Rating Dog Food

Submitted by: Perry Brown

Rating your dog s food is very important because you want to make sure you are feeding your dog the best and most highly rated foods. Although there are many different resources that offer ratings for pet food, there is a simple way you can rate it yourself. Using a point system, you add and subtract points for certain ingredients and at the end you will see where your pet food rates amongst others.

Rating pet food is very easy. Start with a grade of 100 points and then follow 15 instructions. One, for every listing of by-product , subtract 10 points. Two, for every non-specific animal source ( meat or poultry , meat, meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points. Three, if the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points. Four, for every grain mill-run or non-specific grain source, subtract 5 points. Five, if the same grain ingredient is used two or more times in the first 5 ingredients (i.e. ground brown rice , brewer s rice , rice flour are all the same grain), subtract 5 points. Six, if the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points. Seven, if it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points. Eight, if it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3 points. Nine, if corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points. Ten, if the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points. Eleven, if lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points. Twelve, if it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points. Thirteen, if it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isn t allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points. Fourteen, if it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isn t allergic to beef), subtract 1 point. And lastly, fifteen, if it contains salt (or sodium, as it is also called), subtract 1 point.

The next step in rating pet food is to add points for beneficial ingredients in your dog s food. If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points. If any major breed group or nutritionist endorses the food, add 5 points. If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points. If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points. If the food contains fruit, add 3 points. If the food contains vegetables (not corn and other grains), add 3 points. If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free, add 2 points. If the food contains barley, add 2 points. If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add 2 points. If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point. If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point. For every different specific animal protein source, add 1 point. If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point. Lastly, if the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free, add 1 point.

Now that you have successfully finished rating your dog s food, it is time to see where it ranks. To receive the highest dog food rating, which is an A, you must score 94 to 100+ points. 86 to 93 garners a rating of B, 78 to 85 gets a C, and 70 to 77 gets a D. Anything 69 and below receives a rating of F. You will find that many commercial pet foods have low ratings. The best and healthiest option is feeding your dog a homemade meal. You can be sure that they are receiving the best and healthiest ingredients to ensure they fulfill a healthier happier life.

About the Author: Perry Brown is a dog food recipes expert. For more information on rating dog food,visit

dogfoodrecipessite.com

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

isnare.com/?aid=903225&ca=Pets