Tips to Read Dog Food Labels

The dog food label is actually a legal document. In both the United States and Canada, there are several organizations involved in overseeing and regulating the pet food industry and therefore influencing or regulating what is contained on a dog food label. The most pervasive influence in the U.S. is wielded by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). AAFCO has developed model laws and regulations that states use for animal feeds. AAFCO also serves as the ’go to’ source for ingredient definitions, standardized testing of food, official terminology, and feeding trial protocols. In Canada, pet food labeling guidelines are regulated by the Consumer Packaging and Labeling Act administered by Industry Canada. The Canadian government’s Competition Bureau also has an extensive working group that upholds a voluntary code of conduct for the labeling and advertising of pet food. These guidelines require that feeding instructions appear on the product label, and they cover any misrepresentations of business claims, as well as deceptive endorsements or testimonials.

 If you’ve ever tried to make sense of the too-good-to-be-true claims and percentages-that-don’t-seem-to-add-up-to-100 on a bag of dry dog food, you’re not alone. Anyone who has attempted to decode a commercial pet food label recently will know it is enough to send even the most savvy consumer into a tail spin. Gone are the days of mystery meats and colourful chow; we are deep in the territory of all natural superfoods and pasture raised proteins. But what does this mean for consumers trying to navigate the overwhelming amount of information they’re presented with on the pet shop shelves? In this article we go over some important things to remember next time you select a dog food.

Ingredients on pet foods are listed in order of weight, from heaviest to lightest, just like in human food. This is an easy one, but there are still some tricky things to look out for here. The first thing is the meat content. We know that dogs thrive on a meat based diet, so naturally we would hope to see meat in number one position. This may come in the form of “whole” meat, or meat meal. The key difference between the two is that whole meat is weighed before the water is removed, and meat meal is a heavily concentrated meat powder. Meat is around 75% water, so if you see whole meat and then a long list of dry ingredients, it’s highly unlikely that meat is really the main ingredient in the finished product. And it’s probably not necessary to point out that if an ingredient list can’t pinpoint the actual protein it contains, but instead lists “beef and/or poultry and/or pork,” they’re also not able to guarantee any degree of quality. Actually being able to identify the animal the meat comes from is a very low bar to meet.

Another thing to be mindful of when reading an ingredient list of something called ingredient splitting. Ingredient splitting is when one food is split across multiple entries so there appears to be more or less of it in the finished product. In the case of meat, it’s common to see both meat meal and whole meat, when in reality all meat in a kibble style food ends up being a concentrated powder devoid of water. Including both makes it appear that there is twice as much, when really it is likely just water that’s taking up space in the ingredient list.

In the case of less desirable ingredients, like flours and other carbohydrate sources, ingredient splitting is used to push items down the list and make it appear as if there is less of them. If you see something like “rice” and then a few stops later “rice flour,” it’s reasonable to say there is considerably more rice in the food than they would like you to know. Similarly, if a food lists four different legumes, this is less about nutritional variety (legumes are fairly nutritionally lacklustre across the board for canines) and more about the lack of appeal in a bean based dog food.

‍We all want the best for our pets but how do we choose what’s best? With so many options of dog food available these days, pet parents often find themselves overwhelmed when it comes to picking the right food for their pets.
Knowing how to read dog food labels is important to provide your dog with the right kind of nutrition and avoid falling prey to marketing gimmicks.

The first glance should give a complete picture 

The front side of the pack, tin or box should tell you about the main ingredient in the food which is also the first protein source, who the food is made for, the life stage of the pet and any additional information like – hypoallergenic food for sensitive pets. Once you know this food is suitable for your pet, you can move to reading the ingredients on the back which is the most important part.

Read the ingredients on the back of the pack carefully 

Most pet food packs list ingredients by weight, starting with the heaviest or the one with the most quantity. For example, if the first ingredient on the dog food pack is fresh chicken then that means that pack consists a majority of fresh chicken compared to the other ingredients.

However, if the first ingredient is a type of meat, know that meat consists of 75% water according to the FDA. Without the water weight, the meat will probably come towards the end of the ingredient list. Some meals like chicken meal, meat meal or bone meal are different as most of the water has been removed from them.

Know what ‘by-products’ mean 

Not all by-products are bad for your pet. Liver is a by-product that is rich in nutrients like vitamin A. Meat by-products may contain bones, blood, brain, stomach and cleaned intestines. Read more about these individual ingredients to know their nutritional value. Having said that, most dog foods will consist of some by-products as they are hard to avoid in the manufacturing process.

Be wary of those chemical-sounding names  

The FDA approves of preservatives, artificial flavors and stabilizers if they find them to be safe for the pet. These chemicals are usually added to dog food to increase its shelf life. The absolute need of these chemicals, however, is a question that has been debated for a long time. Our vets suggest looking for dog foods that say they are free of preservatives, GMO, and artificial enhancers/flavors and any kind of food fillers. Some pet parents, scientists and vets have questioned the safety of chemical ingredients and hence it is best to avoid them.

Don’t forget to read the nutritional value 

The nutritional value section will help you determine if the food meets your dog’s nutritional requirements. The AAFCO pet food labeling guide provides guidelines to meet a dog’s nutritional requirements. If the label says that the food is formulated to meet the AAFCO requirements it means it has been tested in feeding trials and found to provide complete nutrition. The AAFCO statement should also mention which life stage of the pet is the food appropriate for. For puppies, look for food that is suitable for growth or all life stages. For adult dogs, look for food that is appropriate for adult maintenance or all life stages. There is no AAFCO standard for senior dogs as their nutritional needs vary depending on their health conditions.

Check the nutritional analysis section 

You will find the minimum and maximum amount of nutrients in the nutritional analysis section. A low-fat dog food will often consist of less fat and more fiber that can make a pet feel full without adding too many calories. Ideally, a dog’s daily diet should consist of 7% crude protein and 5% fat. Crude protein in dog food is a combination of protein molecules that are divided into smaller units. It is also recommended to look for food with carbohydrates, essential fatty acids and vitamins and minerals as they make for essential ingredients for your dog’s food.

Look out for common marketing words

If the dog food label contains words like natural, holistic and organic, ensure you look for certifications for these claims or do some research regarding the claims made. The best way to know if the food is good for your pet, is to speak to your veterinarian or pet nutritionist.

Certain ingredients in packed/commercial dog food can be harmful for your pet 

Here are some dog food ingredients to avoid at all costs. Our vets say “Avoid foods that contain benzaldehyde, FD&C Red No. 3, methyl anthranilate, butylated hydroxyanisole and any other artificial ingredients.” 

One of the best ways to determine if the food is fit for your pet is to consult a vet or a pet nutritionist. They can recommend a dog food option that fits your budget or provide a diet chart that can meet your dog’s nutritional needs.

Know that a healthy life starts with a healthy diet, so be choosy about what goes in your dog’s bowl to keep them happy and healthy, always.
Today there are dozens of top-selling brands available globally – names you thought you could trust, are like Acana, Solid Gold, Taste Of The Wild, Holistic Select, Merrick, Wellness, Nature’s Variety, Blue Buffalo, Orijen, Arden Grange, Royal Canin, Eukanuba, Farmina, Hills Science Plan, Pedigree, Purina and many more.

Out of which you can find the following brands in India – Arden Grange, Royal Canin, Farmina, Hills Science Plan, Fidele, Origen, Pedigree, Purina, Drools and few more. Products from these brands may or may not contain the wholesome, healthy ingredients you want for your dog.Many companies use attractive packing as a decoy to cover-up their substandard product. Unfortunately, most of the people make their buying decision based on the pictures or the packing that make, the food seem better than it is. But on the contrary, the reality is that there can be some really AWFUL stuff for your dog.

How important it is read and decipher nutrition labels and the list of ingredients when you are choosing a dog food?

The nutrition labels and the list of ingredients packaged dog foods is very much similar to the nutrition labels and the list of ingredients mentioned on the packaged food for people, it is designed to help you compare products. It further helps you to learn more about the food. But it can be a bit hard to decipher.

Ingredients List:

Ingredients are listed in order of content weight, hence be sure to have a look for food that lists a real source of protein first, such as chicken, lamb, Fish etc. The first ingredient is the most important factor to know what goes in your dog food. The first ingredient holds the maximum % of components used while producing dog food.

If the first ingredient is chicken, lamb/meat, dehydrated chicken, deboned chicken, deboned lamb/meat, dehydrated lamb/meat then it means that the particular food contains HUMAN EDIBLE GRADE OF CHICKEN/LAMB/MEAT as the main source of protein. Which means that the particular food is good for your dog.

If the first ingredient is the chicken meal, lamb/meat meal, chicken by-products, lamb/meat by-products then it means that the particular food contains NON-HUMAN EDIBLE GRADE OF CHICKEN/LAMB/MEAT as the main source of protein. Which means that it is not as good for your dog as compared to dog food that contains HUMAN EDIBLE GRADE OF CHICKEN/LAMB/MEAT as the main source of protein. Since chicken/meat/lamb meal consists of waste body parts of animals like bones, beak, feathers, hoofs, horn, intestine etc which are not suitable for human consumption have been used in your dog food.

If the first ingredient is soy, cereal, maize/corn or by-products of soy, cereal, maize/corn it means that the particular food is not good at all. It is just filler and will give negligible nutritional value to your dog. Since it is not using any quality ingredient as the main source of protein.

If the second ingredient is also any form of human edible grade chicken, lamb/meat then it tends to be a great product and you can be assured that you are feeding something great to your dog.

From the third ingredient in the ingredients, list fillers can be added. There are numerous fillers like maize/corn, soy, wheat, oats, barley, cereals, vegetable fats, vegetable fiber, etc. These are used to add weight in the dog food. Although, most of these items are irrelevant for the nutritional and dietary needs of the dog.

Feeding Instructions:

State regulations require a maximum level of certain nutrients and a minimum level of others. The guaranteed analysis shows where the pet food’s quantity of those nutrients falls within that range. Follow these instructions to determine how much food to feed your pet each day. Typically, you’ll see, “feed _____ cups per ____ pounds of weight daily.”

Compiled  & Shared by- This paper is a compilation of groupwork provided by the

Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)

 Image-Courtesy-Google

 Reference-On Request.

 Disclaimer: This blog is vet-approved and includes original content which is compiled after thorough research and authenticity by our team of vets and content experts. It is always advisable to consult a veterinarian before you try any products, pet food or any kind of treatment/medicines on your pets, as each pet is unique and will respond differently.

How to Read Pet Food Labels – Uncover Hidden Truths behind Dog Food Labels

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