I would be really wary of relying on food comparison sites - at the very least look up why they recommended what they do (and if they don't tell you, discount them completely) and make sure you agree with it. Particularly if the site has links to places where you can buy the food....
Yeah, the dogfoodadvisor.com site doesn't have links to places where you can buy the food I am always very weary of those sites too - the dogfoodadvisor.com site provides ratings for different brands and foods and provide detailed analysis of the ingredients and why they rated the food with those ratings, that is why I liked looking up different brands and foods on there & for the most part all the other research/vets I have talked to etc. have all agreed with the brands they top rate on there - I mostly did my own research on foods then just checked that site to see what they were rated and why just to read about it and then did more research on my own, but the explanations and research they provide are extremely thorough and they have a list of recalled brands and foods to check up on from time to time to make sure you are not feeding a food or brand that is frequently recalled etc. that is why I like it! but I agree a lot of sites that have food comparisons are just trying to sell the brand of foods they sell on their sites .. thankfully dogfoodadvisor is just research and explanations and ratings and they do not sell any dog food on there - here is their "about" page http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/about/ -- very interesting website, but I definitely do most research on my own and get advice from professionals!
I'm glad you do your own research, because here is what that website says about 'red' ingredients: What do the red items on an ingredients list mean? Red ingredients are not always “bad”. They are only controversial. And when they are “bad”, some can be more troubling than others. Corn would be a good example. You may find some 4 and 5-star dog foods that contain a few red items (like corn). But they’re typically only minor issues — not nearly as worrisome as a suspected cancer-causing ingredient. Come on, really? Really? And just so how are people supposed to interpret your 'red' rating then?
Yeah, I know what you mean! But I just realize that like anything on the internet you have to do your own research and look into things on your own! I never took the ratings as Bible that is for sure - Even when it comes to vets I went through a few/several when Duncan was having so many problems and some of them gave me the worst recommendations / advice and obviously like any other profession each one has very different opinions and advice so it was really hard with all the opinions and advice to figure out what I really should try with him! Mostly I just did my own research and found some good brands that a LOT of ppl recommended, looked at the ingredients and manufacturers and brands online and made a list and then after all of that just checked their ratings on dogfoodadvisor.com so I could just make sure it wasn't a terribly rated/reviewed food and read their analysis of the ingredients and such just to get even more info! The internet is great but you definitely have to look at many many sites and cross reference what people are saying and come up with your own research and what you think you should do, but thank god for the internet because that is how I finally figured out Duncan's nonstop digestive problems and solved them - NOT ONE of the vets I went to suggested chicken meal or chicken by product maybe being a problem - one vet did however recommended I maybe look into "breed specific" food instead of the food he was on- as in the food that is formulated for labrador retrievers, but none of them ever mentioned chicken or changing the type of protein just to see even after he kept coming in over and over with the same problems for MONTHS, so thankfully other people had the same problems and posted about it online or I would still be searching for answers! but totally agree with you, you have to do your own research!
