I don't like to look at a food and judge it based on if it's just 'high protein' or if it's 'low protein' or whatever. Looking at the ingredient list will give you a better basis. The first 3 ingredients, IMO, should be meat (either chicken, chicken meal, etc)... NOT by-products, corn, corn gluten meal, wheat, or soy, etc.
Grain-free is what I agree with feeding but I also think it's become a 'fad'... Natures Recipe, for example, has a grain-free food out now but it's pretty much potato-heavy and still not really very much meat content. So simply seeing 'grain-free' on the bag doesn't always mean it's going to be a good food.
Also, looking at the factory or plant the food is made in is very important. Make sure the company is not outsourcing ingredients from China, and things like that.
Dog food is complicated and controversial. The way I see it, it's just like with people... you have those who live off TV dinners and McDonald's, and you have those who shop all organic, and eat healthy every single day.
People who eat terribly, smoke heavily, etc.
can live perfectly normal lives.
Just like the person who exercises, eats excellent and "does everything right" can drop dead at age 30 from a heart attack. Or a person who never smoked a day in their life can die from lung cancer. That's life.
Just because a dog does "well" on Eukanuba or Pedigree or Purina doesn't necessarily mean they're eating as good as they
could.... but it also doesn't mean they're going to be unhealthy dogs and die young either necessarily. I personally would
never feed it because I don't agree with the ingredients, and I don't like the amount of recalls it has, etc, but those are my personal feelings that I've researched heavily. That's not to say Jackson doesn't get to enjoy a little Cesar wet food every now and then, or a Milk Bone, I just do it in moderation... just like people.
You gotta do for your dogs what you personally decide is right... but in the end you can't place blame and say 'this dog didn't live as long as this one because it ate better food.' There's too many other factors out there. Do your research, and feed what you feel works best for your dog.
Anyways, it's just my personal preference to feed grain free, low carb, meat protein rich foods. Ultimately, though, I think it's what works best for you and your dog.
I've done alot of research and have finally settled that this works best for Jackson!