Food Report Card. (Whats your food's score?)

[Cuda]

Thanks to Kogeki and HausMommy for allowing me to crosspost.

Prepared by HausMommy

Here is a list of ingredients and definitions you'll find in your dog's food: http://www.redbandannapetfood.com/ingredient.htm


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", "brewer’s 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 isn’t allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points

14) If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isn’t 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

94-100+ = A
86-93 = B
78-85 = C
70-77 = D
<70 = 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 D

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

Purina Benful / 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

(Editing to add more products as found on thread.)

Innova = A, score 101

Foundations = A Score 106

Innova Evo - 114

Innova Dog - 114

Wellness Super 5 - 110

Science Diet Large Breed Puppy / 69 F

Diamond Lamb and Rice / 92 A

Chicken Soup Senior / 115 A+

DVP Duck and Potato / 106 A+

Royal Canin Bulldog / 100 A

Kirkland Signature - Chicken, Rice & Vegetables / 110 A+

NUTRO natural choice large breed puppy / 87 B+

NutriSource® Lamb Meal & Rice / 87 B+

Sensible Choice / 97 A

Purina One Large Breed Puppy / 62 F

Nutru Max Adult / 93 A

Eagle Pack Holisitc / 102 A

Summit / 99 A

[mnp13]

interesting info, thanks for tracking it down!

I'll have to score Merrick

[katiek0417]

What's interesting is this: Kirkland Signature is the "brand" for Cosco....without knowing, we would all think it was crap...but notice that it scored rather high on this report card!!!!

And for the price....pretty darn good....

[msvette2u]

Nutru Max Adult / 93 A
Interesting indeed.
And I like it that Kirkland (which we have fed) is rating A's.

[Cuda]

What's interesting is this: Kirkland Signature is the "brand" for Cosco....without knowing, we would all think it was crap...but notice that it scored rather high on this report card!!!!

And for the price....pretty darn good....

I though that myself. There are a few different kirkland types though and some of the other ones dont do so great. I believe that the Signature is made by Diamond though.

[dogcrazyjen]

103-raw diet. I would have had higher except we are specifically on a single protein source to combat allergies.

[msvette2u]

What's interesting is this: Kirkland Signature is the "brand" for Cosco....without knowing, we would all think it was crap...but notice that it scored rather high on this report card!!!!

And for the price....pretty darn good....

I'm totally impressed. The price IS great.
That's what I've noticed lately however, reading labels. Some of the "cheaper" brands are nearly identical in ingredients as the more costly foods. So why spend an arm and a leg when the food you already use is almost identical in ingredients?

[msvette2u]

What's interesting is this: Kirkland Signature is the "brand" for Cosco....without knowing, we would all think it was crap...but notice that it scored rather high on this report card!!!!

And for the price....pretty darn good....

I though that myself. There are a few different kirkland types though and some of the other ones dont do so great. I believe that the Signature is made by Diamond though.

And Diamond is not spendy either. Our local feed store carries Diamond. We're not members at Costco and can only visit when we have kin along who have a card.
BTW, Cuda, thanks for posting this

[Vanessa]

Has anyone feed Royal Canin? I have heard good things about it so i was wondering if i should try it or just go for NV or Merrick?

[cheekymunkee]

My raw diet got 124.

[mnp13]

Has anyone feed Royal Canin? I have heard good things about it so i was wondering if i should try it or just go for NV or Merrick?

Ruby did well on Royal Canin.

[katiek0417]

Has anyone feed Royal Canin? I have heard good things about it so i was wondering if i should try it or just go for NV or Merrick?

Ruby did well on Royal Canin.

I've heard GREAT things about Royal Canin....People whose pets have been on it think it's incredible....

[cheekymunkee]

I like this chart from the same site. It shows that it is NOT more expensive to feed a more expensive brand of food. In fact, with some brands it's cheaper

http://www.redbandannapetfood.com/price.htm

[katiek0417]

I like this chart from the same site. It shows that it is NOT more expensive to feed a more expensive brand of food. In fact, with some brands it's cheaper

http://www.redbandannapetfood.com/price.htm

Awesome site...thank you....mind if I post this on another board I belong to?

[Hausmommy]

I'm glad you all found it useful!

[msvette2u]

I'm glad you all found it useful!

It is great information, thanks

[Vanessa]

So i am going today to talk to our pet food store about the Royal Canin and also some other foods that i learned about from here... Just one more question that i want to be clear on. Can you really feed a dog raw beef without him getting sick? I know that i read that you can and i was thinking of giving Oz some once or twice a week but i just want to make sure

[cheekymunkee]

I'm glad you all found it useful!

Did you make this chart? What about a point system ( added or taken away) for containing human-grade meat? It is a great chart by the way!

[cheekymunkee]

So i am going today to talk to our pet food store about the Royal Canin and also some other foods that i learned about from here... Just one more question that i want to be clear on. Can you really feed a dog raw beef without him getting sick? I know that i read that you can and i was thinking of giving Oz some once or twice a week but i just want to make sure

Yes you can, there are several people on this board who have fed their dogs a raw diet for years with no problems at all. Munkee has chicken allergies so he can't eat it at all but he does great on beef, turkey & pork. Beef heart is a wonderful source of proten & when the others are having chicken he usually gets heart. But they ALL love it and all do well on it.

[Vanessa]

Great thanks Cheeky Would ground beef be a good thing to start him on?