# Discussion Topic



## SaltyDog (Mar 10, 2010)

I've noticed this more than a few times on this forum....(and just noticed it again in the top 5 foods topic).....why do some members on here refer others and noobs to the website dogfoodanalysis.com? 

Personally it's the most bogus site I've ever seen. One will gain a vast more knowlege on this site, from experienced members, to make educated decisions on which dog food is appropriate for their beloved pet, than some out of the sky rating system.


Discuss :smile:


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

You know how I love to argue but I just can't argue against your point. You're right. :smile: They use a lot of arbitrary numbers and assign arbitrary numbers to different ingredients in a food. Many of these numbers are way off base.


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

To me its just a sight like any other sight to go on and compare different foods. Its like a starting point for people who have no clue about differnt types of foods. Its not something that is written in stone and should be used like a bible. Just a sight for food comparisons if you like to read their views. What's the big deal on looking at it actually no big deal at all. No different than reading a magazine about dog foods. take it with a grain of salt. They have the sight and many people like looking at the differences in foods. So what! Doesn't mean you have to take them at face value. Your still going to buy the food you think is best for your pet. This is just a look at what these reviewers find to be descent and not decent. No biggie!


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

I recommend it to people who are interested in better kibbles for their dogs because it's non biased, easy to follow, and recommends what I consider the better kibbles. Some people need the numbers to make them feel better, even if they really are arbitrary and have no literal meaning. The way I see it this site provides as a "bug" to be planted that might increase awareness to ingredient quality and what makes a good food.

What I don't like about their set up is that it doesn't go into the moral standings of the manufacturers. They also say that grain free foods are not suitable for large breed puppies which I am leaning towards as a bogus statement.


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## buddy97 (Mar 29, 2010)

i agree that there are inconsistencies on that site. speaking in generalities here, but id say most of the foods rated 1-3 belong there and arent very good and the foods rated 4-6 are definitely higher quality.

it is a convenient way to look at many foods and their profiles all on one site.

as long as people do additional research on the foods that look good to them.


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## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

Politely, I disagree. Somewhat. 

Anyone choosing a food in the 4-6 star range on that site will be feeding at least a decent Dog Food. 

Example... go out to DFA and show me a food in the 4-6 star range that is just horrible. IE-Pedigree, Alpo...and all the dismal foods are near the bottom. Orijen, EVO, TOTW and the foods most educated dry feeders use are rated highly. 

Are there problems with any rating system? Sure. But DFA has done more to put people into decent foods and thats important. 

Creation vs. Criticism. If there IS a PERFECT way, go start a site and do it. Outside of individual consulation with a real food expert, DFA does a bout as good as you can.


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## Katie Chumlee and Shorty (Oct 22, 2010)

Hopefully people are smart enough to see that reviews are from 2007.


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

I agree with Kevin and Buddy. It has been a good resource for me.


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## Guest (Jan 3, 2011)

I think both Dog Food Analysis and Dog Food Advisor are great web sites for people to access when they want to know how their dog food stacks up. I have sent many folks over to those 2 web sites so that they could get some education about what really is a very good dog food. I've had folks say that Iams, Blue Seal, and Pedigree is great food, so I sent them over to those web sites and they "woke up and smelled the coffee" and switched their dog to a better food. I don't see how that can be bad. If the web sites help educate people then it's all good.


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## Ania's Mommy (Feb 8, 2009)

We all gotta start somewhere, right? I think that the general idea of DFA is good. ANd it is a great step in the right direction. The rankings seem to be in-line with how I'd rank the foods.

Dog food rating sites are great for general information. They're great for the pet owner who just wants reassurance that they're feeding their dog something decent. 

I think that most people who do an internet search to check out a dog food go to more than one site. In my case, I kept wanting more info. I looked at DFA, the home page to this site, and many others. I think that my appetite was sufficiently whetted and I began to dig deeper. 

I look at it as a brief overview of each food. If you are interested in more detail, you could go to sites like this one. :wink:


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## BTDogRaw (Dec 8, 2010)

I think the sites are good as far as exposing people to all the different brands of kibble available, and the basics of what they contain. I live in a small town, and if you only looked at the big box pet stores for kibble, you wouldn't see a fraction of what is available for your dog. It led me to go online and look into the various brands and companies (and find independent specialty stores), and then search for where I could purchase or order better kibbles. Neither site is perfect, but I think if someone were to look at the site as a jumping-into-better-kibble point and take the information as part of a whole research into kibble, then it serves a purpose. As with any product or research, one should look into various sources for information and testimonials before purchasing. 

Amy J-K


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## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

I guess the one problem I have when people ridicule DFA or any of the rating sites... I never hear anything specific. OK, so their system stinks. WHY? Is there a 6 star rated food that is just an awful food? Is there a 1 star food like Pedigree that is secretively a great food that is getting a bad rap? 

There are splitting hair issues like whether or not Taste of the Wild belongs in the same category as Orijen. Personally, I don't think it does. But I just read the review on TOTW and the guy even makes it clear that they realize it probably doesn't measure up to other 6 star foods. 

I guess what I'm asking is this.... if you don't like the site or the system, you're gonna have to give me something more intellectual than, "It sucks."


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## Katie Chumlee and Shorty (Oct 22, 2010)

I think Champion Foods Orijen and Acana deserve a 7 star and TOTW should be removed from 6 star. Thank you Kevin!


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

I just recommended the sight to my sister in law who just got a new puppy around Christmas time! (She got the pup from petfinder.com kudos to her) I think she will benefit from it and get good knowledge from the sight. She went into petco and asked a person there what foods to choose for the pup! I feel very confident recommending the sight. I told her just take a look at it its just something to kind of get a feel for different type foods! That's what the sights about finding what your feels the best for your pup!


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## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

I just checked all the top rated(6 star) at DFA

Artemis
Blue Wilderness
Evo
Go Natural
Instinct
TOTW
Wellness


We can split hair's over these... but come on, these are all nice foods. 

I WISH I had found this site years ago. Any of the above would have been 100x better than the garbage I fed(Pedigree, Iams, Nutro)


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## SaltyDog (Mar 10, 2010)

Katie Chumlee and Shorty said:


> I think Champion Foods Orijen and Acana deserve a 7 star and TOTW should be removed from 6 star. Thank you Kevin!




AGREE!!!!


Here is what I like about the site....it does provide a single source to view all of the different foods.

What I don't like is their rating system. How can you honestly rate a dog food? I too believe Orijen and Acana deserve a 7 then based on DFA's "rating system". BUT, when I fed kibble, both of my dogs preferred Evo over Orijen. They also preferred Canine Caviar (which is somehow a 3???) over Wellness, which is a 5.

Again, great site for describing dog food. BUT, should just be in alphabetical order. Newbies on the site might pass on a food like Acana, simply because DFA classified it as a 5 star.

I don't discredit TOTW as a much better kibble to feed....but I would never feed it or recommend it over Acana.

DFA's rating system is flawed and people can be caught up in the numbers game. You will learn soooooooooo much more info here on this forum, and get to hear all the real live trials of all of us who have fed these various types of foods to our pets.


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## Cliffdog (Dec 30, 2010)

I send people to dogfoodscoop.com instead... it's more recent/updated I think... but not as thorough... but it has the basics.


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