Truth Graph · Dog food
Source check on Oct 16, 2026 · Zero affiliate links
How this page knows: all 18 findings passed the source check, 8 open questions ↓
Most dog food searches pull you between bags that put fresh meat first on the label and veterinary diets from companies that also fund vet school nutrition programs. Here is how both sides work, how kibble, canned, gently cooked, and raw formats compare, and how to check the back label for your puppy or adult dog.
The category answer
Most dog food searches pull you between bags that put fresh meat first on the label1 and veterinary diets from companies that also fund vet school nutrition programs2. Here is how both sides work, how kibble, canned, gently cooked, and raw formats compare, and how to check the back label for your puppy or adult dog.
Every finding this page cites was checked against its named sources on October 16, 2026, and a person reviewed every reading on October 23, 2026.
8 questions not yet answered; 11 more brands not yet checked.How this page knows ↓
The answer in one sentence
On a bag of dry food, the ingredient list ranks items by weight before cooking, so fresh meat listed first is mostly water that cooks out. Under the 'complete and balanced' claim, check whether the food used animal feeding tests or a formula worked out on paper.
About the readings on this page
Nothing here is a ranking.
Although the front label highlights ‘real chicken #1,’ federal rules weigh ingredients before cooking: fresh chicken is about 70% water, so once that moisture cooks out during extrusion, corn, sorghum, and chicken by-product meal make up the bulk of the finished kibble.
Under 21 CFR 501.4 pre-cook weight rules, Orijen leads its ingredient panel with fresh meats at roughly 70% moisture.
Findings on 11 more brands that shoppers’ sources name (across veterinary-channel, boutique dry, and fresh subscription lines) are coming soon, as Product.ai has not checked them yet.
USDA FoodData Central lists raw chicken, broilers or fryers, meat and skin, with a water amount of 65.99 grams. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
USDA FoodData Central entry 171447 reporting a water value other than 65.99 g per 100 g for raw broiler chicken, meat and skin.
Tufts University's veterinary nutrition service says ingredients are listed on labels in order of weight, including water. Ingredients with high water content like fresh meats and vegetables are listed higher than similar amounts of dry ingredients, even though they may contribute fewer nutrients to the overall diet. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The Tufts nutrition FAQ no longer stating that ingredient order counts water weight, or AAFCO publishing an ingredient-order rule that excludes an ingredient's water.
Tufts University's veterinary nutrition service says ingredients from the same source, such as chicken meat, chicken fat and chicken by-product meal, can be split into separate entries on a pet food label, which makes the list harder to judge. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The Tufts nutrition FAQ removing the statement that same-source ingredients can be split, or AAFCO publishing a rule that requires same-source ingredients to be listed as one entry.
The FDA says aflatoxins are toxins produced by the mold Aspergillus flavus, which can grow on pet food ingredients such as corn, peanuts and other grains. The FDA adds that the toxins can be present even when no mold is visible on the pet food. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The FDA's page on aflatoxin poisoning in pets names a different mold as the producer or names no grain ingredients as where it grows.
P&G's July 30, 2010 recall notice says the Iams Veterinary Dry Formulas and the recalled Eukanuba lines were made in a single, specialized facility, and that P&G recalled all products made there as a precaution. P&G said no salmonella-related illnesses had been reported. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
P&G's July 30, 2010 notice names more than one plant for the recalled veterinary and specialized dry foods, or reports illnesses.
P&G's August 14, 2013 notice says the voluntarily recalled specific lots of dry pet food were made during a 10 day window at a single manufacturing site. It adds that P&G's routine testing determined that some products made during this time frame have the potential for Salmonella contamination. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
P&G's August 14, 2013 notice names more than one site or a production window longer than ten days for the recalled lots.
Orijen's own product page for ORIJEN Original dry dog food says the food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Orijen's product page for Original dry dog food states an animal feeding tests adequacy statement instead of the formulated-to-meet wording.
AAFCO's label guide gives three formats to identify complete and balanced pet food products, one saying the food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog or cat Food Nutrient Profiles. The other two say animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate complete and balanced nutrition, or that the food is comparable to a product substantiated using AAFCO feeding tests. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
AAFCO's reading-labels page lists only one adequacy wording, or a wording that differs from these two.
Champion Petfoods says on its research page that it fully funded a 26-week feeding trial of a grain-free diet in a small cohort of Labrador Retrievers, published in Translational Animal Science. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Champion's research page no longer says it funded the study, or the Translational Animal Science article names a different funder.
Champion Petfoods says in its nutritional science bulletin that it custom-designed an AAFCO canine and feline feeding trial with additional blood measurements and urinalysis to assess its diets. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The Champion bulletin at that address does not carry the sentence about a custom-designed AAFCO feeding trial.
Federal rule 21 CFR 501.4 requires the ingredients on an animal food label to be listed by their common or usual name in descending order of predominance by weight. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The current text of 21 CFR 501.4(a) does not require ingredients to be listed in descending order of predominance by weight.
ORIJEN's EU product page for Original lists fresh chicken at 25% and raw turkey at 8% as its first two ingredients, with dehydrated chicken at 4% as the eighth. Its footnote says the 85% animal ingredients figure is approximate and derived from the unprocessed state of the ingredients. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The ORIJEN EMEA page for Original lists different leading ingredients or percentages, or carries no footnote stating that the 85% figure is derived from the unprocessed state of the ingredients.
Mars Petcare announced on February 28, 2023 that it had completed its acquisition of Champion Petfoods, whose two premier brands it names as ORIJEN and ACANA. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Mars's press release archive shows the Champion Petfoods acquisition closed on a different date, or did not close.
Taste of the Wild's High Prairie page guarantees total microorganisms of not less than 80,000,000 CFU per pound from five named organisms, under its proprietary K9 Strain Probiotics name, added after the cooking process. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Taste of the Wild's High Prairie page or bag showing a different CFU guarantee, a different organism count, or no K9 Strain name.
Costco's listing for Kirkland Signature Nature's Domain Salmon and Sweet Potato lists in its Guaranteed Analysis a minimum of 2,000,000 CFU/lb of Total Microorganisms, naming Lactobacillus plantarum, Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecium, and Bifidobacterium animalis. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Costco's listing or the bag showing a different CFU minimum or a different organism list for that recipe.
Taste of the Wild's company page says every Taste of the Wild product is developed and produced in the USA at one of its seven facilities. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Taste of the Wild's company page stating a different facility count or production outside the USA.
Each row matches your dog and situation to the food type that fits and the finding behind it.
| If you... | What fits | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| have a senior dog | An adult maintenance food whose specific protein, phosphorus, and calorie numbers fit your dog | AAFCO defines only two nutrient profiles (growth/reproduction and adult maintenance) and sets no legal standard for ‘senior’ dog food.Judge a senior bag by its actual guaranteed analysis and your vet’s bloodwork rather than the front label. |
German, Melgoza and Torres-Henderson, writing in Frontiers in Veterinary Science in December 2025, analyzed 61 adult and senior dog diets bought from retail stores and found that 11 of them, 18 percent, did not meet at least one AAFCO adult maintenance requirement. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The published article reports a number of diets other than 11 of 61 failing at least one AAFCO adult maintenance requirement.
AAFCO's Dog Food Nutrient Profiles set a calcium maximum of 1.8 percent of dry matter for formulas that may be fed to puppies expected to weigh 70 pounds or more as adults. For other life stages, including growth formulas for smaller dogs, AAFCO's maximum is 2.5 percent. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The current AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles list a calcium maximum for large size growth formulas other than 1.8 percent of dry matter.
Tufts University reported in March 2011 that the calories in the senior dog foods its researchers studied ranged from 246 to 408 per cup. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The Tufts release or the Hutchinson and Freeman study it reports gives a calorie range for the senior foods studied other than 246 to 408 per cup.
A 2014 meta-analysis by Bermingham and colleagues in PLOS ONE fitted adult dogs' maintenance energy to 81.5 kcal per kilogram of body weight raised to 0.93 per day across 70 treatment groups. The same paper reports an average of 142.8 kcal per kilogram to the 0.75 per day. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The PLOS ONE paper reports a different exponent or a different average for those 70 treatment groups.
Ko and colleagues' 2007 study in the Journal of Nutrition found that 6 mongrels averaging 37.9 kg had a lower taurine biosynthesis rate than 6 beagles averaging 12.8 kg when given a 15.6% protein, 0.60% sulfur amino acid diet to maintain an ideal body condition score. The authors wrote that the results support the hypothesis that large compared with small dogs have a lower rate when fed diets near-limiting in dietary sulfur amino acids, but adequate to maintain ideal body condition. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The study's abstract reports no difference, or a higher rate in the mongrels, in taurine biosynthesis between the two groups.
The Merck Veterinary Manual says excess calcium intake is more problematic for growing large and giant breed dogs from weaning to one year, and that supplementation above 3 percent calcium on a dry matter basis caused more severe osteochondrosis signs in young, rapidly growing large breed dogs than diets at 1 to 3 percent. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The Merck page states that excess calcium affects small and large breed puppies alike, or gives a different threshold.
AAFCO has an option document for its Dog Food Nutrient Profiles Based on Dry Matter. It lists a crude protein minimum of 22.5 percent for Growth and Reproduction against 18.0 percent for Adult Maintenance. It also lists a calcium minimum of 1.2 percent against 0.5 percent. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
AAFCO's adopted Dog Food Nutrient Profiles list different minimums for crude protein or calcium in either column.
No format wins on cost, convenience, digestibility, and pathogen safety at the same time.
Coming soon
Room temperature; dried below the moisture threshold (0.65 water activity) bacteria and mold need to grow
Coming soon
About 0-0.42% Salmonella in modern tested kibble
Coming soon
Room temperature while sealed; refrigerate after opening
Coming soon
Coming soon
Coming soon
Coming soon
Coming soon
Coming soon
Cold high-pressure processing (HPP at ~600 MPa) reduces active bacteria without cooking, though bacterial spores survive
Must stay frozen at or below -18°C until thawing to serve
Coming soon
7.6% Salmonella and 16.3% Listeria in FDA retail sampling (2010-2012)
Coming soon
Room temperature while dry (water activity below 0.25); treat as perishable once rehydrated
Coming soon
Coming soon
Under 21 CFR 113.3, commercial sterility of thermally processed food means a specific condition achieved by applying heat. The heat renders the food free of microorganisms capable of reproducing under normal nonrefrigerated storage and distribution conditions. It also renders the food free of viable microorganisms, including spores, of public health significance. Commercial sterility also means the condition achieved by controlling water activity and applying heat. This renders the food free of microorganisms capable of reproducing under normal nonrefrigerated storage and distribution conditions. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The current text of 21 CFR 113.3(e)(1) defines commercial sterility without the clause on spores of public health significance or the clause on nonrefrigerated storage.
Van Rooijen and colleagues analysed 67 commercial dog and cat foods and reported average reactive to total lysine ratios in dog foods of 0.87 for extruded, 0.97 for canned and 0.85 for pelleted foods, with the lowest ratio, 0.77, in an extruded diet for growing dogs. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The published abstract reports different average reactive to total lysine ratios for extruded, canned or pelleted dog foods, or a different lowest ratio.
Algya and colleagues fed adult dogs an extruded kibble, two roasted refrigerated diets and a raw diet and reported greater apparent total tract digestibility of crude protein and fat in dogs fed the two roasted refrigerated diets than in dogs fed the extruded diet. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The paper's abstract or results report crude protein or fat digestibility that is not greater for the roasted refrigerated diets than for the extruded diet.
A 2019 review by Davies, Lawes and Wales in the Journal of Small Animal Practice says survey evidence leaves little doubt that the prevalence of potentially serious pathogens is substantially higher in raw pet food than in heat-treated food. The review calls heat treatment a critical control step in the elimination or marked reduction of bacteria arising from livestock sources, which is not available to producers of raw food. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
A retail survey that cultures raw and heat treated pet foods by the same method and finds serious pathogens at comparable prevalence in both.
FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine screened over 1,000 pet food samples from October 2010 through July 2012. In the second year, 15 of 196 raw pet food samples were positive for Salmonella and 32 for L. monocytogenes. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
FDA's Table 1 for the 2010 to 2012 study showing counts other than 15 and 32 positives among 196 raw samples, or more than one Salmonella positive and any Listeria monocytogenes positive among the non-raw rows.
A 2022 study from the Universidad de Chile in Frontiers in Veterinary Science found Salmonella or Listeria monocytogenes in 15 of 42 raw meat based dog diets and in none of 24 extruded diets. Salmonella, Campylobacter jejuni or Listeria monocytogenes turned up in 11 of 33 fecal samples from raw fed dogs and in no feces from extruded fed dogs. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The study's results tables showing a pathogen isolated from an extruded diet or from an extruded fed dog's feces, or counts other than 15 of 42 and 11 of 33.
Davies, Lawes and Wales's 2019 review reports that in a United States study by Nemser and colleagues, just one of 480 conventionally processed dog food samples, 0.2 percent, yielded Salmonella, and none of the 480 dry and semi moist foods yielded Listeria monocytogenes. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Nemser et al. 2014 reporting more than one Salmonella positive or any Listeria monocytogenes positive among its 480 processed dry and semi moist samples.
ATSDR's ToxGuide for lead says that in adults about 94% of the lead in the body is held in the bones and teeth, and that lead remains in bones for decades. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Measurements of adult body lead showing most of it held outside bone and teeth, or cleared from bone within months.
ATSDR's cadmium ToxGuide says absorbed cadmium goes mainly to soft tissues, with the largest amounts in the kidney and liver, and that it accumulates there the longer the exposure lasts. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Tissue measurements showing absorbed cadmium held mainly in bone or muscle rather than kidney and liver, or not rising with longer exposure.
ATSDR's arsenic ToxFAQs says fish and shellfish can accumulate arsenic, and that most of this arsenic is in an organic form called arsenobetaine that is much less harmful. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Analyses of fish and shellfish showing most of their arsenic in inorganic forms rather than arsenobetaine.
Kim and colleagues tested 51 dry dog foods by ICP-MS in 2018 and found fish-based diets had significantly higher arsenic, cadmium and mercury content than poultry or red meat-based diets. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
ICP-MS testing of fish-based dry dog foods finding arsenic, cadmium or mercury no higher than poultry or red meat-based foods.
Kim and colleagues, in a 2018 study of 51 dry dog foods, found that red meat-based diets (beef, venison and bison) had higher lead concentrations than poultry and fish-based diets. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
ICP-MS testing of red meat-based dry dog foods finding lead no higher than poultry or fish-based foods.
Kim and colleagues wrote in 2018 that most of the fish-based diets in their study use concentrated ingredients such as white-fish meals, citing a source that they are likely to be 5 fold higher in mercury content than fresh fish. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Measurements of white-fish meals showing mercury per unit mass no higher than fresh fish.
Choose between dry kibble, canned, fresh gently cooked, raw, or freeze-dried first.
Remember that ‘all life stages’ bags are formulated to puppy growth minimums, and ‘senior’ has no AAFCO nutrient standard.
Under 21 CFR 501.4, ingredients are weighed before cooking, so fresh meat at 70% moisture sits #1 on the panel even when a dry meat meal below it provides far more protein. Also add split plant fractions (such as pea protein, pea starch, and pea fiber) back together to see whether plants or meat actually dominate the recipe.
The guaranteed analysis prints nutrient percentages with water included: a canned food labeled 10% protein at 75% moisture is actually 40% protein on a dry-matter basis, beating a kibble labeled 30% protein at 10% moisture (33.3% dry).
Under 21 CFR 113.3, commercial sterility of thermally processed food means a specific condition achieved by applying heat. The heat renders the food free of microorganisms capable of reproducing under normal nonrefrigerated storage and distribution conditions. It also renders the food free of viable microorganisms, including spores, of public health significance. Commercial sterility also means the condition achieved by controlling water activity and applying heat. This renders the food free of microorganisms capable of reproducing under normal nonrefrigerated storage and distribution conditions. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The current text of 21 CFR 113.3(e)(1) defines commercial sterility without the clause on spores of public health significance or the clause on nonrefrigerated storage.
Van Rooijen and colleagues analysed 67 commercial dog and cat foods and reported average reactive to total lysine ratios in dog foods of 0.87 for extruded, 0.97 for canned and 0.85 for pelleted foods, with the lowest ratio, 0.77, in an extruded diet for growing dogs. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The published abstract reports different average reactive to total lysine ratios for extruded, canned or pelleted dog foods, or a different lowest ratio.
Algya and colleagues fed adult dogs an extruded kibble, two roasted refrigerated diets and a raw diet and reported greater apparent total tract digestibility of crude protein and fat in dogs fed the two roasted refrigerated diets than in dogs fed the extruded diet. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The paper's abstract or results report crude protein or fat digestibility that is not greater for the roasted refrigerated diets than for the extruded diet.
A 2014 meta-analysis by Bermingham and colleagues in PLOS ONE fitted adult dogs' maintenance energy to 81.5 kcal per kilogram of body weight raised to 0.93 per day across 70 treatment groups. The same paper reports an average of 142.8 kcal per kilogram to the 0.75 per day. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The PLOS ONE paper reports a different exponent or a different average for those 70 treatment groups.
Ko and colleagues' 2007 study in the Journal of Nutrition found that 6 mongrels averaging 37.9 kg had a lower taurine biosynthesis rate than 6 beagles averaging 12.8 kg when given a 15.6% protein, 0.60% sulfur amino acid diet to maintain an ideal body condition score. The authors wrote that the results support the hypothesis that large compared with small dogs have a lower rate when fed diets near-limiting in dietary sulfur amino acids, but adequate to maintain ideal body condition. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The study's abstract reports no difference, or a higher rate in the mongrels, in taurine biosynthesis between the two groups.
The Merck Veterinary Manual says excess calcium intake is more problematic for growing large and giant breed dogs from weaning to one year, and that supplementation above 3 percent calcium on a dry matter basis caused more severe osteochondrosis signs in young, rapidly growing large breed dogs than diets at 1 to 3 percent. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The Merck page states that excess calcium affects small and large breed puppies alike, or gives a different threshold.
AAFCO has an option document for its Dog Food Nutrient Profiles Based on Dry Matter. It lists a crude protein minimum of 22.5 percent for Growth and Reproduction against 18.0 percent for Adult Maintenance. It also lists a calcium minimum of 1.2 percent against 0.5 percent. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
AAFCO's adopted Dog Food Nutrient Profiles list different minimums for crude protein or calcium in either column.
USDA's FoodData Central lists raw chicken, broilers or fryers, meat and skin, with a water value of 66.0 grams in the first search result. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The FoodData Central SR Legacy entry for chicken, broilers or fryers, meat and skin, raw showing a water value other than 66.0 g per 100 g.
Cornell's Legal Information Institute republishes section 501.4 for animal food. Ingredients required to be declared on the label of a food, except those exempted by section 501.100, shall be listed by common or usual name in descending order of predominance by weight. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The current text of 21 CFR 501.4(a) on eCFR not requiring ingredients to be listed in descending order of predominance by weight.
AAFCO says that during rendering, heat and pressure remove most of the water and fat from the ingredient, leaving primarily protein and minerals. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
A rendered meal whose published analysis shows water or fat, not protein and minerals, as its main components.
The Merck Veterinary Manual says an ingredient such as wheat may be listed by individual type, so each type appears lower on the ingredient list while the total wheat may be a large portion of the food's dry matter. The manual calls this ingredient splitting. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The Merck Veterinary Manual's dog and cat foods page no longer describing ingredient splitting, or stating that split types do not appear lower on the list.
Whole Dog Journal writes that a maker can list several fractions of one ingredient, such as rice, brewer's rice, rice bran and rice protein meal, as separate ingredients. It says that if those fractions were combined they would outweigh the higher-quality ingredient and push it down the list. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The Whole Dog Journal article not stating that combined fractions would outweigh and push down the higher-quality ingredient.
Iowa's Commercial Feed and Fertilizer Bureau says ingredients must be listed in descending order of predominance by weight, on an as formulated basis. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The Iowa Pet Food Labeling Guide stating a different ordering rule or a different weight basis for the ingredient statement.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture's 2013 corn survey reprints Section 2782 on Corn Products. This section defines corn gluten meal as a remaining part of commercial shelled corn. It remains after the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup extracts the larger part of the starch and germ and separates the bran. The section defines corn products lettered (a) through (k), from corn bran to dry milled corn germ meal. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The current California regulation section 2782 defining corn gluten meal differently or listing a different lettered set of corn products.
FDA's worked example compares two canned cat foods labeled 12 and 11 percent protein at 78 percent moisture with a dry food labeled 37 percent at 12 percent moisture. On a dry matter basis the canned foods reach 54.5 and 50 percent protein while the dry food reaches 42 percent, so the dry food has the lowest protein level. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
FDA's page no longer carries this example, or recomputing its table from its own label figures gives a dry matter ranking in which the dry food is not lowest.
FDA says shoppers can directly compare nutrient levels between products with near equal moisture content, and must first convert the guaranteed analysis from an as fed to a dry matter basis when comparing products that differ widely in moisture, such as canned against dry. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
FDA's guidance says guaranteed analysis values compare directly across canned and dry products without conversion, or says products of near equal moisture also require conversion.
FDA says canned pet food is typically 75 to 78 percent moisture, whereas dry pet food is typically 10 to 12 percent moisture. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
FDA's page states a different typical moisture range for canned or dry pet food, or a label survey finds most canned foods guaranteeing moisture outside 75 to 78 percent.
AAFCO's example adjusts a dry dog food's guaranteed values at 10 percent moisture to a dry matter basis by dividing each value by 0.90, which takes a 21 percent minimum crude protein guarantee to 23.3 percent and shows the food meets the growth profile's 22.5 percent minimum. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
AAFCO's Profiles text no longer carries Example A1, or its table gives different guaranteed, adjusted or minimum protein figures than 21, 23.3 and 22.5 percent.
Lin and colleagues, in a 2022 Animal Microbiome study of 12 healthy adult beagles switched abruptly to a new diet, reported that fecal metabolites stabilized within 2 days and the fecal microbiota within 6 days. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
A repeat abrupt diet switch in healthy adult dogs in which fecal metabolites keep shifting well past 2 days or the fecal microbiota keeps shifting well past 6 days.
Lin and colleagues observed dogs fed a control kibble diet from day 1 to 14. From day 15 to 27, the dogs switched to that diet supplemented with fiber or to a protein rich canned diet. Fecal pH and alpha diversity measures appeared stable by day 20. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Fecal pH or alpha diversity in healthy adult dogs still drifting at day 20 after an abrupt diet change.
The American Animal Hospital Association's pet owner handout says dogs should transition to a new food over seven days, starting by replacing 25% of the old food with the new food. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The association's current transition handout giving a different number of days or a different starting proportion for dogs.
Maturana and colleagues, in a 2025 Journal of Animal Science study, found that dogs switched abruptly from a dry to a canned diet had wetter and softer stools shortly after the switch. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Dogs switched abruptly from a dry to a canned diet in a comparable trial showing no change in stool moisture or firmness after the switch.
Read the back panel before the front of the bag. Federal rules rank ingredients by pre-cook weight, so fresh meat at 70% water sits #1 on the label even when a dry meal below it supplies far more protein; meanwhile, splitting one plant into pea protein, pea starch, and pea fiber pushes each fraction down the list so meat stays on top. Because the guaranteed analysis includes water, convert wet and dry foods to a dry-matter basis before comparing protein, and use AAFCO’s product-name rule (‘Beef Dog Food’ requires 95% beef, ‘Beef Dinner’ requires 25%, and ‘with Beef’ requires 3%) rather than unregulated marketing words like ‘holistic’ or ‘premium.’
USDA's FoodData Central lists raw chicken, broilers or fryers, meat and skin, with a water value of 66.0 grams in the first search result. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The FoodData Central SR Legacy entry for chicken, broilers or fryers, meat and skin, raw showing a water value other than 66.0 g per 100 g.
Cornell's Legal Information Institute republishes section 501.4 for animal food. Ingredients required to be declared on the label of a food, except those exempted by section 501.100, shall be listed by common or usual name in descending order of predominance by weight. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The current text of 21 CFR 501.4(a) on eCFR not requiring ingredients to be listed in descending order of predominance by weight.
AAFCO says that during rendering, heat and pressure remove most of the water and fat from the ingredient, leaving primarily protein and minerals. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
A rendered meal whose published analysis shows water or fat, not protein and minerals, as its main components.
The Merck Veterinary Manual says an ingredient such as wheat may be listed by individual type, so each type appears lower on the ingredient list while the total wheat may be a large portion of the food's dry matter. The manual calls this ingredient splitting. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The Merck Veterinary Manual's dog and cat foods page no longer describing ingredient splitting, or stating that split types do not appear lower on the list.
Whole Dog Journal writes that a maker can list several fractions of one ingredient, such as rice, brewer's rice, rice bran and rice protein meal, as separate ingredients. It says that if those fractions were combined they would outweigh the higher-quality ingredient and push it down the list. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The Whole Dog Journal article not stating that combined fractions would outweigh and push down the higher-quality ingredient.
Iowa's Commercial Feed and Fertilizer Bureau says ingredients must be listed in descending order of predominance by weight, on an as formulated basis. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The Iowa Pet Food Labeling Guide stating a different ordering rule or a different weight basis for the ingredient statement.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture's 2013 corn survey reprints Section 2782 on Corn Products. This section defines corn gluten meal as a remaining part of commercial shelled corn. It remains after the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup extracts the larger part of the starch and germ and separates the bran. The section defines corn products lettered (a) through (k), from corn bran to dry milled corn germ meal. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The current California regulation section 2782 defining corn gluten meal differently or listing a different lettered set of corn products.
FDA's worked example compares two canned cat foods labeled 12 and 11 percent protein at 78 percent moisture with a dry food labeled 37 percent at 12 percent moisture. On a dry matter basis the canned foods reach 54.5 and 50 percent protein while the dry food reaches 42 percent, so the dry food has the lowest protein level. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
FDA's page no longer carries this example, or recomputing its table from its own label figures gives a dry matter ranking in which the dry food is not lowest.
FDA says shoppers can directly compare nutrient levels between products with near equal moisture content, and must first convert the guaranteed analysis from an as fed to a dry matter basis when comparing products that differ widely in moisture, such as canned against dry. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
FDA's guidance says guaranteed analysis values compare directly across canned and dry products without conversion, or says products of near equal moisture also require conversion.
FDA says canned pet food is typically 75 to 78 percent moisture, whereas dry pet food is typically 10 to 12 percent moisture. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
FDA's page states a different typical moisture range for canned or dry pet food, or a label survey finds most canned foods guaranteeing moisture outside 75 to 78 percent.
AAFCO's example adjusts a dry dog food's guaranteed values at 10 percent moisture to a dry matter basis by dividing each value by 0.90, which takes a 21 percent minimum crude protein guarantee to 23.3 percent and shows the food meets the growth profile's 22.5 percent minimum. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
AAFCO's Profiles text no longer carries Example A1, or its table gives different guaranteed, adjusted or minimum protein figures than 21, 23.3 and 22.5 percent.
AAFCO's label guide says a name like "Beef Dog Food" requires the named ingredients to be at least 95% of the product not counting added water, and at least 70% of the product counting it. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
AAFCO's reading-labels page states a floor other than 70% of total product weight, or no including-water floor, for the 95% rule.
AAFCO's label guide says that under the 95% rule a name with two ingredients, such as "Chicken and Rice Cat Food", needs each named ingredient at 3% or more and more of the first-named ingredient than the second. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
AAFCO's reading-labels page states no per-ingredient floor or no order-of-predominance requirement for multi-ingredient names under the 95% rule.
AAFCO's label guide says a "chicken-flavored dog food" needs only a listed ingredient that provides the chicken flavor, such as chicken fat, with "chicken" and "flavored" printed in the same font and size. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
AAFCO's reading-labels page states a minimum percentage of the named ingredient for a flavor designation, or requires the flavor source to be the meat itself.
Wisconsin's pet food rule ATCP 42.44(12) allows a flavor claim only when the flavor is detectable by a recognized test method or is proven to be readily distinguishable by a dog or cat. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The current text of Wisconsin ATCP 42.44(12) drops the detectability or distinguishability condition or adds a percentage floor.
AAFCO's consumer FAQ says that, unlike natural and organic, premium is a totally unregulated term in feed law, and that premium pet food has no special requirements that differ from any other pet food. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
An AAFCO FAQ entry or model regulation that defines premium by a requirement a product must meet before the word may appear on the label.
AAFCO says on its own site that AAFCO itself has no regulatory authority whatsoever, and that the majority of states have adopted the AAFCO Model Pet Food Regulations in some form. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
An AAFCO page or statute showing AAFCO itself enforces pet food labeling rules rather than states adopting its model regulations.
Virginia Cooperative Extension's pet food label guide says premium or gourmet products are not required to contain different or higher quality ingredients, and are not held to higher nutritional standards than other complete and balanced products. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
A regulation or label rule that sets an ingredient or nutrient requirement a product must meet before using premium or gourmet.
Treat ‘vet recommended’ as a meaningful clinical indicator while knowing the corporate structure behind it.
Purina announced a $4.5 million donation to three top U.S. veterinary schools over the next five years and beyond. It funds three new multi-year programs at Cornell University, University of California, Davis, and Colorado State University. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Purina's newsroom release of December 9, 2024 names a different total, different schools, or a different program term.
Kansas State University's November 28, 2018 announcement says Hill's Pet Nutrition sponsored the college's new Pet Health and Nutrition Center, named for Hill's, as the largest corporate gift in the college's history. The announcement gives no dollar amount. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Kansas State's announcement of the center names a different sponsor or states a dollar figure.
The Mark Morris Institute's own About page says the institute is funded through educational support from Hill's Pet Nutrition, and that it has published several editions of the Small Animal Clinical Nutrition textbook. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The institute's About page names a funder other than Hill's or states that Hill's does not fund it.
The Mark Morris Institute's 2025 Annual Report lists Hill's Pet Nutrition employees on its Board of Directors, including Dr. Catherine Ruggiero, Senior Manager of Scientific Communications at Hill's Pet Nutrition, who joined the board in November. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The institute's 2025 Annual Report lists no board member with a Hill's Pet Nutrition title.
The Mark Morris Institute's download page says the chapters of Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, 5th edition, can be viewed and downloaded free of charge for personal use, and its textbook page says hard copies are no longer available from the institute. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The institute's download page charges for the chapters or restricts them to purchasers.
Hill's Prescription Diet page says that whether you purchase online, in store or in a clinic, you will need a prescription from a vet. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
A Hill's Prescription Diet product sold by an online or in-store seller with no vet prescription or authorization required.
Mars says Banfield Pet Hospital has been a Mars Veterinary Health practice since 2007 and that Antech Diagnostics became part of Mars Veterinary Health in 2017. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Mars's own filings or site showing Banfield or Antech is not held by Mars Veterinary Health.
The Mark Morris Institute, which lists the Small Animal Clinical Nutrition textbook under its publications, describes itself as the only independent non-profit organization of its kind. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The institute's own site or filings naming Hill's Pet Nutrition as its owner or sole funder.
Below is each brand’s AAFCO substantiation path and the biological switching window; brand-specific bag return and satisfaction-guarantee policies print the label ‘Coming soon’ because Product.ai has not checked them yet.
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Orijen's own product page for ORIJEN Original dry dog food says the food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Orijen's product page for Original dry dog food states an animal feeding tests adequacy statement instead of the formulated-to-meet wording.
AAFCO's label guide gives three formats to identify complete and balanced pet food products, one saying the food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog or cat Food Nutrient Profiles. The other two say animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate complete and balanced nutrition, or that the food is comparable to a product substantiated using AAFCO feeding tests. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
AAFCO's reading-labels page lists only one adequacy wording, or a wording that differs from these two.
Champion Petfoods says on its research page that it fully funded a 26-week feeding trial of a grain-free diet in a small cohort of Labrador Retrievers, published in Translational Animal Science. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Champion's research page no longer says it funded the study, or the Translational Animal Science article names a different funder.
Champion Petfoods says in its nutritional science bulletin that it custom-designed an AAFCO canine and feline feeding trial with additional blood measurements and urinalysis to assess its diets. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The Champion bulletin at that address does not carry the sentence about a custom-designed AAFCO feeding trial.
Lin and colleagues, in a 2022 Animal Microbiome study of 12 healthy adult beagles switched abruptly to a new diet, reported that fecal metabolites stabilized within 2 days and the fecal microbiota within 6 days. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
A repeat abrupt diet switch in healthy adult dogs in which fecal metabolites keep shifting well past 2 days or the fecal microbiota keeps shifting well past 6 days.
Lin and colleagues observed dogs fed a control kibble diet from day 1 to 14. From day 15 to 27, the dogs switched to that diet supplemented with fiber or to a protein rich canned diet. Fecal pH and alpha diversity measures appeared stable by day 20. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Fecal pH or alpha diversity in healthy adult dogs still drifting at day 20 after an abrupt diet change.
The American Animal Hospital Association's pet owner handout says dogs should transition to a new food over seven days, starting by replacing 25% of the old food with the new food. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The association's current transition handout giving a different number of days or a different starting proportion for dogs.
Maturana and colleagues, in a 2025 Journal of Animal Science study, found that dogs switched abruptly from a dry to a canned diet had wetter and softer stools shortly after the switch. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Dogs switched abruptly from a dry to a canned diet in a comparable trial showing no change in stool moisture or firmness after the switch.
Lin and colleagues, in a 2022 Animal Microbiome study of 12 healthy adult beagles switched abruptly to a new diet, reported that fecal metabolites stabilized within 2 days and the fecal microbiota within 6 days. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
A repeat abrupt diet switch in healthy adult dogs in which fecal metabolites keep shifting well past 2 days or the fecal microbiota keeps shifting well past 6 days.
Lin and colleagues observed dogs fed a control kibble diet from day 1 to 14. From day 15 to 27, the dogs switched to that diet supplemented with fiber or to a protein rich canned diet. Fecal pH and alpha diversity measures appeared stable by day 20. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Fecal pH or alpha diversity in healthy adult dogs still drifting at day 20 after an abrupt diet change.
The American Animal Hospital Association's pet owner handout says dogs should transition to a new food over seven days, starting by replacing 25% of the old food with the new food. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The association's current transition handout giving a different number of days or a different starting proportion for dogs.
Maturana and colleagues, in a 2025 Journal of Animal Science study, found that dogs switched abruptly from a dry to a canned diet had wetter and softer stools shortly after the switch. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
Dogs switched abruptly from a dry to a canned diet in a comparable trial showing no change in stool moisture or firmness after the switch.
A dog’s daily calorie requirement scales with body weight raised to roughly the 0.75 power (metabolic body weight) rather than in a straight line, which means a 100-pound dog needs significantly less than twice the calories of a 50-pound dog. Exact cup-per-day feeding calculators depend on each recipe’s kcal-per-cup density and will appear on our dedicated dog feeding guide.
A 2014 meta-analysis by Bermingham and colleagues in PLOS ONE fitted adult dogs' maintenance energy to 81.5 kcal per kilogram of body weight raised to 0.93 per day across 70 treatment groups. The same paper reports an average of 142.8 kcal per kilogram to the 0.75 per day. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The PLOS ONE paper reports a different exponent or a different average for those 70 treatment groups.
Ko and colleagues' 2007 study in the Journal of Nutrition found that 6 mongrels averaging 37.9 kg had a lower taurine biosynthesis rate than 6 beagles averaging 12.8 kg when given a 15.6% protein, 0.60% sulfur amino acid diet to maintain an ideal body condition score. The authors wrote that the results support the hypothesis that large compared with small dogs have a lower rate when fed diets near-limiting in dietary sulfur amino acids, but adequate to maintain ideal body condition. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The study's abstract reports no difference, or a higher rate in the mongrels, in taurine biosynthesis between the two groups.
The Merck Veterinary Manual says excess calcium intake is more problematic for growing large and giant breed dogs from weaning to one year, and that supplementation above 3 percent calcium on a dry matter basis caused more severe osteochondrosis signs in young, rapidly growing large breed dogs than diets at 1 to 3 percent. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
The Merck page states that excess calcium affects small and large breed puppies alike, or gives a different threshold.
AAFCO has an option document for its Dog Food Nutrient Profiles Based on Dry Matter. It lists a crude protein minimum of 22.5 percent for Growth and Reproduction against 18.0 percent for Adult Maintenance. It also lists a calcium minimum of 1.2 percent against 0.5 percent. source
Checked by Product.ai on 2026-10-16 · reviewed by jessica-ho on 2026-10-23
AAFCO's adopted Dog Food Nutrient Profiles list different minimums for crude protein or calcium in either column.
Shoppers ask these questions too, and they are in the Product.ai research queue for source checking, so this page does not answer them yet.
How this page knows
Product.ai uses axiomatic intelligence to turn a category into small, testable findings. The method's aim is that each finding rests on a primary source, which is the party that issued the fact, and carries a falsifier, which is the result that would prove the finding wrong so a reader can test it. Each page says how far it meets that aim. Read the general explanation of axiomatic intelligence
The aim is that each finding rests on a primary source, which is the party that issued the fact. Each page says how far it meets that aim.
Sources include AAFCO's rules, 21 CFR 501.4, FDA recall notices and retail testing, published studies, and brand bag statements.When a source check runs, it traces each finding's numbers and mechanism to its cited source. Partial findings show only the part the source supports.
The 18 findings were checked against their sources on October 16, 2026, and all 18 passed the source check. None of the 18 rests on primary sources in every detail. A person reviewed all 67 readings on this page against their sources on October 23, 2026.Findings carry the result that would prove them wrong so a reader can test them. Questions the record cannot answer are listed as not yet answered instead of guessed.
All 18 findings name what would prove them wrong, and 8 questions shoppers ask are not yet answered on this page.Formulations, plant ownership, and AAFCO rules change over time; findings come from Product.ai’s June 2026 dog food run (falsifiers added October 7-8, 2026).
Sources & check record
66 reviewed readings behind this page, sourced and dated
Source check on Oct 16, 2026 · Zero affiliate links
Sources & check recordEvidence freshness
Readings checked on 2026-10-16.
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Demand.io, Inc. · founded 2009 · Product.ai checks product claims against primary sources. · Product.ai · llms.txt
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