Pedigree

Ok, so instead of analyzing each formula of all the brands of dog food (which would be ALOT!!!), I'm going to give a review for each brand (unless I see one specific formula that deserves to be pointed out). So, I figured we might as well start off with a bad one so you all can learn about what ingredients to look out for. (I will use the ingredient list from the pedigree complete nutrition as a model of what you will find in the other formulas.)
PEDIGREE COMPLETE NUTRITION INFORMATION :
Ingredients-Ground Whole Corn, Meat And Bone Meal, Ground Wheat, Corn Gluten Meal, Animal Fat (Preserved With Bha/Bht), Wheat Mill Run, Wheat Flour, Natural Flavor, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Caramel Color, Chicken By-Product Meal, Rice, Vegetable Oil (Source Of Linoleic Acid), Vitamins (Choline Chloride, Dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [Source Of Vitamin E], L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate [Source Of Vitamin C*], Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Biotin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement [Vitamin B2], Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Potassium Iodide), Added FD&C And Lake Colors (Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Blue 2, Red 40).

GAURANTEED
Crude Protein--Min. 21.0%
Crude Fat--Min. 10.0%
Crude Fiber--Max. 4.0%
Moisture --Max. 12.0%
Linoleic Acid (Omega 6 Fatty Acid)--Min. 1.8%
Vitamin E --Min. 225 Iu/Kg
Ascorbic Acid (Vit. C*)--Min. 70 Mg/Kg

*Not Recognized As An Essential Nutrient By The AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.

Recommended feeding requirements
WEIGHT OF DOG Cups Per Day+
Up To 10 lbs. 1/3 to 1
10 to 25 lbs. 1 to 2 1/3
25 to 50 lbs. 2 1/3 to 4
50 to 75 lbs. 4 to 5 1/3
75 to 150 lbs. 5 1/3 to 9
1 cup = 8 oz. Measuring cup
1 can = 13.2 oz, 1 pouch = 5.3 oz

Ok, So let’s get started and look at the ingredients. First on the list is Ground Whole Corn. Corn by itself is not the best grain for dogs since it is one of the most common allergens for them. Plus, it can be hard for some dogs to digest corn which can stress the kidneys. Since this is also the number one ingredient, it is obviously being used as a cheap filler. Second on the list is Meat And Bone Meal. This is probably the worst ingredient you will ever see. Meat and Bone meal could be anything. And usually that’s what it ends up being; anything. That includes horses, 4d animals(dead, dying, diseased, and disabled), road kill, and even euthanized cats and dogs. There is absolutely no control over the quality of this ingredient so please look out for this. The third ingredient is Ground Wheat. Wheat is another very common allergen for dogs so I try to stay away from it. Next is Corn Gluten Meal. This is another no-no. Though this is not necessarily "harmful" to your dog, it still is made from corn and its main use from the manufacturer’s point of view is to boost the protein amount with a bad quality protein. This will cause stress to your dogs’ kidneys and liver. Animal Fat is also a no-no. Again we have no control over the quality of this fat since we don’t know the origin. It is also preserved with BHA/BHT which is an artificial preservative which when used in excess can cause tumors. The amounts of BHA/BHT which are used in the dog food are very small, but it has never been tested or approved for long term use. Because of that, I make sure not to buy food with this ingredient. Wheat mill run is like the afore mentioned wheat except it's a worse quality wheat. Wheat flower is another example of an ill quality wheat. Now we are getting into the smaller quantity ingredients. Some of them are ok but there are still by-products, caramel colors, and more artificial colorants, which some dogs can be allergic to.

The Gauranteed Analysis is not very appealing either. Crude protein is the total amount of protein in the dog food (from the meats, grains, and veggies). 21% is pretty low considering it’s not a weight management formula. 10% fat is a normal amount, and fiber and moisture are normal as well.

The feeding guidelines are just that. Guidelines! however these guidelines are based upon how many calories a dog of that size normally burns in a day. However, even that number varies between brands, but for now I will hold their guidelines constant and assume that they all used the same daily calorie burning amounts. So, for a dog weighing 75lbs (chases weight), they would need 5.33 cups per day. that’s a lot! This product costs about $21.50 for a 40 lb bag. If I would use this product for one year it would cost me approximately $195. It is the cheapest formula of pedigree, the highest is the lamb formula which comes in at $269 per year.

When we factor in the number of recalls this company has had, I have to recommend that you stay away from this product. It will most likely shorten your dog’s life and add to the chance of getting diseases.

Some good alternatives would be Nutro Max, Nutro Natural Choice, or Diamond Naturals. These are all better quality foods and are in the same price range (if not below it).

Thanks for reading! I hope I helped you understand this product more than you did! If you have any requests, leave comments and I will try to work on them.

Pedigree Complete Nutrition