Dog Food Ratings

It has become increasingly important to educate yourself about dog food ratings. In the past, dog owners could go to the store, pick up a bag of food and be reasonably certain that their dog would thrive on the food. There was a sense of trust in the companies that manufactured pet foods. When dog food went through several recalls, and even caused the death of beloved dogs, that sense of trust was broken.

What to Look For in Dog Food

The foods that consistently rated high with consumers were made of recognizable products, and all food sources were listed individually.

More important than what the top foods did contain was what they did not contain:

• Meat by-products
• Preservatives
• Chemicals
• Fillers

When meat by-products are listed in a dog food and are not specified, the meat may have come from such unappetizing sources as:

• Road kill
• Animals unfit for human consumption
• Euthanized dogs and cats

Instances of euthanized dogs and cats being used in pet foods seem to be very small and limited to certain areas of the country. Since meat by-products don't have to be identified, it is better to be on the safe side and always look for identifiable meat sources in your pet's food.

Top Rated Dog Foods

There are several consumer sites that rate dog food. While each site uses different methods of rating the dog foods, the same basic dog food brands appear over and over again.

These brands stay on top in the dog food ratings because they consistently provide a large number of consumers with a high quality product that works. The companies are committed to quality and nutrition and don't cut corners when it comes to your pet's health. Because of the high quality ingredients all of the top rated foods tend to be higher in price than the lower rated dog foods.

Innova Evo

This dog food consistently scored top ratings. The food is high in protein, and while most consumers reported glowing health for their pets, some felt that the protein level of the food was too high. Generally, it was the toy and small breeds of dogs that had the problems with Innova Evo. The owners of larger breeds and working dogs were generally pleased with the product.

Orijen

Orijen is a dog food that has a generally high rating as well. Overall this food has a higher fat content, and the concern voiced by dog owners is that their dogs were gaining too much weight on it. There seemed to be no complaints from the owners of smaller breeds, and the food was generally recommended by all the consumers that had tried it. There were some lots of this food that had large (up to a half inch) bone shards in them. That situation seems to have been a one time occurrence.

Timberwolf Organics

Timberwolf is an organic food that has a high rating with consumers. It has a number of different formulas that contain meats from sources like:

• • Bison
  • Salmon
  • Elk
  • Venison
  • Lamb
  • Chicken
  • Turkey

While it is consistently high in protein, owners of both small and large dogs are satisfied with the quality of the nutrition that their dogs are receiving. There was some concern that the company had begun to add chicken fat to its various formulas. Chicken fat can be an allergy problem for some dogs.

Canidae

While this brand seemingly scored high on many charts, this rating should be considered carefully in light of the allegations that Canidae had changed their formula without letting consumers know. Canidae's current quality may no longer be in sync with previous ratings.

Blue Buffalo

This is an excellent dog food made with human grade food ingredients. Reviews of this product are positive for a variety of breeds, both large and small. The major complaint seems to be that the food can be hard to find locally.

Where to Read Dog Food Ratings

Several sites are set up so that consumers can rate and comment on dog foods. It is good to check a variety of sites to get an overall sense of quality for a particular brand.

• Dog Food Analysis
• Animal Ark
• Rate It All
• Consumer Search

By utilizing the Internet and reading as many sites with dog food ratings as possible, you can make informed choices about what you feed your dog.

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