From the "Whole Dog Journal"

Currently the WDJ has decided that it is unable to rank in order, but has listed the following as the best premium pet foods in alphabetical order. (The location of the manufacturer is also included, yet these premium pet foods can be found all across the country.)

Artemis (Artemis Pet Foods- CA)
Azmira (Azmira Holistic Animal Care -AZ)
Back to Basics (Beowulf Natural Foods - Syracuse NY)
Bench & Field (Bench & Filed Pet Foods - IN)
Blue Buffalo (The Blue Buffalo Company -CT)
Burns (Burns Pet Nutrition - IN)
California Natural (Natura Pet Products - CA)
Canidae (Canidae Corp. -CA)
Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul (Diamond Pet Products - MO)
Drs. Foster & Smith (Dr Foster & Smith - WI)
Eagle Pack Holistic Select (Eagle Pet Products, Inc.- IN)
Flint River (Flint River Ranch - CA)
Fromm 4 Star Nutritionals (Fromm Family Foods - WI)
Hund-N-Flocken (Solid Gold Health Prodcuts - CA)
Innova (Natura Pet Products - CA)
Karma (Natura pet Prodcuts - CA)
Lifespan (Petguard - FL)
Limited Diets (Innovative Veterinary Diets - PA)
Millennia (Solid Gold Health Products - CA)
Natural Balance Ultra Premium (Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance - CA)
Newman's Own (Newman's Own Organics - CA)
PHD (Perfect Health Diet Products - White Plains, NY)
Organix (Casotr & Pollux Pet Works - OR)
Pinnacle (Breeder's Choice Pet Foods - CA)
Prairie (Nature's Variety - NE)
Prime Life (Owen & Mnadeville Pet Products - CT)
Royal Canin Natural Blend (Royal Canin USA Inc. - MO)
Showbound Naturals (Integrated Pet Products - PA)
Timberwolf Organics (Yukon Nutritional Corp. - FL)
Verus (VeRus Pet Foods, Inc. - MD)
Wellness (Old Mother Hubbard -MA)
Wysong (Wysong Corporation - MI)

Please call your local pet or feed store to see what premium pet foods they carry.
Please note: Grocery stores, Most large pet store chains carry no premium pet foods. * We can help find a pet store in your area who carries premium pet 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 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", "brewerâ?Ts 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 3points

9) If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 morepoints

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 isnâ?Tt allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points

14) If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isnâ?Tt 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 (other than the first one; count "chicken" and "chicken meal" as only one protein source, but "chicken" and "" as 2 different sources), 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

Already Tested & Scored

Authority Harvest Baked / Score 116 A+

Bil-Jac Select / Score 68 F

Canidae / Score 112 A+

Chicken Soup Senior / Score 115 A+

Diamond Maintenance / Score 64 F

Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice / Score 92 B

Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula / Score 99 A

Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+

Dick Van Patten's Duck and Potato / Score 106 A+

Foundations / Score 106 A+

Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold / Score 93 D

Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium / Score 73 D

Innova Dog / Score 114 A+

Innova Evo / Score 114 A+

Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110 A+ Kirkland is Sold Exclusively at Costco

Nutrisource Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B

Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy / Score 87 B

Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice / Score 23 F

ProPlan Natural Turkey & Barley / Score 103 A+

Purina Beneful / Score 17 F

Purina Dog / Score 62 F

Purina Come-n-Get It / Score 16 F

Royal Canin Bulldog / Score 100 A+

Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult / Score 106 A+

Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice / Score 97 A

Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ / Score 63 F Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F

Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+

Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold / Score 97 A