rating your dog food

[Delia and girls]

I thought this might help with the tough decision of what to feed our furkids. The scores given some of the food surprised me.

>Scroll down to see the list of dog food that have already been scored.
>
>       How to grade your dog's food:
>       Start with a grade of 100:
>
>       1) For every listing of "by-product", subtract 10 points
>
>       2) For every non-specific animal source ("meat" or "poultry",
>meat, meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points
>
>       3) If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10
>points
>
>       4) For every grain "mill run" or non-specific grain
>source,subtract 5 points
>
>       5) If the same grain ingredient is used 2 or more times in the
>first five ingredients (i.e. "ground brown rice", "brewerâ?Ts rice",
>"rice flour" are all the same grain), subtract 5 points
>
>       6) If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less
>than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points
>
>       7) If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points
>
>       8 ) If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract
>3points
>
>       9) If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2
>morepoints
>
>       10) If the food contains any animal fat other than fish
>oil,subtract 2 points
>
>       11) If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog
>is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points
>
>       12) If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points
>
>       13) If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isnâ?
Tt

>allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points
>
>       14) If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isnâ?Tt
>allergic to beef), subtract 1 point
>
>       15) If it contains salt, subtract 1 point
>
>       Extra Credit:
>
>       1) If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points
>
>       2) If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or
>       nutritionist, add 5 points
>
>       3) If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points
>
>       4) If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points
>
>       5) If the food contains fruit, add 3 points
>
>       6) If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains),
>add 3 points
>
>       7) If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free,
>add 2 points
>
>       8 ) If the food contains barley, add 2 points
>
>       9) If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add
>2 points
>
>       10) If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point
>
>       11) If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point
>
>       12) 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
>
>       13) If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point
>
>       14) If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are
>pesticide-free, add 1 point
>
>       94-100+ = A
>       86-93 = B
>       78-85 = C
>       70-77 = D
>
>       69 = F
>
>       Here are some foods that have already been scored. If you don't
>see your dog's food here, ask and someone will score it for you.
>       Dog Food scores:
>
>       Authority Harvest Baked / Score 116 A+
>
>       Bil-Jac Select / Score 68 F
>
>       Canidae / Score 112 A+
>
>       Chicken Soup Senior / Score 115 A+
>
>       Diamond Maintenance / Score 64 F
>
>       Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice / Score 92 B
>
>       Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula / Score 99 A
>
>       Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+
>
>       Dick Van Patten's Duck and Potato / Score 106 A+
>
>       Foundations / Score 106 A+
>
>       Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold / Score 93 D
>
>       Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium / Score 73 D
>
>       Innova Dog / Score 114 A+
>
>       Innova Evo / Score 114 A+
>
>       Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110
>A+
>
>       Nutrisource Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B
>
>       Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy / Score 87 B
>
>       Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice / Score 23 F
>
>       ProPlan Natural Turkey & Barley / Score 103 A+
>
>       Purina Benful / Score 17 F
>
>       Purina Dog / Score 62 F
>
>       Purina Come-n-Get It / Score 16 F
>
>       Royal Canin Bulldog / Score 100 A+
>
>       Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult / Score 106 A+
>
>       Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice / Score 97 A
>
>       Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ / Score 63 F
>       Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F
>
>       Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+
>
>       Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold / Score 97 A

[Barb]

This IS surprising.....I thought Solid Gold was much better than this indicates.  Thanks for the info - I think I will grab a bag and do the test myself and see if I match theirs !!!

Very interesting.....   

Thanks Delia !

[Krista]

That's quite interesting.  Thanks Delia!

[doxielady5569128]

Very informative!  Thanks so much!!  WHat a great way to rate dog foods. 

[Roadster]

I am new on this Forum. Roadster is my first Doxie. I have been feeding him Innova Evo, it is considered a "raw diet" , the results from this food is fantastic!! Very little shedding, low stool, and he loves it. I don't know about your babies, but mine has the tendency to get a little fat. This food helps, you feed them very little. I chose the formula with no grain. Very pleased with it.

susan

[Brekkesmom]

Barb, I, too was disappointed by Hund'n'Flocken's score of "93" - but that should mean it scores a "B" and not a "D".  I am having a hard time finding out anything about Sodium Selenite, and Biotin - anyone else having any luck on those two?

[KathyP]

This is the same info that we have been discussing on my Golden forum! I was really glad to get this info. Our puppy Katie will be fed Canidae more than likely. That is what the breeder has fed her dogs for a while now. Of course, when I got a small bag of Canidae I then found out she had switched to Innova! lol They are both rated high though. I can buy Canidae at a local pet store but Innova I can't so that makes a difference to me.
Isn't it amazing how feeding our dogs has become such a science? I remember as a kid our Beagle/Doxie mix, Skippy ate Purina Dog Chow and Gainesburgers!!! And he lived a pretty healthy life and was 12 when he went to the bridge!

[Delia and girls]

 

I remember as a kid our Beagle/Doxie mix, Skippy ate Purina Dog Chow and Gainesburgers!!! And he lived a pretty healthy life and was 12 when he went to the bridge!

LOL! Isn't that the truth! Man, those gainesburgers smelled bad! And my parent's poodle LOVED them! He also lived to be a ripe old age - although, I don't remember how old he lived to be.

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

Our Sam (doxie) also ate gainsburgers all his life...and lived to be 17 and healthy as a horse. We also encouraged him to jump off the back of the couch when we played with him!! And never a back problem. Wish all our kids could be so stout LOL.

Thanks for this Delia, I am looking for a new kibble and was glad to have this to refer to. (Hallie has decided CSFTPLS is boring so I want another one to switch back and forth with).

[Jen]

Well I am not sure what grade Proplan would get but after being on the dog food roller coaster for years I can say that I have come back to good old fashion Proplan and I'm not switching changing...lol ... corn or not my dogs look and seem to feel wonderful on this food. I have fed the most expensive brands (Natures Variety, Cannidae, Wellness, SG, you name it I have probably tried it) but I just never get the results that I get with Proplan.  My crew give it a big fat  :thumb:

Jen & the Crew

[KathyP]

Well, that's what is important Jen!! If your dogs are doing well on what they are eating that's all that counts! Piddleman ate Purina One Lamb and Rice most of his life and did just fine. Finn ate Nutro Max for large breed dogs the last six months of his life and his coat improved so much and he dropped about 8 lbs so that worked well for him. Just gotta give those puppers what works best for them.

[roisinmarie]

when we first got my rescue dog paddy his previous owner was feeding him grey hound mix for racing greyhounds. he was sick all the time. we have him on science hill. my other mini one only eats brandy dry and it is one of the cheapest things on the market but he wud'nt ate anything else so what cud we do.

[David C.]

Max spent most of his life eating Iams...until recently.   We noticed that he lost interest in eating.  When he went to my mother-in-laws, he greedily ate Duke's Kibbles 'n' Bits dog food, so we got it for him.  I still mix in a bit of the Iams, but he wolfs down the Kibbles 'n' Bits.  I'm thinking Max just got sick of eating the food he was being served.   No matter how good a dog food is, if your pupper isn't going to eat it, it's not going to do him any good. 

I will add that Max is 17 1/2 years old.   At this point in his life, I'm not as concerned with what he eats as much as I am concerned that he should just be eating, period.   I wouldn't dream of feeding this stuff to a younger dog, but Max has earned the right to eat "junk food"

[Jen]

Hey at 17yrs old if he wants Kibbles N Bits then he should have whatever he wants!! :thumb:
I noticed they make a  Homestyle formula with gravy... does he like that one? My guys are jealous!! LOL

Jen & the Crew

[DoxiMeMe]

PLEASE -- PLEASE GO TO THE SITE LISTED BELOW & READ BEFORE YOU GIVE YOUR PUPPER ANY FOOD!!!
(Diamond Dogs  DOG FOOD RECALLS !!!)      http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/diamond.asp
SOME FOODS CAN KILL YOUR PRECIOUS PUPS!!!  :ambulance:    SCAREY, HUH!!!