A pet food bag has a lot of words on the front and the useful facts on the back. These are the parts worth finding.
In the US, AAFCO lists what must be on a pet food label: the product name, the species it is for, the quantity, a guaranteed analysis, an ingredient statement, a nutritional adequacy statement, feeding directions for most complete foods, and the name and address of the maker or distributor.
The guaranteed analysis
AAFCO explains that "crude" refers to the lab method used, not the quality of the nutrient. For example, crude protein is worked out by measuring nitrogen and multiplying by 6.25.
This box lists the minimum crude protein and crude fat, and the maximum crude fibre and moisture. "Minimum" means the food has at least that much, so the real amount can be higher. The numbers are "as fed", which means they include the water in the food.
The ingredient list
The list does not give the amount of each ingredient. Names on the front follow AAFCO naming rules: "Beef Dog Food" must be at least 95% beef (not counting added water), a "Beef Dinner" or "Entrée" at least 25%, "with beef" at least 3%, and "beef flavor" only needs an ingredient that provides the flavor.
WSAVA's Global Nutrition Committee points out that the ingredient list gives no information on the quality of the ingredients and can be misleading about the overall quality of the food.
Ingredients are listed by weight, heaviest first. Fresh meat contains a lot of water, so it can appear first even when a dried ingredient further down adds more protein once the water is gone. Read the list as a rough order, not an exact recipe.
The calorie statement
A "light", "lite" or "low-calorie" claim has a ceiling. For example, AAFCO says a lite dry dog food cannot contain more than 3,100 kcal per kg.
Look for calories per kilogram and per cup or can. In the US, AAFCO's model regulations require it under a "Calorie Content" heading, in kcal per kg and per familiar unit such as a cup or can, so you can compare foods and work out a portion. If it is missing, ask the maker.
The "complete and balanced" statement
According to the FDA, a dog or cat food can say "complete and balanced" only if it meets an AAFCO Dog or Cat Food Nutrient Profile or passes a feeding trial using AAFCO procedures. AAFCO has two profiles per species: growth and reproduction, and adult maintenance. A food labelled "for intermittent or supplemental feeding only" is not meant to be fed on its own.
This says which life stage the food is made for, for example growth, adult maintenance or all life stages. A food for adults is not designed for a growing puppy, and an all-life-stages food has to meet the growth needs.
What the front of the bag cannot tell you
- Words like "natural" or "premium" do not tell you how much protein, fat or calcium is inside.
- A photo of a roast chicken does not mean chicken is the main ingredient.
- Wet and dry foods look very different on the label because of water. See our guide to comparing per 1000 calories.
