What are You Feeding Your Dog?? The Truth of What is in Your Dog Food!

So I love my puppy Jake, and I always want the best for him, so when I found out that my puppy was eating pretty much the worst food I could be feeding him, I decided I needed to find a better food. When I first got Jake, I was feeding him pretty good food, then I decided to check out online and find him a better one....what I switched him to was NOT better, but in fact MUCH worse. So after my poor puppy suffering for about 4 months and my puppy dealing with dry skin and just all around non-positive things, I decided it was time to look into the dog food situation again.
After some digging around I found this grading system for dog food, which I actually liked and it goes like this:

Start with a grade of 100:
1) For every listing of "by-product" subtract 10 points
2) For every non-specified animal source (such as "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") 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) It it contains an artificial colorant, 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 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 soybean, subtract 2 points
13) If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog is allergic to wheat) subtract 2 points
14) If it contains beef (unless your know your dog is allergic to beef) subtract 1 point
15) If it contains salt, subtract 1 point

So where does the food you feed your dog stand now. It is really amazing how quickly the number drops from 100 with items like Kibbles & Bits, Iams & even Science Diet

But you can get extra credit

Extra Credit:
1) If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points
2) If the food is endorsed by any major breed groups 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) If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point
13) If the vegetables have been tested from pesticides and are pesticide-free, add 1 point


So I have now changed my dogs food, we are going with all natural and organic ones, yes it cost a little more, but I wouldn't feed my child fast food every day....WHY THE HELL would I feed my dog that type of crap as well.

Some of the TOP Dog foods are:
Wellness Super 5 Mix Chicken
Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural Dry
Artemis Large/medium breed Puppy
Authority Harvest Baked

Pretty much all of the brands at stores like Whole Foods.

So if you love your dog as much as I do, check what you are putting into your puppy's body. You want your puppy to live a long healthy life and cheap fast food/puppy chow is not doing the trick!