How Good is your Dog Food?

[Blinddogs.net]

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", "brewers 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 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 is not allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points
14) If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog is not 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

Score:
94-100+ = A 86-93 = B 78-85 = C 70-77 = D 69 and below = F

Here are some foods that have already been scored.
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 B
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 Beneful / 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

[CJ :)]

I feed Nature's Select Wild Alaska Salmon and Sweet Potato to MacGregor and Scruffy. MacGregor has a sensitive stomach and he tolerates this food well.

Anyway, there is only one meat in the top ingredients, but I'm OK with that because I also feed a wet food. Fruits and vegees are in there, and it's hormone and antibiotic free.

105. A+. I'm good with that.

[Blinddogs.net]

Hmmm... Alaska Salmon & Sweet Potato... that makes ME hungry! I usually alternate every few bags between Canidae and Innova, that are both A+. At dinner I always make them a "gravy topping" using whatever leftover meats we have from dinners.. chicken, beef, fish (or I keep canned salmon, mackerel, chicken in a pinch) etc. mixing with mashed veggies, and/or fruit & heat up for a bit in the microwave, then add 3 tbsp. non-fat plain yogurt and stir. They really LOVE their special dinner topping! I wish I ate as good as my dogs do!

[CJ :)]

Hey Karen - where did this test come from?

[Blinddogs.net]

Hi CJ

I originally got the test off of a Rat Terrier breeders board, but had also seen it posted on MANY dog related websites online.. all without listing where it actually came from. I did some research and found a post made to a blog at: http://pets.families.com/blog/grade-your-dog-food that had posted the test, and someone had asked where it came from there.

A woman named Sarah Irick posted to the blog saying she is the creator of the test.

Here is what she said in her post there:

Hi, i've never actually posted here or even visited this site before, but i thought i'd step in and say that *i* am the original poster of this dog food grading system.

My name is Sarah Irick and i am a Great Dane owner and rescue volunteer. i am a Civil/Industrial Engineer, not a veterinarian or animal nutritionist by education or employment. i do not work for a pet food manufacturer nor am i affiliated with one. i am just an individual who is concerned about what i feed my dogs and wants to help others decide what to feed their own. i cannot remember the exact date i designed this system, though i know it's been more than a year (probably 2-3 years ago). i was concerned with the way people sometimes throw out names of "good" dog foods that maybe aren't so good, and others take their words for it. Foods that maybe used to be good before their ingredients were changed for the worse or before better options became available are still being touted by some as being super-premium and i disagree. Since many pet owners do not have the time or inclination to do as many hours of research into pet (specifically dog) nutrition as i and many of you have, i wanted an *easier* way for them to compare labels. Unfortunately it is still a bit cumbersome (sometimes 2 people calculate the same food and get different scores even) but it's better than nothing in my opinion.

Is it exact science? No. i don't claim for it to be. In fact i've had to make a couple of changes over time (which the above don't reflect) for new circumstances i've run across, such as the food that contained NO MEAT (not a special diet just one that was so cheap it didn't contain any meat at all) and needs a steep penalty IMO but still scored a decent grade on the original or the newer kibbles that contain no grain and IMO if it still has sufficient fiber and carbs then it deserves extra credit that wasn't previously reflected. Also i've gotten comments and opinions that i take seriously and incorporate if it seems appropriate.

i don't have a permanent site host for this although seeing how hugely popular it is and how widely spread without accreditation it has become perhaps i should do so. It isn't that i care so much about credit but many people will ask the questions that your posters have about my affiliations and biases, etc.

i don't officially support any one food; anywhere that i personally posted grades on specific foods it was to give an idea of where these foods fell so people didn't always have to do the math.

Sarah Irick aka fredalina If you want to e-mail me with questions or comments, you can at fredirick @ hotmail.com. This is my "spam" address, so put "Dog Food Grading" in the subject line or i'll probably delete it mistakenly.

[Kris Krueger]

After caring for 2 diabetic Miniature Schnauzers , (one has now passed on) I've learned this about dog good.
Raw Food is the only way to go with a diabetic. Actually, any dog will be a lot healthier.
Add digestive enzymes to their food every day (I use Prozyme) and a probiotic (I use Floragen for children).

If I had known 4 years ago what I know today my little Corky would still be alive.

Get the grain and carboydrates OUT OF THEIR DIET. Most all commercial (standard grade) kibble can be up to 80% grain and varous other detrimental ingredients. Grains/Carbs only turn to sugar in the bloodstream. Don't let anyone tell you that high fiber in the form of grains will help a diabetic. Even the so called "Veterinarian Reccomended Prescription Diets" spell disaster. Believe me, I've tried them all.
Dogs aren't chickens!! They are carnivores.

By switching to Raw, with my verterinarians help I have been able to reduce my Sarahs insulin dose by two thirds!
I hardly notice anymore that she has diabetes. No more high glucose readings and no more fear of hypoglycemia.
She recently had an eye removed and came through it with flying colors. She was blind when I rescued her. I believe that if I had been feeding her a raw diet all along, maybe she wouldn't have developed glaucoma.

Would like to know if anyone else out there supports this approach.

[Scooter1]

Hello. I am new to this board, and new to caring for a miniature Schnauzer with diabetes who is also blind. The blindness came on suddenly while we were trying to get her insulin adjusted. She used to eat anything, but has also suffered from pancreatitis throughout the years; she had stopped eating when we discovered the diabetes. I am now preparing her food, daily, with lean meats, rice, veggies, and fiber. Any suggestions about changing this? She is eating well and we're getting her blood sugar under control. I noticed a post stating they feed a raw meat mix to their Schnauzer(s). How is this working and what else do you ad to the meat? Any help is appreciated.

[Blinddogs.net]

Hi Scooter1 and welcome to the forum!

I would recommend a list on Yahoo Groups called Canine Cushings-Autoimmune Care at: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Cani ... mmuneCare/
but the list covers many different illnesses/diseases, including diabetes. The group is very large, and includes vets and other medical professional that would be able to help advise you on diet. They have a a files section within the group for homemade diets, pros/cons of feeding raw etc. that should be helpful.

I personally do not feed a raw diet to my own dogs, but do combine home cooking in addition to a high quality grain free kibble. Please keep us posted on how things are going with you pup, okay?