How to Rate Dog Food (from a mailing list online ...)
Below are some foods that are already rated listed alphabetically.
Start with a grade of 100
- For every listing of "by-product" , subtract 10 points
- For every non-specific animal source ("meat" or poultry", meat, meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points
- If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points
- For every grain "mill run" or non-specific rain source, subtract 5 points
- If the same grain ingredient is used 2 or more times in the first five ingredients (i.e. "ground brown rice", brewer's rice", "rice flour" are all the same grain), subtract 5 points
- If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points
- If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points
- If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3 points
- If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points
- If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points
- If lamb is the only animal protein source unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points
- If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points
- If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isn't allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points
- If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isn't allergic to beef), subtract 1 point
- If it contains salt, subtract 1 point
Extra Credit:
- If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points
- If the food is endorsed by any major breed goup or nutritionist, add 5
points - If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points
- If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points
- If the food contains fruit, add 3 points
- If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains) add 3 points
- If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free add 2 points
- If the food contains barley, add 2 points
- If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds) add 2 points
- If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point
- If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point
- For every different specific animal protein source (other than the first
one; count "chicken" and "chicken meal" as only one protein source, but
"chicken" and "" as 2 different sources) add 1 point - If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point
- If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide free, add 1 point
Dog Food scores:
Brand
|
Score
|
Grade
|
| Alpo Prime Cuts |
81 |
C |
| Artemis Large/Medium Breed Puppy | 114 |
A+ |
| Authority Harvest Baked | 116 |
A+ |
| Authority Harvest Baked Less Active | 93 |
B |
| Beowulf Back to Basics | 101 |
A+ |
| Bil-Jac Select | 68 |
F |
| Blackwood 3000 Lamb and RicE |
83 |
C |
| Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice | 106 |
A+ |
| Burns Chicken and Brown Rice | 107 |
A+ |
| Canidae |
112 |
A+ |
| Chicken Soup Senior | 115 |
A+ |
| Diamond Maintenance | 64 |
F |
| Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice | 92 |
B |
| Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula | 99 |
A |
| Diamond Performance | 85 |
C |
| Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium | 122 |
A+ |
| Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Venison & Brown Rice | 106 |
A+ |
| Dick Van Patten's Duck and Potato | 106 |
A+ |
| EaglePack Holistic | 102 |
A+ |
| Eukanuba Adult | 81 |
C |
| Eukanuba Puppy | 79 |
C |
| Flint River Senior |
101 |
A+ |
| Foundations | 106 |
A+ |
| Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold | 93 |
B |
| Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium | 73 |
D |
| Innova Dog | 114 |
A+ |
| Innova Evo |
114 |
A+ |
| Innova Large Breed Puppy | 122 |
A+ |
| Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, & Vegetables | 110 |
A+ |
| Member's Mark Chicken and Rice | 84 |
C |
| Merrick Wilderness Blend | 127 |
A+ |
| Nature's Recipe | 100 |
A |
| Nature's Recipe Healthy Skin Venison & Rice |
116 |
A+ |
| Nature's Variety Raw Instinct | 122 |
A+ |
| Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal and Rice | 81 |
C |
| Nutrience Junior Medium Breed Puppy | 101 |
A+ |
| Nutrisource Lamb and Rice |
87 |
B |
| Nutro Max Adult | 93 |
B |
| Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice | 98 |
A |
| Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy |
87 |
B |
| Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Wheat Free | 86 |
B |
| Nutro Natural Choice Senior |
95 |
A |
| Nutro Ultra Adult | 104 |
A+ |
| Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice | 23 |
F |
| Premium Edge Chicken, Rice & Vegetables Adult dry | 109 |
A+ |
| Pro Nature Puppy | 80 |
C |
| Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach | 94 |
A |
| Purina Beniful |
17 |
F |
| Purina Dog | 62 |
F |
| Purina Come-n-Get It |
16 |
F |
| Purina One Large Breed Puppy | 62 |
F |
| Royal Canin Boxer | 103 |
A+ |
| Royal Canin Bulldog | 100 |
A+ |
| Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult | 106 |
A+ |
| Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ | 63 |
F |
| Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies | 69 |
F |
| Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice | 97 |
A |
| Solid Gold | 99 |
A |
| Summit | 99 |
A |
| Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural Dry | 120 |
A+ |
| Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken | 110 |
A+ |
| Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold | 97 |
A |
This information was found via a mailing list. An internet search also found it at: Connecticut Training & Behavior Services website If you're the original author, let us know and we'll credit you.