Grade Your Dog Food

[Pondwader]

I thought this was interesting, and useful, for selecting a food, or just for fun to see how what you're feeding measures up.
I'm sorry I can no longer find the credit for who wrote, devised or originally published this, so if anyone comes across it can you please post it?
I've also graded several foods using this formula, and I will post my results in the next post.

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", "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

[Pondwader]

Ok, now for a few results... (most of these I scored one day when I was bored, and a friend did some others)

Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach and Skin formula which is salmon and oatmeal based, scored 99.

Pro Plan Large Breed adult 68

Pro Plan Puppy 71

Iams Puppy 89

Eukanuba Medium Breed Puppy 99

Nutro Ultra 116

Nutro Natural Choice Puppy 77

Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice 90

Merrick puppy 129

Authority Harvest Baked / Score 116

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 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+

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

[keekers]

that is really interesting. still think it is crazy how sci di is so low cause all the vets have it!!! wow... i would have thought pro plan would be worse.we mix canidae & sci di just cause the canidae is too rich but will switch to another better one soon when she is done with it..thanks..

[Pondwader]

Originally Posted by keekers

that is really interesting. still think it is crazy how sci di is so low cause all the vets have it!!! wow... i would have thought pro plan would be worse.we mix canidae & sci di just cause the canidae is too rich but will switch to another better one soon when she is done with it..thanks..

Science Diet was once thought to be a decent food only because vets sell it. Vets don't sell it or promote it because of the quality, they sell it because they make money off it... sad but true.

[PawNclaws]

Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110 A+

This is great food. Ever since we switched the puppers we noticed so many things change(for the better). However, Rain is back on Purina One because she has a skin allergy to Kirkland.
Sadly, if we move down south we will have to change the dogs food since there are no Costco's located down there..

[TribalRats]

We have all of ours on Canidae and we love it. My only issue is that Rasta is SO active we have trouble keeping weight on him....*sigh*

[Pondwader]

Originally Posted by TribalRats

We have all of ours on Canidae and we love it. My only issue is that Rasta is SO active we have trouble keeping weight on him....*sigh*

Can you get Rollover or Natural Balance in the tube form there?
That stuff is concentrated nutrition and works well, and quickly, to put weight on.

[TribalRats]

i will have to try it. I would buy anything to put some meat on that boy!

They do sell Natural balance int eh tube from the pet store where I buy Canidae.

[theGOOCH]

Originally Posted by Pondwader

Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110 A+

Shhh!! You're going to let out the secret! This is what I feed and it's less than $20 for 40 lbs

[WolfRyder]

Natural Balance in the "salami" is wonderful! A trainer I know calls it "puppy crack" cause a dog will do just about anything you want for a taste of it.

When I want complete attention to train something, I use that along with bits of cheese.

[Swiftwind]

I'm just reminding myself that I have to reply to this post when I get home! What a great idea!

[Ritz459]

Chicken Soup Senior / Score 115 A+

Yay! That is what I'm feeding my dogs and I love it.

[Pondwader]

Originally Posted by Swiftwind

I'm just reminding myself that I have to reply to this post when I get home! What a great idea!

LOL

[WolfRyder]

Blue Buffalo Senior Dog Food
100
- 3
+14
___________
111 A+

Royal Canin Large Breed Puppy
100
-13
+5
__________
98 = A

[mom2cocoa]

California Natural Chicken Meal and Rice:
If I'm grading it right, it's 95 A