DogRanking US › Methodology
Methodology
How a rating is made
How many points can a product earn?
Up to 100 points across four pillars. The skeleton is shared by all categories; criteria adapt to each. 90+ points means Outstanding (5 paws 🐾), below 30 — Avoid (1 paw).
| Pillar | Dog food | Accessories / toys | Tech |
|---|---|---|---|
| A (35) | Recipe & protein quality (dry matter vs FEDIAF/AAFCO) | Materials & build | Measurable performance |
| B (25) | Standards: feeding trial > formulation | Safety: certificates (CPS, VOHC), research | Claims vs our measurements |
| C (25) | Manufacturer per WSAVA criteria | Transparency, recall history | Support, data privacy |
| D (15) | Additives & processing | Ergonomics & durability | App, subscription costs |
Why dry matter and cost per 1,000 kcal?
Guaranteed analysis includes water: a wet food with 8% protein has 40% on a dry-matter basis. And price per kilo cannot compare dry (375 kcal/100 g) with wet (110 kcal/100 g) — so we cost every food per 1,000 kcal.
What we rate that labels can't show
Pillar C scores the manufacturer on WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee questions: a qualified nutritionist (ACVN/ECVCN), feeding trials, digestibility data on request, quality control, recall history in context.
Paw legend
| Points | Rating | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 90–100 | Outstanding | |
| 80–89 | Excellent | |
| 70–79 | Very good | |
| 60–69 | Good | |
| 50–59 | Decent | |
| 30–49 | Poor | |
| <30 | Avoid |
Three scales, so nothing gets mixed up
- Paws 🐾 (1–5) — product quality. Always.
- Bowls 🥣 (0–3) — palatability of edibles in Bekon's tasting. Never affects paws.
- Balls 🎾 (0–3) — acceptance of non-edibles in usage tests. Never affects paws.
Veterinary diets are rated in their own category. Raw foods without completeness proof and pathogen control are capped at 2 paws. Reviews without a hands-on section are clearly marked "label-based" — testing adds photos and measurements, it never changes the score.
How we test — and why Bekon doesn't eat everything
Every tested product is bought by us and photo-documented. Foods: kibble measurement, smell, texture; tasting means a few kibbles as a treat — never a diet change (a safe transition takes 7–10 days). Bekon's verdicts never affect the 0–100 score. Opened test bags go to a local shelter.
Health zone — special rules
Prescription veterinary medicines are never ranked or affiliate-linked (POM-V in the UK, Rx in the US). The Health zone is educational only, with veterinary review.