# Dog Food



## Pamela (Apr 21, 2010)

I recently received a copy of this 'Dog Food Comparison/Rating Technique' from the breeder that I got my Cane Corso puppy from. I found it interesting, so I thought that some other dog lovers might be interested in it as well:

Dog Food Analysis & Grading

To grade any dog food using this 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.)
Start with a grade of 100 points, then &#8230;

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:

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 flax seed 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 "fish" 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

Scoring

94-100+ = A
86-93 = B
78-85 = C
70-77 = D
less than 70 = F

'Report Card' for some of the most popular dog food brands:

ALPHABETICAL ORDER:

Alpo Prime Cuts / Score 81 C
Artemis Large/Medium Breed Puppy / Score 114 A+
Authority Harvest Baked / Score 116 A+
Beowulf Back to Basics / Score 101 A+
Bil-Jac Select / Score 68 F
Blue Buffalo Chicken & Brown Rice/ Score 106 A+
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 
Diamond Performance / Score 85 C
Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+
Dick Van Patten's Duck and Potato / Score 106 A+
Eagle Pack Holistic / Score 119 A+
Eagle Pack Holistic Chicken / Score 114 A+
Eagle Pack Large and Giant Breed Puppy / Score 94 A
Eagle Pack Natural / Score 94 A
Eukanuba Large Breed Adult / Score 83 C
Eukanuba Natural Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B
Eukanuba Puppy / Score 79 C
Flint River Ranch / Score 92 B (non-specific fat source)
Foundations / Score 106 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+ 
Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110 A+
Kirkland Signature Puppy Chicken, Rice and Vegetable / Score 108 A+
Natural Balance Duck and Potato / Score 114 A+
Nutrisource Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B 
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
Pedigree Complete Nutrition / Score 42 F
Pedigree Adult Complete / Score 14 F
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice / Score 23 F
Pro Plan All Breed / Score 68 F
Pro Plan 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 chicken adult maintenance / Score 45 F
Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F 
Solid Gold Bison / Score 123 A+
Timberwolf Organics Lamb and Venison / Score 136 A+
Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+ 
Wolfking Adult Dog (Bison) by Solid Gold / Score 97 A


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## BullDog (Apr 21, 2010)

Cool, I imagine it'd work more or less for cat food too. Just one question about:

"If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points"

Does that mean you WANT it to be meat meal, as oppose to "whole meat" or "deboned" meat?


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## rescuepenguin (Apr 21, 2010)

My parents purchase raw meat specifically for dogs at a meat shop in Surrey (if anyone wants to know which one pm me). They prepare their own foods for them. A family friend also does that. Think about about it. You cook food for the human members of the family, it is not much extra effort cooking for the non human members.

Steve


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## Nicklfire (Apr 21, 2010)

i'm surprised that Orijen isnt on there, some of the best food out there in myopinion, it's what i feed my dog and cat

Orijen


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## taureandragon76 (Apr 21, 2010)

Orijen is what we use too


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## beN (Apr 21, 2010)

Solid Gold is what Duke gets..loves that Bison


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## t-bore (Apr 21, 2010)

I feed "Go Natural" to our little terror! LOL


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## ibenu (Apr 21, 2010)

When I don't make my dogs own raw food I buy 3P nautuals.. Treats are jake and daisy as it makes him spin like a top (apples and molasses sugar maybe?)

Salmon (wild) has been the best for my blue boy as he has sensitivities to beef and chicken. I liked timberwolf when e were still looking at Kibble. Orijen is an excellent food too IMO.


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## jm. (May 12, 2010)

+1 for orijen again


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## Nanokid (May 18, 2010)

i feed the Innova Dog / Score 114 A+. good food, dog likes it.


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## Ruf R (Jun 11, 2010)

Timberwolf or solid gold is all i used and worked great for my mastiff when i was working with him(Protection Training)!! Thanks for the INFO PAM and By the way the Bocourti cichlids are huge that you gave me last summer!! Probably 10inchs or even bigger and thick,summer nice colors too!!


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## jkam (Apr 21, 2010)

I also use orijen. Smells really bad so I know that it's great for them lol


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## athena (Apr 22, 2010)

+1 on the orijin however, raw is still the best


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