Has anyone read the Whole Dog Journal?

Question

Any comments on the top-approved wet/dry dog foods listed in the WDJ are much appreciated.

Answer 1

I have seen the list you are referring to. There are some good foods on that list but I have misgivings about the list based on information from the Dog Food Project which is a source I trust.

"Until very recently, I have added a comment to every dog food product that was approved by the Whole Dog Journal (WDJ) to make it a little easier for people who were looking for that "seal of approval". I have removed all those references and I'd like to clarify why:

From 1998 to 2002, I was impressed with almost all of the choices. In 2003, I didn't agree with half of that year's picks, especially considering that far better products had entered the market but they were not reviewed. 2004 was a little better again, mainly thanks to new brands with a good amount of organic ingredients. In 2005, the standard dropped quite a bit, with foods listed that don't even really conform to the guidelines WDJ claims to have based its selections on.

Two examples for 2005:

# WDJ states "We reject foods containing fat or protein not identified by species, yet Nutro Natural Choice Ultra, which contains "poultry fat", was one of the picks.

# WDJ states "We look for foods that contain a lot of high-quality animal proteins", yet Wellness' Simple Food Solutions Venison Formula, which does not have a meat source at the top of the ingredient list and only one non-concentrated meat ingredient in the entire formulation, also made the list.

In my personal opinion, about a third of the products currently approved by the WDJ do not truly make the cut and it is unfair to put them in the same category as the true high quality foods on the market. Anyone who has taken some time to read through the details here will have enough of an understanding to make informed choices and will not have to rely on somewhat arbitrary magazine reviews."

Answer 2

I completly agree with the first poster.

I have, for a long time, been very concerned with this 'rating' scale that I have seen floating around Yahoo Answers and the Dog Food Project has really taken the time to analyze it and has shown that some foods rate very high and are still consider low quality foods just because of certain ingredients...which in fact really don't make the food that great.

The Whole Dog Journal and this 'rating' scale are definitely trying to do the right thing. They are two resources that are at least getting people to think critically about what is going into pet foods and how to identify quality foods but are not flawless. I think if you do try a food off of the Whole Dog Journal list, you can be reassured that you aren't feeding a low quality food, just be aware that you may also not be feeding a truly high quality food either.

I think the best thing you can do is do a bit of research and chose a food that you think will suit your dog and then try the food. Even the Dog Food Project (a website designed by one woman) will not have the right answer for everyone. It is just important that what ever food you chose, you make sure that you are getting a product that is a good quality and is from a company that really cares about pet health (most often the small companies as opposed to the large corporations).

Good luck and I hope this helps a bit:)

Answer 3

I agree that it is very important that you do your own independent research if you are looking for a good pet food. Whether or not the WDJ or Dog Food Project ratings are accurate, they at least create awareness about what the quality of pet food should be, and provide a starting point for thinking about the kind of ingredients you want to look for.

The most important thing is to be able to find a food that suits your dog best, rather than go by brand name alone. When I was looking for a dog food some years ago, I did quite a lot of research before making a decision. I have been feeding my dog Addiction dog food and he is happy and healthy so I have stuck to it. At the same time, Addiction recently appeared on the WDJ list, which does make me feel reassured in a way that I am feeding him a food of a certain standard. Hope this helps!
You can refer to the following websites:
www.whole-dog-journal.com
www.addictionfoods.com

Answer 4

I agree with the other poster. I do like WDJ, but sometimes, when reading their feed ratings I just go "REALLY, I don't think so!" I do agree with much of it though.

Answer 5

sorry i don,t approve of that type of food for my pet. i love her so cook her food myself. then i know what she is getting.

Answer 6

nope but now Im going to look it up and check it out thanks

Answer 7

no

Answer 8

no

Answer 9

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