Rating Your Current Kibble~

     Want to rate your dog's current food? This kibble rating system has been sent around some. The original author is Fredalina and I hear she would like to make some changes to it, but as it stands now it easily can show good from bad. Although I would love to see a revised edition reflecting higher scores for fewer grains if she finds the time.

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 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 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

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
69 = F

     This is a list of some foods to give you an idea on how they score. I did not add them up, so if the math is not correct, I was not responsible, though I appreciate having the list to use.

Eagle Pack Holistic: 119 A +
Wellness Super5Mix Chicken: 117 A+
Solid Gold Bison-123 points A+
Eagle Pack Natural: 94 A
Canidae-119 points A+
Natural Balance Duck and Potato-114 points A+
Eagle Pack Large and Giant Breed Puppy: 94 A
Timberwolf Organics Lamb and Venison-136 points A+
Innova-117 points A+
Eagle Pack Holistic Chicken-114 points A+
Chicken soup-113 points A+
Flint River Ranch: 92 (non-specific fat source) B
Eukanuba Natural Lamb and Rice-87 points B
Nutro Natural choice Lamb and Rice-85 points C
Nutro Chicken, Rice, & Oatmeal: 85 (non-specific fat source) C
Eukanuba Large Breed Adult: 83 C
Iams Large Breed: 83 C
Iams Lamb Meal and Rice-74 points D
Science Diet chicken adult maintainance-45 points F
Bil-Jac select-37 points F
Science Diet Large Breed: 68 F
Pro Plan All Breed: 68 F
Pedigree Complete Nutrition: 42 F
Pedigree Adult Complete-14 points F
Ol Roy-9 points F
Purina Beneful- 17 points F

A Few Brands to Get You on Your Way~

     Still with me? If I have not lost you, I could make some suggestions on some awesome foods and good foods so you at least have a direction to look in. This is by no means the "be all" and the "end all" list. It is some brands to look at to at least start your search, there are others out there and more being developed as people become like you informed and ant better food for their dog. You will find many of the holistic foods or premium quality ones that talk about being human grade and that you could by all accounts live off of.

Great Choices~

Wellness - http://www.oldmotherhubbard.com/  
Solid Gold - http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/  
Merrick - http://www.merrickpetcare.com/  
Canidae - http://www.canidae.com/  
Chicken soup for the pet lover's soul - http://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com/  
Eagle Pack (Holistic only) - http://www.eaglepack.com/  
Timberwolf Organics - http://www.timberwolforganics.com/  
Innova - http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=home-tab
Flint River - http://www.flintriver.com/  
Nature's Variety - http://www.naturesvariety.com/  
Natural Balance - http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/  

Good Choices~

Nutro - http://www.nutroproducts.com/  
Kirkland (Costo) - http://www.priceviewer.com/costco/costco.htm  
Performatrin Ultra - http://www.performatrinultra.com/  
Blue Buffalo - http://www.bluebuff.com/  

     It is now up to you to make a decision on what to do about you and your furry friend and their nutrition. There is another world in home cooked meals, and yet another in raw. But neither subject am I very versed in, so I hope someone else will step up to either challenge. Dog food is a confusing world, but I hope you have read enough to at least get a grip on where to begin.

Citation~

1 http://www.avma.org/careforanimals/animatedjourneys/aboutvets/education.asp  
2 http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/health/petfood/index.html
3 www.tryhealthypaws.com
4 http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=ingrd  
5 Ibid.
6 http://www.homevet.com/petcare/foodbook.html
7 http://www.5stardog.com/dog-food.asp
8 http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients  
9 http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=ingredient-facts&pxsl=//ingredient%5B@id='14'%5D
10 http://www.petcaretips.net/ethoxyquin.html   

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