Blue Dog Food is an alternative name for a group of pet foods sold by the Blue Buffalo Company… located in Wilton, Connecticut. The Dog Food Advisor’s unbiased ratings and

PRODUCT HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED Mother Hubbard Dog Food is an alternative name for a family of canned products sold by WellPet LLC… a natural pet food company headquartered in Tewksbury,

Prairie Dog Food is an alternative name for a family of products sold by Nature’s Variety, Inc… a pet food company headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. Reviews and ratings for actual

What are chelated minerals and why are they used in some dog foods and not in others? Minerals are inorganic compounds that come from the earth and are naturally absorbed

It’s amazing the lengths some dog food companies go to just to trick unwary shoppers into buying their inferior products. Now, admittedly, there are many excellent dog foods out there.

Recently, low fat eating has become all the rage. It’s one of today’s most popular human dietary trends. So, it should come as no surprise that some dog food companies

Zero. That’s how many carbohydrates are nutritionally required by a dog to sustain life. The fact that a dog food doesn’t need to contain any “carbs” at all seems hard to

It’s not unusual to find blood meal and other blood products on a dog food label. These ingredients can include: Animal plasma Blood meal Dried blood Although blood products are

Are dogs carnivores… or omnivores? The Great Debate goes on. And on. When it comes to choosing dog food, it’s important to know the answer to that question. So, if

New research suggests the dog food preservative, propyl gallate, may be responsible for causing a potentially dangerous health issue for dogs. That’s because of the chemical’s unique ability to mimic

Propylene glycol is a controversial additive that’s used to help retain the moisture content in some commercial dog foods. You may already recognize this chemical for its more common use

Risky Dog Food Ingredient BHA is a controversial chemical preservative found in many popular dog foods. However… Some consider this ingredient too risky for use in pet food. That’s because…

Here we go again. Another controversial and mysterious dog food ingredient… TBHQ. What is it? And why is it used in dog food? TBHQ is an acronym for the word tertiary

BHT is the popular abbreviation for a common dog food additive known as butylated hydroxytoluene. The chemical is used in certain dog foods to prevent fats and oils from prematurely

Ethoxyquin is a fat preservative sometimes used in dog food that has garnered a controversial reputation. It appears much of the fear of ethoxyquin in pet food may be related

Poor Water Quality Can Lead to Disease Water is perhaps the most neglected nutrient in a dog’s diet… Which is why it may also be the most overlooked cause of

Manufacturing waste — that endless flow of scraps and rejects left over from virtually every human food enterprise. Restaurants.  Meat packers.  Cereal makers.  Supermarkets. They all produce waste. Yet each

I’m always amazed at the obsession most pet owners have about dog food protein. Especially since protein isn’t even considered an essential nutrient. Surprised? Well, that’s because it’s the stuff

Ten amino acids. Twelve basic minerals. Eleven vitamins. And two kinds of fatty acids. Whew! No question about it… there certainly are plenty of canine nutrients to think about. What’s more…

OK. In Part 1 we talked about what fiber really is… and why it’s only found in vegetables and grains.  And never in meat. We also talked about… A simple

By now, you’ve probably heard a lot about the benefits of dietary fiber. And if you haven’t… you really need to. Because fiber might just be one of the most

Do they really add ash to dog food? You’ve probably seen the word “ash” before, printed on the product label. Crude ash. You mean the same stuff you find in

Imagine going to your dentist and being told to forget using your toothbrush — because all you really need for good dental health is to simply eat a few crunchy

Ever wondered what’s better? A canned dog food — or a kibble? For me, it took a trip away from home and a call from the kennel attendant that finally

Have you ever noticed how many different dog food designs there are on the market these days? High protein. Low carbohydrate. Holistic. All-natural. Organic. Grain-free. Raw dog foods. The list goes

Feathers. Beaks. Hooves. What do these three types of body parts all have in common? They each contain a high amount of protein. Yet unfortunately, it’s mostly unusable protein — protein that’s nearly

When comparing dog foods, the carbohydrate content of each product can be difficult to find. That’s because dog food companies are not required by law to disclose the actual “carb”

Moisture Content Makes Comparing Dog Food Difficult Without a measuring method known as dry matter basis, it can be impossible to accurately compare dog foods. That’s because pet food companies

Are Cheese and Ice Cream Safe for Dogs? Some dogs have no problem eating cheese, ice cream or any other dairy product. While others experience acute digestive upset… Such as

The pet food industry has denied the rumors for years. Yet the reports just keep coming. They claim a number of companies continue to use euthanized pets to make dog food. Sound

In Part 1, we talked about how contaminants found in some lower quality foods could possibly be the cause of chronic allergies in dogs. Like insects, mites and molds. We

Dog food grains. Canine allergies. Could they be related? Well, in a word, maybe. Take bread mold. As unappetizing as it looks, bread mold can seem fairly harmless. Yet mold

Unlike humans who require vitamin C to sustain life, dogs possess the natural ability to make their own. Without vitamin C humans get a disease called scurvy… and die. Yet

Some call menadione a dog food necessity. Yet others reject it as a dangerous toxin. So, what exactly is menadione? And why is it being used in some dog food recipes

Think you can’t be easily fooled?  Well, think again. You see… when shopping for dog food, you just can’t trust the stated protein percentage printed right there on the label.

Olive oil or kitchen grease… which would you rather have on your salad? Unfortunately, any time you shop for dog food, you’re making a similar choice. That’s because most dog

Hey, nobody likes an impostor. Am I right? Yet you may have already come face-to-face with this unexpected trickster and not even known it. You see, in the world of

In case you haven’t read one lately, dog food ingredient lists can be downright ghastly. Yet these same disturbing lists still represent the only way to catch a glimpse of

For a dog food, what could contain more protein than whole meat? Well, surprisingly, a quality grade meat meal can actually be a more abundant source of protein than the

Ingredient splitting is one of the pet food industry’s most misleading marketing practices. Of course… Dog food companies deny any wrongdoing. They claim they’re simply following Federal labeling guidelines. Yet

Meat may just be the most important ingredient to look for on a dog food label. That’s because the protein found in meat is unique. So, unlike most plant-based protein sources,

The Dog Food Calculator can help you estimate the proper serving size for your pet. It’s based upon a study published by the respected Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition in

Finding and maintaining your dog’s ideal weight can significantly extend your pet’s life. A 14-year landmark peer-reviewed study found that… Dogs fed to ideal body condition lived 1.8 years longer

Adult dogs can vary in size from 2 pounds to 250 pounds.  So, with such a huge range of sizes, how can you figure out how much food your dog

When fed daily for a lifetime, synthetic dog food preservatives could be toxic to your pet. Why Preservatives Are Needed Although animal fats are a crucial part of every dog

Have you ever tried to get your dog to sit still on a bathroom scale long enough to measure her weight? Not much fun — is it? Nevertheless, to calculate

One of the most frequently asked questions we get here on The Dog Food Advisor website is… “How much food should I feed my dog?” And it’s an especially important

Without rules any product with just a tiny amount of beef in it could be unfairly called “Beef Dog Food”. So, the Food and Drug Administration has established four basic

The pet food industry discovered long ago that consumers are instantly attracted… like flies to honey… to any product labeled “natural”.  They know that just adding the word “natural” to

Premium Dog Food — or Premium Words? Premium, gourmet, natural and homestyle. Are these words you can trust when you find them on a dog food package? Do they have

Warning. The following story is shocking but true. It’s taken with permission from an article published in 1990 by the Earth Island Journal. “The rendering plant floor is piled high with

In 1995 my wife and I adopted a precious little shelter dog named Penny. Her short but troubled life had been a featured story on a local morning television show.