Choosing the Best Pet Food: Key Questions & Why Location Matters

Questions to ask when choosing a pet food brand
(and why does location matter)?

There are so many factors to consider when choosing a pet food brand, and sometimes it can seem daunting and overwhelming to even know where to start. Ingredients, sourcing, price, all play a role when making the decision of what food brand to choose. Location also matters when choosing a pet food! Both where a company is headquartered and where a company chooses to manufacture a food are important things to consider when choosing a pet food brand.  This matters because different countries have different regulatory guidelines for how food is processed and sold, with some countries being stricter than others. Understanding where a company manufactures their food can give you better insight into regulatory and safety standards and practices. 

While so many Canadians are choosing to shop Canadian in this blog we’ll break down important things to look for when choosing a pet food, from ingredients to location and sourcing. By the end of this blog you should have a better idea of a variety of factors that make a pet food a quality choice.

Ingredient Sourcing in Dog Food

Depending on where a company is based, they might choose to use local ingredients, or they might have to either import ingredients or manufacture their food in another country. Many companies choose to manufacture their food close to where the majority of their ingredients are found to save shipping costs and prioritize freshness. This oftentimes results in the use of cheaper and subpar ingredients, resulting in a less nutritious food. Look for brands that utilize human-grade, fresh, nutrient-dense ingredients that are sustainably sourced versus brands that choose cheaper imported ingredients from countries with less regulatory standards.
When evaluating ingredients, here are some questions to ask to determine if a brand is using reputable ingredients and sourcing practices.

Where are the dog food ingredients sourced from?

The location from which a company sources its ingredients can determine a lot about the quality of the end product. Look for brands that source high-quality ingredients with clean ingredient tracing practices. Avoid foods that use vague ingredient descriptions or undisclosed and generic meat categories. 

Does the company participate in ingredient splitting in their dog food?

Have you heard of ingredient splitting before? Ingredient splitting is the practice of “splitting” up ingredients on the nutrition label to mask or conceal the true nature of an ingredient to make it seem healthier or more valuable in the food formula. Ingredients are ranked from most prevalent to least prevalent ingredients, meaning the first several ingredients you read on the label make up the largest percentage of the food. But, some companies have figured out that they can make undesirable ingredients look better if they participate in ingredient splitting. For example, instead of listing “corn” as an ingredient, they might list “corn meal”, “corn gluten”, and “ground corn” separately to lower the percentage of each ingredient, therefore moving it lower down on the list making it seem like other higher quality ingredients are in higher concentrations. Check out this example from Dog Food Advisor:

You can see how splitting corn into 3 separate ingredients bumps up chicken meal to the top of the ingredient list. Make sure you’re checking the ingredients listed on foods to make sure they’re not subjected to splitting.

Does the dog food contain by-products?

Some by-products are high in nutritional value, like certain organ meats, chicken, beef, or fish meal, heart, or kidneys. These types of by-products are packed with vitamins, minerals, and and amino acids that add nutritional value to your pet’s diet. However, other by-products, like beaks, hooves, or feathers, are considered to be low-quality by-products and should be avoided. These ingredients offer little-to-no nutritional value and can be hard for dogs to digest. Ingredients that seem vague or ambiguous are oftentimes by-products that

Are there artificial colours or flavours added?

Artificial colours aren’t necessary for dog food, but many companies choose to add them to make food look more aesthetically pleasing to the human eye. Artificial colours and flavours can be harmful to dogs and can potentially put their health at risk. Artificial additives like Red 40, Yellow 5, and Blue 2 have been linked to allergic reactions, behavioural issues, and other long-term health issues in dogs. Look for foods that opt for natural colour and flavouring by using ingredients like turmeric, beet juice, or spinach.

Supply Chain

A reliable and ethical supply chain is a primary indicator of a quality pet food brand. Reputable food companies will have clear supply chains with ingredients traceable from the source, making it easy for you to understand where your pet’s food is coming from. Trustworthy companies have close relationships with their suppliers and are able to trace ingredients through each step of the supply chain. This means creating long-lasting partnerships instead of just buying from the cheapest option. They also conduct regular checks and audits with suppliers to ensure compliance and safety standards resulting in safer end products.

Regulatory Oversight

Every country has a different governing body when it comes to regulatory oversight in the pet food industry. For instance, in the US, the FDA and AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials) are the organizations that decide labeling and nutrient profiles for all pet food. In Canada, the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) is the governing body that oversees all pet food imports and exports, however, there is significantly less supervision than in the United States. Additionally, the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) oversees meat and poultry used in pet food. Picking a brand that adheres to the strictest regulatory guidelines, even if they’re not governed by them, is a good sign of quality control measures.

Ethics and Sustainability

When looking for brands, try to find ones that prioritize environmental and sustainability practices. These brands typically have higher quality supply chains with more premium ingredients that can be easily traced back to single source origins. Ethical farming practices make it easy for consumers to understand where the ingredients in their pet’s food is sourced. Ethical farming practices can come in the form of free-range, pasture-raised, and antibiotic-free farming practices. Wild-caught and responsibly farmed fish are another example of ethical farming. Animal welfare standards are also important to ethical brands, as they ensure that animals are raised ethically and sustainably, without unnecessary hormones or antibiotics and free-range without cages.

 Transparency and Trust

Brands that have reputable ingredients and sourcing practices are typically very open and upfront about their supply chains and disclosing where their ingredients are sourced from. Ask yourself, is it easy to find out where their ingredients are from? Do they talk openly about how they protect the integrity of each step of the supply chain? If a company is elusive about talking about their sourcing practices and quality control measures, it could be a potential red flag to look out for.

Taking these factors into account when choosing a pet food brand will help you make a more educated and informed decision about what food to choose. Manufacturer location, ingredient sourcing, and supply chain management make a big difference in the quality of food a brand produces. You can use these tips to make the best decision in choosing a food for your pet that will support their health and longevity.

Until next time,

🐾 Woofs & Wags
- Melissa & Oaklee 🐾
@unleashthepawsitive