[Mike Sagman]

Hi Aimee,

Thanks for your suggestions. I like your “resume” approach (to screening) a lot. Great idea! A worthy and valuable requisite, for sure.

However, my only concern here is that requiring a company to perform expensive testing eliminates 95% (or more?) of the dog food companies out there. And many of those organizations could be producing some of the very best foods on the market.

Overall, I do agree. We do need to give a notable weighting to companies meeting most of your criteria.

However, I don’t believe we should overlook second-rate ingredients and questionable nutrient analysis just because a company employs 150 vets and 50 nutritionists (many of whom simply occupy figurehead positions on the Board — or who perform public relations duties.

Bloated corporations can be wasteful, inefficient and less responsive to their market compared to small to mid-sized organizations.

As in other technological industries, one or two well-informed, conscientious vets, nutritionists or formulators have the potential to create extraordinary products, too.

In any case, being an obsessive “label reader”, I’m looking forward to hearing what you suggest we look for on a label.

As always, thanks so much for your help.