What the Words on Dog-Food Labels Really Mean

Even for the most discerning consumer, a dog-food label can be hard to parse. The words on the package don’t always mean what you expect them to. Here are some terms you might see on a bag of dog food, and what they really mean.

Meaningless:

“Premium”

This is just a marketing term. While premium gasoline must meet a certain octane rating, which varies by state, there’s no such standard for “premium” dog food. Any company can put this word on their label, and it won’t tell you anything about the food. The same goes for “gourmet.”

“Holistic”

One of our own vets has a joke that goes like this:

“How do you make a dog food holistic?”

“Write it on the label.”

Sadly, at this point, that’s the whole process.

There’s no regulated definition of “holistic” on a dog-food label. While it’s a good thought to take a dog’s overall health into account when you make any decision on their behalf, the fact is that the word “holistic” on a product doesn’t provide any information.

Meaningful, but potentially misleading:

“Natural”

This word does have an official definition from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), but it’s so broad that you might be surprised by what can go into a food that’s technically natural. As long as an ingredient is “derived solely from plant, animal or mined sources,” it can undergo a wide range of processes and still be called “natural.” For example, meat could be rendered at high heat, turned into a powdered meal, end up in a dry little kibble ball that looks nothing like its original form—and, according to regulations, still be “natural!” This may be true, but it’s not necessarily reassuring.

“With”

Companies aren’t allowed to say that their product is made “with” a certain ingredient without using any of it at all—but they don’t have to use very much. If a food is labeled as being made “with chicken,” for example, it only has to include 3% chicken. So you’ll want to take a much closer look before you assume that what you’re feeding your dog is substantially made up of that ingredient.

Very meaningful:

“AAFCO complete and balanced” 

If you see these words on a label, they tell you that a food is formulated to meet all of a dog’s nutritional requirements.

Our food is always complete and balanced. But the claim on the label isn’t the whole story, and we go further than many other brands to make sure our food is healthy for dogs of all ages.

We have four on-staff, board-certified nutritionists who are responsible for formulating every one of our recipes. That’s one of many reasons we meet or exceed all of WSAVA’s guidelines for selecting a pet food.

“Human Grade”

This is a big one. AAFCO has a strict definition of “human grade”: It means that every ingredient and the pet food itself is sourced, cooked, packaged, and stored to the same standards required for human food. We clear this bar.

In other words, the human-grade standard doesn’t apply only to the ingredients in the food, but also to how the food is made. The Farmer’s Dog food is made in facilities licensed to produce human food, alongside food made for humans. Very few pet foods are made to this strict standard.

If you’d like to switch your dog’s diet now that you know what’s important to look for on a dog-food label, sign up for your first box of The Farmer’s Dog today.