Dog Food Scale
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, poultry, 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 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 is not allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points
14. If
it contains beef (unless you know that you 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), 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
0-69 =F
Some Dog Food Scores:
Alpo Prime Cuts
81 C
Artemis large/medium breed puppy
114 A+
Authority Harvest Baked
116
A+
Bil-Jac Select
68 F
Blackwood 3000 Lamb and Rice
83 C
Canidae
112
A+
Chicken Soup Senior
115 A+
Diamond Maintenance
64 F
Diamond Lamp Meal and Rice
92
B
Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula
99 A
Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Ultra Premium
122 A+
Dick Van Patten’s Duck and Potato
106 A+
Eukanuba Large Breed Adult
83 C
Eukanuba Natural Lamb and Rice
87 B
Foundations
106 A+
Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold
93 B
Iams Lamb Meal and Rice Formula Premium
73 D
Innova Dog
114 A+
Innova Evo
114
A+
Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables
110 A+
Nutrisource Lamb and Rice
87 B
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy
87 B
Ol Roy
9 F
Pedigree Adult Complete
14 F
Pedigree Complete Nutrition 42
F
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb and Rice
23 F
ProPlan Natural Turkey and Barley
103 A+
Purina Beneful
17
F
Purina Dog
62 F
Purina Come-n-Get It
16 F
Royal Canin Boxer
103
A +
Royal Canin Bulldog
100 A+
Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult
106 A+
Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice
97 A
Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+
63 F
Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies
69 F
Solid Gold
99
A
Timberwolf Organics Lamb and Venison
136 A+
Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken
110 A+
Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold
97 A
