Dog Food Analysis
How to Grade your Dog Food. Also a good reference for Cat Food too.
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How Healthy is Your Dog Food? - Grading, Analysis, And Comparisons
We have found an easy way to "Grade" your dog food by simply reading the ingredient label. Many people are uncertain on what to look for and also what should not be in their pet's food. This Analysis can help you gain a better understanding of what ingredients should be in your dog's food. There also some comparisons of some popular foods and their scores. Some of the results may surprise, or even shock you. All of the brands at A1 Pet Emporium score an A+. You can check it out here.
How to Grade Your Dog Food
Dog Food Analysis, Grading, and Comparisons
To
grade any dog food using Sarahs' dog food comparisons technique, you need to
start with the list of ingredients (it's fairly easy to find an ingredient
list for any particular food on the manufacturers website, or use the one on
your dog food bag etc.) Source:
http://www.the-puppy-dog-place.com/dog-food-ratings.html & A1 Pet Emporium
Start with a grade of 100 points, then...
-
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", "brewer's rice", "rice flour" are all the
same grain), 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 isn't allergic to wheat), subtract
2 points
-
If it contains
beef (unless you know that your dog isn't allergic to beef), subtract 1
point
-
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 "fish" 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.
Where Does Your Favorite Dog Food Rank?
Some Popular Foods – Alphabetical Order
Back to Basics / Score 132 A+
Bil-Jac Select / Score 68 F
Blue Buffalo Chicken & Brown Rice/ Score 106 A+
Canidae / Score 118 A+
Chicken Soup for the Pet Lovers Soul / 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+
Eukanuba Large Breed Adult / Score 83 C
Eukanuba Natural Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B
Foundations / Score 106 A+
Horizon Legacy Adult / Score 121 A+
Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold / Score 93 A
Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium / Score 73 D
Iams Large Breed / Score 83 C
Innova Dog / Score 114 A+
Innova Evo / Score 114 A+
Instinct by Nature's Variety / Score 133 A+
Kirkland Signature Puppy Chicken, Rice and Vegetable / Score 108 A+
Natural Balance Duck and Potato / Score 114 A+
Nutro Chicken, Rice, & Oatmeal / Score 85 C (non-specific fat source)
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy / Score 87 B
Nutro Natural choice Lamb and Rice / Score 85 C
Ol Roy / Score 9 F
Orijen / Score 137 A+
Pedigree Complete Nutrition / Score 42 F
Pedigree Adult Complete / Score 14 F
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice / Score 23 F
Premium Edge Adult Dog Lamb & Rice / Score 117 A+
Pro Plan All Breed / Score 68 F
Pro Plan Natural Turkey & Barley / Score 103 A+
Purina Beneful / 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+
Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ / Score 63 F
Science Diet chicken adult maintenance / Score 45 F
Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F
Solid Gold Bison / Score 123 A+
Taste of the Wild Sierra Mountain / 123 A+
Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream / Score 123 A+
Taste of the Wild Wetlands / 123 A+
Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream / 123 A+
Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+
Wolfking Adult Dog (Bison) by Solid Gold / Score 97 A
