how to grade your dog food... interesting!!

[BellieBoo]

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", "brewers 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 3 points

9) If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points

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 isnt allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points

14) If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isnt 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
<70 = 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:

Alpo Prime Cuts / Score 81 C

Artemis Large/Medium Breed Puppy / Score 114 A+

Authority Harvest Baked / Score 116 A+

Authority Harvest Baked Less Active / Score 93 B

Beowulf Back to Basics / Score 101 A+

Bil-Jac Select / Score 68 F

Blackwood 3000 Lamb and Rice / Score 83 C

Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice / Score 106 A+

Burns Chicken and Brown Rice / Score 107 A+

Canidae / Score 112 A+

Chicken Soup Senior / Score 115 A+

Diamond Hi-Energy/ Score 77 D

Diamond Maintenance / Score 64 F

Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice / Score 92 B

Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula / Score 99 A

Diamond Performance / Score 85 C

dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+

dick Van PattenⳠNatural Balance Venison and Brown Rice / Score 106 A+

dick Van Patten's Duck and Potato / Score 106 A+

EaglePack Holistic / Score 102 A+

Eukanuba Adult / Score 81 C

Eukanuba Puppy / Score 79 C

Flint River Senior / Score 101 A+

Foundations / Score 106 A+

Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold / Score 93 B

Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium / Score 73 D

Innova Dog / Score 114 A+

Innova Evo / Score 114 A+

Innova Large Breed Puppy / Score 122 A+

Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110 A+

MemberⳠMark Chicken and Rice / Score 84 C

Merrick Wilderness Blend / Score 127 A+

NatureⳠRecipe / Score 100 A

NatureⳠRecipe Healthy Skin Venison and Rice / Score 116 A+

NatureⳠVariety Raw Instinct / Score 122 A+

Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal and Rice / Score 81 C

Nutrience Junior Medium Breed Puppy / Score 101 A+

Nutrisource Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B

Nutro Max Adult / Score 93 B

Nutro Natural Choice Oatmeal / Score 101 A+

Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice / Score 98 A

Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy / Score 87 B

Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Lamb and Rice Puppy / Score 98 A

Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Wheat Free / Score 86 B

Nutro Natural Choice Senior / Score 95 A

Nutro Ultra Adult / Score 104 A+

Ol' Roy High Performance / Score 27 F

Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice / Score 23 F

Premium Edge Chicken, Rice and Vegetables Adult Dry / Score 109 A+

Pro Nature Puppy / Score 80 C

Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach / Score 94 A

Purina Benful / Score 17 F

Purina Dog / Score 62 F

Purina Come-n-Get It / Score 16 F

Purina One Large Breed Puppy / Score 62 F

Royal Canin Boxer / Score 103 A+

Royal Canin Bulldog / Score 100 A+

Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult / Score 106 A+

Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ / Score 63 F

Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F

Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice / Score 97 A

Solid Gold / Score 99 A

Summit / Score 99 A

Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural Dry / Score 120 A+

Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+

Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold / Score 97 A

[BellieBoo]

I feed Royal Canin 28 and i got a score of 94 (A)

this is the list of ingredients if you want to double check

Ingredients: Chicken meal, brewers rice, brown rice, chicken fat, chicken, corn gluten meal, dried egg powder, barley, natural chicken flavor, cellulose, dried beet pulp (sugar removed), anchovy oil, dried brewers yeast, potassium chloride, soya oil, fructo-oligosaccharides, salmon meal, calcium carbonate, sodium tripolyphosphate, choline chloride, dried brewers yeast extract (source of mannan-oligosaccharides) , taurine*, Vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol (source of vitamin E), inositol, niacin supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C*), d-calcium pantothenate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A acetate, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement], magnesium oxide, borage oil, Trace Minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate], glucosamine hydrochloride*, L-Carnitine*, DL-methionine, marigold extract (Calendula officinalis L.), tea (green tea extract), chondroitin sulfate*, preserved with natural tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), citric acid and rosemary extract.

[Emmsmom]

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/

This site has lot of really good info on it. Just click on review. Most here feed their little ones one of the 5 star rating foods.

[MindieRose]

Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula / Score 99 A

Nothing on Diamond Naturals Small Breed?

I have my own personal feelings (as most do here I am sure ) about dog foods that dont really line up with many. At the animal hospital they make anyone feel like a horrible pet owner if they feed anything other than Science Diet. I found it ironic that those faithful to it had their dogs in there constantly, but to each their own I guess.
Growing up all my dogs had purina, and lived to be very old and had all their teeth forever. Then I see people spend hundreds on fancy "prescription" food that look half dead.
My mother in law had a shepard mix that she got as a pup when dh's little sister was an infant. He died at 21, and lived off of dinner leftovers with no dog food.

[Emmsmom]

Originally Posted by BellieBoo

I feed Royal Canin 28 and i got a score of 94 (A)

this is the list of ingredients if you want to double check

Ingredients: Chicken meal, brewers rice, brown rice, chicken fat, chicken, corn gluten meal, dried egg powder, barley, natural chicken flavor, cellulose, dried beet pulp (sugar removed), anchovy oil, dried brewers yeast, potassium chloride, soya oil, fructo-oligosaccharides, salmon meal, calcium carbonate, sodium tripolyphosphate, choline chloride, dried brewers yeast extract (source of mannan-oligosaccharides) , taurine*, Vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol (source of vitamin E), inositol, niacin supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C*), d-calcium pantothenate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A acetate, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement], magnesium oxide, borage oil, Trace Minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate], glucosamine hydrochloride*, L-Carnitine*, DL-methionine, marigold extract (Calendula officinalis L.), tea (green tea extract), chondroitin sulfate*, preserved with natural tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), citric acid and rosemary extract.

I only came up with 68 possibly 76 if you add the extra credit numbers 2 and 3. I wasn't sure about those. Maybe I missed something. That link I gave usually gives you lot of info on the food that we use. Most of the time they will even leave some kind of recommendation unless it really is a really low rated dog food.

[Ellie May]

I wouldn't worry too much about scoring the food because it is really based on opinion. For example, why do we add 2 points for barley? What makes barley better than brown rice? Why add 5 points if a nutritionist endorses it? Ellie's nutritionist likes Science Diet, Purina... So if you are looking for a premium food, nutritionists might not endorse them...

Is you Yorkie doing well on the food (no GI upset or itchies)?

[cooperk]

Where in the world do you find all these dog foods? Online?
I have a 12 wk old baby and am confused as to feed her can or dry food. I think for a puppy can would be better, but she seems to go for my westie's dry food more (probabyl because she wants anything he's got

I would love a more nutricious dog food, but need someone to set me the right direction here.

Kathy

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by cooperk

Where in the world do you find all these dog foods? Online?
I have a 12 wk old baby and am confused as to feed her can or dry food. I think for a puppy can would be better, but she seems to go for my westie's dry food more (probabyl because she wants anything he's got

I would love a more nutricious dog food, but need someone to set me the right direction here.

Kathy

You can get them online but shipping isn't cheap.
Some pet stores carry Wellness, Canidae, Natural Balance, Solid Gold...

[4gracealone]

My head spins with all the doggie food choices.

I thought Vet Stores only carried the best for dogs, but mine has Royal Canin.

I am going out today and getting new food for them, the Avoderm that the PetCo 'expert' claimed was the BEST is actually rated VERY low on the dogfood site.

I never thought I would spend so much time fretting over what to feed my babies!

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

I wouldn't worry too much about scoring the food because it is really based on opinion. For example, why do we add 2 points for barley? What makes barley better than brown rice? Why add 5 points if a nutritionist endorses it? Ellie's nutritionist likes Science Diet, Purina... So if you are looking for a premium food, nutritionists might not endorse them...

Is you Yorkie doing well on the food (no GI upset or itchies)?

I so agree with you! I was almost paranoid about finding the "best food" for Joey, but the more research I did the more I learned things are still very controversial in the nutrition department. Look at all the changes lately in human nutrition. One minute, eggs are off limits and the next they are nature's purest food and actually help lower cholesterol.

Again:

Originally Posted by Ellie May

Is you Yorkie doing well on the food (no GI upset or itchies)?

[Emmsmom]

I feed Diesel Canidae and Orijen. I onlt feed the Orijen as a treat because it is so high in prtoein.

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

I so agree with you! I was almost paranoid about finding the "best food" for Joey, but the more research I did the more I learned things are still very controversial in the nutrition department. Look at all the changes lately in human nutrition. One minute, eggs are off limits and the next they are nature's purest food and actually help lower cholesterol.

Lol, it is like going around in circles. What I thought were premium foods use at least one ingredient that I would not feed Ellie. They also call their meat human grade but really there is no such thing...

For the record, I never recommend Royal Canin's regular food because it has made so many Yorkies itchy. But if your dog is doing well on it and there are no carcinogenic preservatives in it, then is it worth switching? But I do think Royal Canin is waaaaay overpriced for what you get.

I feed homecooked to avoid dog food altogether.

[4gracealone]

We used Royal Canin for one month, the babies were so itchy!

We used Eukanuba for Yorkies one month and they had baaaaad gas...

We bought Avoderm at the advice of the petstore dude... it is awful, they will NOT eat it and it is rated as bad!

Grrr....

[Indi]

Petco carrys Solid Gold

[yorkiepup2]

OMG! My 9 year old Scooter has had such bad itching for the past year or so. He had also been on Royal Canin Yorkie Food for a long, long, time. Now I don't know what to feed them?????