One Political Plaza - Home of politics
Home Active Topics Newest Pictures Search Login Register
General Chit-Chat (non-political talk)
How to read dog food lables
Apr 23, 2019 15:21:16   #
no propaganda please Loc: moon orbiting the third rock from the sun
 
How to Read a Dog Food Label


Your dog’s food label contains a lot of information. Knowing how to read the label and decipher the information it contains will help you understand what’s in your dog’s food and why.

Plus, you’ll know where to direct questions about his food and more.
Government Regulations Around Dog Food & Package Labels

According to regulations set forth by federal and state agencies, every package of dog food must contain the following items.

Overview: The overview identifies the brand name (Like Purina Pro Plan or Purina Dog Chow). It may also give an indication of the primary ingredients or formula name, such as “chicken and rice.”
Net Weight Statement: This states how much food is in the bag or can.
Manufacturer/Distributor Name & Address: This information tells you who made the food, so you can contact them with questions.
Product Traceability Information: Based on the date code on a Purina dog food label, we can pinpoint the exact production date and the plant that produced that particular package.
Ingredient List: The ingredients on dog food labels are listed in descending order by content weight. If you see chicken listed as the first ingredient, for example, you’ll know your dog’s food has more chicken than any other ingredient on the list.
Guaranteed Analysis: The guaranteed analysis shows the product’s nutrient content. It must include the minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture. Including percentages for additional nutrients is voluntary, but they’re often included anyway. The essential nutrients listed in the guaranteed analysis must meet (or exceed) the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) nutrient profile standards.
Nutritional Adequacy Statement: A dog food must meet or exceed the standards of an established nutrient profile to be marked “complete and balanced” for a particular life stage, such as adult maintenance or growth. Some products and dog foods are designed for intermittent or supplemental feeding and are not considered “complete and balanced.”
Feeding Directions: These guidelines help you determine how much and how often to feed your dog each day. You may need to adjust the amount to maintain his ideal body condition based on his age, activity level and more. Feeding recommendations are also based on dogs not spayed or neutered. If yours has been fixed, you’ll want to account for that, too, says Dr. RuthAnn Lobos, DVM, CCRT and Purina Institute Scientific Programs and Events Manager. Your dog’s veterinarian can help you determine how much to feed your dog.
Calorie Statement: The calorie statement is expressed as kilocalories per kilogram and as a common unit of measure, such as kilocalories per cup. This will help you understand the differences between dry dog food brands.

Nutrients vs. Ingredients on Dog Food Labels

“It’s nutrients, not ingredients, when it comes to dog food and healthy dogs,” says Dr. Lobos. The ingredients in your dog’s food are important, but you should pay attention to the nutrients they provide.

The nutrients a complete and balanced dog food should include are:

Protein: According to Dr. Lobos, “Protein is critical for metabolism, skin and coat and lean body mass.” Protein helps support a healthy i****e s****m, she says.
Fat: When it comes to fat, Dr. Lobos says it protects the body, builds neurons and produces energy.
Vitamins & Minerals: Vitamins are body protectors while minerals are body builders and protectors, she says. According to Dr. Lobos, dogs need 23 essential vitamins and minerals. So you want to look for dog food labels that say they’re “complete and balanced.” This means vitamins and minerals have been added to meet the dog’s nutritional needs.
Carbohydrates: The various sources of carbohydrates in your dog’s food provide him with energy.

What about By-Products & Difficult-to-Pronounce Ingredients?

There are a lot of misconceptions about what by-products are. Many people believe they are cheap fillers or even inedible parts of other animals, but that’s not the case.

As Dr. Lobos explains, by-products are usually nutrient-rich organ meats not typically used for human consumption. They are not animal hair, feathers or other undesirable ingredients. Not only are by-products an excellent source of protein, vitamins and minerals, but they also reduce environmental waste.

As far as those lengthy ingredient names go, a quick internet search can help. You’ll see that calcium pantothenate is vitamin B-5, thiamine mononitrate is vitamin B-1 and L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosph**e is vitamin C.

Those ingredients are almost always listed as the scientific name for a vitamin or mineral, which are essential in helping to maintain your dog’s health.
Claims on Dog Food Labels

Regulations for human food and pet food are different. On a dog food label, “natural” means there are no chemically synthesized ingredients outside of vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

Of course, you’ll see those scientific, hard-to-pronounce names we mentioned above. You now know those are just the official names of vitamins and minerals, though—not something that doesn’t belong in your dog’s food.

“Formulated to meet” on a label means an analysis proves the food meets nutrient profile standards. An "animal feeding test," means the product was fed to dogs using one of AAFCO’s feeding protocols. This validates the product meets the AAFCO nutrient profile for the life stage indicated on the package.
How to Decide Which Dog Food is Right for Your Dog

Having a better understanding of dog food labels allows you to better assess the various types of food available. As a result, you can confidently choose the one that best meets your dog’s needs. Comparing different types of dog food isn’t easy, but our experts can help.

Reply
Apr 23, 2019 16:40:19   #
k7gco
 
Eater joke; Do you know why the Easter Bunny hides its eggs? He doesn't want anyone to know he's been messing around with a chicken!

Reply
Apr 24, 2019 19:18:47   #
Larry the Legend Loc: Not hiding in Milton
 
k7gco wrote:
Eater joke; Do you know why the Easter Bunny hides its eggs? He doesn't want anyone to know he's been messing around with a chicken!

Caught with his pants down!



Reply
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.
General Chit-Chat (non-political talk)
OnePoliticalPlaza.com - Forum
Copyright 2012-2024 IDF International Technologies, Inc.