The Whole Dog Journal (the Consumer Reports of dog articles) is out with their yearly rating on dry dog food (kibble). The article that accompanies the list is excellent and explains thoroughly why some foods are chosen and why others are not. Some of the interesting facts are:
- It is hard for many people to believe that dogs have NO carbohydrate requirements.
- Carbs are inexpensive.
- Upgrade your dog's food and you will notice he/she stops licking his feet, ear infections go away, anal glands don't require squeezing, eyes clear up and coat gets thicker and shinier.
- If a food mixture contains more than 45% animal products goes through an extruder (kibble making machine) the machine literally gums up and grinds to a halt.
Criteria for choosing the foods they did:
- They look for foods that contain a lot of high quality animal proteins.
- They reject any food containing meat by-products or poultry by-products.
- They reject foods containing fat or protein not identified by species. (ie animal fat or meat meal...)
- They look for the use of whole grains and vegetables.
- They eliminate all foods with artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.
- They eliminate all foods with added sweeteners.
The list in alphabetical order and many more have been added: (New to the list are *)
*Addiction Foods (wild Kangaroo & Apples Formula)
Artemis (Power Formula)
Azmira (Classic Formula)
Back to Basics (Chicken Formula)
Bench & Field Holistic Natural Canine (Holistic Natural Formula)
Blue Buffalo (Chicken Formula)
Burns (Brown Rice & Ocean Fish Formula)
by Nature BrightLife (BrightLife Canine Formula)
*by Nature Organics (Chicken Formula)
California Natural (Chicken Meal & Rice Formula)
Canidae (All Life Stages Formula)
Canine Caviar (Lamb & Pearl Millet Formula)
Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul (Adult Dog Formula)
Cloud Star Kibble (Hollistic Kibble Formula)
Drs. Foster & Smith (Lamb Formula)
Eagle Pack Holistic Select (Anchovy, Sardine & Salmon Meal Formula)
*Evanger's Super Premium (Pheasant & Brown Rice Formula)
Evolve (Maintenance Formula)
Firstmate Dog Food (Ultra Premium Naturally Holistic Formula)
Foundations (Chicken & Vegetable Formula)
Fromm Four Star Nutritionals (Chicken a la Veg Formula)
Go! Natural (Chicken, Fruit & Vegetable Formula)
Hund-N-Flocken
Innova
Innova Evo
Karma Organic
Lick Your Chops (Adult Maintenance Formula)
*Life4K9 (Oven Baked Chicken & Barley Formula)
Lifespan
Merrick Pet Foods (Cowboy Cookout Formula)
Mmillennia
Natural Balance Organic (Organic Formula)
Natural Balance Ultra Premium (Ultra Premium Formula)
Newman's Own Organics
NutriSource (Adult Formula)
Organix (Organix Canine Formula)
*Petguard Organic (Organic Vegetarian Formula)
Performance Ultra (Chicken Formula)
PHD Viand (Canine Growth & Maintenance Viand Formula)
Pinnacle (Trout and Sweet Potato Formula)
Prairie (New Zealand Venison Formula)
Premium Edge (Chicken, Rice and Vegetables Formula)
Prime Life Plus (Prime Life Plus Formula)
Raw Instinct
Royal Canin Natural Blend (Medium Breed Adult Formula)
*Royal Canin Veterinary Diet (Potato & Rabbit Formula)
Showbound Naturals (Chicken & Brown Rice Formula)
Timberwolf Organics (Lamb, Barley & Apples Formula)
Ultra Holistic Nutrition (Ultra Adult Dry)
VeRUS (VeRUS Advanced OptiCoat Diet)
Wellness (Fish & Sweet Potato Formula)
Wenaewe
Wellness Simple Food Solutions (Venison Formula)
Wysong (Anergen Formula)
Zinpro (Skin & Coat Formula)
Whole Dog Journal did not list the "not recommended" kibbles for 2007; the list below was from last year and I am assuming that since they are not on the list above that they should remain here.
NOT RECOMMENDED KIBBLES:
- Abady Stress & Maintenance Formula
- APD Lamb Meal & Rice
- Bil Jac
- Cornucopia Super Life
- Diamond's Premium Adult
- Eagle Pack Natural Formula
- Eukaneuba Adult
- Iams Maintenance Adult
- Natural Life Adult Formula
- Nature's Receipe Maintenance Lamb & Rice
- Nutro Max Naturally Preserved
- Perfect Health Diet G&M Formula
- Precise Foundation Formula
- Purina ONE
- Science Diet Maintenance
- Sensible Choice Adult Dog
- Pedigree Prime




