Type in your dog's food brand and see exactly how it scores — ingredient quality, protein sources, fillers, and whether it's worth the price.
Our scoring is based on five evidence-backed criteria used by veterinary nutritionists to evaluate commercial dog food. Each category contributes to the overall letter grade.
Named real meat vs by-product meal vs plant-based protein padding (corn gluten, pea protein)
Whole grains and vegetables vs brewers rice, corn, and low-value grain fillers
Reliance on synthetic vitamin premixes vs whole-food nutrient sources; artificial preservatives and colours
Recall history, FDA investigations, and any linked health concerns in peer-reviewed literature
Whether ingredient quality justifies the price — premium pricing should mean premium ingredients
AAFCO compliance is the legal minimum. NRC standards (calibrated for whole-food bioavailability) are the gold standard
Here's how the most widely fed commercial dog foods score on our criteria. Click any brand name to see the full breakdown.
| Brand | Grade | Protein Quality | Main Concern | Full Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purina Pro Plan | B+ | Named chicken/beef + chicken meal | Corn, wheat fillers in some lines | Grade it → |
| Blue Buffalo Life Protection | B | Named chicken first ingredient | Grain-free lines linked to DCM investigation | Full Review → |
| Hill's Science Diet | C+ | Chicken + corn gluten meal filler | Corn gluten, caramel colour, price vs quality gap | Full Review → |
| Royal Canin (standard) | C+ | Poultry by-product meal primary protein | By-product meal + brewers rice + price premium | Full Review → |
| Orijen | A- | 85% animal ingredients, whole prey | Grain-free; legume-heavy = DCM watch | Grade it → |
| Acana | B+ | High-quality named meats | Grain-free; legume content | Grade it → |
| Iams ProActive Health | C | Chicken meal + by-product meal | By-products, corn filler, synthetic preservatives | Grade it → |
| Pedigree | D | Meat by-products as primary protein | Corn/soy fillers, artificial colours, very low quality | Grade it → |
| Freshpet | B+ | Real chicken/beef, minimally processed | Price; some formulas contain sodium-heavy additives | Grade it → |
| Balanced Homemade Food | A+ | You choose every ingredient | Requires planning — use our generator to get it right | Build Recipe → |
The only food that reliably earns an A+ grade is balanced homemade food — because you control every ingredient. Our free recipe generator builds a breed-specific, NRC-informed recipe in 30 seconds.
Generate My Dog's Free Recipe →A (90–100): Excellent ingredient quality. Real named meat as primary protein. Whole-food nutrient sources. Minimal synthetic additives. Transparent formulation. Worth the price.
B (75–89): Good food with minor concerns. Real meat-based protein, but some fillers or synthetic supplementation. Safe for most healthy dogs.
C (60–74): Acceptable but not optimal. May rely on by-products, grain fillers, or synthetic premixes. Often overpriced for ingredient quality. Healthy dogs will survive on it — but there's meaningfully better.
D (45–59): Below average. Low-quality protein sources, heavy filler content, artificial additives. Not recommended as a primary diet for healthy dogs.
F (below 45): Poor quality. Primarily by-products, corn/soy fillers, artificial colours and preservatives. The cheapest ingredient list on the market. We recommend transitioning away from F-rated foods.