Worst Dog Food Brands

Pedigree, Eukanuba, IAMS, Science diet. Sounds familiar? I wasn’t really particular about what brand of dog food we fed our dog up until i bought my very own German Shepherd Dog (yes, the word “Dog” is part of the breed’s name, otherwise you’re referring to a human being). Once i had my pup, gone were the days of cooked human food and in came the expensive 21kg bags of dog food.

How do we find out what's good for them?

But just like any living being, our dogs need the PROPER nourishment. Most brands would plaster a picture of a majestic looking golden retriever and claim that your dog would be as happy and healthy as their dog. (hint: it comes in a yellow bag).

Sadly, most dog owners today remain uneducated about what their dogs need.

“I don’t think skipper likes it, this brand sucks!” or “Candy is looking a little thin, why did you have to buy the cheap food?“

Most dog owners ask these questions and i have some answers based on my experience with dog food brands. Here is my list of dog food brands that are the nutritional equivalent of feeding your 2 year old human child a big mac and large fries everyday:

You sure you know what you're doing?

In no particular order

• Pedigree
• Eukanuba
• Hills Science Diet
• IAMS
• Purina
• Beneful
• Royal Canin
• Pro Plan
• Generic dog food

Most of these brands are actually considered “Premium” but what most owners fail to do is look at the ingredients because, let’s face it, most dog owners don’t really know what’s best for their dogs.

Here are some helpful tips on what to look out for and what to stay away from when shopping for dog food:

• By-Products
• Non specefic animal meat source
• BHA, BHT, or ethox
• No meats in the first five ingredients
• Contains artificial flavors and colorants
• Contains ground corn or whole grain corn (dogs cannot process these)

Here is the list of ingredients from the label of a “Premium” dog food brand (just the first few):

• GROUND YELLOW CORN
• CHICKEN BY-PRODUCT MEAL
• MEAT AND BONE MEAL
• RICE
• CORN GLUTEN MEAL
• ANIMAL FAT (PRESERVED WITH BHA/BHT)
• NATURAL POULTRY FLAVOR
• DRIED BEET PULP
• WHEAT FLOUR
• SALT
• POTASSIUM CHLORIDE
• WHEAT MILL RUN
• CARAMEL COLOR

And these are just the first few. See anything holistic or anything you would eat?

Conclusion

I think that there are other, better dog foods out there such as holistic diets and home made dog food. I personally prefer making my own dog food because i know and control anything and everything my dog eats. Stay tuned for my post about the brands that i do know are good or “OK” and my home made recipes for a balanced dog.