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