How to grade your dog's food:
Start with a grade of 100 points:
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", "brewers 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 more points
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 " turkey" 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
101+ = A+ 94-100 = A 86-93 = B 78-85 = C
70-77 = D 69 or less = F
Here are some foods that have already been scored.
The better foods are highlighted in RED.
Dog Food scores:
American Natural Premium / Score 107 A+
American Natural Premium: Endurance / Score 106 A+
Authority Harvest Baked / Score 116 A+
Bil-Jac:
Puppy / Score 69 F
Select / Score 68 F
Canidae / Score 112 A+
Castor & Pollux Pet Works:
Natural Ultramix / Score 116 A+
Organix / Score 118 A+
Chicken Soup Senior / Score 115 A+
Diamond:
Maintenance / Score 64 F
Lamb Meal & Rice / Score 92 B
Large Breed 60+ Formula / Score 99 A
Dick Van Patten's:
Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+
Duck and Potato / Score 106 A+
Eukanuba:
Puppy / Score 78 B
Sensitive Stomach / Score 83 C
Foundations / Score 106 A+
Fromm, Four Star Nutritionals:
Chicken A La Veg / Score 118 A+
Duck & Sweet Potato / Score 117 A+
Salmon A La Veg / Score 116 A+
Whitefish & Potato / Score 119 A+
Fromm Gold:
Puppy Gold / Score 111 A+
Puppy Large Breed Gold /Score 111 A+
Adult Gold / Score 111 A+
Senior Gold / Score 108 A+
Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold / Score 93 B
Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium / Score 73 D
Innova:
EVO Chicken / Score 114 A+
EVO Red Meat / Score 111 A+
Kirkland Signature:
Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110 A+
N-R-G Pet Products:
Chicken / Score 113 A+
Chicken & Salmon / Score 117 A+
Newmans Own Chicken & Rice / Score 108 A+
Nutrisource Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B
Nutro:
Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy / Score 87 B
Natural Choice "Sensitive Stomach" Chicken & Oatmeal / Score 82 C
Natural Choice "Sensitive Stomach" Herring & Potato / Score 78 C
Natural Choice "Sensitive Stomach" Venison & Rice / Score 78 C
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice / Score 23 F
ProPlan Natural Turkey & Barley / Score 103 A+
Purina:
Beniful / Score 17 F
Dog Chow / Score 62 F
Come-n-Get It / Score 16 F
Royal Canin:
Bulldog / Score 100 A+
Natural Blend Adult / Score 106 A+
Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice / Score 97 A
Science Diet:
Advanced Protein Senior 7+ / Score 63 F
Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F
Timberwolf:
Southwest Chicken & Herb / Score 118 A+
Wellness Super 5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+
Solid Gold:
Wolfking Adult Dog (Bison) / Score 97 A
Wysong:
Synorgon / Score 104 A+
This page was last updated on 7-10-08.