Like any new dog owner I wanted the best nutrition for our dog at a reasonible price.
Now dog food is more expensive and we care for foster dogs so we look for a cheap food without preservatives in it.
Comparing foods based on ingrediesnts based nutrition isn't all to consider.
The processing of the food in important too. Some methods over cook the food overly breaking down nutriants. Also the amount of air in the food changes the amount of nutrition the dog will get from a specific amount of food.


I saw this and wanted to keep it in case we have some spare time to rate some dog foods


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/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 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
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, 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


GSD food info I would suggest feeding your dog raw, that would be the healthiest most nutritious food for him and keep him looking, acting, and feeling great. But do your research if you decide to go that way.
If you want to feed a dry food I would recommend looking through this list of foods. They are all of high quality and separated from grain free (your best bet) and not grain free.
http://pets-galore.net/forum/index.php?s...
When looking for a good dog food you want to keep your eye out for a few important things.
1: The first ingredient should be a whole meat or a meal such as Chicken, Lamb, Venison etc. You will want to avoid food that has a by-product as the first ingredient.
2: Find a food that has at least two (more is better) of the first five ingredients listed as whole meat or meals.
3: Do not buy a food that has by-products in it. These are the leftovers of the leftovers and provide little to no nutritional value and can be harmful. They can be anything - including hooves, horns, feathers etc. They are ingredients from the animal that do not contain enough meat to be called meat.
4: Do not get a food that contains corn of any sort. Corn is an incredibly cheap filler and a grain that all dogs have trouble digesting, and is the cause of many allergies in dogs.
5: Avoid foods that contain soy or wheat. They are indigestible grains that are prone to causing allergies.
6: When dealing with a food that contains grains, try to find high quality ones such as barley, brown rice, oatmeal. Avoid grains such as brewers rice, corn, wheat etc.
7: If you can, buy a food that does not contain any grains at all. Dogs did not evolve to eat grains and their digestive track is not suited for it. It can cause many allergies and health problems. A food free of grains tends to have a higher meat content and higher quality ingredients.
8: Avoid any food that has ingredients such as a "meat by-products/meal" or "poultry by-products/meal". These are non-specific animal remains.
9: Avoid foods that contain color dyes such as blues, yellows, and reds.
10: Avoid foods with added sugar sources such as molasses, corn syrup etc. Keeping an eye for all of these factors when choosing your dog food will help insure that you are at least getting a decent quality food. One thing to keep in mind about the food you feed your dog, is that while it may be more expensive initially, a dog on a high quality food will eat much less of it to get the nutrients s/he needs and there will be a distinct lack of vet bills. Your dog will live a happier, healthier, longer life. I think it is amazing you have a German Shepherd with German lineage, that is one of the only dogs I would ever buy from a breeder, and it would have to be a German German Shepherd


Posted August 16, 2008
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