Organic Dog Treats How to Read a Label

How to Read a Dog Treat Label isn't as easy as you may think ...

Discovering the best dog treats is crucial to your pet's optimum health and long life, but trying to figure out the labels can be totally confusing. Just follow these steps and you will be able to understand dog treat labels and compare with confidence and have a healthy dog.

Pet food labeling in the U.S. is regulated on a federal and state-by-state basis, with guidance from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). However, AAFCO provides only minimum requirements. Be aware that dog treat producers often use words that are undefined by the regulations to communicate more effectively with consumers and improve their product's image in the market. The AAFCO warns on their website that "it is not rare at all that labeling and marketing information is designed to appeal to the latest trend in marketing human products."

Locate the "Guaranteed Analysis" on the dog treat label. Note that the percentages given for protein, fat, and fiber are measurements of the food in its current state. However, because different pet foods have different levels of moisture, you can only logically compare pet foods on a dry matter basis.

Notice that moisture levels in dog treats can range from 6% to as much as 80%. Canned food or treats, of course, contains more moisture than dry, but it may not contain as much protein. You can't tell which dog treats contain the most protein, fat or fiber until you have converted both labels to a dry matter basic.

Determine the amount of dry matter first, by subtracting the percentage given for moisture from 100%. Using the example below, the moisture accounts for 10% of the pet food. Therefore, the dry matter content is (100% - 10% = ) 90% of the pet food.

Convert the protein, fat and fiber percentages to a dry matter basis by dividing the percentages given on the label by the amount of dry matter (from the previous step). In our example, the 26% protein on the label converts to 28% on a dry matter basis by dividing 26% by 90%. (Notice that in our example the dry matter calculation is only slightly different than the labeled percentage. This is because the moisture level was only 10% per the label. If the moisture level had been, say, 40%, then the dry matter content would have only been 60% and protein on a dry matter basis would have been calculated as (26% divided by 60% =) 43%.)

Compare the new protein level of 28% on a dry matter basis to other pet foods (once you've converted the other pet food labels in the same way). Do similar comparisons for fat and fiber after converting to a dry matter basis calculation.

Consider that percentages alone don't tell the whole story. You may have 28% protein on a dry matter basis, but what is the source of that protein? You can get protein from chicken beaks and feet that are NOT good sources of nutrition for your pet!

Look next at the list of ingredients. Dog treats must list ingredients in order of weight. Generally, the first five ingredients will make up the majority of the treat. Look for meat as one of the first ingredients on a dog treat label. Grains, like corn, corn meal, whole wheat, barley, rice are used to provide essential energy for the pet and appealing texture to the treat. Even the AAFCO website admits that "Economics plays a part in any ingredient selection" and "protein is not simply protein. Ingredients providing protein have specific amino acids which may or may not match the amino acid profile required by a cat or a dog." Manufacturers routinely combine multiple protein sources to provide for all the amino acids required for a healthy life.

Be aware that dog treat manufacturers can manipulate this information. By breaking an ingredient down into components, then listing them individually, you may not notice that an undesirable ingredient is very near the top of the list.

Some pet owners search for pet foods that use human grade ingredients with no animal by-products and avoid pet foods that use artificial colors, flavors, sugars and chemical preservatives (notably BHA and BHT). However, animal by-products like liver and other internal organs are excellent sources of the amino acids and other nutrients that dogs and cats need. In addition, dog treats need preservatives to prevent spoilage and degradation of essential nutrients.

Organic Dog Treats for a Longer Life

Organic dog food and organic dog treats … are these the key to a healthy dog? Whether or go totally organic or not, you probably know how critical a role diet plays in your dogs overall health. Switching to organic foods may boost your beloved canine’s energy levels, improve any skin conditions and brighten their coats. They will suffer fewer allergies, and recover more quickly from illnesses. Taken as a whole, health benefits of eating organic seem to be long term.

We all want healthy, happy dogs, but are the higher price of organic dog food really worth it?

Consider the potential benefits of organic pet food for your dog:

1. Decrease of skin ailments and allergies. If your furry friend suffers from allergies or an annoying skin conditions, you’ve probably tried “everything” hoping to provide relief. Special dips, sprays, shampoos, creams and medications may or may not help. Premium brands of dog food recommended by vets still leave some dogs scratching or bald. Why doesn’t anything work, and why should organic food be any different?

Organic dog food may provide your dog with the best chance combating skin infections and allergies long term. It is free of artificial colors and flavor enhancers, chemical additives and toxic pesticides that could be the source of your dog’s allergies. Organic dog food and organic dog treats contain quality protein and grain sources of exceptional nutritional value. This supports your dog’s immune system to help build resistance to skin infections and in turn, you have a healthier dog.

2. More energy and a healthy weight. Plump puppies might be adorable, but when your dog suffers from problems such as diabetes, organ failure, a back ailment or hip dysplasia, it is a serious, life and death matter. Like humans, overweight dogs tend to have decreased energy for the exercise that could improve their overall health and physical condition. How can organic dog food help?

Once again, it is the excellent nutritional value of organic dog food and organic dog treats that can make a huge difference. Since it is, as expected, more nutritious, many owners realize that their dogs consume less organic dog food than other brands on the market. Organic dog food doesn’t contain all the fillers, so your dog eats only what it needs to maintain healthy energy level. It may even taste better! A diet of organic food and treats can help your dog lose weight and exercise more.

3. Fewer digestive disorders. Better quality of grains and proteins along with a lack of chemicals and artificial substances make organic dog food and organic dog treats easier to digest. If your dog vomits occasionally after meals or commonly experiences gas, bloating or diarrhea, check with your veterinarian for underlying illness. In the absence of another cause, feed your dog an organic diet and you’ll both enjoy the improvements!

Easy to digest oats, barley or other natural whole grains, along with turkey, lamb or chicken make a big difference to your dog’s digestive system. Rather than consuming corn or other bulk fillers and chemical additives, your dog will ingest only what it needs for healthy metabolic functioning. Dogs eat and eliminate less when they are on an organic diet and in addition, they tend to have more regular, less smelly bowel movements.

4. Better overall health and stronger immunity. Even if you dog does not suffer from skin ailments, obesity or digestive problems, an organic diet can still be a major benefit to a healthy dog.

Although nearly every brand of dog food claims to be “nutritionally complete,” most veterinarians still recommend “premium” brands of dog food over “grocery store” varieties. At the crux of the matter is and always has been the better nutritional value of the premium brands.

Organic dog food and organic dog treats provide better quality sources of nutritional substances than even the non-organic, premium brands. It is more digestible for dogs. One final, key factor is that because it is more digestible, dogs are likely to absorb, rather than eliminate more of the nutrients they require to maintain a healthy immune system. Boosting your dog’s immunity may help prevent costly trips to the vet.

5. Quality of Life and Longevity. Just as the quality of your diet affects the quality of your life, what you feed your dog will have a direct impact on how he or she looks, feels, and acts. By feeding organic food and organic dog treats, you can help provide your dog a long, happy and healthy life. It is the one ingredient in an overall healthy lifestyle you can help your dog enjoy. A luxurious, shiny coat, energy to run and play, a healthy weight and a strong immune system can maximize your dog’s life expectancy and quality of life into old age.