How to Grade Your Dog's Food

Feeding a great dog food helps to ensure a vibrant, healthy dog companion for life. Please take a minute to check your dog’s food and don’t just rely on the advertising when you choose one—her quality of life depends on it.

START WITH A GRADE OF 100.

1) For every listing of "by-product", subtract 10 points.

2) For every non-specific source ("meat" or "poultry" or "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, for example, ground brown rice, brewers rice, rice flour are all the same grain, subtract 5 points.

6) If the protein sources are not meat 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, subtract 2 points.

12) If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points.

13) If it contains wheat, subtract 2 points.

14) If it contains beef, subtract 2 points.

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 a registered nutritionist, add 5 points.

3) If the food is baked and 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 count "chicken" and "lamb" as 2 different sources), add 1 point.

13) If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point.

14) If the vegetables have been tested as pesticide free, add 1 point.

Now, check your score:

94 - 100+ = A

86 - 93 = B

78 - 85 = C

70 - 77 = D

---70 = F

How did your food score?

These are just a few that already had scores.

ALPO PRIME CUTS / SCORE 81 = C

ARTEMIS LARGE/MED BREED PUPPY / SCORE 114 = A+

AUTHORITY HARVEST BAKED / SCORE 116 = A+

AUTHORITY HARVEST BAKED LESS ACTIVE / SCORE 93 = B

BEOWULF BACK TO BASICS / SCORE 101 = A+

BIL-JAC SELECT / SCORE 68 = F

BLACKWOOD 3000 LAMB AND RICE / SCORE 83 = C

BLUE BUFFALO CHICKEN AND RICE / SCORE 106 = A+

BURNS CHICKEN AND BROWN RICE / SCORE 107 = A+

CANIDAE / SCORE 112 = A+

CANINE CAVIAR / SCORE = 121 A+

CHICKEN SOUP SENIOR / SCORE = 115 A+

DIAMOND MAINTENANCE / SCORE 64 = F

DIAMOND LAMB MEAL & RICE / SCORE 92 = B

DIAMOND LARGE BREED / SCORE 99 = A

DIAMOND PERFORMANCE / SCORE 85 = C

DICK VAN PATTENS NATURAL BALANCE ULTRA SUPREME / SCORE 122 = A+

DICK VAN PATTENS NATURAL BALANCE VENISON & BROWN RICE / SCORE 106 = A+

DICK VAN PATTENS DUCK & POTATO / SCORE 106 = A+

EAGLE PACK HOLISTIC / SCORE 102 = A+

EUKANUBA ADULT / SCORE 81 = C

EUKANUBA PUPPY / SCORE 79 = C

FLINT RIVER SENIOR / SCORE 101 = A+

FOUNDATIONS / SCORE 106 = A+

HUND-N-FLOCKEN ADULT BY SOLID GOLD / SCORE = 93 B

IAMS LAMB MEAL & RICE / SCORE 73 D

INNOVA DOG / SCORE 114 = A+

INNOVA EVO / SCORE 114 = A+

INNOVA LARGE BREED PUPPY / SCORE 122 = A+

KIRKLAND SIGNATURE CHICKEN,RICE,VEG. / SCORE 110 = A+

MEMBER MARK CHICKEN & RICE / SCORE 84 = C

MERRICK WILDERNESS BLEND / SCORE 127 = A+

NATURE RECIPE / SCORE 100 = A

NATURE RECIPE HEALTHY SKIN VEN. / SCORE 116 = A+NUTRO MAX ADULT / SCORE 93 = B

NUTRO NATURAL CHOICE OATMEAL / SCORE 101 = A+

NUTRO NATURAL CHOICE LAMB & RICE / SCORE 98 = A

NUTRO NATURAL CHOICE LARGE BREED PUPPY / SCORE 87 = B

NUTRO ULTRA ADULT / SCORE 104 = A+

PURINA BENEFUL / SCORE 17 = F

PURINA DOG / SCORE 62 = F

ROYAL CANIN NATURAL BLEND ADULT / SCORE 106 = A+

SCIENCE DIET ADVANCED SENIOR / SCORE 63 = F

SCIENCE DIET PUPPY / SCORE 69 = F

SOLID GOLD / SCORE 99 = A

TIMBERWOLF ORGANICS / SCORE 120 = A+

SOJO’S COMPLETE/ SCORE 122= A++

Please figure the score on your dog's food and be sure that you know as much as possible about the food that you are feeding. Poor dog food is like eating at the golden arches (McD’s) every meal and wondering why your dog is overweight, dull, lethargic or allergy-prone. Consider feeding a raw diet...it's really not that hard or involved. And, don't forget a great supplement daily...we feed Nu-Vet and highly recommend it!

Happy Tails!