A simple way to rate a dog food
This isn’t the way I rate dog food, but it’s an interesting method and seems to work pretty well. I found it in the deep dark depths of a forum for Miniature Horses of all places. It’s worth trying out if you wish to substantiate any of the reviews on Pet Food Ratings (or if it’s a food we haven’t reviewed)!
Personally I’d have more prominent weightings for a number of ingredients (i.e. I’d subtract more points for wheat and soy beans), so it’s always worth researching a food as much as you can from other websites, forums, vets, and other professionals.
Let’s have a look…
Start Points
Start with a grade of 100.
Negative Points
Subtract points based on the following:
| Contains by-products | -10 |
| Every reference of non-specific animal source (“meat”, “poultry”, meat, meal, or fat) | -10 (per reference) |
| Any reference on BHA, BHT, or Ethoxyquin | -10 |
| Every reference of grain “mill run” or non-specific grain source | -5 |
| Same grain 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) | -5 |
| If protein sources aren’t a meat “meal” and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients | -3 |
| Contains artificial colors | -3 |
| Contains ground corn or whole grain corn | -3 |
| Corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients | -3 |
| Contains any animal fat (except fish oil) | -2 |
| If lamb is the only protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources) | -2 |
| Contains soy or soybeans | -2 |
| Contains wheat (unless you know your dog isn’t allergic to wheat) | -2 |
| Contains beef (unless you know your dog isn’t allergic to beef) | -1 |
| Contains salt | -1 |
Positive Points
Now add points based on the following:
| Any organic meat sources | +5 |
| Endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist | +5 |
| Food is baked not extruded | +5 |
| Contains probiotics | +3 |
| Contains fruit | +3 |
| Contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains) | +3 |
| Animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic free | +2 |
| Contains barley | +2 |
| Contains flax-seed oil (not just the seeds) | +2 |
| Contains oats or oatmeal | +1 |
| Contains sunflower oil | +1 |
| For each different specific animal protein source (other than the first one; count “chicken” and “chicken meal” as one protein source) | +1 (per reference) |
| Contains glucosamine and chondroitin | +1 |
| If vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free | +1 |
Final Grading
You can now rate the food based on the following grading system:
| A | 94-100+ |
| B | 86 to 93 |
| C | 78 to 85 |
| D | 70 to 77 |
| F (FAIL!) | Less than 70 |
Sample Gradings
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
