How to Read a Dog Food Label
The one statement that matters most, what the name rules mean, why the ingredient list misleads, and how to compare wet and dry food fairly.
Written by thecanineledger
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A bag of “Beef Dog Food” must be mostly beef. A bag of “Dog Food With Beef” needs only 3%. That difference is set by a naming rule most owners have never heard of (AAFCO, Reading Labels).
While the front of the bag is designed to sell, the back is where the rules apply. This page explains what each part of a US label means, and what it can’t tell you. Rules differ in other countries; see the notice for yours.
1. Find the nutritional adequacy statement
This is the line that tells you whether the food can be fed on its own. AAFCO, the association of US state feed officials whose model rules most states use, calls it “perhaps the most important part of a label”, and warns that it is “located on the back or sides of the package and in small print.”
According to the US Food and Drug Administration, if the statement “includes the phrase “complete and balanced,” then the product is intended to be fed as a pet’s sole diet” (FDA, “Complete and Balanced” Pet Food).
Check three things in it:
- Is it complete and balanced? If it says “intended for intermittent or supplementary feeding only”, it isn’t. WSAVA’s guidelines say such foods “should only be fed as a small portion of the diet (10% or less), or under veterinarian supervision if feeding a therapeutic diet”. AAFCO’s rules “do not require that pet treats meet standard nutritional adequacy requirements” if the bag says “snack” or “treat”.
- For which life stage? AAFCO recognises gestation/lactation, growth, maintenance and all life stages. WSAVA notes that “Diets labeled “for all life-stages” are formulated for reproduction and growth.”
- How was it shown? Either the recipe was “formulated to meet” AAFCO’s nutrient levels, or the food passed “Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures”.
Our note: Some vets prefer foods that have passed feeding trials. We haven’t found a source we’ve read that says this is better evidence.
2. Read the name carefully
AAFCO’s naming rules, which most US states have adopted, set how much of a named ingredient the food must contain:
| Name on the bag | What the rule requires |
|---|---|
| “Beef Dog Food” (95% rule) | At least 95% of the product, not counting added water, and at least 70% counting it |
| “Beef Dinner”, “Entrée”, “Platter” (25% rule) | At least 25%, not counting added water, and at least 10% counting it |
| “Dog Food With Beef” (“with” rule) | At least 3% |
| “Beef Flavor” (flavour rule) | No set amount; an ingredient must provide the flavour |
On flavour, AAFCO says “A product does not need to have a huge amount of an ingredient which only provides flavor.”
3. The ingredient list
US rules require ingredients to be listed “in descending order according to their weight”, but “The absolute amount of each ingredient is not quantified in the ingredient list.”
That makes the list easy to over-read. Fresh meat is heavy with water, so it can appear first even when it supplies less protein than a dry ingredient further down. WSAVA’s nutrition committee says “the ingredient name does not detail its nutritional quality, its digestibility, or the bioavailability of its nutrients” (WSAVA, Frequently Asked Questions & Myths, 2018).
It also answers two common worries. On grains: “Nothing in a pet food is truly “filler”. On by-products: the word “does not have any implication on its quality or nutritional value.”
Our note: The point about fresh meat’s water weight is general knowledge, not a source we quote.
4. The guaranteed analysis
This box gives minimum protein and fat, and maximum fibre and moisture. It’s useful for comparing foods, but only foods with similar moisture.
The FDA gives a worked example. Canned food is “typically 75 to 78 percent moisture” and dry food “typically 10 to 12 percent moisture”. To compare them, convert to a “dry matter” basis: subtract the moisture percentage from 100, then divide the nutrient percentage by that figure and multiply by 100. In the FDA’s worked example, which uses cat foods, the dry food looked highest in protein on the label but was lowest once converted.
5. Calories and feeding directions
Under AAFCO’s model rules, the calorie statement sits under a heading titled “Calorie Content”, in kilocalories per kilogram and per familiar measure, such as a can, cup or biscuit. Outside the US, WSAVA notes, “Calorie information is only required on pet food labels in the US.”
Feeding directions are a starting point. AAFCO calls them “guidelines that may need modification to meet a particular pet’s needs.” Your vet can help you work out the right amount for your dog.
6. What the label can’t tell you
The label won’t tell you who formulated the food or how well it’s made. WSAVA suggests owners ask the company, for example whether it employs a qualified nutritionist, and “What is the quality control process for ingredients and finished products?” (WSAVA, Guidelines on Selecting Pet Foods, 2021). If a company can’t or won’t answer, WSAVA says owners “should be cautious about feeding that brand.”
→ There Is No “WSAVA-Approved” Food
Our note: This page describes US rules. In Canada, the CFIA says its oversight of pet food is limited to imports and exports. We haven’t read Canada’s voluntary labelling guide or the EU and UK code.
7. What we could not verify
| Commonly said | What we found |
|---|---|
| “The first ingredient tells you the main ingredient” | Only by weight before cooking, including water. |
| “By-products are low quality” | Not by definition, WSAVA says. |
| “Grains are fillers” | Not true, WSAVA says; they provide energy and nutrients. |
| “Seals of approval mean a food is complete” | No. The FDA says such seals are “not assurances of nutritional adequacy”. |
Sources
- Association of American Feed Control Officials: Reading Labels (US; AAFCO’s models are not themselves law; read in full)
- US Food and Drug Administration: “Complete and Balanced” Pet Food (content current as of 28 February 2020; read)
- WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee: Guidelines on Selecting Pet Foods (updated 10 March 2021; read in full)
- WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee: Frequently Asked Questions & Myths (last updated January 2018; read)
Always confirm with your vet before acting on anything on this page.