Market Research: Dog Food Brand
Discussion
therealpigdog said:
Iams for our girls.
I know it gets a bad press, but Cassie has been on it all her life, and as a 12 year old black lab who will regularly (twice or three times a week) go on a five mile run (owner, heaven knows how far the dogs run) she seems to be doing well on it.
They'll occasionally get Bakers when we can't get hold of Iams.
We buy in sacks - especially when there are offers on. Price is important.
Iams/Bakers/Pedigree - all pretty poor quality, I suppose the equivalent is feeding yourself on cheapo farmfoods pizzas, ready meals and chips. Some dogs/people will still look ok on it but it wouldn't be helping them. I know it gets a bad press, but Cassie has been on it all her life, and as a 12 year old black lab who will regularly (twice or three times a week) go on a five mile run (owner, heaven knows how far the dogs run) she seems to be doing well on it.
They'll occasionally get Bakers when we can't get hold of Iams.
We buy in sacks - especially when there are offers on. Price is important.
What I would say to anyone on a budget is to look at Springers food - as it is classed as working dogs food it is VAT free, which makes it very good value for a reasonable food (as it's efectively £5-7 off) with decent protein and without all the colourings and flavourings of Bakers.
In answer to the OP - Royal Canin Lab Junior.
Moo27 said:
Bakers is renowned for SO many additives, colourings, waste, grain etc etc and as Mrs Grumpy has said, has been linked to so many behavoural issues and bad health!
It amazes me the neivity (sp) of some pet owners.
I wrote down the additives (IIRC they only need to be stated on sacks over a certain size) of Bakers:It amazes me the neivity (sp) of some pet owners.
Antioxidants: BHA (E320), BHT (E321), Propyl Gallate (E310).
Preservatives: Citric Acid (E330), Potassium Sorbate (E202), Propan -1, 2 Diol (E490).
Colourants: Indigo carmine (E132), Tartrazine (E102), Sunset yellow (E110), Poncau -4R (E124), Carmoisine (E122), Titanium dioxide (E171).
Nice eh? Your dog might glow in the dark with that lot! Lol.
The thing is to remember that one diet or brand might suit one dog very well, but then not another. Though having said that I would not feed mine ANY of the cheaper brands that are laden with cereal based feeds and additives.
Some will swear that the ONLY way is by feeding raw, and I get a little fed up with such polarised advice.
Another thought re VAT free working feeds. These can be higher in energy levels and when fed to a humble house dog that is not working can have interesting results in terms of behaviour! Some folk insist that the bag has a collie or Springer on the front!
Thankfully we are seeing more and more independent brands being introduced that are free from all the undesirables and can sustain a dog well. I then add modest amounts of fresh veg, fruit, fish and so on.
I don't know the actual stats, but MOST of the brands you see in a big pet store are made in one of 2 factories in the UK. If I had more time I would like to get right under the surface of this subject as I suspect many people would be stunned by the crap in dried food and also the way it's made!
BTW I really rate Nature Diet. Most dogs will go nuts for it also!
Nick
Something I have posted before. Still shocks me how poorly some percieved premium brands score using this method...
Start with a grade of 100:
1) For every listing of "by-product", subtract 10 points ("Pedigree" dog food feeders beware)
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 (most ste dog food has this - Pedigree again!!)
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 3points
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 (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
Here are some foods that have already been 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
Eaglepack Holistic Puppy / Score 121 A+
Fromm Adult Gold / Score 112 / 114 A+
Fromm Puppy Gold / Score 117 / 119 A+
Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+
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+
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 Benful / 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
Start with a grade of 100:
1) For every listing of "by-product", subtract 10 points ("Pedigree" dog food feeders beware)
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 (most ste dog food has this - Pedigree again!!)
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 3points
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 (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
Here are some foods that have already been 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
Eaglepack Holistic Puppy / Score 121 A+
Fromm Adult Gold / Score 112 / 114 A+
Fromm Puppy Gold / Score 117 / 119 A+
Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+
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+
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 Benful / 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
I have a bag of Barking Heads in front of me here that I have been feeding the dog for a few years now.
Ingredients:
Fresh British Chicken (min 26%)
White Rice (min 26%)
Dried Chicken (min 26%)
Ground Oats
Chicken Fat
Whole Linseed
Sunflower Oil
Salmon Oil
Rapeseed Oil
Minerals
Dried Carrot
Dried Tomato
Natural Seaweed
Glucosamine
Chondritin
MSM
Vitamins
The glucosamine and chondritin are worthwhile as I no longer have to give her supplements
The Mrs insists on feeding the cats with Purina Go Cat, here are the ingredients of that
Cereals (20%)
Meat and animal derivatives
Vegetable protein extracts
Oils and fats
Fish and fish derivatives (4% herring and 4% tuna in the brown and light brown kibbles)
Derivatives of vegetable origin
Yeasts
Minerals
Vegetables (1% vegetables in the green, yellow and orange kibbles)
Additives: IU/kg: Vit A 12500, Vit D3 1000
Additives: mg/kg: Fe(E1) 47, I(E2) 1.5, Cu(E4) 8.9, Mn(E5) 5, Zn(E6) 65, Se(E8) 0.1
Plus colourants and antioxidants
So it's mostly made up of cereals and ash and contains bugger all good stuff!
Ingredients:
Fresh British Chicken (min 26%)
White Rice (min 26%)
Dried Chicken (min 26%)
Ground Oats
Chicken Fat
Whole Linseed
Sunflower Oil
Salmon Oil
Rapeseed Oil
Minerals
Dried Carrot
Dried Tomato
Natural Seaweed
Glucosamine
Chondritin
MSM
Vitamins
The glucosamine and chondritin are worthwhile as I no longer have to give her supplements
The Mrs insists on feeding the cats with Purina Go Cat, here are the ingredients of that
Cereals (20%)
Meat and animal derivatives
Vegetable protein extracts
Oils and fats
Fish and fish derivatives (4% herring and 4% tuna in the brown and light brown kibbles)
Derivatives of vegetable origin
Yeasts
Minerals
Vegetables (1% vegetables in the green, yellow and orange kibbles)
Additives: IU/kg: Vit A 12500, Vit D3 1000
Additives: mg/kg: Fe(E1) 47, I(E2) 1.5, Cu(E4) 8.9, Mn(E5) 5, Zn(E6) 65, Se(E8) 0.1
Plus colourants and antioxidants
So it's mostly made up of cereals and ash and contains bugger all good stuff!
itsnotarace said:
I have a bag of Barking Heads in front of me here that I have been feeding the dog for a few years now.
Ingredients:
Fresh British Chicken (min 26%)
White Rice (min 26%)
Dried Chicken (min 26%)
Ground Oats
Chicken Fat
Whole Linseed
Sunflower Oil
Salmon Oil
Rapeseed Oil
Minerals
Dried Carrot
Dried Tomato
Natural Seaweed
Glucosamine
Chondritin
MSM
Vitamins
The glucosamine and chondritin are worthwhile as I no longer have to give her supplements
The Mrs insists on feeding the cats with Purina Go Cat, here are the ingredients of that
Cereals (20%)
Meat and animal derivatives
Vegetable protein extracts
Oils and fats
Fish and fish derivatives (4% herring and 4% tuna in the brown and light brown kibbles)
Derivatives of vegetable origin
Yeasts
Minerals
Vegetables (1% vegetables in the green, yellow and orange kibbles)
Additives: IU/kg: Vit A 12500, Vit D3 1000
Additives: mg/kg: Fe(E1) 47, I(E2) 1.5, Cu(E4) 8.9, Mn(E5) 5, Zn(E6) 65, Se(E8) 0.1
Plus colourants and antioxidants
So it's mostly made up of cereals and ash and contains bugger all good stuff!
James Wellbeloved do good cat food which reads a lot better than your list there.Ingredients:
Fresh British Chicken (min 26%)
White Rice (min 26%)
Dried Chicken (min 26%)
Ground Oats
Chicken Fat
Whole Linseed
Sunflower Oil
Salmon Oil
Rapeseed Oil
Minerals
Dried Carrot
Dried Tomato
Natural Seaweed
Glucosamine
Chondritin
MSM
Vitamins
The glucosamine and chondritin are worthwhile as I no longer have to give her supplements
The Mrs insists on feeding the cats with Purina Go Cat, here are the ingredients of that
Cereals (20%)
Meat and animal derivatives
Vegetable protein extracts
Oils and fats
Fish and fish derivatives (4% herring and 4% tuna in the brown and light brown kibbles)
Derivatives of vegetable origin
Yeasts
Minerals
Vegetables (1% vegetables in the green, yellow and orange kibbles)
Additives: IU/kg: Vit A 12500, Vit D3 1000
Additives: mg/kg: Fe(E1) 47, I(E2) 1.5, Cu(E4) 8.9, Mn(E5) 5, Zn(E6) 65, Se(E8) 0.1
Plus colourants and antioxidants
So it's mostly made up of cereals and ash and contains bugger all good stuff!
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