How to Read a Dog Food Label

We all want the best for our dogs, including nutrition. And anyone who has shopped for dog food knows, there are virtually unlimited options: Hundreds of brands with innumerable ingredients; wet, dry, and raw food; age-specific food; restricted diets, along with all sorts of advertising and marketing claims to decipher. The label is the best tool to use when you make a choice but can often be hard to understand. We’re here to demystify how to read a dog food label.

Dog Food Label Format

All pet food labels follow roughly the same format:

• Product and brand name or unique identifier.
• Quantity in terms of product weight, liquid measure, or count, depending on the formulation of the food.
• Guaranteed analysis, which specifies the amount of specific nutrients.
• Ingredients, which must be listed in descending order by weight.
• Nutritional adequacy statement, which must be backed up by testing that proves the food provides a certain level of nutrients. It may also include the life stages the food is appropriate for.
• Feeding directions.
• Manufacturer’s name and address
• Calorie statement

Now that you know what’s listed, what does it all mean? Let’s take them one at a time.

Product Name

There’s more to the product name than clever marketing. The name will actually give you your first clue about the ingredients. Because so many pet owners base their buying decision on a specific ingredient, brands will try to highlight that ingredient in the product name. But it’s all in the wording. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has four rules:

The 95% Rule

At least 95% of the product must be the named ingredient, for example, “Chicken for Dogs,” or “Salmon Dog Food,” must include at least 95% of chicken or salmon, respectively. In addition, this main product must be at least 70% of the total product when counting the added water. According to AAFCO regulations, the remaining 5% of ingredients will be those required for nutritional reasons, such as vitamins and minerals, and small amounts of any other ingredients.

The 25% Rule

When you see products named “Beef Dinner for Dogs,” “Chicken and Sweet Potato Entrée,” or “Lamb Platter,” for example, this is the 25% rule in action. If the named ingredients comprise at least 25% of the product (not counting the water for processing), but less than 95%, the product name must include a qualifying term, such as dinner, entrée, or platter. Counting the added water, the named ingredients still must comprise 10% of the product. If more than one ingredient is included in a “dinner,” the combination of the named ingredients must total 25% of the product. They also should be listed in the same order as found on the ingredient list.

The “With” Rule

When you see a dog food label, such as “Doggie Dinner with Beef,” the “with…” ingredient need only be at least 3% of the product. Just the addition of that one word — “with” — dramatically changes the percentage requirement of the ingredient in the food and is a good reason to pay attention to the product name.

The Flavor Rule

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), if the label says, “Beef Flavor Dog Food,” then “a specific percentage (of the beef) is not required, but a product must contain an amount sufficient to be able to be detected.” For example, the word “flavor” must appear on the label in the same size, style, and color as the word “beef.”

Quantity

The quantity listed on the label tells you how much of the food is in the container. This may be measured by weight, liquid measure, or by count. Products can vary in density (think wet food vs. dry food, for example). So, if you really want to know how much a product costs, do a cost-per-ounce or cost-per-pound comparison.

Guaranteed Analysis

Many states have regulations requiring the minimum amount of nutrients a pet food must contain, as well as the maximum amount of moisture and crude fiber. Dog food labels must display the percentage of crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, and water. For those who like to get technical, the FDA provides a detailed explanation of how the guaranteed analysis is calculated on its website.

If there are specific guarantees, such as that the food is low-fat, then both the maximum and minimum percentage of the item must be guaranteed. If a product claims to have vitamin or mineral supplements, there must be a guarantee of the amount the product supplies.

Ingredients

According to Dr. Jerry Klein, the AKC’s chief veterinary officer, the ingredients section is the most important part of the label to read. Ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight. Each ingredient must be listed individually, and, according to AAFCO regulations, terms describing collective ingredients, such as “animal protein products” aren’t allowed. In addition, ingredients must be listed by their “common or usual name.” The AAFCO has a detailed list of ingredients, their common names, and what they contain.

A word about byproducts: While we may not want to eat them, byproducts aren’t necessarily a bad addition in dog food. They include parts such as the liver, which is rich in vitamin A. Other byproducts include blood, brains, bone, stomach, and cleaned intestines. Meat meal may also contain ingredients we consider byproducts. It sounds gross, but your dog might not agree.

Nutritional Adequacy Statement

Look for the fine print on the side or back of the package. Many dog foods claim to be “complete and balanced” or “100% nutritious.” These aren’t just marketing terms. Dr. Klein says, “The phrase means that the food has met specific government standards and provides complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages of adult dogs, as determined by AAFCO.” The food must contain the proper amount and ratio of essential nutrients for the needs of a healthy dog.

Often the nutritional adequacy statement identifies the life stage the food is appropriate for. AAFCO recognizes these stages:

• Gestation/lactation
• Growth
• Maintenance
• All life stages

Some products are labeled for a more specific use or life stage, such as “senior” or for a specific size or breed. The FDA says, “There is little information as to the true dietary needs of these more specific uses, and no rules governing these types of statements have been established. Thus, a “senior” diet must meet the requirements for adult maintenance, but no more.”

The nutritional adequacy statement must be in a standardized format, which makes it easy to compare products.

Feeding Directions

This is pretty straightforward — the label tells you how much you should feed your dog. This is listed either by the weight of the food per pound or measure of food per cup. However, as the FDA says, breed, temperament, environment, and many other factors can influence food intake. Feeding directions are guidelines, not regulations. Regardless of what the package says, consult your vet if you have any questions.

According to Dr. Klein, it’s also important to note the “sell-by” or “best-used-by” statement. He says, “Due to the nature of the ingredients used in all dog foods, including fats and proteins, the food can go rancid. Expired dog food offers less nutritional value and can grow harmful bacteria or mold that can sicken your dog.”

Deciphering the Descriptive Terms

There are so many new trends in pet food that it can be difficult to know exactly what you’re getting. Is “organic” the same as “natural”? What does “lite” mean? Is “grain-free” a good thing? Does my dog need “new proteins”?

Organic

There are currently no official regulations specific to the labeling of organic foods for pets, although the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is developing some. In the meantime, dog foods that claim to be organic must meet the ingredient, production, and handling requirements of the USDA’s National Organic Program to be considered organic. In simple terms, organic dog food is defined the same way organic human food is:

• No artificial preservatives, coloring, or flavoring
• No antibiotics or growth hormones in meat and meat by-products
• Little or no fillers

Is organic pet food better? The jury is still out on this. High-quality commercial dog food meets the AAFCO’s stringent nutritional guidelines and lists any type of fillers fairly low on the ingredient list. Sometimes dogs with sensitive stomachs do better with organic food, and some organic foods have beneficial antioxidants. Organic food is, however, more expensive. Frankly, it’s your call.

“Natural” isn’t the same as “organic.” The latter term refers to the conditions under which plants are grown or animals are raised. For the most part, you can construe “natural” as equivalent to a lack of artificial flavors, artificial colors, or artificial preservatives in the product.

Grain-Free

There is little veterinary science to support the benefits of grain-free dog food. That being said, Lisa Freeman, veterinary nutritionist and professor of clinical nutrition at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, notes that there’s a possibility that an increase in a heart disease called cardiomyopathy is “associated with eating boutique or grain-free diets, with some of the dogs improving when their diets are changed.” Some dogs actually do better with the high-fiber content of grains.

The FDA is also reviewing grain-free diets because there’s concern of a possible link between certain breeds of dogs and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) — a type of canine heart disease that affects the heart muscle in certain dogs or breeds of dogs.

New Proteins

No, they’re not really new. They derive from sources such as bison, kangaroo, rabbit, and other “exotic” animals. It’s tough to rate their benefits because they have different digestibility and nutrient profiles than the more common proteins. They may be suitable for dogs that have difficulty eating chicken, beef, or other meats.

Human-Grade Dog Food

The FDA and USDA highly regulates human-grade food, defined as a food that is legally edible and approved as nourishment for humans. However, according to the AAFCO, for a product to be “human grade,” all ingredients in the product must be human edible and the product must be manufactured, packed, and held in accordance with federal regulations in 21 CFR 110, Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food.

Also, human-grade dog food isn’t necessarily safer, tastier, or less expensive than high-quality pet food. These products must also be clearly labeled for their intended use as animal food, such as including the phrase “dog food” in the same size as the phrase “human-grade” on the packaging.

Lite, Low-Calorie, and Low-Fat

To use any of these terms, the food must have a significant reduction of calories or fat compared to standard pet food. The AAFCO requires that labels making these claims must show the percentage reduction in calories or fats and must name a product for comparison.

Cheat Sheet for Reading Pet Food Labels

You probably now know more than you ever thought possible about all those words on your dog’s food packaging. This information should make you a better-informed consumer, helping you to choose the best possible diet for your pup. Here’s a quick cheat sheet to help you remember all of this when you’re standing in the dog food aisle:

• The ingredient listed first is the greatest ingredient in the food by weight.
• The sell-by date will help prevent you from buying food that may have gone bad.
• The guaranteed analysis tells you how much protein, fat, fiber, and water the food contains.
• The quantity of different products should be compared on a cost-per-pound or cost-per-ounce basis.
• The feeding directions are recommendations, not rules. Check with your vet.

*Labeling is regulated on the federal level by the FDA, which establishes standards for all animal food. Some states have their own regulations, which are often adopted from the regulations of the AAFCO.