# Understanding dogfoodadvisor ratings.



## Niexist (Feb 19, 2016)

Hey guys, I'm almost done with my first bag of dog food which was the victor's hi-pro, and I ordered my second bag which will be Fromm's LBP. I know that Fromm gets a lot more recommendations on the puppy forums than Victor, but I was wondering how does Dogfoodadvisor decide their ratings. The Victor hi-pro is a 5 star food according to their website, while the Fromm's LBP is a 4 star. 

Can anyone give me a little insight please?


----------



## FromPuptoDog (Apr 1, 2016)

Niexist said:


> Hey guys, I'm almost done with my first bag of dog food which was the victor's hi-pro, and I ordered my second bag which will be Fromm's LBP. I know that Fromm gets a lot more recommendations on the puppy forums than Victor, but I was wondering how does Dogfoodadvisor decide their ratings. The Victor hi-pro is a 5 star food according to their website, while the Fromm's LBP is a 4 star.
> 
> Can anyone give me a little insight please?





> The descriptions and analyses expressed in this and every article on this website represent the views and opinions of the author.
> The Dog Food Advisor does not test dog food products.
> We rely almost entirely on the integrity of the information posted by each company on its website. As such, the accuracy of every review is directly dependent upon the quality of the test results from any specific batch of food a company chooses to publish.
> Although it's our goal to ensure all the information on this website is correct, we cannot guarantee its completeness or its accuracy; nor can we commit to ensuring all the material is kept up-to-date on a daily basis.
> ...


I'm beginning to introduce my 3.5 month old puppy to victor high pro plus. I probably should've further looked into the grain free options, as they might be available for close to the same price around here and are equally rated, but the high pro plus seems to have a higher following. 

I'm guessing the calcium is a bit high, but I've read studies that mention that it's the absolute amount of calcium rather than the calciumhosphorus ratio, which is more important. Excess vitamin D has a similar effect because it increases intestinal calcium and renal resorption. So I'll feed him less, which should be fine since it's a calorie dense kibble.


----------



## Niexist (Feb 19, 2016)

My pup loves the Victor but I heard it's good to rotate dog foods as all of them can be lacking in some kind of nutrient, and switching between 2 or 3 brands when the bag runs out can help to offset it.


----------



## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Niexist said:


> My pup loves the Victor but I heard it's good to rotate dog foods as all of them can be lacking in some kind of nutrient, and switching between 2 or 3 brands when the bag runs out can help to offset it.


Yes,
For example, Fish has different nutrient values than Beef or Lamb.

Rotation = a well rounded diet.

Moms


----------



## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

If they list the nutrient values and say their food is nutritionally complete - and they are an A or B rated food - then they're lying? I don't think they "leave' an incomplete meat source "incomplete" and just say - here it is.... don't feed it too long or you'll be sorry. lol


----------



## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

"I don't think they "leave' an incomplete meat source "incomplete" and just say - here it is.... don't feed it too long or you'll be sorry. lol"....No, of course not!:laugh: LOL

Most people feed the same kibble for the life of a dog and they don't "die" from it. But for "health's sake" it is better to rotate foods.

It would be kind of like us eating a Big Mac and Fries or Pizza 3 times per day for our whole life....... it contains different food groups & vitamins, but is it the best thing for us?  Oh DARN!!!! I L O V E Pizza! LOL 

Examples:
*3 ounces Beef:*
Protein = 22 grams
Iron = 12%
Vitamin B12 = 36%
Vitamin A = 0
Calories = 213

*3 ounces Salmon:*
Protein = 16.86 grams
Iron = 4%
Vitamin B12 = 0
Vitamin A = 1%
Calories = 121


Moms


----------



## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

you can rotate foods without changing brands. just occasionally other protein sources. or just do some add-ins with salmon, raw eggs, or other foods


----------



## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

Momto2GSDs said:


> Most people feed the same kibble for the life of a dog and they don't "die" from it. But for "health's sake" it is better to rotate foods.
> 
> It would be kind of like us eating a Big Mac and Fries or Pizza 3 times per day for our whole life....... it contains different food groups & vitamins, but is it the best thing for us?  Oh DARN!!!! I L O V E Pizza! LOL
> 
> ...




I understand what you are saying - However, then - here's my question for you....

I have fed Summer - for the last 18 months almost exclusively on one brand Turkey & Potato - It is rated "B" by PFA site. I feed the "right" active yogurt (contains the big 5). She gets chicken toppings (crock pot cooked and frozen) every other day.

So - her sole source of protein for the last 18 mos has been poultry. She gets beef marrow bone (once a week) which has some beef fat and meat. Whe eats about a pound of bone from each one. 

Because I feed Turkey and only a little chicken once or twice a week. What's not good? It is my understanding that Turkey is an excellent quality protein. I personally spoke with the nutritionist at the pet food company and helped me set quantity range for her - depending on body condition. 

Have I made a serious mistake by not switching her food from Poultry, to Beef to Fish? The food labels say "nutritionally complete". If you were to take equivalent amounts of fresh beef,poultry or fish - I could see the problem... But these food companies are compensating for that.... or are you saying they're not? 

I think specifically, the question was to rotate foods to alternate protein sources.... not for allergy or anything else?????


----------



## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Fromm gets 4 because of their ingredients like tomato pomace and a few othe things, but personally, I look at all the ingredients not just a few. I prefer them to the 5s which have ingredients my dog can't eat.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

The ratings have little to do with performance and quality of the source ingredients. Just about what is in the food and the order in which they appear on the bag. So I take them with a grain of salt. I agree I would rather feed the Fromm to a puppy even though my 4.5 year old adult gets and thrives on the Victor hi-pro right now--I tried the food as I had no issues with sorghum and millet compared to peas and sweet potatoes and wanted the montmorillonite clay.


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Stonevintage said:


> I understand what you are saying - However, then - here's my question for you....
> 
> I have fed Summer - for the last 18 months almost exclusively on one brand Turkey & Potato - It is rated "B" by PFA site. I feed the "right" active yogurt (contains the big 5). She gets chicken toppings (crock pot cooked and frozen) every other day.
> 
> ...


When I fed dog food I could never rotate dog foods. One or more of mine got sick even within the same brand. Every single time I had to do it slowly. Since allergies are such a big thing with dogs now a days I think dog food is picked based on that versus the different proteins they might need to supply different vitamins. Now that I know what mine are intolerant to and I feed raw I do give different proteins. Red meat is actually pretty much required in a raw diet(based on all my research and conversations with people with lots of experience with raw). For example the only red meats my older golden can have is moose and venison, moose is not easily obtained. I have managed to sneak emu and goat in there without issue, but beef and lamb cause issues. Now I feed on average 4-5 different proteins per week without issue, as long as the proteins can be handled by each individual dog. Duck is a problem for almost all of mine. I had that in the rotation, they all like it, but I noticed it caused issues, so I removed it and everything is good. You would laugh if you could see my notebook. Every dog has a page with what they can have and not have broken down to ounces per day of this or that. Just when I have it memorized I have to tweak it again...


----------



## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Stonevintage said:


> .
> 
> Because I feed Turkey and only a little chicken once or twice a week. What's not good? It is my understanding that Turkey is an excellent quality protein. I personally spoke with the nutritionist at the pet food company and helped me set quantity range for her - depending on body condition.
> 
> ...


I think Dr. Dodds says it best:
*"Single formula diets promote nutritional inadequacy.
*Here is a fact: 
_No one dietary formula, no matter how “complete and balanced” it is, can meet all of an animal’s nutritional needs over an extended period._
Think of some of the healthiest foods in the world—let’s say spinach, wild salmon, sweet potatoes and blueberries. Eating these foods would provide an excellent protein source as well as a wide variety of phytonutrients. But, eaten every day, even these healthy foods will create nutritional deficiencies over time.
Here’s the reason:
Our bodies run on rhythms. Most of us sleep when it’s dark and are active when it’s light. We feel differently in the winter months than in the summer months. We crave different nutrients when we’re sick than when we’re well. The same is true after we exercise.
In other words, the nutritional needs of humans and animals vary depending upon many factors that are constantly changing. Breaking an animal’s nutritional requirements into “life stages” separated by many years—or by specific condition—greatly oversimplifies their physiological complexity.
If you continually feed them the same food, over time your pet can become deficient in some nutrients. Varying the diet brings in potentially missing nutrients, allowing the body to self-correct.
Consider, for example, that each type of protein offers a different amino acid and nutrient profile. So, feeding your pet eggs will provide certain essential amino acids, while fish, chicken, etc. will provide others. The same holds true for fruits and vegetables. There is no one “perfect” food or perfect food combination that provides everything a human or animal needs to create optimum health over long periods.
*Single formula diets can increase the likelihood of food intolerance.*
Chances are that your pet’s current diet and the diet to which you’re transitioning contain one—perhaps two—protein sources. But if you recall my past discussions on food sensitivities (also called food intolerances), you’ll remember that excessive exposure to a particular animal protein is a major culprit in creating the environment we have today of the ever-increasing food sensitivities among companion animals.
The reason so many pets are intolerant of chicken and beef is because these protein sources were the mainstay of the pet food industry for many years. When pet food manufacturers realized this, they decided to introduce lamb as a “novel” protein source. But while “novel” proteins are less likely to trigger an immune response, even the most exotic animal protein is no longer exotic to your pet if he eats it continually. Manufacturers found that out when many animals began forming sensitivities to lamb, forcing them to introduce newer and more novel animal sources such as venison and ostrich!
Rotating protein sources not only ensures your pet will benefit from a varied amino acid and nutrient profile, it also reduces the risk he will form an intolerance to any specific animal protein source over time." Dr. Jean Dodds' Pet Health Resource Blog | Food Transitioning versus Food Rotating: What is...


By: Dog Food Analysis: "Once you have selected a good quality dog food, that’s all you need to feed, right? Not really. You should vary your dog’s food periodically. There are many good reasons for this:

_ Dogs (actually all mammals) are designed to consume a range of different foods, and to obtain differing vitamins and minerals from each. They are not designed to eat “only chicken” or “only lamb” or any other food item for eternity. Changing foods, importantly the contents of those foods, every so often helps to give them the variety their bodies were designed to thrive on.

_ There is no one dog food in existence that “has it all”. And remember, the feeding trials that foods go through only last for six months (and not all foods are even trialled). Changing foods periodically helps to ensure that no dietary deficiencies or excesses build up over time." How often should I change dog foods?



Unless your dog has an iron clad gut, I would only rotate within the particular "Brand" that is fed.

Moms


----------



## Niexist (Feb 19, 2016)

Really great info on why to rotate your food here. Thanks!


----------



## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

Moms - thank you for your detailed reply. Summer does seem to have a cast iron gut - that or the morning yogurt is working very well for her.

I will start switching up her foods. Do you have any suggestions? I know that some people don't like certain ingredients but to save me hours of pouring over the DVA site again lol - could you recommend a few brands for their beef selections? I am specifically interested in those that don't have any of the ingredients that may even be suspected to contribute to bloat.

I will have to order online. I got a few 1lb sample packs of Only Natural Pet and she likes it fine (she likes everything) If there were something a bit more affordable (I think it's $58.00 for a 22lb bag) - that would be great.


----------



## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

You could stay within the brand you are feeding and just rotate the varieties!

I know not everyone can't feed raw so my first choice would be The Honest Kitchen, which is the ONLY pet food in the USA that the FDA will legally allow to use the words "HUMAN INGREDIENTS" on their packaging and advertising. It has complete meat/fish varieties and a variety called "Base Mix" to which you can add your own raw or cooked meat. It is pricey, but good shopping and coupons can help. The Honest Kitchen | Homepage Find a store: Where to Buy Honest Kitchen - Honest Kitchen Stores | The Honest Kitchen 

Since you have to order from the net, I would suggest Nature's Logic. 
It does contain gluten free Millet in it's recipes. The only gray-area about the food is that some of the formulas contain Brewer's Yeast and it is my personal belief that this would not be good for a dog with "yeast" issues.
Home - Nature's Logic 

These are snip-its I pulled from several pages of the Nature's Logic site: 
"Nature’s Logic® selects vendors that can supply ingredients from the USA and other countries with good food safety practices, such as New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and Europe. We also require that our vendors can guarantee that the ingredients do not come from China, and that they contain no chemical preservatives, herbicides, or insecticides. All of the vitamins and minerals in our formulas are derived from food. This is the safest way to supply nutrients to pets. We never use man-made, chemically-synthesized vitamins, minerals, or amino acids. Nature’s Logic® 100% natural pet foods are made primarily of meats and other high-quality protein sources, combined with carefully selected plant products to naturally provide the essential nutrition your pet needs to thrive. We use millet, a grain that is low in natural sugar and carbohydrates, gluten-free. Our millet has been certified non-GMO."

This page shows WHERE Nature's Logic purchases from. Most companies won't give you a list like this. Nutrition & Ingredients - Nature's Logic

The other kibble would be Orijen since your dog has a good gut! 
They also list the farms they use! Meet Our Farmers | Orijen 

Fromm's and Nature's Variety also.

Moms


----------



## Niexist (Feb 19, 2016)

Has anyone ever tried Natural Life food? They have 6.5 pound bags of it for 5 bucks at my grocery outlet, and it is a 4 star rated puppy food, but not specifically formulated for large breeds it looks like.

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/natural-life-dog-food-dry/


----------



## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

Momto2GSDs said:


> You could stay within the brand you are feeding and just rotate the varieties!
> 
> I spent about 5 hours on the internet anyway - and ended up revisiting some brands including the one I have been feeding her. It turns out I misread the particular grain free for their Salmon & Sweet Potato that earned a good rating also. So, I will be integrating that into the rotation starting tomorrow.
> 
> ...


----------



## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

Niexist said:


> Has anyone ever tried Natural Life food? They have 6.5 pound bags of it for 5 bucks at my grocery outlet, and it is a 4 star rated puppy food, but not specifically formulated for large breeds it looks like.
> 
> Natural Life Dog Food | Review | Rating | Recalls


Just used the link and they are wacked out on their carb ratio (see the pie chart compared to the other brands).


----------



## Niexist (Feb 19, 2016)

Also Menadione is apparently a really terrible ingredients that causes liver failure so looks like that's why it is so cheap lol


----------



## ksotto333 (Aug 3, 2011)

We have feed Dr. Gary's Best Breed from day one, (Tessa is almost 5)they are a small company that originated in Findlay, Ohio. This is some information from their site regarding their sources and standards.*Committed to Food Safety and Freshness*

Best Breed is committed to producing the safest and freshest pet foods possible. As a smaller, privately-held company, we are able to implement tighter quality controls and shorter lead times to ensure that only the finest and freshest ingredients are used. Best Breed pays a premium to source U.S.or Canadian-grown non-GMO grains and low-ash meats from accredited U.S.-based suppliers. Further, all diets are produced in the U.S., in facilities that are both European Union approved and regularly inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. To keep nutrient-destroying oxygen out and preserve freshness, our food is packaged in high oxygen barrier poly bags with resealable zippers. Absolutely NO ingredients are sourced from China.
*Specialized Manufacturing Process*

Our diets are produced using a unique slow-cook, low-temperature extruding and baking process, ensuring that natural vitamins, minerals and proteins are not compromised. Further, our pet food is made in small batches so that product quality and consistency is closely monitored. Smaller batches also means higher inventory turns, helping us maintain the freshest pet food on the market.
*Founding Principles*

Over 15 years ago, Best Breed was founded on principles of integrity, honesty, and trust. In the highly-competitive pet food market we often see our competitors compromise such principles by "engineering" their food to fit a certain price point or marketing campaign. Best Breed's mission is very simply: consistently produce a high-quality pet food by using only the highest quality ingredients available and the results will speak for themselves. Every day we hear of a new story from a pet parent who can not believe how healthy and energetic their dog or cat is after switching to our food. For more information about Best Breed's products feel free to contact us at 1-800-500-5999 or [email protected].


----------



## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Niexist said:


> Also Menadione is apparently a really terrible ingredients that causes liver failure so looks like that's why it is so cheap lol


Yes, it is a synthetic form of Vitamin K.

Also listed as "*dimethylprimidinol sulfate*" listed instead of "*menadione dimethylprimidinol sulfate*".

Can be listed as Vitamin K 3. Suspect *any* item with an ingredient list that claims a "source of vitamin K", "source of vitamin K activity" or "vitamin K" in parentheses and contact the manufacturer and ask exactly what the ingredient is.

A 6.5 pound bag for $5? Ummmm NO!!!! LOL


Moms


----------



## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Stonevintage said:


> Momto2GSDs said:
> 
> 
> > You could stay within the brand you are feeding and just rotate the varieties!
> ...


----------

