Learn How to Judge

Most owners are actually not very clear about the quality of dog food ingredients, so when judging dog food quality, they usually decide based on its “appearance.” However, this way of judging is not very accurate and may unfairly disfavour some good dog foods.

Misconception 1: Uneven shaped kibble means bad dog food

Even when produced by machines, it is still hard to ensure that the size of kibble pieces is perfectly uniform. Dog food is made of various ingredients that undergo deep processing and batch production, and extrusion is an important step. Extrusion is the process where moisture is instantly evaporated from the raw materials and shapes form randomly. Especially with meat ingredients, after instant high temperature treatment, the shrinkage of same-sized meat pieces varies, so kibble is difficult to make completely uniform. It only needs to be basically consistent.

Misconception 2: Rough surface means poor-quality dog food

The surface of dog food is not necessarily better the smoother it is. Some dog food with rougher surfaces is actually composed of meat fibers. Kibble with a strong rough texture often contains more meat.

Misconception 3: The stronger the aroma, the better

When choosing dog food for your dog, smelling it is indeed necessary. We can judge the freshness of dog food by its aroma. If there is a rancid odor caused by fat oxidation, it indicates the dog food is not fresh and should be avoided. Generally, good dog food has a mild meaty aroma or fishy smell, and its scent is natural rather than overpowering.

Additionally, some color variation in dog food is normal. What we need to focus on is whether the dog food shows signs of mold or spoilage. Slight color differences are acceptable.