I often tell clients that there are a lot of newer dog food companies out there that don't know what they are doing. They are capitalizing on current "fads" in people. They see people going vegan, vegetarian, all organic, carb free, etc and create diets along those lines. They then charge a big amount for their food, because people are certain that they are providing their pet with something superior to the other options out there.
But, think about it for a minute. Those small companies don't have the money or resources to actually do the research and to determine what works and what does not. They are newly created companies and are still finding their way. They have a lot of hurdles to overcome. Hurdles that the big companies overcame years/decades ago.
In general, I tell my clients to go with Royal Canin. Their diets are of high quality and palatable. They have breed specific diets (i.e. poodle). Many of those diets are the same (i.e. poodle might be the same as labrador), but many are also specifically designed for a particular breed based on common health issues for the breed. You can probably order food on Chewy.com and have it delivered to your door.
I have never tested a dog for taurine or heavy metal levels. But, if you are concerned about it, ask your Vet, and he/she can probably figure out how to test for them.
I looked up the lawsuit you mentioned, and among Vets, it appears that there is some question as to whether the lawsuit holds merit or is frivolous. The veterinary nutritionists, that I have access to, all seem to recommend that dog owners not feed either Orijen or Acana.
