Chihuahua (Detailed Introduction)

       Owners all hope to select dog food that suits their dogs, but when facing the many brands on shelves, many feel confused. Actually, to buy dog food that is good for dogs and that dogs like, owners need to master some little tricks, such as learning to understand the dog food formulas.

       The formulas of dog food actually reveal a lot of information about its quality. However, since AAFCO has requirements on labeling ingredient sources in different forms, only products sold in North America really allow meaningful formula reading. Dog foods sold in other regions cannot be evaluated well by ingredient lists but can roughly observe the amount of "meat" and so on.

       1. The Secret of High-Quality Protein

       The first ingredient should be named animal proteins, such as lamb, chicken, beef, etc. If labeled only as "meat," it means the protein source is suspicious and of low quality. If the first ingredient is rice, corn, or other plant proteins, the dog food cannot be top-tier. Similarly, animal protein meal should be named (like beef meal), not just "meat meal." But if the first ingredient is chicken meal, fish meal, etc., it meets protein needs but only qualifies as mid-range dog food.

       When fresh meat is first on the ingredients list, animal protein meals serve as supplements to increase total dietary protein. Fresh or frozen meat contains a large amount of water and is heavy in weight. If fresh meat is the first ingredient, another animal protein should be within the top three ingredients. Fresh or frozen meat protein alone cannot meet dry food protein needs because of 65-75% water and only 15-25% protein. In contrast, animal protein meals — meat, bone, skin, connective tissue — only contain 10% water but up to 65% protein.

       Note that higher protein content does not necessarily mean better dog food. In fact, excessive protein can burden the dog’s body, so owners should avoid dog food with overly high protein content.

       2. The Grain Confusion

       Owners may discuss with fellow pet enthusiasts whether to choose grain-containing or grain-free dog food. Industry professionals say that many dogs suffering from obesity and diabetes can be partially attributed to long-term grain consumption, so most top-tier dog foods are grain-free.

       3. Sources of Fats

       Cold-pressed extracted vegetable oils (especially recommended when ranked first in fat sources).

       Sunflower Oil, Safflower Oil, Olive Oil, Canola Oil, Almond Oil, Sesame Oil.

       4. Vegetables?! Fruits?!

       Fresh, untreated nutritious ingredients show natural vibrant colors and contain vitamins, various enzymes, and antioxidants. Don’t be surprised by one or two "parts" of such foods (by-products or fractions like potato pulp or rice bran), especially in small amounts in the list. However, multiple such ingredients in significant amounts in the formula are not ideal.

       5. Ingredients to Avoid When Possible (acceptable if appearing after the top three ingredients in small amounts, but they affect cost-performance)

       Includes corn, soybean, soybeans, wheat, bran, husks, beet pulp, tomato pomace, and other grain by-products and plant proteins.

       corn

       Corn Gluten Meal

       Dried Plain Beet Pulp

       Dried Egg Product

       Potato Protein

       Dried Egg Product

       Ground Whole Corn

       Ground Whole Wheat

       wheat gluten

       Tomato Pomace

       Cornmeal, Brewers rice

       Soy flour

       soya oil

       Avocado Oil, Avocado Meal [This is controversial]

       6. Firmly Say No to These Ingredients

       Unknown source meats, fats, meat by-products, meat and bone meal, concentrated plant proteins.

       Poultry by-product meal

       Poultry Fat

       Poultry meal

       Animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E)

       Meat and Bone Meal

       Rice Protein Concentrate

       rice hulls

       Animal digest

       Of course, beyond formulas, owners should also pay attention to processing technologies when choosing dog food. We will continue to share selection tips in future articles. Note: Content is for reference only; we welcome readers to share their own views.