Is Purina dog food good or bad

Purina One Dog Food Review (Dry)

The Purina One product line includes the 11 dry dog foods listed below.

Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.

After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.

The second ingredient includes rice flour. Rice flour is made from either white or brown rice and is considered a gluten-free substitute for wheat flour.

The next ingredient is corn gluten meal. Gluten is the rubbery residue remaining once corn has had most of its starchy carbohydrate washed out of it.

Although corn gluten meal contains 60% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.

And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

The fourth ingredient is corn. Corn is an inexpensive and controversial cereal grain. And aside from its energy content, this grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

For this reason, we do not consider corn a preferred component in any dog food.

The next ingredient is chicken by-product meal, a dry rendered product of slaughterhouse waste. Its made from whats left of a slaughtered chicken after all the choice cuts have been removed.

In addition to organs, this item can also include feet, beaks, undeveloped eggs and almost anything other than prime skeletal muscle.

On the brighter side, by-product meals are meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The quality of this ingredient can vary, depending on the caliber of the raw materials obtained by the manufacturer.

The sixth ingredient is wheat. Wheat is another cereal grain and subject to the same issues as corn (previously discussed).

The seventh ingredient lists soybean meal, a by-product of soybean oil production more commonly found in farm animal feeds.

Although soybean meal contains 48% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.

And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label a factor that cant be ignored when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

The next item listed is beef fat. Beef fat (or tallow) is most likely obtained from rendering, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.

Although it may not sound very appetizing, beef fat is actually a quality ingredient.

After the natural flavor, we find glycerin. Glycerin is used in the food industry as a natural sweetener and as a humectant to help preserve the moisture content of a product.

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.

But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Purina product.

With 6 notable exceptions

First, caramel is a natural coloring agent made by caramelizing carbohydrates. Its used by pet food manufacturers to impart a golden brown tint to the finished product.

However, the concentrated version of this ingredient commonly known as caramel coloring has been more recently considered controversial and found to cause cancer in laboratory animals.¹

In any case, even though caramel is considered safe by the FDA, were always disappointed to find any added coloring in a pet food.

Thats because coloring is used to make the product more appealing to humans not your dog. After all, do you really think your dog cares what color his food is?

Next, we find dried peas. Dried peas are a good source of carbohydrates. Plus theyre naturally rich in dietary fiber.

However, dried peas contain about 27% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

In addition, chicory root is rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.

Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, its also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dogs digestive tract.

Next, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually associated with higher quality dog foods.

This recipe also contains sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.

And lastly, this dog food includes menadione, a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.

Since vitamin K isnt required by AAFCO in either of its dog food nutrient profiles, we question the use of this substance in any canine formulation.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredient panel alone, Purina One Dog Food looks like an average dry kibble.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 30%, a fat level of 18% and estimated carbohydrates of about 44%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 30% and a mean fat level of 16%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 45% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 54%.

Which means this Purina product line contains

Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to other dry dog foods.

However, when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the corn gluten and soybean meals and dried peas in this recipe and the inclusion of corn germ meal and soybean germ meal in other recipes, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing at least a moderate amount of meat.

Dog Food Brands to Avoid: What Are the Worst Dog Food Brands?

As pet parents, were forever seeking the healthiest dog food for our floofs, whether that entails researching brands or scanning ingredient lists.

With so many options on the market, it takes time to distinguish the best from the rest, including which dog food brands to avoid entirely.

Well try to make the process easier by sharing dog food red flags to watch for and listing a few of the worst dog food brands to avoid below.

What Makes a Food Bad for Dogs?

First, lets define what we mean by bad, as that word has pretty heavy connotations.

In truth, most commercial, US-made dog food, including the bad dog foods were discussing in this article, are more nutritionally sound than what many dogs eat elsewhere in the world.

Maybe these foods arent the healthiest dog food regarding ingredient quality, but as long as a dog food product meets the AAFCO guidelines for your dogs life stage for complete and balanced nutrition or maintenance, its usually OK to feed your pupper.

In fact, most bad foods are even better than some foods made with the best intentions, such as homemade diets that a veterinary nutritionist hasnt formulated.

Today, our bad foods of dog food brands to avoid feature red-flag ingredients, a history of recalls, and questionable origins, among other factors.

The main things that warrant a bad dog food label are:

• Artificial colors
• Artificial flavors
• Unidentified or poorly identified meat meals
• Unlabeled or poorly identified meat by-products
• Brands lacking a protein at the beginning of the ingredient list
• Concerning ingredients
• Excessive recalls
• Country of origin with poor safety regulations

This isnt an exhaustive take on how to choose a dog food, but rather a guide on what to avoid in dog food. Spotting problematic practices gives an overall sense of a foods quality, allowing you to quickly identify dog food brands to avoid and move on to safer eats.

And no, the best dog food doesnt have to drain your wallet. Several budget-friendly dog foods made with better ingredients and safer methods are available.

What Makes a Dog Food Good?

Conversely, you may wonder what deems a particular dog food good versus bad. The truth is, it varies, as theres no blanket answer. One pup may thrive on a food another dog cant tolerate.

Selecting the right dog food for your pooch isnt a one-size-fits-all process, but you can streamline the task by looking for a product that fits three core rules:

• Meets the AAFCO nutrient profile for your dogs life stage
• Addresses any health conditions or concerns your dog has
• Is selected in concertwith your vets input

If a dog food meets those conditions, its likely a solid choice for your pup. You can stop your search here if the food is well-tolerated by your woof.

But some pet parents want to narrow things down further, focusing on the individual brands manufacturing processes and safety measures. In these cases, answering the following questions can offer added peace of mind.

To break down your options more with second-tier criteria, look for the following:

• A manufacturer with an on-staff canine or veterinary nutritionist
• A manufacturer that performs routine safety checks
• A brand that pasteurizes or cooks all proteins to kill pathogens
• Food made in a Western country (USA, Canada, England, EU members, Australia, or New Zealand)
• Food with ingredients sourced only from Western countries
• A brand that prepares food in their own kitchens

From there, you can dwindle things down to third-tier criteria if youre stuck between products, including:

• Is a whole protein the primary ingredient?
• Are meat meals or by-products clearly labeled?
• Does the food have any questionable ingredients like ethoxyquin?
• Does the food have any helpful supplements like glucosamine or probiotics?
• Are whole, minimally processed grains included?
• Does the food contain bonus nutrients like omega-3s and antioxidants?

With all these questions answered to your satisfaction, you likely have a good dog food fit for your pup as long as it sits fine in his tummy and leaves his taste buds happy.

6 Dog Food Brands to Avoid

Now that weve defined the good from the bad, we can dig into which dog food brands to avoid. These labels generally use low-quality or controversial ingredients that dont pass the sniff test.

1. Ol Roy

Ol Roy is a Walmart-exclusive brand manufactured by Doane Pet Food (a Mars Company) in Tennessee.

Named after Walmart founder Sam Waltons dog Roy, the label contains an assortment of dry dog food, wet dog food, treats, and more, generally at wallet-friendly price points, though ingredient quality is lacking with the brand.

Most Ol Roy recipes feature a carbohydrate as the primary ingredient, and unidentified animal products like meat and animal fat are also used.

The brand also doesnt shy away from using artificial dyes and other controversial ingredients. In addition, a 2018 recall of some of the brands products was due to the potential presence of a euthanasia drug.

Lets look at the ingredient list of Ol Roy Complete Nutrition Roasted Chicken & Rice for a sample of what you DONT want in dog food:

Ingredients List

Ground Whole Grain Corn, Meat and Bone Meal, Soybean Meal, Animal Fat (Preserved with BHA and Citric Acid), Corn Gluten Meal...,

Chicken By-Product Meal, Brewers Rice, Natural Flavor, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Red 40, Blue 2, Yellow 5, Choline Chloride, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Niacin, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Oxide, Biotin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Iodate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Cobalt Carbonate

• Ground Whole Grain Corn: Corns an ingredient people love to hate, but its a source of carbohydrates and some nutrition. However, that doesnt mean it should be a primary ingredient over a labeled protein.
• Meat and Bone Meal: What kind of meat and bone? Are we talking cow, chicken, pork, or something else entirely? All proteins must be identified. Poor labeling is something to watch closely for if your dog has known protein allergies.
• Animal Fat: Again, what kind of animal did this fat come from? While we appreciate the flavoring and potential boost of fatty acids, wed like to know what animal its from.
• BHA: Short for butylated hydroxyanisole, this chemical may be carcinogenic and disrupt hormones. Yikes!
• Corn Gluten Meal: This by-product of milling corn is a cheap protein source in pet food, though its not as digestible as whole corn. A higher quality, whole carbohydrate is a better option.
• Red 40/Blue 2/Yellow 5: Artificial dyes are often sprayed on dog kibble after the high temperatures of cooking strip away a palatable hue. Quality dog food doesnt need to rely on fake dyes, instead using nutritious coloring like vegetable juice. And your dog doesnt care what color her food is anyway.
• Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex: This synthetic form of vitamin K is controversial since dogs dont need much vitamin K to get by. A natural source of the vitamin, like green leafy vegetables, would be a better source.

2. Purina Dog Chow

Nestl Purina is a powerhouse of a pet food manufacturer, but the Purina Dog Chow line of dry kibble leaves much to be desired in the ingredient department.

While affordable, the brand uses poorly labeled proteins, artificial dyes, and other controversial ingredients while lacking fresh foods like vegetables and whole proteins in other budget-friendly options.

The Purina Dog Chow line doesnt have a long list of recalls, but some owners are on alert after a recent uptick in Purina recalls for dog foods under other labels, like Purina Pro Plan.

Recalls arent inherently bad (especially if theyre voluntary versus mandatory), though excessive recalls may indicate poor manufacturing or sourcing processes.

The ingredient list of Purina Dog Chow Complete Adult Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food has several red flags:

Ingredients List

Whole Grain Corn, Meat And Bone Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Beef Fat Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols, Soybean Meal...,

Chicken By-Product Meal, Egg And Chicken Flavor, Whole Grain Wheat, Natural Flavor, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, Choline Chloride, Mono And Dicalcium Phosphate, Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Biotin (Vitamin B-7)], Yellow 6, L-Tryptophan, Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 2, Garlic Oil.

• Whole Grain Corn: A labeled protein like chicken would be the primary ingredient in a higher-quality food, not a carbohydrate. Unfortunately, its relatively common for budget-friendly dog food to feature cheaper carbs as the top ingredient.
• Meat and Bone Meal: Unlabeled mystery meat and meals are unacceptable in modern dog food, including bone-based products. Ingredient transparency is vital.
• Corn Gluten Meal: This corn processing by-product is a familiar face in the ingredient lists of dog food brands to avoid. Its cheap, but there are better options, like whole corn, rice, or barley.
• Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex: More controversial than outright terrible, this synthetic form of vitamin K leaves room for improvement. Natural sources like spinach would be a better addition to this kibble, which is already severely lacking in fruits and vegetables.
• Yellow 6/Yellow 5/Red 40/Blue 2: A natural source of color like carrot juice is far better than artificial dyes. These are made using petroleum, which isnt something Id like to picture in my pups bowl. How about you?
• Garlic Oil: Garlic is a toxic food for dogs, which, like onions, can cause hemolytic anemia. Such a small amount likelywont do any harm, but its better to go without it.

3. Gravy Train

Gravy Train is a brand under the J.M. Smucker Company that produces dry dog food, wet dog food, and treats.

The brands low product price point is a sweet spot for pinching pennies, but they use several subpar ingredients in recipes, like unlabeled proteins, artificial dyes, and artificial flavors.

More worrying is a 2018 recall for food possibly containing pentobarbital, a drug used in euthanasia. Its also important to note that while the food is made in the USA, the brand is not transparent about where ingredients are sourced from.

Higher quality brands tend to publish a FAQ list to browse, explicitly noting ingredients are not sourced from China.

If we study Gravy Train Beefy Classic, we can spot several standout problem ingredients:

Ingredients List

Corn, Soybean Meal, Meat & Bone Meal, Wheat Middlings, Animal Fat (preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)...,

Animal Digest, Salt, Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose, Calcium Carbonate, Wheat Flour, Caramel Color, Choline Chloride, Dl Methionine, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Vitamins (vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, D-calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin), Artificial Beef Flavor, Red 40, Yellow 5, BHA (used As A Preservative), Yellow 6, Blue 2, Rosemary Extract.

• Corn: Corn is a controversial carbohydrate source, but thats not the main issue. The fact of the matter is it shouldnt be the primary ingredient over a labeled protein.
• Soybean Meal: Some dogs have soy intolerance or allergies, but the primary problem with its appearance in this recipe is that its more prevalent than a labeled animal protein. Some dogs also have soybean allergies or intolerance, so many higher-end foods shun the ingredient.
• Meat & Bone Meal: Cleary labeling and identifying proteins isnt much to ask of a manufacturer. You wouldnt eat mystery meat, right?
• Wheat Middlings: This whimsically named product is a by-product of making cereal grain. There are higher-quality, whole carbohydrate sources available, like rice.
• Animal Fat: While dogs appreciate the flavoring, unlabeled animal products arent acceptable. We have no idea what type of animal this is from.
• Animal Digest: More unlabeled animal products? This ones especially controversial, too, as this heavily processed by-product is used as flavoring over dry kibble to improve the taste.
• Artificial Beef Flavor: Why not use real beef? No one wants to eat something made to taste like something else, right?
• Caramel Color/Red 40/Yellow 5/Yellow 6/Blue 2: This quartet of artificial dyes is what we call a no thank you. Stick with carrot or beet juice for pops of color instead of petroleum-based dyes.
• BHA: Hold the potential carcinogens, please. Need we say more?

4. Cesar

Cesar is a brand by Mars Petcare that began as a canned dog food called Kal Kan in the 1930s.

The brand is cheap and readily available in many department stores. You can find dry kibble, treats, and convenient wet options packed in ready-to-serve trays under the label.

Cesar recipes are at the lower end of the quality scale regarding ingredients, using many of the usual suspects found in dog food brands to avoid, like unlabeled proteins and artificial dyes.

It also had a splash of scandal in 2017 after reports of roaches, plastic, and other foreign debris appearing in dog food products.

Problematic ingredients of Cesar Filet Mignon Flavor & Spring Vegetables Garnish Small Breed Dry Dog Food include:

Ingredients List

Beef, Ground Wheat, Meat and Bone Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Brewers Rice...,

Chicken By-Product Meal, Soybean Meal, Animal Fat (preserved with BHA & Citric Acid), Corn Gluten Meal, Natural Flavor, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Water, Chicken Meal, Glycerin, Salt, Sugar, Potassium Sorbate (preservative), Phosphoric Acid, Potassium Chloride, Natural Filet Mignon Flavor, Choline Chloride, Dried Peas, Calcium Carbonate, DL-Methionine, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Dried Carrots, Yellow 6, L-Tryptophan, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Copper Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Folic Acid

• Meat and Bone Meal: Meat and bone meals are made of cooked-down leftovers of animal processing, aside from hooves, hair, manure, and stomach contents. When labeled, theyre a great source of protein, but unidentified, theyre a sign of poor quality dog food.
• BHA: Ditching this ingredient for better preservatives is justified by its potential risk of causing cancer. Its tricky with lower-cost dog foods, but finding those that use natural options like mixed tocopherols is possible.
• Sugar: Sugar causes a spike in glucose, which isnt just a problem for diabetic doggos. Its always best to stick to a gradual rise and fall in glucose to avoid unnecessary stress on the body, achieved by feeding natural, quality ingredients.
• Corn Gluten Meal: Often deemed a filler, this by-product of processing corn is a cheap form of plant-based protein. A labeled animal-based protein would be a better option for canines.
• Yellow 6/Red 40/Yellow 5/Blue 2: Natural-based products are always preferred over petroleum-sourced dyes. Higher-quality foods use fresh produce and juices to improve coloring.

5. Kibbles n Bits

The J.M. Smucker Company owns Kibbles n Bits, a dry dog food line recognizable by its multicolored kibble of varying shapes and sizes.

Its a shelf staple in grocery and department stores, and as with other dog food brands to avoid on our list, its wallet-friendly but leaves room for improvement in ingredient quality, from a lack of labeled proteins to its inclusion of BHA.

Kibbles n Bits was also involved in the 2018 recall regarding potential pentobarbital contamination.

While one recall a few years back isnt the worst, the nature of the recall raises eyebrows.

Check out Kibbles n Bits Original Savory Beef & Chicken Flavors food for examples of the labels subpar ingredients:

Ingredients List

Corn, Soybean Meal, Beef & Bone Meal, Whole Wheat, Animal Fat (BHA Used As Preservative)...,

Corn Syrup, Wheat Middlings, Water Sufficient For Processing, Animal Digest (source Of Chicken Flavor), Propylene Glycol, Salt, Hydrochloric Acid, Potassium Chloride, Peas, Caramel Color, Sorbic Acid (used As A Preservative), Choline Chloride, Sodium Carbonate, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Vitamins (vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, D-calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin), Dl-methionine, Calcium Sulfate, Carrots, Green Beans, Wheat Flour, Titanium Dioxide (color), Lactic Acid (used As A Preservative) Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Red 40, BHA (used As A Preservative), Blue 1

• Corn: Protein should always be the top ingredient. Corn is also a controversial ingredient, but its a carbohydrate source many dogs tolerate without issue.
• Soybean Meal: This food also relies on soy as a form of plant-based protein ahead of a properly labeled meat like chicken or beef. Identified meat (ideally in whole form) should always be the primary ingredient.
• Beef & Bone Meal: While we appreciate the identified beef meal, wed love to know what animals the bone portion came from. Is it all beef? Pork? Chicken? This is need-to-know information for those of use with allergy-prone pups.
• Animal Fat: Labeling all animal products is essential. Higher quality foods always have these identified, whether its beef fat or chicken fat for flavoring and omega fatty acids.
• BHA: This potential carcinogen is a recurring red flag in dog food brands to avoid. Look for foods using a natural preservative like mixed tocopherols in its place.
• Wheat Middlings: Whole carbohydrate sources like rice and barley are hallmarks of quality dog food, while grain processing by-products like wheat middlings are cheaper and less beneficial. If a brand is cutting corners here, what other lackluster ingredients are they using?
• Animal Digest: This animal-based product isnt unidentified, so were not sure what animal its made of. Furthermore, animal digest is used as a cheap flavoring over kibble, made by treating the scraps of the meat harvesting process with heat, enzymes, or acids.
• Titanium Dioxide/Caramel Color/Yellow 5/Yellow 6/Red 40/Blue 1: The kaleidoscope of colors featured in Kibbles n Bits is obtained through several artificial dyes. With dyes not adding flavor, its best to opt for natural sources of color like carrot juice instead of manmade products containing chemicals.

6. Pedigree

The sunny yellow packaging of Pedigree is easy to spot on store shelves.

This brand falls under the Mars Petcare label and features kibble, wet food, and treats at a relatively low price point.

Its also widely available in many big-box stores like Walmart.

Unfortunately, Pedigree uses several problematic ingredients, plus it had a string of recalls ending roughly a decade ago that have left many pet parents leery.

Simply put, there are better dog food brands out there.

To better understand the brands bad label, lets examine the ingredients for PEDIGREE Dry Dog Food Adult Roasted Chicken, Rice & Vegetable:

Ingredients List

Ground Whole Grain Corn, Meat And Bone Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Animal Fat (Source Of Omega 6 Fatty Acids (Preserved With BHA & Citric Acid), Soybean Meal...,

Natural Flavor, Chicken By-Product Meal, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Brewers Rice, Ground Whole Grain Wheat, Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Dried Peas, Dl-Methionine, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Monocalcium Phosphate, L-Tryptophan, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Dried Carrots, Blue 2, Niacin [Vitamin B3], Red 40, D-Calcium Pantothenate [Source Of Vitamin B5], Copper Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement [Vitamin B2], Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], Folic Acid

• Ground Whole Grain Corn: Protein should be the top ingredient, not a carbohydrate. While not everyones favorite ingredient, corns acceptable, just not ahead of an identified protein source.
• Meat and Bone Meal: Ladies and gentlemen, we have another unlabeled protein. This time its the bone part of the meal, at least, with the beef being adequately identified.
• Corn Gluten Meal: We cant seem to escape this by-product of corn processing in the dog food brands to avoid, can we? While it isnt the worst ingredient, it definitely leaves room to be desired and is a red flag for other potential problem ingredients to watch for.
• Animal Fat: This fat could come from any animal, technically: pig, cow, chicken, or other. You dont want to roll the dice on this when feeding your floof, particularly if he has any protein sensitivities.
• BHA: We cant seem to escape this potential carcinogen in lower-quality food, can we? Citric acid or rosemary oil would be a better natural preservative.
• Yellow 5/Yellow 6/Blue 2: This trio of artificial dyes helps give food a more eye-pleasing look, but these dyes are made of petroleum. Wouldnt you rather have fruit or vegetable sources of color in your dogs diet?

The goal here isnt to pick on anyone or bash certain foods. We aim to help you make an informed decision when selecting your pups food by highlighting problematic ingredients and manufacturing processes. If you wander the dog food aisle and start flipping over bags to check nutrient labels, youll likely find more dog food brands to avoid than those discussed today.