# Point System for Dog Food



## doctorcathy (May 17, 2004)

Start with 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 
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 
69 = F 
Here are some foods that have already been scored. 
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 
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

Science diet - the one the vets sell [!] is an F [!!] why am I not surprised 
!


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## RexsMom (Jun 8, 2005)

I am so glad that you posted this and the math is done! Yesterday at the petstore I got some Canidae, I read about it in the same magazine that I read about the Everlasting treatball and this morning when I opened it, it actually smelled good for a dog food and Rex gobbled it up...after that I figured, it can't be good. I am happy to see it got a whopping 112 points! He also eats Wellness (not the one listed) and Merrick frequently, so I will have to figure the math for those.

This is what I have on hand:
WELLNESS NEW ZEALAND VENISON & SWEET POTATO FORMULA (canned) 105 pts
WELLNESS LAMB & SWEET POTATO FORMULA (canned) 105 pts
WELLNESS DUCK & SWEET POTATO FORMULA (canned) 108 pts
MERRICK COWBOY COOKOUT (canned) 110 pts
MERRICK GRAMMY's POT PIE (canned) 106 pts 
MERRICK COWBOY COOKOUT (dry) 105 pts
MERRICK WILDERNESS BLEND (dry) 109 pts
SOLID GOLD Just a Wee Bit (dry) 109 pts


It looks like Rex eats a lot better than I do!


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## wagirl98665 (Jan 5, 2006)

I'm also really glad you posted this! With so many foods out there it's really hard sometimes to know which ones are the best, everyone has an opinion, but this clears it all up. According to this chart I'm feeding my dogs garbage!







I have to go to Petsmart today so I'm gonna make the switch to A+ 122 points..Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium and also the Duck & Potato for variety.








Thanks for posting this...can't believe the vets recommend Science Diet, wonder why and also wonder if they really do feed their dogs that?


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## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

Wow thanks for posting that, what great information to have


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## momtoboo (Jan 30, 2006)

Great info.Thanks for posting it.I'm sticking with NB.


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## Bonnie's Mommie (Mar 2, 2006)

Thanks for posting this. According to this system, Bonnie's Stella and Chewy's freeze dried food is way over 100.


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## hillary&lola (Apr 4, 2006)

looks like the premium foods are really the best...glad i'm using nb duck and potatoe, lola eats better then i do! thanks for the post


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## Deborah (Jan 8, 2006)

Thank you for the information. I hope Chicken Soup for the Adult Dog is just as healthy as the senior formula.

Deborah and Rylee


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## susy (Jun 19, 2006)

Thank you for posting this list!!! I have been feeding Trixie Purina One but I am going to check its scores and switch her to a better food if they are low.


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## 2maltese4me (May 8, 2006)

Awesome post.....Just went on line and did the math....looks like Merrick Turducken comes in with a high score of 115







Thankfully both my guys love it.


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## charmypoo (Sep 11, 2004)

Now .. all they need to add is points for if the dogs will actually eat the food. Hehehee. 

I feed Royal Canine (which scored reasonably well) but it is HIGH on my list because all my kids love it. To me, what's the point of a great food if no one will eat it (ex. Wellness for my kids).


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## Toby's Mom (May 7, 2004)




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## Brinkley & Neyland's Mom (Jun 14, 2004)

> Thank you for the information. I hope Chicken Soup for the Adult Dog is just as healthy as the senior formula.
> 
> Deborah and Rylee[/B]


Because all my food is mixed in a tub and I don't have the bags right now, I am going to assume that any of the Chicken Soup or Royal Canin formulas (what I feed my fluffs) are in the high category.








This was good information...thanks.


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## doctorcathy (May 17, 2004)

> That is a really interesting way to figure the food system out. I'll have to print that off and give it a try. Where did you come across this technique?[/B]



i got it from a yahoo group-- totally home cooking. something like that. someone else posted it and they didnt say where they got it.









BUT i think its weird that they put the point system on the message board because its about homecooking, you know? lol. 

im glad you all liked the post


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## a2z (Aug 23, 2004)

Thanks, Cathy. It makes sense to me. Zoey is eating 3 right now: Canadae, Solid Gold Lamb and Solid Gold Wee Bits. (She gets bored so I switch around). Looks like this will be her last bag of the lamb!


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## HollyHobbie (Apr 12, 2005)

Just curious on the Solid Gold it says a 93 then a D but above in the number grid it says a 93 is a B.


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## doctorcathy (May 17, 2004)

> Just curious on the Solid Gold it says a 93 then a D but above in the number grid it says a 93 is a B.[/B]


it's probably a typo


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