Dog Food Manufacturers
Many of you are already aware that some pet food companies own and operate their own manufacturing facilities and some of them do not....
Meat and Meat Meal: Sorting Through Animal Protein Sources
A few years ago, we added a new column to the chart full of information that we publish in our annual “approved dry dog...
Understanding the “Guaranteed Analysis (GA)”
The guaranteed analysis (GA) is a highly regulated part of a pet food label, and the facts printed there are subject to surveillance and enforcement. State feed control officials may sample and test the product at any point in its production and sale; they often do visit stores and pull product from the shelf to […]
How to Shop Dog Food Labels
Alright! You’re in the pet supply store, armed with information about what you have been feeding your dog. You know which nutritional adequacy (AAFCO) statement to look for, you know how much protein and fat should be in the guaranteed analysis of the foods you are going to consider, and, presumably, you know how much […]
In the Fine Print: Nutritional Adequacy Statements
It’s bizarre, but one of the most important things on a pet food label is often in the tiniest print: the nutritional adequacy statement, aka the “AAFCO statement.” AAFCO stands for the Association of American Feed Control Officials. This is the organization that developed the standards the industry uses to determine what constitutes “complete and […]
Rotation, Rotation, Rotation: Choose Several Dog Foods
You may have not noticed, but we’ve been using the words “foods” and “products” in the text above. We strongly encourage owners to rotate among at least three different products from different pet food companies throughout the year. And more may be better! Here’s why: Most pet food companies use the same vitamin/mineral premix for […]
Four Steps to Personalized Nutrition
The beginning of your dog food buying journey actually starts with what you feed your dog right now. You are feeding your dog something already, correct? Good! In order to make choices that will maintain or, better yet, improve your dog’s health, you need to know what’s in the food you already feed him. Otherwise, […]
The Best Foods for Your Dog
We know that many of you subscribe to Whole Dog Journal in order to learn about dog food. We’re also aware that, more specifically, many of you are hoping that we will tell you which foods are best; you want to know what you should be buying to feed your dog. Well, we have some […]
Whole Dog Journal’s Approved Dry Dog Foods for 2020
Products appear alphabetically by best-known name. In some cases this is the name of the company that makes the food; in others, it’s the name of the food line. We have split some lines made by the same manufacturer into separate rows to better distinguish prices, # of varieties, etc. Read about our criteria when […]
Whole Dog Journal’s Approved Dry Dog Food List
The food you give your dog plays a critical role in his well-being, both on a daily basis and long-term. He needs a diet with the right nutrients to keep him active, happy, and healthy. And make no mistake: Not all dog foods are created equal. Since 1998, The Whole Dog Journal has been proving that much in an annual review and ratings of dry dog foods. Dog food brands like Champion Petfoods' Orijen, Diamond's Taste of the Wild, and Merrick have been regulars on the Whole Dog Journal Approved list in recent years, as have Bench & Field and Wellpet's Wellness, among many others.
Whole Dog Journal’s 2019 Approved Wet Dog Foods
Canned dog foods represent only about 15% of the overall pet food market. Why don’t more people feed their dogs canned food? It has a lot going for it: -Dogs love it! The high palatability of canned food is due to a number of factors, including a high inclusion of meat, high fat content (usually), […]
How to Compare Nutrient Levels in Canned Dog Foods with Dry Foods
The percentages of nutrients shown in the guaranteed analysis section on a pet food label (protein, fat, fiber, moisture) are expressed “as fed” – meaning, as the food is delivered in its package. Some percentage of the food is comprised of moisture (water), which of course contains no protein, fat, fiber, or any other nutrient. […]
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