Our Standard

We Read Every Label. So You Don't Have To.

Over 1,200 products reviewed since we started. 8% made the cut.

Here is exactly what we look for — and exactly what gets a product rejected.

What We Accept

Named protein source as first ingredient. Chicken, not "poultry." Salmon, not "fish." If the label uses generic terms, the manufacturer is hiding flexibility to use cheaper proteins from batch to batch.

Whole-food carbohydrate sources. Sweet potato, lentils, chickpeas. Not corn syrup solids. Not refined white flour.

Natural preservatives. Mixed tocopherols (Vitamin E) or rosemary extract. Not BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin.

Transparent nutritional testing. Third-party certificates of analysis available on request. We verify these exist before carrying any brand.

AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement. Must be "complete and balanced for [life stage]" — not "for intermittent or supplemental feeding only."

What We Reject Automatically

Corn, wheat, soy (as primary ingredients): Cheap filler, low bioavailability, common allergen sources.

BHA / BHT: Synthetic preservatives, classified as possible human carcinogens by WHO.

Ethoxyquin: Pesticide-derived preservative, banned in human food in EU.

Unnamed by-products ("meat by-products"): Could be any species, any part, any condition.

Artificial colors (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2): No nutritional purpose. Dogs are dichromats. The colors are for humans, not dogs.

High-fructose corn syrup: No justification.

Our Brand Vetting Process

  1. Label review — first 5 ingredients pass/fail against our rubric
  2. AAFCO statement verification
  3. Manufacturer research — ownership, recall history, facility certifications
  4. Third-party testing verification
  5. Sourcing transparency review
  6. Annual re-review — formula changes happen silently

Why This Matters

59% of dogs in the United States are clinically overweight or obese. The pet food industry is a $58 billion market with self-regulated quality standards. The minimum bar for "complete and balanced" is low.

No brand pays to be listed in our catalog. Ever.