Nine Rules for Dog Food

No dog food has ever been shown to be better than any other. That said, I do advise:

• Buy kibble -- it's fire treated, well-mixed, and less likely to produce fewer contamination problems as a result.
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• Buy from companies that have been making dog food for many decades -- they have a reputation to protect.
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• Buy from companies that make their own dog food in their own factories, and avoid "lick and stick" companies that simply design labels and marketing campaigns while a nameless company three time zones away actually makes the product.
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• Buy "complete" food that has undergone a feed trial.  It's a minimal test, to be sure, but it says a lot if a company has not gone to the trouble and expense.
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• Buy your dog food from stores that sell a lot -- turnover is important to avoid mold.
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• Price does not determine quality; paying more for dog food only means you are paying more.
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• The most common allergy is to beef, and few dogs actually benefit from exotic meats, grains, or vegetables. Salmon is not necessarily better than chicken, and lentils is not necessarily better than corn or rice.
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• Feed your dogs less. Over 40 percent of American dogs are obese, and most veterinarians can go a month without ever seeing a dog in proper weight and in fit condition. Your dog should get no snacks or treats, and only one person should be allowed to feed the dog. If a dog is being trained, reduce food intake a bit (in order to increase motivation), and feed the kibble that would normally be in the dog's bowl, but by hand, in very small amounts, as a reward for performance.
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• I urge caution if the words holistic, natural, premium, or human grade are on a bag. When companies use nonsense words they are telling the world they think their customers are idiots.