This excellent way of rating dog foods for their healthfulness and nutritional value was developed by veterinarian Stephen Molle, DVM, a rural Michigan companion animal house-call specialist.
SCORING SYSTEM FOR NUTRITONAL VALUE AND OVERALL QUALITY OF VARIOUS DOG FOODS
(NOTE: You can score other brands of dog foods and even cat foods not listed here just by using these guidelines on ingredients.)
Scoring System: Starts with a grade of 100.
94 – 100+ = A
86 – 93 = B
78 – 85 = C
70 – 77 = D
<70 = F
Subtract points for:
Every listing of “by-product” (subtract 10 points)
Every non-specific animal source reference (meat, poultry, meal, or fat; as opposed to beef/lamb/chicken/etc. -10 pts.
If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin (often found in Science Diets dry and web dog and cat foods) -10 pts.
Every grain “mill run” or non-specific grain source (specific ex. would be wheat, barley, oats, etc.) -5 pts.
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) -5 pts.
If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients -3 pts.
If it contains any artificial colorants -3 pts.
If It contains ground corn or whole grain corn -3 pts.
If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients -2 pts.
If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil -2 pts.
If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources) -2 pts
If it contains soy or soybeans -2 pts.
If it contains wheat (unless you know your dog isn’t allergic to wheat -2 pts.
If it contains beef (unless you know your dog isn’t allergic to beef) -1 pt.
If it contains salt -1 pt.
Add Points:
If any of the meat sources are organic (add 5 ponts)
If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist +5 pts.
If the food is baked not extruded +5 pts.
If the food contains probiotics +3 pts.
If the food contains fruit +3 pts.
If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains) +3 pts.
If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free +2 pts.
If the food contains barley +2 pts.
If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds) +2 pts.
If the food contains oats or oatmeal +1 pt.
If the food contains sunflower oil +1 pt.
If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin +1 pt.
If vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free +1 pt.
For each different specific animal protein source +1 pt.
(I.e., other than “chicken” and “chicken meal” is one combined protein source. Whereas “chicken and ....” would be two separate protein sources.)
Scores for Various Dog Food Brands:
1. Merrick Wilderness Blend...................................................Score 127............A+
2. Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Ultra Premium.............Score 127............A+
3. Innova Large Breed Puppy.................................................Score 127............A+
4. Nature’s Variety Raw Instinct..............................................Score 122............A+
5. Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural Dry............................Score 120............A+
6. Life’s Abundance...............................................................Score 117............A+
7. Authority Harvest Baked Less Active................................Score 117............A+
8. Nature’s Recipe Healthy Skin Venison & Rice..................Score 116............A+
9. Chicken Soup Senior.........................................................Score 115............A+
10. Innova Dog........................................................................Score 114............A+
11. Innova Evo.........................................................................Score 114............A+
12. Canidae.............................................................................Score 112............A+
13. Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice & Vegetables................Score 112............A+
13. Wellness Super 5 Mix Chicken........................................Score 110............A+
14. Premium Edge Chicken, Rice & Vegetables-Adult Dry.....Score 109.............A+
15. Burns Chicken and Brown Rice .......................................Score 107.............A+
16. Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice..........................................Score 107............A+
17. Dick Van Patten’s Nat.Balance Venison & Brown Rice.....Score 107............A+
18. Dick Van Patten’s Duck and Potato...................................Score 107...........,A+
19. Foundations.......................................................................Score 107........... A+
20. Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult.......................................Score 106............A+
21. Nutro Ultra Adult................................................................Score 104............A+
22. Royal Canin Boxer.............................................................Score 103............A+
23. EaglePack Holistic.............................................................Score 102............A+
24. Flint River Senior...............................................................Score 101............A+
25. Nature’s Recipe, Royal Canin Bulldog..............................Score 100............A
26. Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula, Solid Gold...............Score 99............A
27. Nutro Natural Choice, Lamb and Rice..............................Score 98............A
28. Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice...................................Score 97............A
29. Nutro Natural Choice Senior.............................................Score 95............A
30. Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach.............................................Score 94............A
31. Authority Harvest Baked Less Active................................Score 94............A
32. Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold..............Score 94............A
33. Nutro Max Adult................................................................Score 93...........B
34. Diamond Lamb and Rice..................................................Score 92...........B
35. Blue Diamond Large Breed Lamb and Rice
36. Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy........................Score 87............B
37. Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Wheat Free.........................Score 86............B
38. Diamond Performance......................................................Score 85............C
39. Member’s Mark Chicken and Rice....................................Score 84............C
40. Blackwood 3000 Lamb and Rice......................................Score 83............C
41. Alpo Prime Cuts
42. Eukanuba Adult
43. Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal & Rice..........Score 81.............C
44. Pro Nature Puppy.............................................................Score 80.............C
45. Eukanuba Puppy..............................................................Score 79.............C
46. Iams Lamb Meal and Rice Formula Premium..................Score 73.............D
47. Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies.............................Score 69..............F
48. Bil-Jac Select....................................................................Score 68..............F
49. Diamond Maintenance.....................................................Score 64...............F
50. Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ .....................Score 63...............F
51. Purina One Large Breed Puppy.......................................Score 62...............F
52. Kibbles and Bit.................................................................Score 31...............F
53. Pet Gold Adult with Lamb and Rice.................................Score 23...............F
54. Purina Beneful.................................................................Score 17...............F
55. Purina Come-n-Get It......................................................Score 16...............F