[Thomas N]

Has anyone ever nominated Open Farm. My local pet food store just started carrying it. I have not tried it yet but it looks very good. Then again it could just be good marketing.

[Martin G]

the big thing right now is Blue wilderness. i feel like its a great dog food but people are afraid because of the law suit. Please give us a little more information on what you think.

Thank you,

-Martin

[Catherine G]

I did use Blue Buffalo for some time, I have several small puppy mill survivors. I read that potatoes are of no use to a dogs diet and to look for foods that did not have potatoes, tapioca, beets or pea fiber, too many carbs, a dog does not need carbs.
I switched to Dogswell Live free.

[Sam R]

Can you explain why Fromm Large Breed Puppy gets 4 stars when Orijen and Instinct get 5?
I read all three reviews and don’t really see an explanation to distinguish between 4 and 5 stars. Can you point out the deficiency that makes Fromm lose a star?
Thanks

[pugmomsandy]

Sam R,

Fromm Large Breed Puppy doesn’t have the high amount of protein that Orijen and Instinct contain.

This article might help:

/frequently-asked-questions/rate-dog-food/

For a rotational feeder like me, I mainly choose 3.5 stars and higher in all forms of foods with few red colored ingredients. For instance, I use Pro Pac Ultimates Grain Free and also feed raw meat with no veggies and everything in between.

[Sam R]

Thank you for your response, I am trying to figure out if the protein thing is myth or fact-

in human nutrition there is a lot of myth propagated and I just wonder if the difference between the protein in a 5 star vs a 4 star- is actually meaningful or not-

the price difference between fromm and orijen is significant- I am tempted to go for Orijen- because I want my pup to have the best. But at the same time I don’t want to be a sucker for the marketing and propaganda – (which is what my vet tells me it is)

[pugmomsandy]

Also, check out the article for choosing a large breed puppy food:

/best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/

For large breed puppy food, I would go for a formula with appropriate calcium and phosphorus versus just choosing by star rating (if you indeed have a puppy). I call my 8 yr old a baby still. While adults can eat foods for “puppies/growth”, some puppies can’t have foods for “all life stages” due to these specific nutrients.

[Sam R]

Thank you- yes in 4 weeks picking up puppy lab – doing research now
last time I had a dog over 10 years ago- Dog food was a much simpler business-
and we had started him on his food that we kept him on- 18 years ago –
so the last time I shopped for dog food was in 1998

Thanks for your help

[Catherine G]

From what I have read stay away from potatoes, tapioca and alfalfa.

[Linda H]

My 9 month old gets 2 and 1/2 cups a day. I use part orijen and part taste of the wild.
Also she likes a dab of cottage cheese for treat and also apple and cooked or raw carrots.

[Catherine G]

I would like to see the ingredient lists updated. I have to go to product website to see if your list is accurate. In the case of Hi Tek Naturals it is not they have added pea starch as their third ingredient.

[Jeanne G]

Is there something new with California Naturals? My local pet food store claims that Calif Nat’ls has been very recently sold to a family-run company, and that the ingredients are better now. Is this true? My “small test bag” says it’s made by Natura Pet out of Freemont CA.

[a c]

Hi,
Just curious why Honest Kitchen didn’t make the editors choice? Also how about Nature’s Logic?
Thanks for the great site and resources! And especially love the non-gmo list!!!
Bindy

[Mike Sagman]

Hi Bindy,

Please keep in mind that currently, there are more than 340 dog foods rated 4 stars or higher on our website. Yet (by design) Editor’s Choice includes a much smaller selection. Currently, just 21 brands.

There are many reasons a particular brand may not be included on our lists.

For example, in most cases, a company may not have met all our guidelines. Or more rarely, its agents may have been unwilling to reveal important manufacturing information.

Or we may be aware of unfavorable information about a company. Or we may have received tips from industry insiders that disqualify certain brands from inclusion on our lists.

In any case, you should be able to find a more detailed answer to your question and many others on our Editor’s Choice FAQ page as well as our How We Rate Dog Foods FAQ page, too.

Hope this helps.

[Mick M]

Is brothers complete a top tier food

[Mike Sagman]

Hi Mick,

Of course, Brothers Complete is a top tier (5 star) dog food.

However, by design, our goal is to limit the number of Editor’s Choice selections to about 20 or so brands.

The following text is taken directly from our Editor’s Choice FAQ:

“There are many reasons a particular brand may not be included on our lists.

“For example, a company may not have met all our guidelines. Or its agents may have been unwilling to reveal important manufacturing information.

“In some cases, we may be aware of unfavorable information about a company. Or we may have received tips from industry insiders that disqualify certain brands from inclusion on our lists.

“And finally, we may simply be unfamiliar with a particular brand. So, feel free to nominate a company you believe we’ve overlooked.”

Hope this helps.

[Catherine G]

I would like to know why some products with undesirable ingredients (in red) such as alfalfa are still considered 5 star/ Why foods that have too many carbohydrates are still 5 star? Many big name products seem to have both but remain 5 star, does not equate, makes no sense.

[Mike Sagman]

Red ingredients are not all bad. They are only controversial. Corn would be a good example. You may find SOME 4 and 5-star dog foods that contain a FEW red items. But they’re typically minor issues.

[Dog Pack Mom]

Mike Sagman,
Any hope of getting an explanation of why foods are removed from the Editor’s List? Or at least and indication that the food isn’t being removed due to negative changes in the food itself?

[DogFoodie]

Hi Dog Pack Mom,

I think you’ll find the answers to your questions here: /reports/editors-choice-log/

[Mike Sagman]

Hi Dog Pack Mom,

Thanks for your question. And thanks to DogFoodie for her reply, too.

I can see why you’d like to know the reason why we remove some products from our lists. And in most (but not all) cases, you should be able to find the reason a specific product has been removed by visiting our “Product and Recipe Monitor” logs located within the Editor’s Choice members area.

By the way, this question comes up so frequently, I’ve posted my answer on our Editor’s Choice FAQ page. And I’ve copied it again below within this comment:

To keep the list short enough to be useful to our readers, we may sometimes be compelled to remove one good brand to make room for another more deserving one.

So, deleting a company from the list should not be interpreted as the discovery of some new or crucially important flaw.

Choosing brands for Editor’s Choice is based on as many facts as we can put together. And we’re perfectly willing to disclose those facts when appropriate.

However, it’s also based upon subjective opinion, insider tips, hunches and everything else we might privately know at any point in time. And sharing these notions publicly without proof would be irresponsible — unfair to the companies and misleading to readers.

For legal and ethical reasons, we will never knowingly publish any unprovable (non-factual) opinion about any company anywhere on this website just to appease a reader’s curiosity or expectations for an explanation.

To ensure our ability to add or remove brands from Editor’s Choice without concern for legal liability, we must reserve the right to keep much of the rationale we use to make these decisions private.

Hope this makes sense.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Mike Sagman. Reason: Added "thanks" to DogFoodie for her reply

[Mick M]

I think brothers complete should be in the list

[a c]

Hi just wondering why the honest kitchen and victor weren’t on list – thanks

[Julie W]

I have a new 6 month old miniature Labradoodle. The breeder introduced me to Life’s Abundance, All Stage dry food. What do you think of this Company and what do you recommend for a “wet” food to add to the dry. Our puppy won’t eat the amount recommended. He isn’t that interested in his food. Many thanks, Julie

[Z B]

I have no experience with life’s abundance but For a canned topper to mix with kibble I use hounds and gatos, natures variety, and pure balance, all rated 5 star here.
I also add a bit of water to each meal, a few raw chicken hearts here and there, an egg or two a week, and a tin of water packed-no salt added sardines once a week for my 46 lb dog. But even then she’s a good eater and is happy to eat her kibble plain with no additions.
I’ve had other dogs from pups who no matter the brand of kibble or number or type of toppers, were spare eaters, just not that food motivated, who didn’t eat much or just til full, maintained healthy weight and lived long healthy lives.
Are you feeding on a schedule, or leaving food out all day ? In a crate or in an open area? do you stay with him at meal time? My dogs are more likely to finish their meals promptly if feed on schedule, pick up any unfinished meal after 10-15 mins, and if I hang out nearby while they eat.
At same time there may be something about the kibble your dog just doesn’t like…Ingredients? Try a different protein or brand. is it fresh? check exp date.
are you storing it in an air tight container?
Too hard? Try adding water.
Hope any of this helps:)

• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Z B.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Z B.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Z B.

[Susan W]

I’ve had good luck with VeRus’ adult dog foods. They have puppy foods, too, including one especially formulated for large breed puppies. They also have canned food for dogs (and cats). They have NEVER had a recall in 20+ years of production and they will send samples (really nice samples) if you fill out the contact form. http://Www.veruspetfoods.com
They really are worth checking out.

[Marcie D]

About 15 years ago I started to investigate better nutrition for my dogs and I was just to the point of trying a raw diet when Oma;s Pride came on the scene. I have used it for years and it has been the best thing I have ever done for my dogs.
I have been training my own Service Dogs for my own mobility issues and I am planning to move in the near future at which time I am hoping to breed my German Shepherds and get them started as Service Dogs for the Veteran’s who really need them. All of my puppies will be started on the Oma’s Pride frozen mixed diets. Some day I would love to see the Dog Food Advisor, take a look at this great diet.

[Patricia U]

We have fed our dogs Taste of the Wild for years and are very happy with the results. It is grain free and the fat/protein ratio is great. There are several flavors to choose from but they all are great.

Trish

[Jonathan P]

Is Redford going to be reviewed soon? Thanks for the good work!

[Cynthia L]

I would like to nominate Darwins. Delivered to your door with dry ice.
Gluten-Free & Grain-Free
No Steroids, No Hormones, No Antibiotics
Grass Fed Beef, Pasture-Raised Bison, and Cage-Free Poultry
Organic Vegetables

[Renee K]

My sister did considerable research on what to feed her Boxer, she likes Solid Gold Leaping Waters Salmon. So she recommended that I feed my 12 week old Golden Retriever puppy Solid Gold Wolf Cub. I wrote in with some questions and they responded (see below.) I am wondering why Solid Gold is not recommended on your site, is it an oversight or on purpose? By the way I came up with the questions from your wonderful site, thank you. When I asked about AAFCO it seems like they don’t have their approval?…(see below.) Also, is there one puppy food on your editor list that would be specifically better than the others for a Golden Retriever 13 week old puppy? I am still having trouble narrowing it down. Orijen puppy large seemed perfect but too costly.

Thanks for reaching out to us, and congratulations on your new addition! Wolf Cub is 1.3% calcium and 1 % phosphorus. Hundchen Flocken is 1.8% calcium and 1.14% phosphorus. We have searched the world for the most reputable sources for our ingredients. We do not use any ingredients from China. None of our products contain artificial preservatives, corn, wheat, or soy, artificial colors or flavors, or meat by-product meal.

AAFCO does not actually approve foods. It’s a body made up mostly of State Department of Agriculture officials that recommend guidelines for animal food labeling as well as nutritional requirements based upon FDA-CVM requirements.

The only statement you will find on a bag of food referencing AAFCO is the nutritional statement that most states require to be on a pet food label. This statement is similar to “X dog food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for maintenance of adult dogs”.

All Solid Gold foods have a nutritional guarantee statement like the one above.

I would recommend Wolf Cub for a Golden puppy, as it is specially formulated with a reduced level of calcium, phosphorus, and calories to promote a healthy growth rate.

Let me know if you have any further questions!

Customer Service

P 800.364.4863

[Christian P]

Earthbound Holistic Primitive Natural. Already is 5 Stars! Wondering if it could be “promoted”?

[Michele L]

Grain and gluten free honest kitchen?

[elaine a]

Honest Kitchen is the best. I have a diabetic dog with Addison disease and Honest Kitchen has changed her life. She’s like a puppy and she’s 8 years old. My 9 year old Maltese devours it also. So glad some stranger recommended it to me.

[Susan W]

All of the VeRUS formulas are suitable for diabetic dogs and they are free of corn & gluten.

[Josh H]

Though I haven’t tried the brand myself (yet), I have several friends who use Earthborn Holistic and they only have nice things to say about it. Here on DogfoodAdvisor their puppy food hasn’t been reviewed (which is a bit of a bummer), but they have scored very high marks with most of their labels, especially with their Primitive Natural Grain-Free dry dog food which received a perfect score on here.

I also want to point out that the Earthborn Holistic brand has NEVER had a recall and they specifically exclaim this on their website. All and all it sounds like a great dog food brand that deserves an Editor’s Choice nod.

[Ryan W]

I haven’t seen any reviews on Bravo! Canine Cafe wet canned food?

My little Pom is obsessed with the Bravo! Canine Cafe 95% Rabbit, Pork & Liver is his favorite, I would love to know if I should keep buying it

[Aileen R]

I saw Bravo on the top pics brand of food I think it was 4/5 stars. I would like more info too on it.

[Colleen J]

What about HALO?

[Aileen R]

I’d also love to learn about Halo

[Maggie A]

I would like to nominate The Honest Kitchen Embark, Force & Keen. They are all very high quality cool dehydrated raw food. They are either grain free, or made with rolled oats, and or potatoes.
I also would like to nominate Open Farms they are a fairly new company and are offering top quality kibble to their clients.

[Mike M]

Natural Balance “Venison and Sweet Potato”

[Kathleen C]

I keep trying to find dog treats recommended on the site but so far have had no luck. Are there any out there available that can be recommended or have they all been recalled? I got some Zukes again with no problem but are they still safe?

[Patricia U]

we use Blue Dog Bakery

[Karen B]

We use Nature Variety Rabbit treats….no problems.

[Kathleen C]

Are these low cal and low fat? Are they both found online? I get his kibble through Chewy.

[John L]

Have you heard of Fedwell?

[Kathleen C]

No, but I just checked Amazon for the Blue Dog treats and according to many the quality has gone way down. Any comments about that? Have they been sold to another company recently? Is Fedwell a brand?

[William W]

NutriSource Super Premium Pet Foods
Grain Free

(KLN Family Brand for over 50 years)

[William W]

Taste of the Wild

[Author]

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