How To Grade Your Dog's Food

[Oscar's Mom]

Yeah, I agree that they should have gotten back with you on that! I am so glad that she made a full recovery! I would love for Oscar to eat something besides Royal Canin because I know there are better foods out there for him. I have tried to get him to eat Innova and he won't touch it. I hate to make him go for days without eating but he just won't eat anything but RC. I even mixed the Innova with his RC and he picked the RC out and left the Innova. Aside from mixing wet with the dry to get him to eat it, I don't know what else to do to make him switch.

[LuvMySissy]

Originally Posted by Oscar's Mom

Yeah, I agree that they should have gotten back with you on that! I am so glad that she made a full recovery! I would love for Oscar to eat something besides Royal Canin because I know there are better foods out there for him. I have tried to get him to eat Innova and he won't touch it. I hate to make him go for days without eating but he just won't eat anything but RC. I even mixed the Innova with his RC and he picked the RC out and left the Innova. Aside from mixing wet with the dry to get him to eat it, I don't know what else to do to make him switch.

Sissy stopped eating her Royal Canin puppy when she got sick. I've tried several other dry brands and have been coming up empty. Natural Choice (which scores very high) makes their meat/veggie in a rolled tube. I got a sample from the representative last week and Sissy LOVES the lamb & brown rice formula. It is really easy - just slice off a piece and cut it up. Refrigerate what is leftover (or cut slices and freeze). I'm hopeful she will eventually begin eating the Natural Choice dry food (they also have many formulas).

[theBRUNster]

Woohoo!!! Bruno's food got the highest rating of 122!! Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium is awesome and easy to find (Petco)

[0liversMom]

Thanks for the great info....Looks like Oliver will be getting new food!

[Sadie's Mom]

Has anyone scored the Royal Canin Yorkie? I put Sadie's food in a different container, so I don't have a bag to do it myself.

[KellyV]

Originally Posted by Sadie's Mom

Has anyone scored the Royal Canin Yorkie? I put Sadie's food in a different container, so I don't have a bag to do it myself.

Here is a link to the RC YT 28 food. Ingredients are at the bottom of the page...

I tried to grade it, but I don't think I'm doing it right. I got a pretty bad score... I'm hoping I'm wrong though. I hold the RC company in pretty high regard.

[JRosal]

GREAT post and great information...thanks for sharing!

[YorkieHeaven]

Glad to see this one is still going... I am hoping to find the best dog food out there so I can switch it for our two new furbabies as soon as can be..

[BabyFidgette]

Originally Posted by Kahlua

Science Diet is garbage. All the vet's probably recommend it because they get it for free or they're paid to do so.

I know, they all recommend it, hugh? My vet does too.

[Oscar's Mom]

Originally Posted by KellyV

Here is a link to the RC YT 28 food. Ingredients are at the bottom of the page...

I tried to grade it, but I don't think I'm doing it right. I got a pretty bad score... I'm hoping I'm wrong though. I hold the RC company in pretty high regard.

I feed this same food to Oscar so I had an interest in the grade. From what I can figure, it scores a 97, which is pretty good! I know Oscar loves it!

[BabyFidgette]

Originally Posted by livingdustmops

I got this on another group....pretty interesting to see.....
How to grade your dog's food:
Some brands are done at the very bottom]

Start with a grade of 100:

1) For every listing of "by-product"1) For every listing

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

Thanks for this! Okay, who wants to add up Merrick's wing-a-ling, smothered comfort, grammy's pot pie, and/or puppy plate (wet) for me? I stink at math! LOL

[BabyFidgette]

Originally Posted by livingdustmops

I got this on another group....pretty interesting to see.....
How to grade your dog's food:
Some brands are done at the very bottom]

Start with a grade of 100:

1) For every listing of "by-product"1) For every listing

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

I wonder why one diamond is an A and one is an F! That's weird!

[luvdorkyyorkies]

I feed my yorkies....

Eukanuba dry puppy, pro plan puppy pac dry, and diamond food dry for puppies for variety.
They also like people food..........its required occasional steak, chicken, pork?, fish.
Canned food should be limited........it causes tooth decay...........but feed it if they are sick and need " A boost" " Little Caesar's" "pedigree" "mighty dog"
Also make sure they get lots of Water Water Water.

[Daisy23]

I wasnt going to ask, but i stink at math as well. I was looking for Merrick's Pot Pie and Cowboy Cookout. If i post the ingredients can someone help out? I actually stink at math but with a calculator it's not hard i tried to go through the first few and got lost in the sauce

[KellyV]

Originally Posted by Oscar's Mom

I feed this same food to Oscar so I had an interest in the grade. From what I can figure, it scores a 97, which is pretty good! I know Oscar loves it!

Hmm... Okay. Good to know. I must be doing something way wrong then. Maybe I'm counting things twice and subtracting too much or something... I'll try again when I'm thinking more clearly!