# Interpreting Dog Food Nutrition Labels



## rjordan392 (Feb 16, 2010)

I intend to add a mix of dry food with fresh chicken or beef with some of the named vegetables such as peas, carrots, beets, tomato's, spinach and brown rice, barley and egg. I have already worked out a nutrition value list from U.S.D.A. and only need to weigh my ingrediants so as not to go to far beyond daily recommended allowances for vitamins and minerals for dogs.

But the commercial dry food (Kibbles n Bits) does not give nutrition values in the same way as human nutrition labels. The nutrition label list all of the vitamins and minerals as Minimum or maximum in percent. So how does someone interpret that in real values?

My next question concerns How to find the equivelent value for International Units to micrograms for vitamins A, D and etc?
Here is what I have:
I am going to start out with 130 grams of dry food (28.35 grams = 1 Ounce). The nutrition label says the contents contains 5100 IU/Kg of vitamin A. Now according to the National Research Council, the recommended allowance of vitamin A for dogs is 379 micrograms. So I have to go from IU to mcg.
Is there someone out there that can solve this? If so, please display the math so that I can use it to solve for other vitamins or minerals. Thanks.


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## Todd (Jan 13, 2010)

Check out this link;

Dog Food Analysis - Reviews of kibble

you will find tons of info on how to interpret labels based on quality of foods, 6 stars being the best and 1 star the worst. 

here are a few additional/general tips;

-grain-free is superior to other kibble. Much higher meat content/protein.
-avoid artificial preservatives, fillers, additives, colors, and byproducts. 
-avoid corn, wheat, and soy products. 

(always remember though natural or organic is only a label. don't let these often unregulated labels fool you)

Here are some of the best foods available;

-EVO
-Origin 
-Wellness Core
-Instinct 
-Canidae Grain-Free Formula 
-Taste Of The Wild
-Timberwolf Organics

*Just checkout the link I gave you. It's a great resource! :smile:


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## rjordan392 (Feb 16, 2010)

Thanks,
I am checking it out now.


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## rjordan392 (Feb 16, 2010)

Well that site is educational.
The quality or lack of in the dog food industry is enlightning. I will see whats available at the local pet store on the brands you listed and some others that are rated 5 and 6 star. Thanks.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

most of the better brands arent available through chain pet stores, although Petsmart does carry Blue Buffalo and Petco has Wellness, Solid gold, pinnacle and couple more I cant recall now. 
But if you go on manufacturers website, they have a link to store locations, oddly enough theres more selection at feed stores then pet stores.


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## Todd (Jan 13, 2010)

Unosmom said:


> most of the better brands arent available through chain pet stores, although Petsmart does carry Blue Buffalo and Petco has Wellness, Solid gold, pinnacle and couple more I cant recall now.
> But if you go on manufacturers website, they have a link to store locations, oddly enough theres more selection at feed stores then pet stores.


luckily i have an all natural pet food store (privately owned) near me with all the high quality stuff.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Dude get your dogs off Kibbles n Bits as fast as you can. That food is terrible. Here is a list for you, please do your dog a BIG favor and pick one of these.

Artemis
Blue Wilderness
Go
Horizon
Evo
Innova
Instrinct
Orijen
Taste of the Wild
Wellness
Acana
Fromm
Merrick
Canidae
Evanders
Earthborn
Natrures Logic
Natures Variety
Solid Gold
Pinnacle
Timberwolf
Blue Buffalo
Halo
California Natural


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## rjordan392 (Feb 16, 2010)

Thanks,
I just picked up a bag of "Innova". I will trash the Kibbles n Bits. Actually I am getting prepared for adopting a Beagle from a shelter and am waiting for the approval process to go through. The shelter just got the dog in on friday or saturday last week and with schedules as they are, is the reason for the wait. 
When I priced out the cost of a 6 lb. bag of Innova, it was $2.52 lb. Not bad considering whole "Tyson" chickens were $0.84 lb and beef chuck was $2.55 lb. I purchase these in anticipating that the dog may turn his nose on just dry food. So I'll be prepared to throw in a few pieces of fresh cooked chicken or beef. I don't think Shelters buy top of the line dry food for their dogs because of their constant need for funds. So I'll see what the dog does at his first feeding and add the chicken or beef supplement if needed.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

You can also email some of these companies and they will send you coupons or samples in the mail in case your dog doesent like the food. I actually found a feed store 5 mins away that carries a great variety of premium brands and they have a whole bin full of free samples, so I ended up getting one of each and got like 10 lbs worth of food.


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## rjordan392 (Feb 16, 2010)

I just checked out the Innovapet website and theres a link to compare their brand to some other brands. Their site does list all the ingrediants of their dog food and their percentages or weight. I guess the reason you won't see the complete list on their bags is because of lack of space to place them.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Keep in mind that dog food ingredients are listed in order by weight PRIOR to processing. So if you see a "fresh de-boned chicken" or just plain "chicken" as the first ingredient followed by a grain or other filler...that food is mostly filler. Since fresh meats contain ~70% moisture, but all of that moisture is removed during the process of making the food...its placement as an ingredient should be much further down the list. I would keep an eye out for a food that has a few named meat meal sources in the first 5 ingredients. Grain free is superior to all other kibbles. Good luck.


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## SaltyDog (Mar 10, 2010)

Beware of companies that do not publish the full nutrient breakdown.

Orijen, Acana, Innova, Evo, California Natural, Karma are the only brands I can think of that publish the whole thing!


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