Brands of commercial dog foods can be classified as generic, popular, or premium. Generic foods are less expensive than popular ones, and premium foods are the most expensive.
Generic dog foods do not carry a brand name. Closely related to generics are the private-label pet foods that carry the names of the stores in which they are sold. These foods provide a list of ingredients as required by law, but most cannot make claims that the food is nutritionally balanced or complete.
Generic products are less expensive than popular and premium brands, because the food is manufactured using low-cost ingredients. Furthermore, the ingredients vary from package to package, depending on which nutrient sources were available at the time the food was manufactured. In feeding trials, many of the generic products were found to have lower digestibility, due to the addition of indigestible fibers.
Popular dog foods are the recognizable brands from major food manufacturers. They are available at most supermarkets and grocery stores. These companies spend a good deal of time and energy testing and advertising their products.
To show that their foods contain all the protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals dogs need to grow and thrive, popular dog food makers cite one of two established standards on the label. Both standards are set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), a nonprofit association of federal and state officials that develops guidelines for the production, labeling, and sale of animal foods.
One standard requires that the food meet an AAFCO profile that is based on a calculation of all the nutrients dogs are theoretically known to require to maintain health and fitness. The other standard involves feeding trials that demonstrate dogs can live and thrive on the product.
The calculation approach is limited in its usefulness because current knowledge is not firm for all the nutrients dogs require. In addition, there is no guarantee that the dog can digest and absorb all the nutrients in a specific food. Feeding trials are superior to the calculation method because they show that the product actually works and delivers the desired results. The drawbacks are that only a six-month feeding trial and only a small number of test dogs are required for a manufacturer to make the claim.
Nevertheless, for a pet food company to represent its product as "complete," "balanced," "perfect," "scientific," or "formulated for growth, pregnancy, or lactation," the product must conform to one of the AAFCO profiles for that stage of life. Any food marketed as "for all life stages" must have the extra protein and calories needed to support growing young puppies as well as maintain elderly dogs.
Because of these constraints, the nutrient content of these products remains fairly constant even though different sources may be used in the formulation. Premium dog foods are available only through veterinarians, pet supply stores, feed stores, and the Internet. In general, the ingredients used in these products are highly digestible and have good to excellent nutrient availability.
In contrast to popular brands, premium foods are produced using fixed formulas. The ingredients used do not change in response to availability or market price. Manufacturers of these foods validate their claims through AAFCO feeding studies (not calculations). Because these products contain high-quality food sources that are easily digested, dogs can be fed smaller amounts. Therefore, even though a bag may cost more, the cost per serving may be comparable to many popular brands.
Dog food is available as canned, semimoist, and dry kibble. It makes little difference from a nutritional point of view which of these you choose. Semimoist foods have more preservatives, however, and many dog owners try to avoid those. Some dogs find canned food more palatable because it generally has a higher percentage of moisture and fat.
Dry kibble is least expensive and has the advantage of maintaining the health of the teeth and gums. You can leave dry food out all day for free-choice consumption - but only if your dog is not overweight or having housetraining problems. Canned food should be left out only for short periods because it spoils quickly. Any unused portion should be refrigerated.
Commercial foods contain instructions on the label about how much to feed, based on the weight of the dog. The manufacturer's recommended serving size is often more than many dogs require. Follow the directions at first, but monitor your dog's weight. Feed more if the dog starts to lose weight and less if he gains weight or leaves food in the dish. Each dog really needs a customized diet based on his individual size, health, age, and activity level.
In summary, while the standards set by AAFCO do have some limitations, they still provide the best guidelines available for selecting a dog food. Look on the package for the AAFCO statement that the nutritional adequacy of the product has been confirmed by a feeding trial. This shows that the product is complete and balanced for the intended life stage. Avoid generic and private-label foods that do not contain the AAFCO feeding trial statement.
Once you have narrowed the field, select a product that your dog finds especially tasty. Premium foods may be more digestible and consistent from batch to batch, but these considerations may not be significant for some dogs.
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