Here is a useful way to check the nutritional value of your dog’s proprietary food. For more ideas on changing to a natural diet, read the full story on the link between diet and chronic dog ailments

Nutritionalert : Dog Patch – scoring your dog’s food

How to grade your dog’s 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 “eggs” 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.

Dog Food scores:
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+
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

From The Vitamin Lady Website

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Thanks to everyone who sent me good wishes this week, especially Buster and Loui. I am feeling better, my ear has cleared up well and I can hear the rattle of a dog biscuit tin from miles away. Mum has decided to see whether my diet of commercial dog food could be making my allergy worse, so she is making fresh natural food with no additives. Well it is a bit more involved than that, I think. She has written some more about dog diets on my main site and you can read about it there. Does she really mean I won’t get any human food treats? What about my crisps and prawn crackers??

Tags:dogs,dog+food,pets+diet,

Well I know I have been a bit quiet lately but I have not been on top form. I have had loads of trouble with allergic reactions all through the summer: last week I was really feeling off colour and my ear was infected as well.. Mum took me to the Vet twice and he thinks I have pruritus plus possible atopy. Sounds complicated, doesn’t it? It means I could be reacting to anything – grass, seeds, fleas, house dust mites - the list goes on. I had to have a shot of antibiotics, and he emptied my anal glands!! The indignity of it all: I made sure to collect my treats after that embarrassment. I am still taking tablets, Mum puts yummy food on them to make them more tasty. I also have to bathe twice a week using a special shampoo called Malaseb, which needs careful timing so I can dry off before I go out again. I am an old dog, you know ….

So am I getting better? My ear is not itching as much, and all the waxy stuff has gone. I am still a bit itchy all 0ver but we are moving in at Dad’s, where there are no fitted carpets. Once I am there 24/7 we can check for any improvement.
Tags: dogs, dog+ailments, dog+illness pets+allergies

Mum and I are now in Muswell Hill most of the time, so we need to find our favourite new dog walking routes. We like the playing fields that lead to Coldfall Wood, and usually we meet nice dogs there. Today Mum spotted a playful Collie and we walked back to see him. He was a very handsome Blue Merle Collie, called Jumble, after the ‘Just William’ stories. Mum got excited cos she always wanted to call her first dog Jumble but I already had a name when she got me. Jumble has one blue eye like all the best Blue Merle Collies, but his Mum says he catches snails and takes them in the house – yuk! I draw the line at catching a few flies on a hot summer afternoon. Here is a photo of a Blue Merle – not as good-looking as Jumble, but it shows you what they look like.

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dogs, collie+dog,blue+merle+collie

Mum and Dad finally got all my pictures in one place and there are some good photos of me!! There is one of me and Mum arriving at the beach in Camber, where you can see another chap enjoying the exercise behind us. Then you see Mum admiring me while I roll in the sand, and finally you see me in the middle of the expanse of beach. Camber Sands is a set of dunes and one huge sandy beach that goes on for miles. It is also dog friendly – in the Summer there is an area where we can only go on the lead, but otherwise we can romp around as much as we like.

The sand is white and clean, then there are pools and quicksand sections near the sea. These are perfect for me to roll around and get a bit damp for my sandbath. I got most of the sand all over Mum, but she doesn’t seem to mind.

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dogs, pets,dog+friendly