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Rating Dry Dog Food

Everyone who comes to PDX wants to make sure their dogs are getting healthy, safe foods. We'd love to give you the perfect solution, but as with so many things these days, the only definitive answer is "it depends". There's a whole lot that goes into food analysis, and many wonderful resources on the internet if you want the unabridged version. I like to keep it simple, though, and this little food rating system boils it all down to a nice little formula. Fair warning -- you should take this for what it's worth -- free advice from someone you don't know. In the end, you have to go with what works best for you and your dogs. In addition to the little quiz below, you have to give points to convenience and affordability.

How to grade your dog's kibble (dry food): Start with a grade of 100, then:

• For every listing of "by-product", subtract 10 points

• For every non-specific animal source ("meat" or "poultry", meat, meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points

• If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points

• For every grain "mill run" or non-specific grain source, subtract 5 points

• 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

• If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points

• If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points

• If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3points

• If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points

• If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points

• If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points

• If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points

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

• If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog is not allergic to beef), subtract 1 point

• If it contains salt (sodium chloride), subtract 1 point

Extra Credit:

• If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points

• If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist, add 5 points

• If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points

• If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points

• If the food contains fruit, add 3 points

• If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains), add 3 points

• If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free, add 2 points

• If the food contains barley, add 2 points

• If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add 2 points

• If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point

• If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point

• 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

• If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point

• If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free, add 1 point

 Scoring:

• 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. 

Brand/Formula	Score	Grade
Merrick Wilderness Blend	127	A+
Nature’s Variety Raw Instinct	122	A+
Innova Large Breed Puppy	122	A+
Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium	122	A+
Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural Dry	120	A+
Nature’s Recipe Healthy Skin Venison and Rice	116	A+
Authority Harvest Baked	116	A+
Chicken Soup Senior	115	A+
Innova Evo	114	A+
Innova Dog	114	A+
Artemis Large/Medium Breed Puppy	114	A+
Canidae	112	A+
Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken	110	A+
Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables	110	A+
Premium Edge Chicken, Rice and Vegetables Adult Dry	109	A+
Burns Chicken and Brown Rice	107	A+
Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult	106	A+
Foundations	106	A+
Dick Van Patten's Duck and Potato	106	A+
Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Venison and Brown Rice	106	A+
Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice	106	A+
Nutro Ultra Adult	104	A+
Royal Canin Boxer	103	A+
ProPlan Natural Turkey & Barley	103	A+
EaglePack Holistic	102	A+
Nutro Natural Choice Oatmeal	101	A+
Nutrience Junior Medium Breed Puppy	101	A+
Flint River Senior	101	A+
Beowulf Back to Basics	101	A+
Royal Canin Bulldog	100	A+
Nature’s Recipe	100	A
Summit	99	A
Solid Gold	99	A
Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula	99	A
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Lamb and Rice Puppy	98	A
Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice	98	A
Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold	97	A
Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice	97	A
Nutro Natural Choice Senior	95	A
Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach	94	A
Nutro Max Adult	93	B
Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold	93	B
Authority Harvest Baked Less Active	93	B
Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice	92	B
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy	87	B
Nutrisource Lamb and Rice	87	B
Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Wheat Free	86	B
Diamond Performance	85	C
Member’Mark Chicken and Rice	84	C
Blackwood 3000 Lamb and Rice	83	C
Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal and Rice	81	C
Eukanuba Adult	81	C
Alpo Prime Cuts	81	C
Pro Nature Puppy	80	C
Eukanuba Puppy	79	C
Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium	73	D
Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies	69	F
Bil-Jac Select	68	F
Diamond Maintenance	64	F
Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+	63	F
Purina One Large Breed Puppy	62	F
Purina Dog	62	F
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice	23	F
Purina Beneful	17	F
Purina Come-n-Get It	16	F

I'd love to give credits on this system, but it's been around the web a few times, and somehow the original author has been lost. If you know who came up with it, or if you have scores to add, please let me know!

More good resources include:

• Another rating system - more factors and foods to consider
• Forum - great dog community with a whole range of topics up for discussion
• Consumer Search - site that bills itself as providing fast answers and reviews for pretty much anything
• Dog Food Analysis: very thorough dog food breakdown listing just the facts regarding ingredients for each brand
• The Whole Dog Journal is famous for its food analysis and reviews,
• Or just use your favorite search engine to look up "dog food ratings".

-- Bev Eitner, April 2007