Pet Food Label Secrets Revealed! Know What You Are Feeding Your Dog And Cat

Reading a pet food label, how difficult can it be? You just pick up your regular brand and look at the variety on the front, right? Not so fast! Reading a pet food label isn't as easy as you may think. It's not just ingredients and feeding suggestions. There's also a "secret code" you should know about. The code helps you separate the Chicken Formula from the Chicken Dinner and the Beef and Bacon from the Beef with Bacon. You may be thinking "Aren't they all the same?" and the answer is no.

While pet food labeling is regulated at the federal level, some states have their own labeling laws. Many follow the Pet Food Regulations established by the AAFOC (Association of American Food Control Officials).

The secret of pet food descriptions are dictated by four AAFCO rules...

1) The 95% Rule - The products that fall under this regulation have simple descriptions such as "Chicken Cat Food" or "Beef for Dogs". These foods must contain at least 95% (not including water) of the named ingredient. In this case, chicken or beef. If a food description contains more than one meat, poultry or fish ingredient such as "Chicken and Liver Cat Food" , then both ingredients combined must equal 95%, with the first named ingredient being the highest percentage of the two. The 95% rule does not apply to grains and vegetables, so "Chicken and Rice Dog Food" must still contain 95% chicken.

2) The 25% or "Dinner" Rule - If the named descriptive ingredient falls between 25%-94% of the total product (still not counting water), then the description must include a qualifying word such as "Dinner", "Platter", "Formula", etc. As in the first rule two listed ingredients must have be at least 25% of the total weight combined. So, "Chicken Dinner" only has to contain 25% chicken, while "Chicken and Liver Dinner" only has to contain 25% of the two combined. (Minimum of 3% of any named ingredient.) Unlike the first rule, the 25% rule applies to all food, not just meat sources.

3) The 3% or "With" Rule - This is where things get a little sneaky. Any ingredient on a label proceeded by "with" must equal at least 3% of the total weight (minus water). That might sound all right if the food is "Beef with Chicken" (95% beef, 3% chicken), but how does it sound in this form..."Dog Food with Beef"? Yep, that tells you that it only has to contain 3% beef! (Makes you wonder what the other 97% contains doesn't it?)

4) The "Flavor" rule - There is no percentage attached to an ingredient described as a "flavor". There only needs to be an amount sufficient enough to be detected by test methods. As you can probably guess "Chicken Flavored Cat Food" may contain very little chicken. In this case it doesn't even need to be chicken as we normally think about it, but instead can be chicken meal or chicken by-products.

Premium Food - Looking down the pet food aisle you may be attracted to foods listed as "Premium" or "Gourmet". These descriptive words have no requirements attached to them, so while a "Premium" food may sound like it's higher quality food, in reality it doesn't have to be any better than anything else on the shelf.

Now you know the secret of pet food descriptions and can be confident that the next time you're scanning the different varieties of food for your best friend you'll be able to tell the difference between "Beef for Dogs", "Beef Dinner", or "Dog Food with Beef".

Jill Richards is the Owner/Operator of "Have Leash, Will Travel - Pet Sitting" in Aurora, CO and offers t-shirts, sweatshirts, and stickers to Pet Professionals, Animal Rescue Workers, Anti-Breed Ban/BSL Fighters, and Pet Lovers through USPetPros.com

---

Dog Obedience Training

Dog obedience training begins with the owner. There are several... Read More

Are You Feeding Your Cat The Right Food?

What should you feed your cat to make sure he... Read More

Round Pen: The Great Equalizer

Although many horsemen and trainers extol the virtues of the... Read More

Why Should We Get Kittens as Pets?

Kittens are and have always been adorable creatures. Of course,... Read More

The Truth About Declawing

There seems to be an alarming trend to have cats... Read More

What are Pug Puppies?

Pug puppies make wonderful pets. Pugs are very affectionate and... Read More

What You Need To Know To Keep Your Dog Safe In Your Car

Man's Best Friend is a great companion around the home,... Read More

Lower Your Veterinarian Costs And Increase the Longevity of Your Pets Lives

What does doing natural preventative care mean? I thought vaccinating,... Read More

Dogs and Old Age, How To Care For Your Aging Canine

Now that you're dog has shown you so much love... Read More

Indoor Dogfishing ? Fun Way To Exercise A Small Or Medium Size Dog

When I had a Toy Poodle, I used a small... Read More

How To Setup A Freshwater Tropical Fish Tank

This is an 11 step guide to setting up a... Read More

Train Your Dog To Be Your Frisbee Playing Buddy

On the surface playing Frisbee with your dog may seem... Read More

Five Snake Care Tips for Beginners

If you're looking for an unusual, eye-catching pet, it's hard... Read More

Caring for an Older Cat - Cat Health and Cat Care

Cats are living longer lives thanks to dedicated care from... Read More

The Wonderful Siamese Cat

This mysterious cat is originally from the country of Siam,... Read More

What You Should Know About Your Dogs Sleeping Habits

It's important to understand your dog's sleeping habits and how... Read More

What You Should Know About Your Puppy And Play Biting

The main ways a puppy will play with another dog... Read More

Quickstart Guide to Making Your Own Pet Food at Home

As a pet owner, no doubt you want to give... Read More

Good Dog Health and Happiness For Charlie

Our Charlie's dog health was a very important issue to... Read More

Ten Tips for Cats Who are Forced to Relocate with Their Owners

For realistic tips for humans who are moving with cats,... Read More

How to Care for Your Kitten

Caring for a kitten is a lot of work. With... Read More

Clipper Experiments: A Tail in Two Parts

Poor Dog. Subjected to my most ambitious experiments, she still... Read More

How To Choose A Dog - There Is A Lot To Consider, But A Lot Of Help Too

Choosing a dog is a fun adventure. The search for... Read More

Owning a Wild or Exotic Cat; Information, Laws, and Advice

Have you ever dreamed of living with a bobcat or... Read More

The Birds and the Bees for Adults (Parrots, That Is!)

The days are getting longer, and if you have a... Read More

Does Your Dog Miss You Too Much?

Your dog seems to be driving you up the wall... Read More

Secret Signal That Tells You Your Dog is Ready and Eager to Learn

No one knows your dog better than you, and as... Read More

Determining Skin Disorders In The Aquarium

Many different skin problems can arise in the aquarium. thankfully,... Read More

Questions to Ask When Choosing a Dog for Family Life

Dog's come in all shapes and sizes ? out of... Read More

Got Fleas? How to Spot and Care For Fleas on Your Dog

Your poor pooch is scratching himself all over. Plus, you... Read More

Dog Training: Teaching Your Dog Self-Control

Is your dog one of those that pulls at his... Read More

West Highland White Terrier - Westies - Training Success Tips

The West Highland Terrier is a friendly dog, and is... Read More

Cute Cat Names ... And How To Find Them

Cute cat names? Max is popular, Lady a favorite for... Read More