The first ingredient in any dog food should always be a human-grade "named" meat (chicken, beef, lamb, etc.). Not  meat by-products and especially not grains. A "named" MEAT!!   

I was kindly given a bag of Royal Canin Adult 27 and thought I was getting a high quality product.  Then I read the list of ingredients. The first ingredient listed is "brewer's rice". That means that brewer's rice is the main ingredient contained in this food. It is a low-to-no nutrient filler used in many dog foods. If it had been listed as the 12th, or even the 10th, ingredient then I might have considered using it since it was a free bag. But on second thought, I love my dog too much to compromise his health on a product that uses such low quality ingredients. As I read the ingredient list even further  I realized that this food is actually one of the worst ones to feed any dog.

I know that not all Royal Canin dog foods have the same ingredients in the same order, but it's obvious that all of their formulas are substandard.   And considering what a bag of Royal Canin costs, I know there are far better foods available.  Some that come to mind are:

Innova--A nutrient-dense food that is quite possibly the healthiest dog food on the market. Though alittle pricey at about $13 for a 6.6 pound bag,  you pay around the same for about 3 1/2  to 5 pounds of Royal Canin.  Yet the quality of food is vastly different.  By comparing  the amount needed to feed Innova per day with Royal Canin (suggested feeding for a 25 pound dog--Royal Canin is approximately 2 cups, Innova approximately 1 cup),  it's obvious that this is a far more cost-effective choice.

Wellness Chicken Super5Mix or Lamb Super5Mix--A good food at about $11 for 6 pounds.

Merrick Turducken--About $10 for 5 pounds.

If you really love your pet you will do some research on dog foods. Read the ingredients list on the bag, know what the ingredients are, and know what should and should not be in foods (those affected by Menu Foods are learning about wheat gluten).  Then you will be able to make the best possible choice to benefit not only your dog but yourself as well.  After all, keeping your dog healthy means fewer trips to the vets. And that is the best money-saver of all. 

 The following websites are a great place for information.

dogfoodanalysis.com

4dogma.com

dogaware.com

dogfoodproject.com

Get educated and be informed so that you can make the right choices. Your "best friend" is counting on you!