Deciphering Dog Food Labels by TD Yandt also published in The Pinkertongue, in the Autumn 2007 edition
What we choose to feed our dogs is just as important as what we choose to teach them. Diet can impact their quality of life to a huge degree... from their coat texture, to their energy level, to their eye and joint health. It’s up to us to do our research to ensure the very best for them. My personal choice has been to switch to a raw food diet, however many don’t have the time or knowledge to prepare home made meals for their pets. So here are a few guidelines to help you choose the best food for your furry pal.
Meat Meal or Meat Byproducts This is one of the scariest things you can find on a pet food label. Unspecified meat sources could mean your choice of food contains anything from diseased cattle, to road kill, to euthanized pets (and the drugs contained in their systems). These “meats” come from rendering plants where animal bodies unsuitable for human consumption are dumped into huge vats and melted together. Avoid unspecified meat sources at ALL costs. Instead, look for Lamb meal, Poultry byproducts, or whole Fish.
The first four ingredients Pet food manufacturers often trick consumers into thinking that the main source of protein in their foods are animal proteins - which isn’t always the case. Watch for numerous mention of similar foods within the first four listed ingredients. One food lists Chicken meal, ground corn, corn gluten meal, and cracked corn... despite Chicken being the first ingredient, the corn products, being the second, third, and fourth ingredient, will far outweigh any meat found in this food.
Grains Dogs are mainly meat eaters, thus have digestive systems not meant to handle grains. However, many foods include numerous grain sources like rice, barley, oats, and millet. These can cause allergic reactions and stomach upset... however there are dogs who seem to handle them just fine. Weigh your options. If you’ve narrowed your choice to two foods, that are otherwise equal, choose the one with fewer grains.
The Extras Great things to watch for in a good quality kibble are a variety of vegetables and herbs. Carrots, apples, blueberries, pumpkin, kelp, yucca, and sweet potatoes are all absolutely fabulous nutrient rich foods that your dog will benefit from.
Do a search online for the truth about pet food ingredients and help deciphering dog food labels. Watch for a high quality brand like Innova, Go! Natural, Health Wise, Wysong, Flint River Ranch, and the new Chicken Soup for the Dog Lovers Soul brand... your dog will thank you for it.
