Safe & Nutritious Dog Food

[K9-Lovers]

I've learned so much from so many of you! Now it is my turn to share. Learning about healthy and nutritious foods for our canine family members has been one of my passions for the past 5 years. Get your dog food bag and spend a few minutes taking this test to see if your dog's food is actually safe for him to eat.

At the end of the "quiz" there is a list of foods that have already been rated. Just in case this list is deleted because brand names are mentioned, you can always send me a private email and and I will provide you with the list.

Why not spend a few more dollars for your dog's food now, instead of spending your money at the veterinarian trying to correct health problems caused by poor nutrition. The "good" foods are available at two pet food stores within TV and Petco also carries both good and bad foods. You just have to know which to buy! :)

Dog Food Safety Scores

To score your dog food, start with a score 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", "brewer’s 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 (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

15) If the ingredients are human grade, add 5 points

16) If the food is produced in a USDA human grade plant, add 5 points

94-100+ = A
86-93 = B
78-85 = C
70-77 = D
<70 = F


Dog Food scores:

Alpo Prime Cuts / Score 81 C

Artemis Large/Medium Breed Puppy / Score 114 A+

Authority Harvest Baked / Score 116 A+

Authority Harvest Baked Less Active / Score 93 B

Beneful / Score 17 F

Beowulf Back to Basics / Score 101 A+

Bil-Jac Select / Score 68 F

Blackwood 3000 Lamb and Rice / Score 83 C

Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice / Score 106 A+

Burns Chicken and Brown Rice / Score 107 A+

Candidae / 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

Diamond Performance / Score 85 C

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

Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Venison and Brown Rice / Score 106 A+

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

EaglePack Holistic / Score 102 A+

Eukanuba Adult / Score 81 C

Eukanuba Puppy / Score 79 C

Evanger’s Chicken with Brown Rice / Score 129 A+++

Evanger’s Pheasant with Brown Rice / Score 129 A+++

Flint River Senior / Score 101 A+

Foundations / Score 106 A+

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

Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium / Score 73 D

Innova Dog / Score 114 A+

Innova Evo / Score 114 A+

Innova Large Breed Puppy / Score 122 A++

Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110 A+

Life4K9 Chicken & Barley / Score 109 A

Life4K9 Lamb & Barley / Score 109 A

Member’s Mark Chicken and Rice / Score 84 C

Merrick Wilderness Blend / Score 127 A++

Merrick Cowboy Cookout / Score 114 A+

Nature’s Recipe / Score 100 A

Nature’s Recipe Healthy Skin Venison and Rice / Score 116 A+

Nature’s Variety Raw Instinct / Score 122 A++

Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal and Rice / Score 81 C

Nutrience Junior Medium Breed Puppy / Score 101 A+

Nutrisource Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B

Nutro Max Adult / Score 93 B

Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice / Score 98 A

Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy / Score 87 B

Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Wheat Free / Score 86 B

Nutro Natural Choice Senior / Score 95 A

Nutro Ultra Adult / Score 104 A+

Old Roy / Score 17 F

Orijen Adult Chicken / Score 124 A +++

Orijen Adult Fish / Score 125 A +++

Orijen Puppy / Score 118 A ++

Pedigree Adult (dry) / Score 46 F

Pedigree Little Champions (wet) / Score 71 D

Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice / Score 23 F

Premium Edge Chicken, Rice and Vegetables Adult Dry / Score 109 A+

Pro Nature Puppy / Score 80 C

Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach / Score 94 A

Purina Beneful / Score 17 F

Purina Dog / Score 62 F

Purina Come-n-Get It / Score 16 F

Purina One Large Breed Puppy / Score 62 F

Royal Canin Boxer / Score 103 A+

Royal Canin Bulldog / Score 100 A+

Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult / Score 106 A+

Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ / Score 63 F

Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F

Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice / Score 97 A

Solid Gold / Score 99 A

Summit / Score 99 A

Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural Dry / Score 120 A++

Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+

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

[Barefoot]

I've been using Orijen Dog Food for quite some time. Both Biggins and Lolli Pop like Orijen Chicken. :doggie: I'm happy to see that Orijen got three stars. It was recommended by a speaker at the Responsible Dog Owners Club.

The only negative is that it is so fresh and "natural" and preservative free, that you have to store it carefully. Once opened, it should be used asap.

[K9-Lovers]

When I had my retail business, Orijen would sell itself. Dogs would come in, go directly to the Orijen and try to eat it through the bag!! It is one of the best.

[jblum8156]

I"m surprised that Alpo scored higher than Iams.

[DD]

We are Canadians and I did not see the brand Taste of The Wild or Fromm on the list. Are you familiar with either or these two and if so do you know the rating??

Our labradoodle just loves Merrick along with a couple of the others which are top of the list.

The woman where we board our dog recommended we feed him good quality food as he was a picky eater. She also informed us about quality of different dog foods. We give him his larger meal in the morning and hold back a 1/2 cup for evening (which he generally gets while we are eating). We also limit the amount of treats and most times purchase quality ones as well.

She also mentioned to feed dogs at different times, ie morning one day, noon the next day, evening the following day. So thanks to her we now have one happy dog who looks forward to eating and enjoying his meal. Also recommended having 3 different bags of foods on hand and alternate between them.

This has worked for us now for the last 3 yrs. Being a large dog I was concerned when he would not eat. A few times I went to the frig and put oil on his food, or put a piece of cheese in it. Haven't done this since we purchased quality dog food. I find the bags last quite a while as he gets 2 1/2 cups a day. Anything more and it tends to expand his waist.

Thanks for the list it was very informative....

[K9-Lovers]

Taste of the Wild and Fromm are both very high quality foods.

Sounds like you are doing the very best nutritionally for your dog. Good Job!!

I agree with you about feeding a variety of foods. Just like people, dogs should get their nutrition from varied sources. For example, if we people only ate chicken and rice every meal for the rest of our lives, we would be malnourished. Same goes for your dog. So feed chicken for a while, then change to turkey, duck, lamb, (no veal please) beef, etc.

Some dogs get a tummy ache and runny stool if you change their food quickly, so just as you are getting to the end of the current food, begin adding the new food over a 10-day period. Feed less and less current food and more new food each day. Then, on the 11th day, your dog will be eating nothing but the new food with no tummy ache!

God bless you for caring for your pet so well.

[justanormalgirl]

We've been feeding Fromm's Surf & Turf grain free for the last couple of years and I was also surprised to not find it on the list. However, I do know it's a good food. I also feed Fromm's grain free treats and my little crew love them.

I have been concerned about the protein levels in the premium foods though. I was told that the protein in the fish based foods is different, and better than the protein in red meat foods so I shouldn't worry about it.

Can anyone shed any new light on that?

[K9-Lovers]

The list is not comprehensive and every food available is not listed, that's why there is a way to do your own scoring. There are lots of high quality foods not on the list. Fromm is an outstanding food (one of the best, in my opinion).

Feed a variety of proteins. Fish is especially important because of the good omegas. Some of the grain-free foods are a bit too high in protein. Think about what a dog in the wild would do . . . they take down the prey and first eat it's organs. That includes stomach and intestines. Most prey is vegetarian and so dogs get their veggies and greens from that source. The last to be eaten is the least desireable flesh/muscles.

You are right to be concerned about giving your dogs too much protein. I've read that dogs eating too much protein have difficulty recuperating from injuries, etc. As people become more informed about the dangers of grocery-store dog food, including bad grains such as white rice or corn, some dog food companies have capitalized on that by advertising "grain-free high-protein" which may not be best for all dogs. Be sure your dogs' food has some good carbs like sweet potatoes or oats, and some greens.

Good job feeding healthy treats! So often, my clients would buy our healthy foods but give Milk Bone or Pup-eroni or some other horrible treat and wonder why their dogs were still having health problems. Once healthy treats were given, the dogs just thrived.

[Barefoot]

K-9, regarding healthy treats, what do you suggest? Are there any healthy treats sold at supermarkets?

[Pturner]

K9,
Thanks so much. I have ordered a small bag of Orijen for my dog to try based on your and Bare's recommendation. I'll also take your advice to add incrementally more of the new food in with his current food over an 11-day period.

My dog is not a big eater. How long does the dry food stay fresh? Should I consider dividing it into plastic zipper bags or finding a sealed container?

BTW, after reading this thread and searching further, I found this website.
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/
Its rankings are pretty consistent with yours. Are you familiar with it? Any thoughts about the site.

Thanks again from Bogey and me. :doggie:

[justanormalgirl]

I started feeding grain free because we suspect one of our girls has allergies so it started as an 'elimination' food. She did so well on it that we stuck with it but I don't want to keep them on such high protein indefinitely.

We had blood drawn from Megan for allergy tests Tuesday morning but will have to wait 10 to 14 days for results as they get sent to a lab in NY. I will know more, hopefully, after we get her results.

I am not afraid to home cook for my babies. I know dogs with special health needs require diets formulated by a pet nutritionist but do you know of a good, complete home made diet for healthy dogs?

Not sure I can do the raw diet...I tried the pre-made raw a couple of years ago but it was hit and miss...not to mention very expensive when you have more than one pet.

[BritParrothead]

I recently changed my 2 dogs food to fresh raw beef. They love it! They have the shiniest coats I have ever seen them have. PLUS they are eating a lot less now than in the past. They still have treats, red or green pimentos and raw carrots, they love 'em and a dog chew now and again.

[Barefoot]

A vet on TV was recommending elk's antlers as a chew toy. He said that dogs love them (and he was right .. my dogs do love them). The antlers are practically indestructible, and are very good for their gums. (No elks are killed to harvest the antlers).

I've been using Orijen for years ... I think it is a great dog food. Pturner, I don't think you need to worry about the freshness since you purchased a small bag. I switch between different types, chicken, fish, etc. I keep the large bag sealed, and use it quite quickly because Lolli Pop eats like a horse.

[K9-Lovers]

My dogs also eat home-cooked dog food. But it takes a lot of careful planning to home cook and provide the proper proportions of carbs, protein and nutrients. A good book to read about home cooking your pets' foods is Natural Health for Dogs and Cats by Dr. Pitcairn.

PTurner, look on the Orijen bag for an expiration date or "best used by" date before purchasing. It is tiny print, but you will find it. My dogs eat Orijen as a supplement to their homecooked food and as treats, so the bag lasts for a while. I put a portion of the dry food in our freezer in the original bag to be sure it stays fresh. I just squeeze out the excess air and roll it up and secure with rubber bands.

Really good treats are available in lots of places. Some that are easy to find are made by Mother Hubbard and Solid Gold. Evangers makes some soft Turkey Jerkey treats that dogs really like. Look at the food list again and find the highest rated foods, then look for treats made by those companies. Again, you will find the really best treats at the doggie specialty shops, and not in the grocery store.

DogFoodAdvisor is a pretty good site. But the very smartest, bestest, most wonderful source for deciding which food you will give your furry family members is the "Whole Dog Journal". They have a paper publication and a website and are THE SOURCE for selecting pet foods. Each year they have an approved list of dry and wet foods with strict criteria for selection. In a separate post, I'll copy their 2010 approved food list, and we'll see if it passes the copywrite test for this website (I'll credit the source).

[K9-Lovers]

Whole Dog Journal 2010 Approved Food List

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This post contains information from this source: Whole Dog Journal

Selection Criteria for DRY Food

• We look for foods that contain a lot of high-quality animal proteins. Ingredients are listed by weight, so ideally a food will have one or two animal proteins in the first few ingredients.

Understand that whole meat (chicken, beef, lamb, etc.) contains a lot of water weight. If a food list starts out with chicken (rather than chicken meal), and there is no other animal protein listed until 7th or 8th on the list, the food does not actually contain a lot of animal protein. But if it starts out with chicken, and chicken meal (or another named animal meal, such as lamb meal) is number two or three on the list, chances are the product contains an admirable amount of animal protein.

• We reject any food containing meat by-products or poultry by-products.

• We reject foods containing fat or protein not identified by species. “Animal fat” is a euphemism for a low-quality, low-priced mix of fats of uncertain origin. “Meat meal” could be practically anything.

• We look for whole grains and vegetables. That said, some grains and vegetables have valuable constituents that accomplish specific tasks in a dog food formula. We don’t get too excited about one vegetable fragment and one grain byproduct on the ingredients panel. Our tolerance diminishes in direct proportion to the number of fragments and by-products contained in a food and the prominence on a label; the more there are, and/or the higher they appear on the ingredients list, the lower-quality the food.

• We eliminate all foods with artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives listed on their ingredients panels.

• We eliminate all foods with added sweeteners. Dogs, like people, enjoy sweet foods. Like people, they can develop a taste for these nutritionally empty calories.

• We look for products containing organic ingredients. That’s a no-brainer.

2010 Approved Dry Foods

Addiction Foods ~ New Zealand
• Viva La Venison made by Pied Piper Pet & Wildlife, Hamlin, TX
• Salmon Bleu made by Taplow Ventures, Vancouver, British Columbia
• La Porchetta made by Texas Farm Products, Nacogdoches, TX
COMMENT: Salmon and venison foods are grain-free. Venison is free-range; salmon is wild-caught.

Artemis Pet Foods ~ North Hollywood, CA
• Fresh Mix (5 varieties) made by Diamond Pet Products, Lathrop, CA
• Osopure (2 varieties for small dogs) made by Diamond Pet Products, Lathrop, CA
COMMENT: Fresh Mix products display what we call "kitchen sink" formulation. Osopure has fewer protein sources.

Back to Basics ~ Meadville, PA
• Chicken and Pork formulas made by CJ Foods, Pawnee City, NE
COMMENT: Company was sold to Dad's Pet Care in 2009. Manufacturing scheduled to move to Dad's own plant in PA. Company says all ingredients will continue to be USA sourced and manufactured.

Bench and Field Pet Foods ~ Grand Rapids, MI
• Holistic Natural Canine made by WellPet, Mishawaka, IN
COMMENT: Company offers direct shipping to your home.

Blue Buffalo Company ~ Wilton, CT
• Blue Life Protection Formulas (3 puppy varieties, 5 adult, 1 weight control, 1 senior)
• Blue Longevity (puppy, adult, mature)
• Blue Wilderness (2 varieties)
• Blue Organics
NOTE: All foods made by: Chenago Valley Pet Foods, CJ Foods, Dad's Pet Care, Triple T Foods.
COMMENT: Company plans to launch a "limited ingredient" line in February.

Blue Seal Feeds ~ Londonderry, NH
• By Nature (6 varieties) made by Blue Seal, Arcade, NY
• By Nature Organics made by Chenango Valley Pet Foods, Sherburne, NY
COMMENT: "Bright Life" variety has been discontinued.

Breeder's Choice Pet Food ~ Irwindale, CA
• Pinnacle Holistic (4 varieties)
• Active Care (2 varieties)
• Advanced Pet Diets Select Choice (6 varities)
• AvoDerm Natural (10 varieties)
• AvoDerm Natural Original Oven-Baked (3 varieties)
• Health Food for Dogs
NOTE: All Breeder's Choice formulas are made at their plant in Irwindale, CA
COMMENT: Active Care line contains "natural chicken cartilage with the highest levels of unprocessed chondroitin and glucosamine", AvoDerm line developed for dogs with skin and coat issues, AvoDerm Baked meant for dogs with "sensitive stomachs".

Burns Pet Nutrition ~ Valparaiso, IN
• Chicken and Brown Rice made by CJ Foods, Bern, KS
• Ocean Fish and Brown Rice made by CJ Foods, Bern, KS
COMMENT: Company offers direct sales and shipping of fresh product to your home.

Canidae Corp ~ San Luis Obispo, CA
• All Life Stages (6 varieties)
• Platinum
• Grain-Free (2 varieties)
NOTE: All Canidae formulas are made by Diamond Pet Foods, Lathrop CA, Meta, MO, Gaston, SC
COMMENT: "All Life Stages", "Platinum" and "Grain-Free ALS" have multiple animal protein sources; other four varieties have just one or two animal protein sources.

Castor & Pollux Pet Works ~ Clackamas, OR
• Organix (3 varieties) made by CJ Foods, Bern, KS
• Ultramix (4 varieties) made by Crosswinds Petfoods, Inc., Sabetha, KS
COMMENT: Organix's organic certification is by Certified Organic by Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA International, Inc.). Lincoln, NE. Foods have been reformulated since we last reviewed them, with only minor changes. Company offers direct shipping to your home.

Canine Caviar Pet Foods ~ Costa Mesa, CA
• Canine Caviar Holistic Beneficial (5 varieties including 2 puppy, 2 adult and 1 "special Needs")
• Holistic Grain Free
NOTE: All foods made by Ohio Pet Foods, Lisbon, OH
COMMENT: Company says it uses only dehydrated meats, not rendered meat meals, in its 5 Holistic Beneficial varieties. Grain-free variety does use venison meal, said to be from free-range venison.

Champion Pet Foods ~ Morinville, Alberta, Canada
• Acana (10 varieties)
• Acana Grain-Free(3 varieties)
• Orijen (6 varieties, all grain-free)
NOTE: All foods made by their own plant in Alberta, Canada
COMMENT: Company says all ingredients are fresh (never frozen) and locally sourced. All foods are formulated with higher protein, lower carb content then most companies' offerings.

Della Natura Commodities ~ Bayside, NY
• Wenaewe (3 beef based varieties, 1 vegetarian variety) made by Erro S.A, Uruguay
COMMENT: A senior variety is planned. Imported from Uruguay. Company says all beef is "beyond organic", free-range. Vegetarian variety uses soymeal for protein source. (Note that we are not fans of vegetarian diets for dogs).

Diamond Pet Products ~ Meta, MO
• Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul (4 varieties)
• Premium Edge (6 varieties)
• Professional Pet Food (7 varieties)
• Taste of the Wild (3 varieties)
NOTE: All of Diamond Pet dry dog foods are made at Lathrop, CA - Meta, MO - Gaston, SC
COMMENT: Taste of the Wild formulas are grain-free.

Drs. Foster & Smith ~ Rhinelander, WI
• Drs Foster & Smith Adult Dog (5 varieties) made by CJ Foods, Bern KS & Pawnee City, NE
COMMENT: Company is a retailing catalog company so it will direct-ship to your home.

Van Patten's Natural Balance ~ Pacoima, CA
• Natual Balance Organic
• Natual Balance Vegetarian
• Natural Balance Original Ultra (4 varieties)
• Natural Balance Limited Ingredience Diets (5 varieties)
NOTE: All foods made by CJ Foods, Bern, KS
COMMENT: Company tests for contaminants and makes the test results available on its website.

Dogswell, LLC ~ Los Angeles, CA
• Vitality
• Happy Hips ~ with glucosamine & chondroitin
• Shape Up ~ lower fat
NOTE: All foods made by Tuffy's Pet Foods, Perham, MN
COMMENT: Will direct ship food to your home.

*Evanger's Dog & Cat Food Co. ~ Wheeling, ILL
• Pheasant & Brown Rice made by Fromm Family foods, Mequon, WI
• Chicken & Brown Rice made by Ohio Pet Foods, Lisbon, OH
• Whitefish & Brown Rice made by Ohio Pet Foods, Lisbon, OH
COMMENT: Evanger owns its cannery but has its dry foods made by co-packers, with ingredients it sources.

FirstMate Pet Foods ~ North Vancouver, BC, Canada
• FirstMate Grain-Free (6 varieties)
• FirstMate Classic (4 varieties)
• Skoki Grain-Free (6 varieties)
• Skoki Classic (4 varieties)
NOTE: All foods made in their own plant in Chilliwack, BC, Canada
COMMMENT: Skoki formulas cost less then FirstMate, which is the company's "premium" line.

Fromm Family Foods ~ Mequon, WI
• Four-Star Entrees (6 varieties including 1 grain-free)
• Gold Nutritionals (5 varieties)
• Classics (2 varieties)
NOTE: All Fromm's dry foods made at their own plant in Mequon, WI
COMMENT: Four-Star foods contain the most ingredients and variety, Gold line is formulated with multiple animal protein sources, Classic line formulated with chicken as major source.

Laughing Dog, Inc. ~ Lodi, CA
• Young Dog
• Brave Dog
• Wise Dog
NOTE: All foods made by Taplow Feeds, Chilliwack, BC, Canada
COMMENT: Company says these make Laughing Dog superior: a vacuum infusion process that infuses (rather then just coats) the kibble with enzymes and probiotics, and its use of coconut oil in the formula.

Life4K9 Pet Food Corp ~ Dawsonville, GA
• Life4K9 (2 varieties) is made by Bio Biscuit in Quebec, Canada and Hampshire Pet Products, Joplin, MO.
COMMENT: These are baked foods, company feels strongly that baked foods are superior to extruded foods.

Lincoln Biotech ~ East Bend, NC
• Zinpro made by Chenango Valley Pet Foods, Sherburne, NY
COMMENT: Company feels that dogs don't get enough zinc, causing sking and coat problems - Zinpro is formulated with a bioavilable zinc.

*Merrick Pet Care ~ Amarillo, TX
• Merrick Dog Food (7 varieties)
• Before Grain (3 varieties)
NOTE: All Merrick dog foods are made at their plant in Hereford, TX
COMMENT: Available via direct shipping with no shipping charges in the U.S.

Mulligan Stew Pet Food ~ Jackson, WY
• Mulligan Stew (3 varieties) made by Mountain Country Foods, Okeene, OK
COMMENT: All dry foods are baked, not extruded. Company says all ingredients are sourced in from U.S. farms and ranches.

*Natura Pet Products ~ Santa Clara, CA
• Innova (11 varieties)
• California Natural (8 varieties)
• HealthWise (5 varieties)
• EVO (6 varieties)
• Karma Organic
NOTE: All foods made at their plants in Fremont, NE and San Leandro, CA
COMMENT: California Natural foods contain a single animal protein source. EVO foods are grain-free, high in protein and fat, Innova foods contain several sources of animal protein, Karma is Natura's only baked and organic food.

*Nature's Variety ~ Lincoln, NE
• Prairie (5 varieties)
• Instinct Grain-Free (3 varieties)
NOTE: All food made by Pied Piper Mills, Hamlin, TX
COMMENT: Company strongly promotes diet rotation amoung varieties and types, offering complementary frozen raw and canned foods.

OmniPro Pet Foods ~ Madison, MS
• OmniPro Holistic Salmon & Potato is made by Diamond Pet Products, Lathrop, CA, Meta, Mo and Gaston, SC
COMMENT: The variety listed (OmniPro's sole premium food) may be a toe in the water of this market.

*Petcurean Pet Nutrition ~ Chilliwack, British Columbia
• Go! Natural (4 varieties including 1 grain-free)
• Now! (4 formulas, all grain-free)
• Summit Holistics (3 varieties)
NOTE: All foods made by Elmira Pet Products, Elmira, Ontario, Canada
COMMENT: Go! Natural grain-free variety was recently reformulated with lower protein and fat. Now! varieies contain no rendered meats.

Perfect Health Diet Products ~ Elmsford, NY
• PHD Viand made by Chenango Valley Pet Foods, Sherburne, NY
COMMENT: Company suggests using its products to supplement a fresh food diet.

Pet Chef Express, Inc ~ New Westminster, BC
• Pet Chef Express (sole variety) made by Nutreco Canada, Inc., Guelph, Ontario, Canada
COMMENT: Company provides home delivery in parts of Canada

Pet Valu ~ Markham, Ontario, Canada
• Performatrin Ultra (3 varieties) made by Elmira Pet Products, Ontario, Canada
COMMENT: Performatrin Ultra is sold exclusively in PetValu stores in Canada and the Northeastern U.S.

Precise Pet Products ~ Nacogdoches, TX
• Precise Plus (4 varieties) made by Texas Farm Products, Nacogdoches, TX
COMMENT: Precise is owned by Texas Farm Products. The company says it expects to update its formulas this year.

SmartPak Canine ~ Plymouth, MA
• LiveSmart (5 varieties) foods made by Chenango Valley Pet foods, Sherburne, NY
COMMENT: Direct shipping is available. Food is available sealed in custom-measured single-serving packages for maximum freshness.

Solid Gold Health Products ~ El Cajon, CA
• Solid Gold (8 varieties) made by Diamond Pet Products in Lathrop CA and Meta, MO
COMMENT: Varieties include adult, puppy and small-bites. Barking at the Moon contains fish and beef and is grain-free.

Tuffy's Pet Foods, Inc ~ Perham, MN
• NutriSource (10 varieties)
• Natural Planet Organics
• PureVita (3 varieties
NOTE: All foods made at their plant in Perham, MN
COMMENT: Natural Plant Organics certified by Oregon Tilth. PureVita varieties each contain a single source of animal protein.

VeRUS Pet Foods, Imc. ~ Abingdon, MD
• VeRUS (5 varieties) made by Ohio Pet foods, Lisbon, OH
COMMENT: Company says all lamb used in foods is free-range, grass-fed, New Zealand lamb.

*Wellpet ~ Tewksbury, MA
• Holistic Select (10 varieties)
• Wellness Core (3 grain-free varieties)
• Wellness Simple Food Solutions (3 varieties)
• Wellness Super5Mix (9 varieties)
NOTE: Made at: Wellpet's plant in Mishawaka, IN; Hagen Pet foods, Waverly, NY; CJ Foods Bern, KS; American Nutrition, Inc, Ogden, UT; Diamond Pet Foods, Gaston SC & Lathrop, CA.
COMMENT: Formerly known as Old Mother Hubbard and Wellness Pet Care. WelPet now owns and operates a formal rival (Eagle Pack).

Source: Whole Dog Journal

[dpingram]

K-9 Lover,
I had PM you last year regarding dog foods. Your advise has been so helpful. My female shepherd has so many issues that the correct food is important. We switched to Blue Buffalo (lamb and brown rice) for her and for the first time in a long time she looks healthy. Poor little girl was bit by a brown recluse this summer so she has had a real battle. For treats I have used the Blue Buffalo and whenever I can I'll buy The Three Dog Bakery treats. Expensive but she loves them. Do you have any recipes for making dog treats?

[K9-Lovers]

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Crunchy Biscuits

Recipe By : K9-Lovers
Preparation Time :1 hour

Amount Measure Ingredient
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups oats
3/4 cup peanut butter -- creamy or chunky
2 1/2 cups hot water

Mix all ingredients, adding more hot water if dough is too sticky. Knead well. Roll out to 1/4" and cut into shapes with cookie cutter. Bake on greased cookie sheet, parchment paper or silpat at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Turn off heat and let cool in oven overnight. Don't open oven until morning.

[K9-Lovers]

Meaty Soft Dog Cookies

Recipe By : K9-Lovers
Serving Size : 24 Preparation Time :0:30

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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3 small jars Baby Food Meat
1/4 cup Powdered Milk
1/4 cup Wheat Germ

Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Roll into small balls and place on well-greased cookie sheet (or silpat). Flatten slightly with a fork. Bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until brown. Cool on wire racks and store in refrigerator. Freeze cookies not eaten in 2 days.

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[K9-Lovers]

K-9 Lover,
I had PM you last year regarding dog foods. Your advise has been so helpful. My female shepherd has so many issues that the correct food is important. We switched to Blue Buffalo (lamb and brown rice) for her and for the first time in a long time she looks healthy. Poor little girl was bit by a brown recluse this summer so she has had a real battle. For treats I have used the Blue Buffalo and whenever I can I'll buy The Three Dog Bakery treats. Expensive but she loves them. Do you have any recipes for making dog treats?

I'm so glad to hear she is feeling better and looking healthier. :mademyday:

Brown recluse? Thank God she survived! Three Dog Bakery are wonderful treats, but try my recipes . . . the peanut butter biscuit is really good. If you don't have cookie cutters, use a pizza cutter wheel and cut into any shape (that's faster, too). Some dogs are allergic to peanuts, so watch her carefully the first time you give her one of these.