The 95% Rule in dog food labeling means if a product is named after an ingredient (e.g., "Chicken Dog Food"), that ingredient must make up at least 95% of the total product weight (excluding added water), or 70% including water; if two ingredients are named (e.g., "Chicken & Rice"), they both must be at least 3% and together total 95%, with the first listed being the most predominant, allowing brands to highlight high meat content for complete nutrition.
-The 95% Rule includes things like “Chicken Dog Food” and “Kitty's Favorite Tuna and Rice Cat Food,” where the product name is mostly ingredients. When phrased like this, the product must be made of at least 95% of the named ingredient by weight, not counting added water.
Ingredients to Avoid in Dog Food
The 25% Rule
The named ingredient(s) must comprise at least 10% of the total product by weight and at least 25% of the product by weight not including the added water. Additional descriptors, such as “dinner,” “entrée,” “platter” and so on, appear in the name.
There's no single "number 1" healthiest dog food, as the best choice depends on your dog's age, breed, and health; however, look for foods meeting AAFCO standards (Association of American Feed Control Officials), with real meat as the first ingredient, and vet-recommended brands like Hill's Science Diet, Purina Pro Plan, and Royal Canin are often cited for balanced nutrition. Freshly prepared or raw diets can also be healthy but carry risks, so always consult your vet.
The worst dog foods often contain cheap fillers like corn, wheat, and soy; unspecified "meat meals" or by-products; excessive sugar; and artificial colors/preservatives, with brands like Kibbles 'n Bits, Beneful, Gravy Train, and some Purina/Iams varieties frequently cited for low nutritional quality and questionable ingredients. Focus on avoiding poor-quality protein sources (unspecified meat meals), fillers, artificial additives, and dangerous human foods like chocolate, grapes, onions, and xylitol.
Due to the range of benefits that wet and dry diets boast, a mixed feeding approach can help your dog get the most out of mealtime. Combining both wet and dry to their diet can give them some variety, where they are exposed to different textures that they will generally be more tempted to try.
80/10/10 dog food refers to the Prey Model Raw (PMR) diet, a popular raw feeding method with a ratio of 80% muscle meat, 10% raw edible bone, and 10% secreting organs (like liver and kidney), aiming to mimic a whole prey animal's diet. While considered a natural approach, many experts stress that this model alone often lacks essential nutrients, requiring additions like fatty fish, kelp, or supplements to provide complete nutrition and prevent deficiencies, especially for long-term feeding or growing puppies, notes Houndsy and The Canine Dietitian.
Unlimited access to food can lead to weight gain and obesity. The inability to monitor how much your dog is eating makes it harder to identify changes in their food intake.
Food That Is Toxic for Dogs
What should the first five ingredients in dog food be?
The 90/10 rule for dogs means that 90% of their daily calories should come from a complete and balanced dog food, while only 10% should come from treats, chews, and table scraps, preventing weight gain and ensuring proper nutrition. This guideline helps owners manage treat portions, preventing unbalanced diets and health issues like obesity, joint problems, and diabetes, as treats can be surprisingly high in calories, even healthy ones.
Adult dogs need 18 to 25 percent protein, while a growing puppy needs more protein – 29 percent (which should provide 20 to 25 percent of his dietary calories).
That's why 80/10/10 is considered a complementary food. It can form the foundation of your dog's diet, but you'll need to add other foods or supplements to ensure complete nutrition.
Food held between 5oC and 60oC for less than 2 hours can be used, sold or put back in the refrigerator to use later. Food held between 5oC and 60oC for 2-4 hours can still be used or sold, but can't be put back in the fridge. Food held between 5oC and 60oC for 4 hours or more must be thrown away.
There's no single "number 1" healthiest dog food, as the best choice depends on your dog's age, breed, and health; however, look for foods meeting AAFCO standards (Association of American Feed Control Officials), with real meat as the first ingredient, and vet-recommended brands like Hill's Science Diet, Purina Pro Plan, and Royal Canin are often cited for balanced nutrition. Freshly prepared or raw diets can also be healthy but carry risks, so always consult your vet.
By excluding grains in food, dogs and cats eating a grain-free diet can develop a Taurine deficiency which contributes to the development of heart disease.
Yes, dogs can eat cooked eggs in moderation. Boiled, scrambled, and poached are all great options—as long as they're plain and not cooked in butter or oil. Raw eggs should be avoided due to potential health risks such as salmonella and reduced nutrient absorption.
The 3-3-3 rule for dogs is a guideline for the adjustment period after adoption, representing 3 days (overwhelmed/hiding), 3 weeks (settling in/testing boundaries), and 3 months (feeling at home/bonding) to help owners manage expectations and provide patience, routine, and a calm environment, understanding that anxiety is normal as they decompress from a stressful past. It's a framework for recognizing stress and fostering trust, not a rigid timeline, but it helps owners understand why a new dog might seem timid or act out initially.
Vets generally don't recommend raw diets due to significant risks of pathogenic bacterial contamination (like Salmonella, E. coli) that harm pets and humans, the difficulty in ensuring a complete and balanced diet, and the danger of physical injuries from bones (fractures, blockages). The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) highlights these risks, noting bacteria can shed from pets and infect immunocompromised individuals, making proper hygiene crucial but challenging.
That doesn't necessarily mean that the excessive protein is damaging the kidneys, but it is generally recommended that dog foods for healthy adult dogs do not contain more than 40% protein on a dry matter basis.
If you want to store dry pet food in another storage container, put the entire bag into the container rather than pour the kibble directly into it. If you need to pour the dry pet food into another storage container, make sure it's clean, dry, and has a lid that fits snuggly.
Dogs can eat raw bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, spinach, and zucchini. They can also eat pumpkin, squash, and sweet potatoes, but those veggies should be thoroughly cooked before feeding them to your dog.
As long as you're feeding your four-legged friend quality, natural food which provides them with a complete and balanced nutritional meal. For example, you may feed your pet half dry and half wet food, or a larger portion of dry food to wet.