Dog Food Ingredient Analyzer

How to Read a Dog Food Ingredient Label

Pet food labeling is regulated by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). By law, pet food labels list ingredients in descending order of weight. This means the first 5 ingredients represent the vast majority of the kibble or wet food formula.

When reviewing commercial bags, search for specific meat proteins (e.g. "Chicken" or "Turkey") rather than generic terms like "Meat by-product" or "Poultry meal". Be aware of "ingredient splitting," where manufacturers divide a single filler component like corn into smaller names ("corn meal", "yellow corn", "corn gluten") so that meat appears at the top of the list.