How to Rate Your Dog Food
How to rate your dog's food: Start with a grade of 100 points.
- 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 grain 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", "brewers rice", "rice flour" are all the same grain source), 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 is not allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points.
- If it contains beef (unless you know your dog is not 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 group 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 flaxseed 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 "chicken by-products" 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.
Scores:
94 - 100+: A
86 - 93: B
78 - 85: C
70 - 77: D
69 and below: F
Below are some foods that have already been scored:
| Brand Name |
Score |
Grade |
| Authority Harvest Baked |
116 |
A+ |
| Bil-Jac Select |
68 |
F |
| 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 |
| Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium |
122 |
A+ |
| Dick Van Patten's Duck and Potato |
106 |
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+ |
| Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice & Vegetables (Sold only at Costco) |
110 |
A+ |
| Nutrisource Lamb and Rice |
87 |
B |
| Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy |
87 |
B |
| Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice |
23 |
F |
| ProPlan Natural Turkey & Barley |
103 |
A+ |
| Purina Beneful |
17 |
F |
| Purina Dog |
62 |
F |
| Purina Come-n-Get It |
16 |
F |
| Royal Canin Bulldog |
100 |
A |
| Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult |
106 |
A+ |
| Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice |
97 |
A |
| Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ |
63 |
F |
| Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies |
69 |
F |
| Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken |
110 |
A+ |
| Wolfking Adult Dog (Bison) by Solid Gold |
97 |
A |
PLEASE NOTE:
Beef, venison, and bison (or other 'game' meats) are NOT good for Dalmatians as they are high purine meats
|
