samsonsmom

Came across this and thought I would pass it along........Not all foods have been graded, but you can do your own dogs food if it's not on the list.

Interesting... especially the grade given to Costco's Brand of food (Kirkland's)!

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 ethox yquin, 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 t! he 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:
Alpo Prime Cuts / Score 81 C
Artemis Large/Medium 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+
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
Diamond Performance / Score 85 C
Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+
Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Venison and Brown Rice / Score 106 A+
Dick Van Patten's Duck and Potato / Score 106 A+
EaglePack 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 Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold / Score 93 B
Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium / Score 73 D
Innova Dog / Score 114 A+
Innova Evo / Score 114 A+
Innova Large Breed Puppy / Score 122 A+
Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110 A+
Member's Mark Chicken and Rice / Score 84 C

Merrick Wilderness Blend / Score 127 A+
Nature's Recipe / Score 100 A
Nature's Recipe Healthy Skin Venison and Rice / Score 116 A+
Nature's Variety Raw Instinct / Score 122 A+
Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal and Rice / Score 81 C
Nutrience Junior Medium Breed Puppy / Score 101 A+
Nutrisource Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B
Nutro Max Adult / Score 93 B
Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice / Score 98 A
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy / Score 87 B
Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Wheat Free / Score 86 B
Nutro Natural Choice Senior / Score 95 A
Nutro Ultra Adult / Score 104 A+
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice / Score 23 F
Premium Edge Chicken, Rice and Vegetables Adult Dry / Score 109 A+
Pro Nature Puppy / Score 80 C
Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach / Score 94 A
Purina Benful / Score 17 F
Purina Dog / Score 62 F
Purina Come-n-Get It / Score 16 F
Purina One Large Breed Puppy / Score 62 F
Royal Canin Boxer / Score 103 A+
Royal Canin Bulldog / Score 100 A+
Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult / Score 106 A+
Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ / Score 63 F
Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F
Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice / Score 97 A
Solid Gold / Score 99 A
Summit / Score 99 A
Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural Dry / Score 120 A+
Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+
Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold / Score 97 A

__________________
--WILLOW---Owned by *Angel 8/8/05 & Flick 3/8/08
Samson, waiting at the bridge 8/27/08



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HannaBanana

If only it were this easy to get an A+ in school.

Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural Dry / Score 120 A+

popeyeNhazel

thanks for posting this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

__________________
RUTH



IF NOT FOR YOU MY SKY WOULD FALL

Taymickey

I have this posted in another thread.

boxerlove

This is a good way to check your food but for me it still doesn't mean a whole lot. *The thing we look for in a food is a food that our dogs can easily digest, has good ingredients and one that our dog will actually eat and keep down. *Rating foods poorly because of the grains they contain doesn't make any sense to me. *

This system rates foods down that use corn as an ingredient, dogs wouldn't normally eat corn in the wild however they also wouldn't eat rice, potatoes, fruit, etc. either and this system gives them higher ratings because the food contains them. *

If your dog is allergic to many things then that would be a concern but none of our dogs have been allergic to any of the grains. * I agree that the Purina type foods are not great foods and don't have the nutritional value that higher quality foods have but the food we use is rated as an F on the list and our dogs have never been healthier, they have a beautiful coat, LOVE the food and are doing extremely well on it.

I just wouldn't want someone to try a food because of a bad grade when it might be the only food their dog will actually eat. *Some of the highest rated foods listed here out dog wouldn't eat and couldn't keep down. *

__________________
If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give him only two of them.
-Phil Pastoret

Kate

Thanks for the post Willow, I'm just glad I didn't have to do the math lol. *I found this a very helpful in that pet food manufacturers do get bought and sold (Science Diet for example, and look what it did to them), as well as changing their formulas from time to time (such as buying cheap fillers from China). *So it's hard to stay up to date with who's making what these days. I also agree that if "something ain't broke, don't fix it". *With all the pet food recalls out there, it's nice to have someone staying on top of things so we can all make informed decisions.

__________________

Sadiesmomma

Thanks for this very useful post!!!

__________________

nate487

yes royal canin boxer - 103!

__________________

samsonsmom

Boxerlove, you have a valid point. I tried Blue Buffalo for my 2, which is a wonderful food, but they couldn't tolerate it...I think it goes without saying, that what works for one, may not work for someone else..It is a trial & error thing sometimes. All this is, is something that you can use to HELP you determine what could be a better food for your boxer...It is not meant to be the definitive list of what to feed, just use as a guidline....

__________________
--WILLOW---Owned by *Angel 8/8/05 & Flick 3/8/08
Samson, waiting at the bridge 8/27/08



CafePress Store | Boxer Forums Clothing

boxerlove

That is very true, it is helpful to see what types of foods are out there also. *This scale will help alot of new dog food buyers out there see why there is such a difference in foods and why there are some really bad ones out there.

There are so many now to choose from. *I know when we first started out 17 years ago we didn't know any better and started on purina puppy food since that is what was so heavily advertised, now it is nice to have so many choices to pick from. *Luckily at that time we were recommened a good food from our vet that was much better than any store brand...it was natures something...can't remember the name right now * * but now that food doesn't really compare to what foods are out there. *Change is good!

__________________
If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give him only two of them.
-Phil Pastoret