Dog Food

Dog food ingredients

Pet-nutrition experts say that the best dog food is made from human-grade ingredients like meat, whole grains and vegetables. What you don't want is a lot of filler as the primary ingredients; these are items that have less nutritional benefit. According to the Animal Protection Institute, dogs can absorb almost all the nutrients from white rice, but grains like oats, flour and wheat have almost no nutritional value for dogs. Corn products aren't very valuable either, and peanut hulls have no value at all. Glutens are another group of ingredients that experts say don't provide much nutritional value to dogs, and are a particular concern in light of the recent massive recall of pet foods tainted by contaminated wheat and rice gluten from China.

According to reviews, better-quality dog food results in a healthier coat, fewer digestive problems and firmer stools. Since your dog will absorb more nutrients from better-quality dog food, less will be passed as waste.

Dogs love meat and they need protein. Unlike cats, who need high amounts of protein and no carbohydrates at all, dogs need as much as 50 percent carbohydrates. Still, experts say meat should be the first ingredient, followed by healthy carbohydrate sources such as potatoes, or more absorbable grains like rice. If you've read any dog food labels, you might have noticed the term "by-product." Meat by-product consists mainly of animal parts that are not used for human consumption, such as bones, organs, blood, fatty tissue and intestines. If a label says "chicken by-product," all the parts must come from chicken; the same goes for lamb, beef, etc.

There are two schools of thought when it comes to by-products in dog food. Some say that because a dog in the wild would eat the entire animal when killing prey, including skin, organs and bones, some amount of by-products in dog food is just fine. What you don't want, say reviews, is unidentified by-products, often listed as "meat by-products." Experts say this could include zoo animals, road kill and according to Jessica Smith's article for NewsTarget.com, '4-D' livestock (dead, diseased, disabled, dying). Most shockingly, "meat by-products" can even include euthanized dogs and cats. In 1990 the American Veterinary Medical Association and the FDA confirmed that some pet food companies were using the bodies of euthanized pets as by-products in their foods. It turns out that this practice wasn't widespread, but limited to small rural rendering plants and a few other assorted links in the pet food manufacturing chain. For these reasons, reviews that do approve of some by-products in pet food say that dog owners should look for specific origin, such as "chicken by-product" or "lamb by-product."

The other -- and prevailing -- school of thought is that by-products should be avoided entirely, and that a dog's diet should contain meat, vegetables and absorbable grains. These critics say that it's simply too hard to know what exactly is included in by-products, and some say that these unwanted animal parts may contain bacteria or even parts from cancerous animals.

Related to meat by-products is a low-quality ingredient called animal digest, which is the dry or liquid by-product of the meat rendering process. Experts say that while there is meat content in animal digest, it's of little nutritional value as it is not very digestible.

In dry foods, be aware that listing meat at the top of an ingredient list can be misleading, as meat has a high water content that is removed when processed into dry pet food. However, "meat meal" is meat with the water removed, and finding it high up in the ingredient list is a good indication of a high-protein dry food.

Dog food companies are making moves to get away from using artificial preservatives in dog food. Chemicals used as preservatives, like BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin, have been under scrutiny, and many companies are switching to natural preservatives like vitamin C (ascorbate) and vitamin E (tocopherols). Reviews say natural preservatives are much safer.

Dry dog food vs. canned dog food

Although dry dog food is convenient to store, pet nutritionists such as DogAware.com's Mary Strauss say that canned food can be better than dry food, mostly because it contains fewer preservatives (since the canning process itself acts as a preservative). Canned dog food generally has less grain in its ingredients, and of course it has more moisture, which helps keep a dog hydrated and benefits the urinary tract. Most reviews say that a balance of canned and dry food is a good idea. Furthermore, there is no inherent dental benefit in dry dog food.

Dry dog food usually contains more filler and grain, and due to the manufacturing process, some experts say that dry food isn't very palatable to dogs all by itself. According to the Animal Protection Institute, that's why dry dog food is often sprayed with animal fat, sometimes obtained from restaurants disposing of used cooking oil. If you open a bag of dog food and it smells rancid, you should return it for a refund immediately.

Store brands vs. premium dog food

Pound for pound, store-brand dog food is obviously a lot cheaper. However, many pet-nutrition experts say that the initial cost difference doesn't tell the whole story. According to veterinarians at ThePetCenter.com, due to the higher-quality ingredients in premium food, your dog will actually eat less compared to inexpensive dog food: "Immediately you will notice that when feeding a high quality, meat-based food, the dog will need to consume fewer cups of it per day than a cheap diet." An added benefit is that since more of the food is absorbed as nutrients, your dog will pass less solid waste.

These statements are supported in tests at Good Dog Magazine. Editors write, "In one test we ran, we had to feed five times as much of the Economy brand dog food to get the same nutritional benefits of the Super-Premium. Despite the lower cost per bag of the Econo brand, it costs you more to feed than a Super-Premium, because you use more bags."

Experts also point out that suggested serving sizes are just that -- suggestions. Feeding needs vary greatly depending on your dog's breed and activity level, and serving-size guidelines are merely a good jumping-off point. A dog that spends all day running around in the yard will obviously need more food than a sedentary dog. Observation will tell you if your dog needs more or less food.

Best dry dog food

In the dry food category, Innova EVO (*est. $21 for a 13.2-pound bag) from Natura Pet Products is notable for its high-quality content. DogFoodAnalysis.com calls Innova EVO an "outstanding" product. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that there are no grains; carbohydrate comes from potatoes. In addition, the four top ingredients are meat products (turkey, chicken, turkey meal, chicken meal). Dog owners at RateItAll.com largely concur; Innova EVO dry dog food receives over 90 user reviews.

Innova EVO is more expensive and has a different formula than (non-EVO) Innova Adult Formula dry dog food (*est. $20 for a 16.5-pound bag) , but this dry dog food is also held in fairly high regard, and also receives recommendations from experts. The top ingredients in Innova dry food are turkey, chicken and chicken meal. The major difference between Innova Adult Formula and Innova EVO is that the former uses some grains, albeit high-quality ones such as barley and rice.

Solid Gold Barking at the Moon formula Dry (*est. $29 for a 15-pound bag) is a grainless dog food that scores well at DogFoodAnalysis.com and AnimalArk.com. The ingredients lead off with salmon meal, beef and potatoes. The editors at DogFoodAnalysis.com caution that foods like this with high protein content are only suitable for adult dogs, and particularly large-breed dogs. But, by the same token, the site notes that the absence of grains and the high meat content, coupled with the absence of any low-quality or controversial ingredients, is what sets Solid Gold apart from more conventional dry dog foods. AnimalArk.com adds that the Solid Gold line of dog foods is one of their favorites.

Natural Balance Ultra Premium (*est. $21 for a 17-pound bag) is notable for its use of all-natural dog food ingredients, quality meats and lack of by-products. However, Natural Balance Ultra Premium contains more grain than Innova EVO or Innova Adult Formula. Still, on the Petco website, the vast majority of consumers recommend Natural Balance Ultra Premium. While it does not do quite as well at RateItAll.com, it gets better scores from owners than store brands, and even some more expensive premium brands. Most owners comment on their dogs' overall health, energy, shiny coat and lack of digestive problems with this food, though a few owners say their pet's coat seemed too dry while on Natural Balance. Top ingredients include chicken, brown rice, duck and lamb meal. Some of Natural Balance's products were affected by the rice gluten recall, but Natural Balance Ultra Premium dry dog food was not.

Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul dog food (*est. $18.50 for an 18-pound bag) gets some recommendations as a dog food that uses premium ingredients, but is also a relative value. Its ingredient list leads off with chicken, turkey, chicken meal and ocean fish meal, and meat products such as salmon and duck are found further down. The only thing that keeps it from being rated even higher is that it also contains a bit of grain, but again, at least those are higher-quality grains such as barley and brown rice, along with oatmeal, millet and white rice. DogFoodAnalysis.com gives it a reserved score because of the number of grain ingredients and where they are placed in the ingredient list.

Any of the dry foods discussed above are a far better choice than most supermarket dry foods. Premium brands lead off with meat, and have additional meat high in the ingredient list. Contrast that with a popular supermarket choice such as Purina Dog Chow (*est. $14 for a 22-pound bag) . Its top ingredient is ground yellow corn, and things actually go downhill from there as the following ingredients are poultry by-product meal, animal fat, corn gluten meal, brewers rice, soybean meal and animal digest. While we use Purina Dog Chow here as an example, it is actually typical of the ingredient list you'll find in many mainstream dry dog foods.

Some brands with a premium profile that can be found in supermarkets and large pet stores don't fare that much better. Iams (*est. $22 for a 20-pound bag) lists its primary ingredients as chicken, corn meal, chicken by-product meal, ground whole grain sorghum and chicken fat. Science Diet Original Formula (*est. $21 for a 20-pound bag) is much the same, as its ingredient list leads off with chicken, ground whole-grain corn, ground whole-grain sorghum, ground whole-grain wheat, chicken by-product meal, soybean meal and animal fat. While both are better than typical supermarket foods, they are as or more expensive than some higher-quality choices.

Canned dog food

When evaluating canned dog food, scrutinizing ingredient lists is the best way to judge. We found a couple of recommendations for Canidae canned food, including a plug at AnimalArk.com. Canidae's Chicken and Rice Formula (*est. $1.15 per 13.5-ounce can) lists chicken, chicken broth, lamb, chicken liver, brown rice, barley and egg at the top. Innova EVO's 95 percent meat varieties, such as Chicken & Turkey (*est. $1.45 per 13.2-ounce can) get a top rating at DogFoodAnalysis.com and do well in user reviews, but we've seen reports that some dogs don't tolerate this grain-free product well because of its high protein content. The top ingredients are chicken, turkey and chicken broth. Eagle Pack Holistic (*est. $1.15 per 13-ounce can) also gets high ratings in reviews and from pet owners. In its beef formula, the first few ingredients are beef, beef broth, beef liver, ocean fish, oat bran, carrots, peas, potatoes and dried egg product.

When it comes to inexpensive dog foods, you're likely to find high levels of less nutritious ingredients, including glutens, animal digest and meat by-products. That said, a few products are better than others. Among the least expensive alternatives, Pedigree Choice Cuts with Beef (*est. 80¢ per 13-ounce can) is not too bad. After water (used for processing), top ingredients are actually poultry, and beef, although those are followed by meat by-products, wheat flour and wheat gluten. Pedigree Choice Cuts contains gluten, but was not among the products caught up in the recent recall.

Nutro MAX is a little more expensive, but is also a better choice. Its Chicken, Rice & Turkey Dinner (*est. $1.05 per 12.5-ounce can) contains primarily chicken broth, chicken, beef, beef liver, cod and chicken liver, with turkey appearing a little further down the ingredient list. Grain is present, in the form of ground rice and rice bran, but no corn, wheat, soy or gluten. Nutro MAX Chicken, Rice & Turkey earns a top score from a review website called Ask Susan Peters, although other reviews don't rate it quite as highly. Some varieties of Nutro MAX have been snared in the recent recalls, but its Chicken, Rice & Turkey Dinner has not been affected.

Life stages dog food

Choosing the proper food got even more challenging when manufacturers started labeling their foods as being suited for certain life stages, such as puppy, large adult or senior. According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), the body that governs and regulates pet food labeling, there are only two true designations: a formula for puppies and one for adult dogs. Puppy formulas generally have more calories and protein. Products labeled "senior" and "large breed" mean the food meets requirements for regular adult food. There's nothing regulating those additional terms when they're used on dog food packaging.

In addition, "lite" formulas can be misleading, and most labels don't give calorie breakdowns. If you want to know the calorie count, contact the manufacturer. The phone number or web address should be on the label. Linda Bren, writing in FDA Consumer magazine, says "A pet food can claim to be 'light' or 'lean' only if it meets AAFCO's standard definitions for these terms." The complete article is available online and is packed with other useful facts about pet food labeling. See Best Research for more information. Rather than rely on manufacturer claims, if your pet is overweight, formulate a diet and exercise plan with your veterinarian.

Important Features: Dog food

Reviews say the following about shopping for dog food:

• Change dog foods periodically, and alternate between dry dog food and canned food. Canned food is generally better nutritionally than dry food because it contains fewer grain ingredients and fewer preservatives. Many experts say you should change brands every few months as well, which will ensure that any nutrient deficiencies in a particular food won't have long-term effects. Find three or four foods your dog likes and alternate between them.

• Look for certification by the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials). According to the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, "An AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement is one of the most important aspects of a dog or cat food label. A 'complete and balanced' pet food must be substantiated for nutritional adequacy by one of two means. The first method is for the pet food to contain ingredients formulated to provide levels of nutrients that meet an established profile. The alternative means of substantiating nutritional adequacy is for the product to be tested following the AAFCO Feeding Trial Protocols."

• Choose a food that has whole meat or whole meat meal (lamb meal, chicken meal, etc.) as its top ingredients. Grain sources should also be whole grains, as opposed to glutens or other processed products. Rice and barley is better than corn or wheat.

• Avoid BHT, BHA and ethoxyquin as preservatives. A better choice would be foods preserved with tocopherols (vitamin E) or vitamin C (ascorbate).

• Observe your dog carefully when trying a new food. Some dogs need more protein and some need less, just as some dogs need to eat more than others, depending on activity level. Look for changes in coat and skin, along with stool consistency.

• Pet food safety is a growing concern. Recent recalls of dog foods because of wheat and rice glutens contaminated with melamine have spotlighted some major issues regarding pet foods and their ingredients. While the majority of foods -- and all of the foods in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers -- have been deemed to be safe, this is an ongoing issue. It is a good idea to keep a watchful eye on things for the foreseeable future. The FDA and ASPCA websites set up to address pet food safety are a good place to start. Their web addresses can be found in the Best Research section below.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of Picks	Model (with retailer links)	Details from Amazon.com
2	Canidae Canned (*est. $1.15 per 13.5-ounce can)	details
2	Innova EVO Dry (*est. $21 for a 13.2-pound bag) Canned (*est. $1.45 per 13.2-ounce can)	details details
2	Innova Dry (*est. $22 for a 16.5-pound bag)	details
2	Solid Gold Barking at the Moon Dry (*est. $29 for a 15-pound bag)	details
1 each	Go Natural , Nature's Variety , Orijen , Timberwolf Organics , By Nature Organics , Evangers , Wysong , Azmira , California Natural , Eagle Pack Holistic , Flint River , Sojourner Farms , Castor and Pollux Pet Works ORGANIX , Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul , Eagle Pack Holistic Select , Natural Balance , Nature's Select , Nutro MAX , Nutro Natural Choice , Professional , Three Dog Bakery , Wellness

This chart doesn't reflect the large amount of information we found on dog food ingredients. Even if they don't recommend specific products, many sources go into great detail about what proteins and carbohydrates you should look for. We used these guidelines, along with review recommendations, to perform our own analysis. Once you start reading labels, you may identify other good dog foods.

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