Top

 

 
The Reading Corner
 

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", "brewer's 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 isn't allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points
  14. If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isn't 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
Scores:
    94-100+
= A
86-93
= B
78-85
= C
70-77
= D
     69
= E
   >69
= F
 
Here are some foods that have already been scored:

Food
Score
Notes
Authority Harvest Baked
116
A+
 
Bil-Jac Select
68
F
 
Canidae
112
A+
 
Chicken Soup Senior
115
A+
 
Diamond Maintenance
64
F
 
Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice
92
B
Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula
99
A
 
Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium
122
A+
 
Dick Van Patten's Duck and Potato
106
A+
 
Eagle Pack Holistic
119
A+
 
Eagle Pack Holistic Chicken
114
A+
 
Eagle Pack Large and Giant Breed Puppy
94
A
 
Eagle Pack Natural
94
A
 
Eukanuba Large Breed Adult
83
C
 
Eukanuba Natural Lamb and Rice
87
B
 
Flint River Ranch
92
B
(non-specific fat source)
Foundations
106
A+
 
Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold
93
A
 
Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium
73
D
 
Iams Large Breed
83
C
 
Innova Dog
114
A+
 
Innova Evo
114
A+
 
Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables
110
A+
 
Natural Balance Duck and Potato
114
A+
 
Nutrisource Lamb and Rice
87
B
 
Nutro Chicken, Rice, & Oatmeal
85
C
(non-specific fat source)
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy
87
B
 
Nutro Natural choice Lamb and Rice
85
C
 
Ol Roy
9
F
 
Pedigree Complete Nutrition
42
F
 
Pedigree Adult Complete
14
F
 
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice
23
F
 
Pro Plan All Breed
68
F
 
ProPlan Natural Turkey & Barley
103
A+
 
Purina Benful
17
F
 
Purina Dog
62
F
 
Purina Come-n-Get It
16
F
 
Royal Canin Bulldog
100
A+
 
Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult
106
A+
 
Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice
97
A
 
Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+
63
F
 
Science Diet chicken adult maintainance
45
F
 
Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies
69
F
 
Solid Gold Bison
123
A+
 
Timberwolf Organics Lamb and Venison
136
A+
 
Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken
110
A+
 
Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold
97
A
 

 

pawprints