The Truva Standard

We Graded Everything We Sell. Seventeen Products Failed.
In September we re-scored all 38 products we carried against our own standard. Seventeen came off the shelf, including one where the mistake was ours. Read more...
A woman brushing her Australian shepherd coat on a sunny porch
Signs Your Dog's Food Is Making Them Sick: A Symptom Checklist
A checklist of digestive, skin, and weight signs that point to the food, what each usually means, and how to run a diet trial that gives a real answer. Read more...
Golden retriever sitting in tall grass at golden hour
Large Breed Puppy Food Requirements: The Calcium Rule Explained
The AAFCO large breed growth statement, the 1.8 percent calcium cap behind it, how to feed for slow growth, and what changes for a big adult dog. Read more...
A golden retriever puppy sitting beside its food bowl
How Much Protein Does a Dog Need? AAFCO Minimums and the Math
The AAFCO protein minimums for adult dogs and puppies, how to convert the number on your bag, and why protein quality matters more than the percentage. Read more...
A woman brushing her Australian shepherd coat on a sunny porch
Single Protein Dog Food: What It Is For, and Does Rotating Help?
What single protein dog food means, how rare food allergy is, which proteins cause reactions, and why rotation has thin evidence and a real cost. Read more...
A woman reading the ingredient panel on a bag of dog food in her kitchen while her terrier waits
Is Grain Free Dog Food Bad for Dogs? The DCM Evidence, Plainly
What the FDA found and did not find on grain free food and DCM, why pulses matter more than grain, and what the December 2022 update actually said. Read more...
Hands rehydrating freeze dried raw dog food while a border collie watches
How to Rehydrate Freeze Dried Dog Food: Ratio, Water, and Timing
Water ratio, temperature and timing for rehydrating freeze dried dog food, why it matters for hydration and choking, and how to store leftovers. Read more...
Owner crouching with his golden retriever in a sunlit park
Healthy Training Treats for Dogs: Size, Calories, and What Works
What a training treat has to do, the 10 percent calorie rule worked out for a training day, options that work, and what to avoid. Read more...
A golden retriever puppy sitting beside its food bowl
Dog Supplements by Age and Health: What Is Worth It, What Is Not
A framework for dog supplements by life stage and health problem: how they are regulated, three questions to ask, and which categories have real dog evidence. Read more...
A woman reading the ingredient panel on a bag of dog food in her kitchen while her terrier waits
Dog Food Recall List: How to Check It and What Class I Means
Where the FDA recall list lives, how to search it, how to get alerts, what Class I, II, and III mean, and the steps to take if your dog's lot... Read more...
A woman reading the ingredient panel on a bag of dog food in her kitchen while her terrier waits
How to Evaluate Dog Food Quality: Five Questions Before You Buy
The five questions that predict dog food quality better than the ingredient list, sourced to WSAVA, Tufts, AAFCO, and the FDA, with no brands ranked. Read more...
A woman reading the ingredient panel on a bag of dog food in her kitchen while her terrier waits
What Does Human Grade Dog Food Mean? Natural and Holistic Too
What human grade, natural, organic, and holistic actually mean on a dog food bag, who defines each, and what to read instead. Read more...
A relaxed beagle getting a belly rub on the sofa
Healthy Foods to Add to Dog Food: 10 Ingredients Worth Using
Ten whole foods worth adding to a dog's bowl, what each actually does, how much to use, and two popular ones we left off. No superfood hype. Read more...
Golden retriever sitting beside a filled bowl in a warm kitchen
Daily Dog Care Routine: A Morning to Night Schedule That Works
A morning to night daily care schedule for dogs covering meals, walks, water, body checks, and brushing, plus the weekly and monthly tasks most owners skip. Read more...
Blue nose pitbull terrier sitting on a porch in evening light
Anti Inflammatory Diet for Dogs: Weight First, Then Omega 3s
The two levers with evidence in an anti inflammatory diet for dogs are lean body weight and omega 3 dose. Whole food additions, and the popular claims we cut. Read more...
An owner gently helping their senior labrador up onto the couch
Hip Dysplasia in Dogs: Diet, Weight, and What Nutrition Can Do
What feeding can and cannot do for a dysplastic hip: slow puppy growth, a lean adult weight, fish oil with evidence, and glucosamine without much. Read more...
Yorkshire terrier sitting near a sunlit doorway
Why Is My Dog Shedding So Much? Normal, Diet, or Medical
How to tell normal seasonal shedding from a coat problem, what protein, fat, and omega 3s actually do, and the signs that mean a vet visit. Read more...
An owner gently helping their senior labrador up onto the couch
Sardines for Dogs: How Many to Feed, Which Can, and Why
Sardines in water with no salt added are a cheap whole food omega 3 source. Portions by dog size, the FDA mercury number, and where they fall short. Read more...
A relaxed beagle getting a belly rub on the sofa
Pumpkin for Dogs With Diarrhea: How Much, Which Kind, When
Plain canned pumpkin can firm mild diarrhea or ease constipation. Which can, how much by dog size, what it cannot fix, and the signs that need a vet. Read more...
Fresh Breath Starter Kit: toothpaste, toothbrushes and breath spray
Are Dental Chews Worth It? The VOHC List and the Ingredient Panel
Dental chews help only with a VOHC seal and only alongside brushing. How the seal works, which ingredients disqualify a chew, and where chews fit in a routine. Read more...
Dog toothpaste, two toothbrushes and a breath spray laid out on white
Natural Dog Teeth Cleaning: 7 Options Ranked by the Evidence
Seven ways to clean a dog's teeth at home, ranked by veterinary evidence, with brushing first and raw bones last because of the fracture risk. Read more...
A corgi standing on a bathroom scale while its owner checks the weight
How to Help My Dog Lose Weight Safely: Rate, Portions, Treats
Body condition scoring, the 1 to 2 percent weekly loss rate from VCA and Cornell, setting a calorie target at ideal weight, and food choices that help. Read more...
Father and young daughter petting their French bulldog in a backyard
What to Feed a Puppy: Label Rules, Meal Schedule, and Portions
The AAFCO growth statement, the 70 lb large breed rule, meal frequency by age from VCA, Merck puppy calorie multipliers, and when to switch to adult food. Read more...
A relaxed beagle getting a belly rub on the sofa
Dog Gut Health: How to Build and Keep a Healthy Microbiome
What a healthy dog microbiome looks like, how diet, fiber, and transition speed shape it, and why probiotics are a smaller lever than the marketing says. Read more...
Hands rehydrating freeze dried raw dog food while a border collie watches
How to Transition Your Dog to Raw Food: The 7 Day Schedule
The 7 day kibble to raw schedule as a table, what normal and abnormal look like during the switch, and the raw handling rules that come with it. Read more...
A relaxed beagle getting a belly rub on the sofa
Bone Broth for Dogs: Real Benefits, a Safe Recipe, and Limits
Bone broth is a safe topper for dogs when it has no onion, garlic, or salt. What it does and does not do, a simple recipe, and how much to... Read more...
An owner gently helping their senior labrador up onto the couch
Collagen for Dogs: Benefits for Joints, Skin and Coat, Honestly
Collagen for dogs has small trial evidence for joints, none for coat. The two product types, what the studies found, and where it ranks against fish oil. Read more...
A golden retriever waiting by its bowl as its owner adds a supplement to the food
Do Dogs Need Vitamins? What a Complete Diet Already Covers
Dogs on a complete and balanced food do not need a vitamin supplement. The narrow cases where one is warranted, and the toxicity risk of fat soluble vitamins. Read more...
An owner gently helping their senior labrador up onto the couch
Turmeric for Dogs: Is It Safe, Does It Work, and How to Use It
Turmeric is safe for most dogs but poorly absorbed and thinly studied. The dog trials, the bioavailability problem, and where it ranks against fish oil. Read more...
A relaxed beagle getting a belly rub on the sofa
Best Probiotics for Dogs: How to Read the Label and When to Use
Strain specificity, CFU, label accuracy, and the mixed trial evidence on probiotics for dogs, plus when one is worth trying and when it is a distraction. Read more...
Hands rehydrating freeze dried raw dog food while a border collie watches
Freeze Dried vs Dehydrated Dog Food: Which Is Raw, Which Is Safer
Freeze dried is raw, dehydrated is usually lightly cooked. How each is made, what the label says, how they rehydrate, and which fits your home. Read more...
Happy brindle rescue dog sitting on a sunlit porch
Best Single Ingredient Dog Treats and Why Less Really Is More
Why one ingredient beats fifteen, which protein suits which dog, the raw and calorie downsides, and how to keep treats under 10 percent of calories. Read more...
Senior German Shepherd resting on a couch with an owner's hand on its back
How Long Do Dogs Live? What the Data Says About Diet and Weight
Average dog lifespan, why size matters, the Purina lean feeding study that added 1.8 years, and where food quality fits after weight. Read more...
Older man hand feeding a treat to his Doberman in a kitchen
Dog Arthritis Natural Remedies: What Actually Helps Senior Dogs
Weight loss, fish oil at a real dose, and daily controlled exercise have the evidence for arthritic dogs. Glucosamine does not. Here are the numbers. Read more...
A woman brushing her Australian shepherd coat on a sunny porch
Why Is My Dog So Itchy? 8 Common Causes and What Actually Helps
The eight most common reasons dogs itch, in the order vets rule them out, plus what omega 3s can and cannot do and when to stop guessing. Read more...
A woman brushing her Australian shepherd coat on a sunny porch
Can Dogs Eat Salmon? Cooked Yes, Raw No, Wild vs Farmed
Cooked boneless salmon is safe and rich in omega 3s. Raw salmon can carry a deadly organism in the Pacific Northwest. Wild vs farmed, bones, portions. Read more...
A man giving his beagle a training treat in the backyard
Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potatoes? Cooked Yes, Raw No, and How Much
Cooked, peeled, plain sweet potato is safe for dogs in small amounts. Raw is not. Portions by size, what to skip, and the DCM question answered. Read more...
A man giving his beagle a training treat in the backyard
Can Dogs Eat Blueberries? Yes, Here Is How Many Are Safe
Blueberries are safe for dogs fresh or frozen. How many to feed, the choking caution for small dogs, what to skip, and why grapes are the opposite. Read more...
A corgi standing on a bathroom scale while its owner checks the weight
How Much Should I Feed My Dog? Calories by Weight, Explained
The RER formula, Merck multipliers, a calorie table from 10 to 100 lb, converting calories to grams, the 10 percent treat rule, and body condition checks. Read more...
A relaxed beagle getting a belly rub on the sofa
Best Dog Food for Sensitive Stomach: What Works, What Does Not
Lower fat, better digestibility, and a short single-protein list fix most sensitive stomachs. How to read the label for those three things and what to skip. Read more...
Dog licking a laughing owner on the couch
Dog Bad Breath Causes: What the Smell Means and What Fixes It
Most dog bad breath comes from plaque and tartar at the gumline. Daily brushing fixes it; here is how to check, what helps, and when to worry. Read more...
Brushing a calm dog's teeth at home
How to Brush Dog Teeth: A Step-by-Step Plan for Reluctant Dogs
A vet-backed, two-week progression from touching the mouth to full brushing, plus how often it really has to happen and what to do if your dog refuses. Read more...
Happy dog with a clean bright smile
What Happens If You Never Brush Your Dog's Teeth (Year by Year)
The year-by-year path from plaque to periodontal disease in a dog that is never brushed, what a cleaning costs, and the daily habit that stops it. Read more...
A senior german shepherd resting its head on its owner lap
Does Glucosamine Work for Dogs? What 72 Trials Actually Found
The evidence on glucosamine for dogs is weak to negative for pain relief. Here is what the systematic reviews found and what actually helps a stiff dog. Read more...
An owner gently helping their senior labrador up onto the couch
Fish Oil for Dogs: Dosage by Weight and How to Choose One
How much fish oil to give a dog by weight, the NRC upper limit, what the evidence actually supports, and how to pick an oil that has not oxidized. Read more...
A woman reading the ingredient panel on a bag of dog food in her kitchen while her terrier waits
Worst Ingredients in Dog Food: 12 to Avoid, Plus What to Buy
A field guide to the twelve worst dog food ingredients by name, what each is doing in the bag, and the ingredient you want to see in its place. Read more...
Hands rehydrating freeze dried raw dog food while a border collie watches
Raw vs Kibble for Dogs: What the Studies Measured and Missed
An even handed raw vs kibble comparison: digestibility trials, FDA and CDC safety data, AVMA and WSAVA positions, cost and convenience. Read more...
Hands rehydrating freeze dried raw dog food while a border collie watches
Freeze Dried Raw Dog Food Guide: How It Works, Risks, Labels
How freeze dried raw dog food is made, what the research shows, the pathogen risk stated plainly, and how to read the label. Read more...
A woman reading the ingredient panel on a bag of dog food in her kitchen while her terrier waits
Dog Food Ingredients to Avoid: The List The Truva Standard Uses
What The Truva Standard automatically rejects, the source behind each rule, and the ingredients we deliberately do not ban. Read more...
Healthy golden retriever dog portrait
How to Read a Dog Food Label: The Four Sections That Matter
The four label sections worth reading, in order, with the dry matter math and the wording rules that separate a complete diet from a topper. Read more...