How to Read a Dog Food Label Like a Pro
Trying to figure out the ingredients in dog food and how to read a dog food label can take time and effort. Fortunately, today’s pet parents have access to information and tools to help. The American Pet Products Association (APPA) reports that pet parents spent $64.4 billion on pet food and treats in 2023. Not all pets eat the right food designed for their nutritional needs and lifestyle.
Several governing bodies oversee the manufacture and production of pet food. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) does not approve, certify, or endorse pet foods. However, it guides pet food companies and creates standards for ingredients, labels, and laboratories.
How to Read a Dog Food Label
Here’s a step-by-step guide to reading a dog food label. Bookmark or print this list for future reference:
- Product Name: To differentiate from other products on the market.
- Species Specific: Ensure the species is easily seen or noted.
- Guaranteed Analysis: The amount of specific nutrients in the food.
- Ingredient Statement: AAFCO states (1) all ingredients must be listed in descending order (highest to lowest) of predominance by weight.
- Quantity: How much food is in the container.
- Feeding Instructions: Required for foods that are ‘complete and balanced.’
- Nutritional Adequacy Statement: The type of pet and what life stage.
- Name and Address: Manufacturer or distributor.
It can be overwhelming to try and decipher every ingredient in dog food. A dog food ingredient checker can help, as well as avoiding certain ingredients such as:
- By-products: There may be consistency in the quality of the by-product
- Sweeteners: Look for sugar or corn syrup on the label. They enhance the taste but can, over time, contribute to weight gain and diabetes.
- Artificial colors and flavors: They don’t belong in dog food without nutritional value.
- Fillers: These add bulk but serve no nutritional value (i.e., wheat gluten, corn, peanut hulls).
Here’s a pet food label from Elevate Pet Provisions with a breakdown of ingredients:
Our Ingredients
- Ground beef
- Beef Organ Meat
- Sweet Potato
- Apple
- Spinach
- Green Beans
- Cod Liver Oil
- Calcium Supplement
- Celery Extract
Who Made the First Commercially Prepared Pet Food?
When the Industrial Revolution took hold and the middle class rose in the 19th century, the role of animals began to change. People with disposable income started keeping dogs and cats as pets rather than working animals.
Around 1860, savvy businessman James Spratt (2) noticed dogs being fed leftover biscuits from a ship. Spratt got the idea to make a dog biscuit mix consisting of wheat meals, vegetables, beetroot, and beef blood. He called them “Spratt’s Meat Fibrine Dog Cakes.”
With high demand for his product, Spratt sold his formula in 1890. Other companies came along with recipes for biscuits and dry kibble. The first canned or wet dog food was introduced in 1922—Ken-L-Ration. At the time, horsemeat was acceptable. As dogs and cats evolved as loving family members, the practice of using horsemeat diminished.
With time, other companies came forward to serve the pet food market. In the 1950s, the Ralston Purina Company started experimenting with making dog food using its cereal extrusion machines. In 1964, the Pet Food Institute launched advertisements targeting pet owners. They claimed commercially prepared dog food was the only option for feeding dogs and cats.
Fact: The Pet Food Institute functioned as a group of pet food industry lobbyists.
Which Type of Food is Best For My Dog?
Like people, dogs are different. One dog may thrive on a beef-based diet, while another does well with fish or chicken. Many companies advertise kibble as the best or only option, but that is no longer true.
Modern pet parents know better, so they deserve better. The pet food market mirrors the human food market in many ways.
Health-Conscious Eating
Pet parents are willing to pay more for superior quality and better ingredients for
themselves and their pets. You’ll often see terms like ‘human grade, ’ ‘premium,’ or ‘limited ingredient’ associated with pet and human food.
Premiumization
People are willing to spend more on premium products with clear sourcing and sustainability practices. They demand ethically sourced ingredients and an understanding of the supply chain used to make the food.
Transparency and Ethical Sourcing
Labels like ‘organic’, ‘human grade’, and ‘sustainably sourced’ are important to pet parents. This trend is mirrored in pet foods, as pet parents are concerned about where their pet’s food comes from and the quality of the ingredients.
Functional Feeding
Adding probiotics, postbiotics, prebiotics, omega-3s, joint supplements, and more is increasingly popular. As consumers prioritize healthy eating, this extends to what their pets eat.
Clean Label Movement
Clean eating means people understand what is in a food by reading its label. This includes products without any additives, preservatives, or colors. Clean-label pet foods showcase ingredients closer to what dogs and cats naturally eat.
Fact: I’ve worked in the pet industry for close to 20 years and have consulted with hundreds of pet food brands. I’d advise all pet parents reading this to understand what is in their dog’s food before allowing them to eat one morsel. We truly are what we eat.
The best dog food for your furry friends is the one that works. No two dogs are alike. No two people are alike. Read labels and, most importantly, understand the role of each ingredient. If it doesn’t belong in the food, it doesn’t belong in your dog’s gut.
Who Oversees Dog Food Labeling and Guidelines?
It is essential to understand who has your back as pet parents. Like all dog moms and dog dads, you want your dog to eat food you feel safe and confident feeding.
Let’s face it: anyone anywhere can claim their product is the ‘best dog food’ on the market. Forego the fancy marketing and beautiful dog running through a field on the front of the package. The ingredients, the supply chain, and who ensures the food’s safety are paramount. Here are a few of the major players:
Food and Drug Administration (FDA): The FDA oversees the safety and labeling of animal feed under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C). It also monitors pet food recalls and requires truthful pet food labels.
Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO): Does not have regulatory authority but does establish nutritional standards for pet foods and label guidelines.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): Oversees the inspection of animal products that may be used in pet food, ensuring they meet specific safety and quality standards. It also regulates ‘organic’ certification.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Ensures pet food advertising practices are not deceptive or misleading.
State Department of Agriculture: Enforce pet food regulations at the state level.
Fact: New consumer-friendly labels will appear on pet foods in the coming years.
Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine reports, “If the proposed changes go through, you’ll be able to see at a glance — rather than having to search — how many calories are in a serving of dog food, whether that’s a cup, a can, or some other easily understood unit of measure. Moreover, you’ll be able to see right away how many calories come from protein, fat, and carbohydrates. These are the three calorie-containing nutrients in food.”
Pro Tip: Check where the food is made and sourced, i.e., made in the United States.
What Experts Say About Dog Food Labels
According to Tufts University (3), the main use of an ingredient list on dog food is to look for ingredients that should not be fed to pets (see our list above). Tufts recommends that pet parents look for the Nutritional Adequacy Statement.
This may say something like “This product is formulated to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles….” Or “Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate this product provides…” Or “This product is intended for intermittent or supplement feeding only.”
Find a manufacturer you trust. This manufacturer should own the supply chain and be transparent about its ingredients and practices.
About The Author
Carol Bryant
Human-Grade Ingredients
TOP SELLING AIR DRIED DOG FOOD
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