases under vet guidance
Before you commit
Where each one is the wrong answer
Skip Black Hawk if
- You need a therapeutic prescription diet
Skip Hill's Science Diet if
- You want named-meat ingredients and value on everyday feeding
Our verdict
Black Hawk finishes ahead on our index, 76 to 66, a gap of 10 points. Black Hawk takes price & value, ingredient quality, transparency, availability & convenience and customer sentiment. Hill's Science Diet takes nutrition & suitability. On the recipes we price, Black Hawk is the cheaper of the two to feed: about $2.10 a day against $2.70 for a ~15kg dog, as an editorial estimate. Black Hawk is the easier one to buy: we index 9 retailers stocking it, against 6 for Hill's Science Diet. Compare cost per day and where you can actually buy each one before you decide. Not veterinary advice.
Scored out of 100 across 6 weighted pillars
dogfoodreviews.com.au
Not veterinary advice. Good vs Average overall. Prices are illustrative and manually entered for v1, always confirm live pricing with the retailer.
The method
The same 100 points, applied to both
Black Hawk and Hill's Science Diet were run through one model, with no category allowance for either. These are the six pillars it weighs, and what each brand scored on them.
25pts
Price & Value
Price per kg, cost per day, subscription discount, sale frequency and value vs similar formulas.
Black Hawk 74Hill's Science Diet 52
25pts
Ingredient Quality
Named meat first, protein source quality, wholefoods, fillers, artificial colours/flavours, grain quality.
Black Hawk 76Hill's Science Diet 57
20pts
Nutrition & Suitability
Complete & balanced claim, life-stage suitability, protein/fat levels, sensitive-stomach and vet use cases.
Black Hawk 76Hill's Science Diet 77
15pts
Transparency
Clear ingredient list, country of manufacture, ownership, feeding-guide clarity, recall visibility.
Black Hawk 74Hill's Science Diet 67
10pts
Availability & Convenience
Stock availability, delivery options, repeat delivery and retailer availability.
Black Hawk 83Hill's Science Diet 77
5pts
Customer Sentiment
Review sentiment, repeat complaints and product consistency feedback.
Black Hawk 76Hill's Science Diet 67
Six pillars, 100 points, published in full. The same model scores every brand in our index, and the sub-scores above are the ones these two were given.
Frequently asked questions
7 questions
On our value score, Black Hawk edges ahead (74 vs 52). Value is about cost per day, not sticker price: compare the per-kg figures above and the cheapest retailer for each before deciding.
Black Hawk scores higher on ingredient quality (76 vs 57) in our index. We look at named-meat-first, protein source quality, wholefoods and fillers.
Black Hawk scores higher on transparency. Transparency covers ingredient clarity, country of manufacture, ownership and feeding-guide detail.
Black Hawk works out at about $2.10 to $2.50 a day across the 2 recipes we price. Hill's Science Diet works out at about $2.70 to $2.90 a day across the 2 recipes we price. Both are editorial estimates for a ~15kg adult dog, built from the recipes we price and each brand's published feeding guide. Formats feed very differently, so compare cost per day rather than price per kg, and confirm live pricing before you buy.
Black Hawk is stocked at Pet Circle, Petbarn, Petstock, Budget Pet Products, PETO, Habitat, Coles, Woolworths and IGA in our index. Hill's Science Diet is stocked at Pet Circle, Petbarn, Petstock, Budget Pet Products, PETO and Habitat in our index. The same product can differ by ten dollars or more between retailers, so compare price per kg at checkout rather than the shelf price.
Online-only retailers like Pet Circle and Budget Pet Products are usually the price-to-beat on everyday pricing, while Petbarn is a strong all-rounder with the widest range, stores nationwide and competitive member and Repeat Delivery pricing. Whichever you choose, compare price per kg before buying.
No. Dog Food Reviews is an independent value and comparison resource, not veterinary advice. Prices are illustrative and manually entered for v1, always confirm the live price and speak to your vet before changing your dog's diet.
Still deciding
Other brands worth comparing
Brands our reviews of Black Hawk and Hill's Science Diet point to, scored on the same 100 points.
Ivory Coat
Premium · Good
A competent grain-free all-rounder, but it's mid-pack on every measure and now sits inside a big multi-brand portfolio where recipes have moved with ownership. Fine if the price is right on the day: just don't expect it to out-spec a more focused independent brand.
- Value
- 71/100
- Ingredients
- 73/100
Best forGrain-free everyday feeding where 'good enough' is fine
SavourLife
Premium · Good
Fair value and the rescue donations are real, not greenwash: but the food itself is good rather than exceptional, with mid-premium panels and a narrow range. Buy it because the per-kg value stacks up, not because the cause makes the ingredients better than they are.
- Value
- 78/100
- Ingredients
- 74/100
Best forValue-conscious feeders who want a clean enough panel
Prime100
Premium · Good
A capable single-protein option for elimination diets, and the labels are honest. But the rolls especially carry a steep price per kg for what is a deliberately simple recipe, and the range spread across formats muddies value: price the dry against the rolls per serve before you settle on one.
- Value
- 72/100
- Ingredients
- 83/100
Best forSensitive stomachs