How to Choose a Quality Pet Food

If you are to going to feed your dog a commercial food, here are some tips to check for quality:

1. Ingredients are listed in descending order. The first ingredient should be an animal based protein.

2. When selecting a commercial food for your animal companion, make sure the label has an “AAFCO guarantee,” preferably one that references “feeding tests” or “feeding protocols” rather than Nutrient Profiles.

3. Avoid foods that list by-products. (AVOID Meat, Bone, Fish and Chicken Meal) These rendered products are the most inexpensive sources of animal protein. They are not a reliable source of nutrition for your animal.

4. Avoid those that list the food fractions – i.e. wheat middlings or corn gluten instead of the whole grain. These ingredients are leftovers from the human food processing and don’t provide the best nutrition.

5. Avoid generic or store brands. These may be repackaged rejects from the big manufacturers, and generally contain cheaper and poorer quality ingredients.

(Content courtesy of Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM)