How reviewers judge dog food
The pet food recalls of 2007 served as a wake-up call to millions of pet owners, as well as some -- but not all -- pet food makers. Though the panic over food tainted with melamine has largely subsided, owners are still casting wary eyes on pet food labels, and many makers have become more willing to discuss where their foods are made, where their ingredients come from and what kind of testing is being done.
Consumers have long faced a dilemma when evaluating dog foods, because there are almost no professional reviews available from mainstream media sources. In 1998, ConsumerReports.org tested dog and cat foods, but the results caused an uproar when it was discovered that the testing methods weren't scientific and the results weren't accurate. In response, ConsumerReports.org published a correction, stating that it had incorrectly measured some minerals and fatty acids in pet food, and editors promised to redo the test. However, ConsumerReports.org hasn't published a dog food comparison since 1998. Taste tests are also ineffective, because they are anecdotal and usually don't consider factors such as nutritional requirements and the quality of ingredients used.
Instead, we found the best guidance on dog food at sites such as DogFoodAnalysis.com, PetFoodRatings.net, DogAware.com, DogFoodAdvisor.com and others, which concentrate on the quality of ingredients used as well as nutritional factors. Many of these sites also consider the manufacturer's ethical guidelines -- which are not always above reproach -- and the inclusion of ingredients of dubious value. The website Dog Food Reviews does the same, and it also has an active community of users who add their own ratings and opinions. PetsumerReport.com is another valuable resource, as is its companion website,
TruthAboutPetFood.com has some useful articles regarding pet-food safety; however, ratings and opinions are available only to paid subscribers. Several sites don't recommend specific foods, but they go into great detail about ingredients and how to read a dog food label to find the best quality diet for your dog. Examples include the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine and The Dog Food Project. About.com has an extensive ingredient database, but makes no recommendations.
Although the massive pet food recalls of a few years ago are receding in the rear-view mirror, those concerned about the quality of the food they feed to their four-footed companions need to still keep abreast of industry news. Some recent developments have cast a shadow in the minds of some regarding some heretofore well-regarded brands.
For example, in March, the owners of Evenger's Dog and Cat Food Co. were indicted in Illinois in connection with the theft of as much as $2 million in electric and gas services. This follows another incident in 2009 in which the FDA suspended the company's permit to send its products over state lines in connection with recordkeeping issues. Though no problems were reported, the FDA said that the violations could have allowed unsafe products to reach consumers. Neither incident reflects directly on the quality of Evenger's dog food, but some pet-food reviewers are wary. For example, Mary Straus at DogAware.com writes, "I'm no longer comfortable recommending this brand, as there have just been too many problems with the company... While this has no direct impact on their food, it does speak to their integrity, and I no longer trust their products."
Merrick is another top maker, but it has also come under fire from some pet-food advocates for its handling of a recall of its Beef Filet Squares product. The full text of a warning letter to the company from the FDA is posted at the agency's website. In it, the FDA calls the company's handling of the recall ineffective. Specific complaints include delays in letting customers know about the recall and in saying it was recalled because it "may not have been processed properly," instead of the actual reason, which was possible Salmonella contamination.
Perhaps the biggest issue to roil pet food advocates is the sale of Natura Pet Foods to Procter & Gamble. Procter & Gamble manufactures dog food under the Iams and Eukanuba brands, which don't get very much respect in most reviews that rate dog foods on the quality of their ingredients. Natura brands include Innova, Innova Evo, California Naturals and others, all considered, up to now, to be among the better pet foods available. There's yet to be any change in the formulation of those foods -- at least according to reports -- but there's no word on what the future will hold. Some reviewers, including Mike Sagman at DogFoodAdvisor.com, are taking a wait-and-see attitude. Others, such as PetsumerReport.com and TruthAboutPetFood.com's Susan Thixton, call the news "heart breaking."
