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", "brewerâs 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 3 points
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 isnât allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points
14) If it contains beef (unless
you know that your dog isnât 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 <70 = F
Dog Food scores:
Authority
Harvest Baked / Score 116 A+
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 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 for
Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F
Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+
Wolfking Adult
Dog (bison) by Solid Gold / Score 97 A
