The Ultimate Guide to Dog Food: Part 2

This is Part 2 of The Ultimate Guide to Dog Food. For Part 1, please click here. 

This is my boy Rudy (CAA Kramer's Hullabaloo) in his natural habitat. He is the perfect example of a healthy dog.
I wish I looked as good naked as he does. 

I'm going to start this post with calories. How many calories should your dog eat per day, based on his activity level and weight?

Let's go by IDEAL weight first, then break each one down into activity levels/age.

1-5 pounds:

Typical: 61 kcal/day – 204 kcal/day
Active: 69 – 231 kcal/day
Overweight: 39 – 130 kcal/day
Highly Active: 97 – 324 kcal/day
Senior, neutered, inactive: 50 – 167 kcal/day
Working Dog (light duty): 72-83   –   241-278 kcal/day
Working Dog (moderate duty): 83-97   –   278-324 kcal/day
Working Dog (heavy duty): 97-138   –   324-463 kcal/day

6-15 pounds:

Typical: 233 kcal/day – 464 kcal/day
Active: 265 – 527 kcal/day
Overweight: 149 – 295 kcal/day
Highly Active: 371 – 738 kcal/day
Senior, neutered, inactive: 191 – 380 kcal/day
Working Dog (light duty): 276-318   –   549-633 kcal/day
Working Dog (moderate duty): 318-371   –   633-738 kcal/day
Working Dog (heavy duty): 371-531   –   738-1,055 kcal/day

16-25 pounds:

Typical: 486 kcal/day – 681 kcal/day
Active: 554 – 774 kcal/day
Overweight: 310 – 433 kcal/day
Highly Active: 775 – 1,083 kcal/day
Senior, neutered, inactive: 339 – 557 kcal/day
Working Dog (light duty): 576-664   –   805-928 kcal/day
Working Dog (moderate duty): 664-775  –   928-1,083 kcal/day
Working Dog (heavy duty): 775-1,107   –   1,083-1,547 kcal/day

26-35 pounds:

Typical: 701 – 876 kcal/day
Active: 797 – 996 kcal/day
Overweight: 446 – 558 kcal/day
Highly Active: 1,115 – 1,394 kcal/day
Senior, neutered, inactive: 574 – 717 kcal/day
Working Dog (light duty): 829-956   –    1,036-1,195 kcal/day
Working Dog (moderate duty): 956-1,115   –   1,195-1,394 kcal/day
Working Dog (heavy duty): 1,115-1,594   –   1,394-1,991 kcal/day

36-45 pounds:

Typical: 895 – 1,058 kcal/day
Active: 1,017 – 1,202 kcal/day
Overweight: 570 – 673 kcal/day
Highly Active: 1,424 – 1,683 kcal/day
Senior, neutered, inactive: 732 – 866 kcal/day
Working Dog (light duty): 1,058-1,220   –   1,250-1,443 kcal/day
Working Dog (moderate duty): 1,220-1,424   –   1,443-1,683 kcal/day
Working Dog (heavy duty): 1,424-2,034   –   1,683-2,405 kcal/day

46-55 pounds:

Typical: 1,076 – 1,230 kcal/day
Active: 1,222 – 1,398 kcal/day
Overweight: 684 – 783 kcal/day
Highly Active: 1,711 – 1,957 kcal/day
Senior, neutered, inactive: 880 – 1,006 kcal/day
Working Dog (light duty): 1,271-1,467   –   1,453-1,677 kcal/day
Working Dog (moderate duty): 1,467-1,711   –   1,677-1,957 kcal/day
Working Dog (heavy duty): 1,711-2,445   –   1,957-2,795 kcal/day

56-65 pounds:

Typical: 1,247 – 1,394 kcal/day
Active: 1,417 – 1,584 kcal/day
Overweight: 793 – 887 kcal/day
Highly Active: 1,983 – 2,218 kcal/day
Senior, neutered, inactive: 1,020 – 1,147 kcal/day
Working Dog (light duty): 1,473-1,700   –   1,647-1,907 kcal/day
Working Dog (moderate duty): 1,700-1,983   –   1,901-2,218 kcal/day
Working Dog (heavy duty): 1,983-2,833   –   2,218-3,168 kcal/day

66-75 pounds:

Typical: 1,410 – 1,552 kcal/day
Active: 1,602 – 1,764 kcal/day
Overweight: 897 – 988 kcal/day
Highly Active: 2,243 – 2,469 kcal/day
Senior, neutered, inactive: 1,154 – 1,270 kcal/day
Working Dog (light duty): 1,666-1,923   –   1,834-2,116 kcal/day
Working Dog (moderate duty): 1,923-2,243   –   2,116-2,469 kcal/day
Working Dog (heavy duty): 2,243-3,205   –   2469-3527 kcal/day

76-85 pounds:

Typical: 1,567 – 1,705 kcal/day
Active: 1,781 – 1,937 kcal/day
Overweight: 997 – 1,085 kcal/day
Highly Active: 2,494 – 2,712 kcal/day
Senior, neutered, inactive: 1,282 – 1,395 kcal/day
Working Dog (light duty): 1,852-2,137   –   2,015-2,325 kcal/day
Working Dog (moderate duty): 2,137-2,494   –   2,325-2,712 kcal/day
Working Dog (heavy duty): 2,949-3,562   –   2,712-3,874 kcal/day

86-95 pounds:

Typical: 1,720 – 1,853 kcal/day
Active: 1,954 – 2,106 kcal/day
Overweight: 1,094 – 1,179 kcal/day
Highly Active: 2,736 – 2,948 kcal/day
Senior, neutered, inactive: 1,407 – 1,516 kcal/day
Working Dog (light duty): 2,032-2,345   –   2,190-2,527 kcal/day
Working Dog (moderate duty): 2,345   –   2,547-2948 kcal/day
Working Dog (heavy duty): 2,736-3,908   –   2,948-4,211 kcal/day

96-105 pounds:

Typical: 1,868 – 1,997 kcal/day
Active: 2,122 – 2,270 kcal/day
Overweight: 1,188 – 1,271 kcal/day
Highly Active: 2,971 – 3,178 kcal/day
Senior, neutered, inactive: 1,528 – 1,634 kcal/day
Working Dog (light duty): 2,207-2,547   –   2,361-2,724   –   
Working Dog (moderate duty): 2,547-2,971   –   2,724-3,178 kcal/day
Working Dog (heavy duty): 2,971-4,244   –   3,178-4,540 kcal/day

106-115 pounds:

Typical: 2,012 – 2,138 kcal/day
Active: 2,286 – 2,430 kcal/day
Overweight: 1,280 – 1,361 kcal/day
Highly Active: 3,200 – 3,402 kcal/day
Senior, neutered, inactive: 1,646 – 1,750 kcal/day
Working Dog (light duty): 2,377-2,743   –   2,527-2,916 kcal/day
Working Dog (moderate duty): 2,743-3,200   –   2,916-3,402 kcal/day
Working Dog (heavy duty): 3,200-4,572   –   3,402-4,860 kcal/day

116-125 pounds:

Typical: 2,290 – 2,152 kcal/day
Active: 2,602 – 2,446 kcal/day
Overweight: 1,457 – 1,370 kcal/day
Highly Active: 3,643 – 3,424 kcal/day
Senior, neutered, inactive: 1,874 – 1,761 kcal/day
Working Dog (light duty): 2,544-2,935   –   2,690-3,104 kcal/day
Working Dog (moderate duty): 2,935-3,424   –   3,104-3,622 kcal/day
Working Dog (heavy duty): 3,424-4,892   –   3,622-5,174 kcal/day

126-135 pounds:

Typical: 2,290 – 2,412 kcal/day
Active: 2,602 – 2,741 kcal/day
Overweight: 1,457 – 1,535 kcal/day
Highly Active: 3,643 – 3,837 kcal/day
Senior, neutered, inactive: 1,874 – 1,973 kcal/day
Working Dog (light duty): 2,706-3,123   –   2,850-3,289 kcal/day
Working Dog (moderate duty): 3,123-3,643   –   3,289-3,839 kcal/day
Working Dog (heavy duty): 3,643-5,205   –   3,837-5,481 kcal/day

136-145 pounds:

Typical: 2,425 – 2,544 kcal/day
Active: 2,756 – 2,819 kcal/day
Overweight: 1,543 – 1,619 kcal/day
Highly Active: 3,858 – 4,048 kcal/day
Senior, neutered, inactive: 1,984 – 2,082 kcal/day
Working Dog (light duty): 2,866-3,307   –   3,007-3,470 kcal/day
Working Dog (moderate duty): 3,307-3,858   –   3,470-4,048 kcal/day
Working Dog (heavy duty): 3,858-5,512   –   4,048-5,783 kcal/day

146-155 pounds:

Typical: 2,558 – 2,675 kcal/day
Active: 2,906 – 3,040 kcal/day
Overweight: 1,628 – 1,702 kcal/day
Highly Active: 4,069 – 4,256 kcal/day
Senior, neutered, inactive: 2,093 – 2,189 kcal/day
Working Dog (light duty): 3,023-3,488   –   3,161-3,648 kcal/day
Working Dog (moderate duty): 3,488-4,069   –   3,648-4,256 kcal/day
Working Dog (heavy duty): 4,069-5,813   –   4,256-6,080 kcal/day'

Check your food bag for kilocalories per cup, then divide the amount of kilocalories your dog needs per day by kcal/day. If your dog eats twice a day, divide kcal/day by two, THEN divide by the kcal/cup. 

Next let's look at how food bags are labeled. 

MEAT QUANTITIES

1. the ingredient list on any food label, including human food, is required to be ordered by quantity (by weight) within the product (highest quantity to least quantity)
2. Foods must be named in order of ingredient quantity. ex: Natural Balance dog food has a few recipes named Sweet Potato and insert protein (venison, fish, duck). This means that there is more sweet potato in the recipe than venison, fish or duck. Sneaky.
3. If the food name begins with the meat ingredient, it must contain at least 95% of that meat. Chicken Dog Food would have to have 95% chicken as protein, the rest can be any protein. 
4. If the name says "entree," "formula," "platter," or "dinner," the ingredient needs to be at least 25 percent of the food. So, if it was Chicken Dog Food Dinner, only 25% of the food would need to be Chicken. If the label reads Chicken and Beef Dog Food Dinner, then Chicken and Beef would need to make up a combined 25% of the food, but chicken would be more prominent because it is named first.
5. Dog Food with Chicken, though, needs only 3% chicken. Ew.
6. The word "flavor" when added to a dog food name only requires a "detectable amount" of meat. This food is extremely low in chicken, but it tastes and smells like chicken because of all the broths. 

The issue with NATURAL and ORGANIC labels:

Natural:

AAFCO (American Feed Control Officials) defines natural as being "derived solely from plant, animal, or mined sources, either in its unprocessed state or having been subject to physical processing, heat processing, rendering, purification, extraction, hydrolysis, enzymolysis or fermentation, but not having been produced by or subject to a chemically synthetic process and not containing any additives or processing aids that are chemically synthetic except in amounts that might occur unavoidably in good manufacturing practices."  Source 

What does that even mean?

• There is no current AAFCO requirement or statement that says natural food or ingredients are actually safer than the foods that are produced using a chemically synthetic process
• The term natural is so broad–it actually includes more ingredients than it excludes–practically everything is from "plant, animal, or mined sources." That means from the earth. Think about it.
• Food can go through a ton of common processes during manufacturing and still be "natural"
• Dog food (and human food, too) can contain small amounts of chemically synthetic compounds and still be considered natural

So, what isn't natural?

• Food ingredients that are produced using chemicals: vitamin ingredients, minerals, preservatives, and special-purpose food additives
• ex: chelated minerals (minerals that have been combined chemically with amino acids to form "complexes" Source), vitamin supplements, propylene glycol (a liquid alcohol that is used as a solvent, in antifreeze, and in the food, plastics, and perfume industries Source), calcium ascorbate and other preservatives such as BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole, synthetic antioxidant) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene, antioxidant), as well as artificial flavors and colors. (Source)
• Claims like "all-natural with added..." are total B.S: It can't be all-natural if it has synthetic ingredients.
• "Contains natural chicken flavor": only the chicken flavor is natural

Organic:

Label Claims:

100% Organic: food "must contain 100 percent organically produced ingredients, not counting added water and salt. 

***AS FAR AS DRY DOG FOOD IS CONCERNED, THIS IS CURRENTLY NOT POSSIBLE, since as per AAFCO regulations, vitamin and mineral supplements must be added, which cannot be organically produced." (Source)

Organic: food "must contain at least 95% organic ingredients, not counting added water or salt, and must identify the organic ingredients as 'organic' in the ingredient list when other organic labeling is show." (Source)

***Only products that fall into the two groups above are allowed to display the "USDA Organic" seal

Made with Organic Ingredients: food "must contain at least 70% organic ingredients, not counting added water or salt, and must identify the organic ingredients as 'organic' in the ingredient list when other organic labeling is shown." (Source)

Some organic ingredients: allowed to "include less than 70% total and they must be identified as 'organic' in the ingredient list. The product may not display the [seals of the agent] certifying the included organic ingredients nor the 'USDA organic' seal." (Source)

What does that even mean?

Well, it means you really need to read your labels. There is no such thing as "100% organic" dog food as of right now, and there never will be. Vitamins and minerals are necessary for a healthy dog, and AAFCO knows that. 

As for the Organic label, that is your best bet. If being organic is really important to you, I would choose this one or the 100% organic. 

Thank you for reading! In Part 3, I'll be discussing RAW FOOD!

The Ultimate Guide to Dog Food: Part One

This is Part 1 of The Ultimate Guide. For Part 2, please click here.

All too often, I meet dog parents feeding less than stellar food to their animals; the food you give your dog is far more important than you might think. A better food can clear up ear infections, dry and itchy skin, loose stool, red muzzles, red and itchy paws, eye drainage, hair loss, gas, and of course vomiting. 

There are many key factors that make a food "high quality", and it's mostly common sense. The most important component of any dog food is the protein: it MUST BE the first ingredient. ALWAYS check the ingredients on the back of the bag. Deboned chicken, deboned pork, etc. is always a good choice. If you see the word "BY-PRODUCT" anywhere on the ingredients list, drop the bag and run. You know the factories where your wonderful chicken breasts are made? There's a vat full of chicken parts they don't use (beaks, feet, miscellaneous organs, eyes, etc). They take that vat, pulverize it into a paste, and stick it in your dog food. It has hardly any nutritional value, and you might as well take food from a garbage dump. 

Corn is another nasty ingredient: its impossible for a dog to digest (and humans, for that matter). Give your dog a couple whole kernels of corn, then check their stool. I dare you. You'll find that corn in the same form it went in his body. 

Here are some general rules to follow when choosing a dog food: 

• Avoid ANY food that contains the word "chow"
• Avoid Purina Beneful, Pedigree, Cesar (we'll look at those ingredients in a minute)
• The cheaper the food, the cheaper the ingredients
• Just because a bag is pretty, doesn't mean the food is healthy
• SHAPES AND COLORS are used to attract humans! Its a marketing ploy! RUN!
• Generally, the most boring looking kibble will be the healthiest
• Avoid "BY-PRODUCTS"
• Watch out for a high concentration of potatoes. These are a filler, and will make your dog gain weight in all the wrong places.
• NEVER buy a food that boasts "all life stages", read life stages needs below
• MADE IN USA (or Canada) Always avoid outsourced production.

Alright. I said this was the ULTIMATE food guide. Let's make it that. If you have a bag of food near you, grab it, or look up the back of a bag online. There should be protein/fat/carbs/etc. percentages. Each brand will be different, and each line within that brand will also be different. Every dog needs a different percentage structure based on their life stage, activity level, and whether or not they are pregnant. 

Words you may not know:

• Chondroitin %: This is a sulfate that helps with joint support.
• DHA %: supports brain development
• Beta-carotene: Vitamin-A, an antioxidant which promotes vision and boosts the immune system
• L-Carnitine: tons of uses! pre
• vents muscle weakness, helps control diabetes, cardio-myopathy, weight loss, to improve cardiac function, and slows cognitive decline.
• Glucosamine: joint support

In Part 2, I will answer any questions you may have, discuss calories, investigate "propaganda/marketing" words that companies use, and more helpful tips! Please don't hesitate to comment with any questions, and I'll do whatever I can to answer them. 

BREAKDOWN:

• Puppies: Think about their activity level. Running like crazy, then sleeping like crazy. They're also growing rapidly. So, basically babies. Puppies need a higher protein (at least 26%) and a higher fat (at least 15%) concentration. They also need DHA, a supplement that supports brain development. 
• Active Adults: Active adults needs a much higher protein (about 30-35%) concentration than less active pups but essentially the same amount (around 15%) of fat. This ratio allows the dog to gain muscle mass. If the fat content was higher, the dog would be at risk of gaining fatty mass. 
• Normal Adults: These dogs needs less protein (around 23-25%) and less fat (around 14%) than puppies and active adults. Unused protein would just lead to weight gain.
• Seniors: These guys are special. They need less protein (around 17-20%) and less fat (around 7-9%). They aren't going to use it, it will only make them gain harmful weight. BUT, they do need a few things that young dogs don't: Glucosamine, beta-carotene, chondroitin, and l-carnitine. Make sure you look for these when selecting a food, their uses are found above.

Toy Breeds (<12 pounds) and Small Breeds (<30 pounds)

• Puppies: Again, need higher protein (around 29%) and higher fat (around 17%) than adult dogs, and even standard sized puppies. Toy puppies still need DHA
• Active Adults: Need higher protein (around 36%) and higher fat (around 16%) content
• Adults: Need a higher protein (around 26%) and slightly higher fat (around 15%) content than standard sized dogs. 
• Seniors: Need less protein (around 23%) and less fat (around 13%). Obviously, they still need glucosamine, beta-carotene, chondroitin, and l-carnitine.

Large Breeds (>70 pounds, although some bags will start large breeds at 50 pounds)

• Puppies: Need more protein (around 28%) and less fat (around 14%) than standard sized puppies. They still need DHA, as well as glucosamine, l-carnitine, and chondroitin.
• Active Adults: Need more protein (around 36%) and less fat (around 13%) than active standard adults. Large breeds, however, will need glucosamine, l-carnitine, and chondroitin to promote healthy joints, muscles, and organs.
• Normal Adults: Need more protein (around 26%) and less fat (around 13%) than normal standard adults. HOWEVER, it is a good idea to have glucosamine, l-carnitine, and chondroitin to promote healthy joints and organs. 
• Seniors: Need less protein (around 22%) and less fat (around 10%) than standard sized seniors. Large breed seniors still need glucosamine, l-carnitine, and chondroitin.

Now, lets take a look at some of the most popular brands. We'll start with my biggest pet peeve, Pedigree. 

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN a meal and a by-product meal:

meal: a protein meal (beef, chicken, lamb, fish, etc) is created by drying ground meat to a moisture level of 10%. Chicken meal, for example, has a much higher protein content (65%) than regular chicken (18%). The process used to create the meals kills parasites, bacteria, and viruses.

by-product meal: Chicken "by-product meal consists of ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice", so yes. There are feathers, but not enough to outright say so. Definition Source

For the sake of consistency, we're only going to look at Adult foods. Normal weights and standard sized breeds, with chicken as its main protein.

                      

PEDIGREE

   

The very first ingredient in this food is ground whole grain corn. The next ingredient is meat and bone meal. Notice how the bag says "chicken FLAVOR", so shouldn't the meat actually be chicken? The next ingredients are corn gluten meal, animal fat, soybean meal, natural meal ("source of meatier flavor"), chicken by-product meal, dried plain beet pulp, and ground whole grain wheat. I know i should keep this unbiased but...wow. Everything a food should NOT have. 

Crude Protein     21%

Crude Fat           10%

Not enough protein or fat.

For a 35 pound dog: 2-1/2 cups per day

316 kcal/cup; 1,555 kcal/lb

Petco (7 pounds): $11.43, $10.43 on sale

Petsmart (17 pounds): $14.99

Chewy.com: NOT SOLD!

EUKANUBA

This food is better than Pedigree, but not by much. While the first ingredient is chicken, the second ingredient is chicken by-product meal. Corn meal, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Brewers Rice, and Ground Whole Grain Barley follow. Also included in the ingredient list are Chicken Flavor, Dried Egg Product, 

Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Fructooligosaccharides. Say those last two things three times fast. Or even at all. 

Crude Protein       25%

Crude Fat             16%

Good amount of protein, but too much fat.

For a 35 pound dog: 2 cups per day

348 kcal/cup; kcal/lb not provided

Petco (16 pounds): $29.99

Petsmart (16 pounds): $29.99

Chewy.com (16 pounds): $38.99, $29.99 sale

PURINA

I'm going to review two lines: Beneful and ProPlan. In Beneful, the VERY first ingredient is ground yellow corn. The second? Chicken by product meal. I thought this was a "real beef" food? Aah but notice the bag says WITH real beef, meaning that beef can be anywhere on the ingredients list. Sneaky Purina. The next ingredients are corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, animal fat, rice flour, BEEF!, soy flour, and meat and bone meal.

Crude Protein     23%

Crude Fat           10%

Mediocre amount of protein, but not enough fat.

333 kcal/cup; 1,549 kcal/lb

For a 35 pound dog: 2 to 2-2/3 cups

Petco (31.1#): $31.99

Petsmart (15 #): $16.99, $14.99

Chewy.com: NOT SOLD!                                                                                                       

ProPlan is Purina's highest quality line, without a doubt. Within the ProPlan line, there are several different sublines: Sport, Savor, Veterinarian, Natural, Natural Grain Free, and Focus. The very first ingredient in Savor is pure beef: good start. However, the second ingredient is rice. Many dogs do well on rice, but I'm not a fan of rice being so high up on the ingredients list. Its a huge filler. The next ingredients are whole grain wheat (allergen), corn gluten meal (allergen and indigestible),  poultry by-product meal (nasty), soybean meal (allergen), animal fat, whole grain corn (again, really?), dried egg product, fish meal,  and dried beet pulp (totally unnecessary). 

Crude Protein     26%

Crude Fat           16%

Great protein, WAY too much fat.

371 kcal/cup; 1,758 kcal/lb

For a 35 pound dog: 2-1/3 cups per day

Petco (18 pounds): $29.99, $24.99 on sale

Petsmart (18 pounds): $31.99

Chewy (18 pounds): $31.99, $24.99 on sale

These ingredients are making me nauseous. Let's move on.

WELLNESS

Wellness has a couple different lines; we're going to check out two of them. Complete Health(TM) is their basic line.  The first ingredient here is deboned chicken. The second ingredient is chicken meal, NOT by-product meal. Look above the reviews for that definition. The next ingredients are Oatmeal, Ground Barley, Peas, Ground Brown Rice, Chicken Fat, Tomato Pomace, Ground Flaxseed, Tomatoes, Carrots, Natural Chicken Flavor, and the rest is preservatives and vitamins. Honestly, I really like Wellness and would recommend it. 

Crude Protein     24%

Crude Fat           12%

Good amount of protein, maybe a little too low of a fat content. 

For a 35 pound dog: 1-1/2 cups to 1-3/4 cups per day

434 kcal/cup; 1,642 kcal/lb

Petco (15 pounds): $32.99, $29.98 on sale

Petsmart (15 pounds): $31.99

Chewy.com (15 pounds): $29.98

Wellness only recently came out with this line, and if my dog didn't have so many allergies I'd have tried it already. My favorite part about this line? NO potatoes, corn, wheat, or soy! The ingredient list is so pretty. Chicken, Chicken Meal, Peas, Chickpeas, Tapioca Flour, Lentils, Chicken Liver, Flaxseed, Chicken Hearts, Chicken Fat, Tomato Pomace, Green Beans, Beets, Apples, and Coconut Oil. I love how specific they are about their chicken ingredients; so refreshing. 

Crude Protein       30%

Crude Fat             15%

A lot of protein. This food is probably best for more active dogs, especially with that high fat content as well.

For a 35 pound dog: 2 cups per day

421 kcal/cup; 1,618 kcal/lb

Petco (18 pounds): $69.99, $59.98 sale

Petsmart (18 pounds): $69.99, $64.99 sale

Chewy.com price for 18 pounds: $59.98

NUTRO

One thing I love about Nutro is that they have FOUR life stages, not just three: Puppy, Young Adult, Adult, and Senior. They tailor-made food for dogs 6 months to 2 years, dogs that need nutrients for development but that won't cause early weight gain. 

Nutro is pretty much on par with Wellness, maybe a little less depending on which lines you compare within each. Nutro uses a lot more fillers (rice) than Wellness, which is not a good thing. This bags ingredients are: Chicken, Chicken meal,  Brewers Rice, Rice Bran, Whole Brown Rice, Whole Grain Oatmeal, Chicken Fat, Split Peas, Natural Flavor, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Sunflower Oil, and Soybean oil, which is an allergen. That is a LOT of rice. 

Crude Protein     22%

Crude Fat           14%

Not enough protein, so even though this amount of fat SHOULD be perfect, this ratio makes the fat content too high.

For a 35 pound dog, Nutro suggests feeding 2-2/3 cups for an inactive pet, 3 cups for a dog that gets 1 to 2 hours per day playing off leash, and 3-1/2 cups for a dog that gets 3 to 4 hours per day of intense training.

284 kcal/cup; 1,635 kcal/lb

Petco Price for 15 pounds:  $34.99

Petsmart Price for 15 pounds: $34.99

Chewy.com Price for 15 pounds: $30.99

Alright, let's get into the better products. 

BLUE BUFFALO

Blue has five different lines: Wilderness Rocky Mountain, Wilderness, Basics, Freedom, and Life Protection. All of Blue's lines are made without corn, wheat, or soy.

Wilderness Rocky Mountain: Higher protein and fat content with exotic protein sources such as rabbit, wild boar, bison, venison. Also grain-free.

Wilderness: Higher protein and fat content for active dogs with the standard protein sources: chicken, beef, lamb, duck. Also grain-free.

Basics: Their line for dogs with severe food allergies. There is no chicken, soy, grains, wheat, eggs, corn, or dairy. A limited ingredient diet.

Freedom: A grain-free diet with a standard amount of protein and fat.

Life Protection: Entry level line, for the most regular of dogs. Normal activity level, no allergies. 

DID YOU KNOW?? Blue Buffalo ALSO has a veterinary diet? Vet Diet  AND it's amazing. Ask your vet! (no, I'm not being sponsored or paid to say that)

Today, we're going to look at two of Blue's most popular lines: Wilderness and Life Protection.

Wilderness is grain-free and for dogs that lead a more active life style. The first ingredient is Deboned chicken, followed by Chicken meal, Turkey meal, tapioca starch, peas, pea protein, tomato pomace, chicken fat, flaxseed, natural flavor, dried egg, and potatoes. The first three ingredients are quality protein, that's fantastic. 

For a 35 pound dog: 2 cups per day

Crude Protein      34%

Crude Fat            15%

This food is for active dogs, so this protein/fat balance is perfect. 

409 kcal/cup; 1,632 kcal/lb

Petco (11#): $34.99, $28.99 sale

Petsmart (11#): $33.99

Chewy.com (11#): $36.99, $28.99 sale

Life Protection Formula is for the dog that needs better food, but doesn't need it to be grain free, hypoallergenic, and doesn't need a boost of protein. As all of their food does, Life Protection is riddled with little brownish-black kibbles of "Lifesource" Bits: "a precise blend of vitamins, minerals, ad antioxidants selected by holistic veterinarians and animal nutritionists." Source It contains: apples, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, pomegranate, pumpkin, and spinach, promoting: immune system health, life stage requirements, and healthy oxidative balance. The ingredients for this food are: deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, barley, oatmeal, chicken fat, tomato pomace, peas, flaxseed, natural flavor, potatoes, and alfalfa meal. Overall, a very good food.
Crude Protein     24%
Crude Fat           14%

I very much respect Blue on this subject; they really know what they're doing with the protein/fat and vitamin contents in their food.  For a 35 pound dog: 2 cups per day

378 kcal/cup; 1,645 kcal/lb Petco Price (15 pounds): $31.99, $20.99 on sale
Petsmart Price (15 pounds): $30.99
Chewy.com (15 pounds): $34.99, $20.99 sale

TASTE OF THE WILD
TOTW is all grain-free with exotic proteins such as bison, venison, wild boar, etc. 

I love venison. It has a huge amount of protein, but without the extra fat that usually comes with it. The ingredients here are: venison, lamb meal, garbanzo beans, peas, lentils, pea protein, egg product, canola oil, tapioca, tomato pomace, natural flavor, ocean fish meal, and salmon oil. Overall this is a very good brand, but obviously there are much better foods out there. 

Crude protein        28%

Crude fat               15%

Honestly, that protein is a little high, but it still wouldn't be enough for an active dog. The fat content is about 1-2% too much as well. This is a very rich food. 

For a 35 pound dog: 2-2/3 cups per day

337 kcal/cup; 1,633 kcal/lb

Petco price: NOT SOLD

Petsmart price: NOT SOLD

Chewy.com price: $24.99

MERRICK

Merrick is a fantastic food; I fed it to my dog before I rescued a hound that is allergic to absolutely everything. Merrick does have a limited ingredient diet, but it just didn't suit him. It's all about finding the right fit, and I will still always recommend this brand.

Ingredients are: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, brown rice, peas, barley, sweet potatoes, chicken fat, salmon meal, oats, natural chicken flavor, carrots, apples, flaxseed oil, blueberries, and salmon oil (great for shiny coat). I love this list. My personal favorite thing about Merrick is their wet food: it comes in so many great flavors, especially during each holiday. I recently just purchased Easter brunch, Irish stew, and Valentine's Day dinner. All grain free! 

Crude protein     30%

Crude fat            15%

Protein is a bit high, but so is the fat content. This food would be better suited for a slightly more active dog. 

For a 30 pound dog:  1-3/4 cups per day

359 kcal/cup; 1,626 kcal/lb

Petco price (15 pounds): $34.98 

Petsmart price: NOT SOLD

Chewy.com price: $34.98

FROMM (Pronounced FRAHM)

Oh boy, do I love this food; this is what my dogs are eating now, but we're going to analyze Fromm's basic line: Family Classics.  

This food is what I call an "entry line": a basic formula. If you can't afford the nicer products but still want the nicer brand, this is the line for you. The ingredients are chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, pearled barley, oatmeal, white rice, chicken fat, menhaden fish meal, dried whole egg, beet pulp, cheese, and flaxseed. The one thing I don't like here is the white rice: it's very fattening for dogs and is more or less a filler. Brown rice is much better, and it's also included. Two types of rice?

Crude protein      23%

Crude fat             15%

Protein is low and fat content is high. 

For a 35 pound dog: 2 cups per day

404 kcal/cup; 1,894 kcal/lb

Petco: NOT SOLD

Petsmart: NOT SOLD

Chewy.com (15 pounds): $29.99, $18.99 on sale

This is very inexpensive considering the quality. A 28-pound bag of Fromm can run up to $90. 

ORIJEN

Okay, last one. I skipped Acana, but the two are very similar. In my opinion, this is one of the best foods, if not THE best, you can buy for your dog. 

Just listen to these ingredients: boneless chicken, chicken meal, chicken liver, whole herring, boneless turkey, turkey meal, turkey liver, whole eggs, boneless walleye (fish), chicken heart, chicken cartilage, herring meal, salmon meal, chicken liver oil, and then finally we get into veggies like peas, pumpkin, yams, butternut squash, carrots, and spinach greens. Orijen also includes fruit: apples, pears, cranberries, blueberries. I just find this so fascinating: toward the bottom of the list you'll find flowers and leaves. Marigold flowers, peppermint leaves, kelp, chamomile, and dandelion. Just look at all that protein. 

Crude protein      38%

Crude fat             18%

Your dog absolutely must have a working dog lifestyle to eat this food. 

For a 35 pound dog: about 1-1/6 cups per day for a less active dog, 1-1/2 for active dogs. 

478 kcal/cup; 1,764 kcal/lb

Chewy.com price (15 pounds): $72.99, $50.99 on sale

This food is only sold in high end and small businesses. 

Thank you for reading! Stay tuned.