Three Dog Night Rescue

NUTRITION

Navigating the Pet Food Industry

We have done all the research, interviewed board certified canine nutritionists, and consulted with some nutrition focused vets for all the best tips!

01

WSAVA Compliant?

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association or WSAVA has provided a set of questions to help pet owners pick a reputable and safe pet food brand. To be WSAVA compliant is important for store bought foods like kibble and fresh options, however it is rare for brands to meet or exceed all the criteria. All the food brands we list meet or exceed WSAVA guidelines after thorough analysis, scroll to chart below for demonstration. (Best viewed on Laptop or Tablet)

WSAVA Guidelines

02

AAFCO

Have you heard of the Association of American Feed Control Office or AAFCO? AAFCO requirements are nutritional requirements, ingredient standards, and definitions of labeling that may be written into state law. Every pet food sold must at least meet AAFCO requirements. On pet food labels, you will see where AAFCO has approved the food to be suitable for the life stage and growth of your dog. Large breed puppies MUST have food that is suitable for the growth of dogs over than 70 pounds, otherwise it risks their longterm health.

Reading AAFCO Labels

03

Ingredients, Brands, Marketing... Oh My!

The goal is to feed your dog foods that they are not allergic to, that are biologically appropriate, and that are functional for their daily needs. Understanding how to interpret a label can be a great starting point to improving your dog's diet, ultimately improving their life. With each food we recommend below, we put the protein percentage below its description. Picking a food with a higher protein percentage is important for growing puppies, overweight dogs, seniors, cancer patients, and active dogs. AAFCO recommends that dog diets contain at least 22% protein for puppies, and 18% protein for adult dogs. You will see we recommend a wide range for various needs!

Book a Consult to Discuss Your Dog's Needs Calorie Calculator for Your Dog!

04

BEG and Raw

BEG diets or Boutique, Exotic, and Grain Free foods as well as Raw diets have been extremely controversial amongst the pet food industry, many general practitioners say these diets cause health issues like DCM. However, Board Certified Nutrition Specialists, both that we consulted and other experts' published work, explain that there is no true correlation as long as the food is formulated by a an expert in the field (see studies below). When in doubt, purchase foods with limited pea ingredients. In regards to raw food, reputable brands utilize HPP (High Pressure Processing) as an all natural way to kill off harmful bacteria while preserving the nutritional value of the food. For homemade meals, you want to always work under the guidance of a Veterinarian who has specialized in canine nutrition, not just a general practitioner or a 'holistic' vet. Our recommendation is Tula Veterinary Nutrition.

"The Pulse of It" Study "Four Custom-Formulated Diets" Study
Brand Do they employ a Nutritionist? Who formulates the diet? What is the quality control process for ingredients and finished products? Are diets formulated using AAFCO feeding trials or by formulation to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles? Who makes the food? Why We Love
A Pup Above "All A Pup Above recipes are formulated and reviewed by veterinarian nutritionists to ensure they meet appropriate AAFCO guidelines for complete and balanced nutrition for Adult Maintenance. We employ a specific decorated group of veterinary nutritionists that advise on each of our formulas. This nutritionist group information can be provided upon request." "A team of veterinarian nutritionists (boarded with the ACVN) formulates and reviews all of our recipes. Each has more than 10 years of experience in veterinary medicine, is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition (AAVN), and their respective state Veterinary Medical Associations. Names are available upon request." Food is made in a USDA inspected human food facility and all recipes use 100% human grade ingredients. They test each batch for pathogens to ensure it is safe for your kitchen and your pup. "All of our recipes are developed according to the nutritional profiles established by AAFCO. They are Complete & Balanced for Adult Maintenance and meet AAFCO nutrient profiles by formulation and by analysis of the finished product." Made in a USDA Human Food Facility (Texas) Human-Grade ingredients, gently cooked, sous vide food in bone broth...it smells amazing, and the dogs love it. The one down side is that it is very pricey.
Dr. Harvey's Brand employs full time Ph.D. with a degree in animal nutrition. The recipes were formulated and reviewed by veterinarians, Independent Veterinary Specialists, and Independent Nutrition Consultants. "Dr. Harvey’s is proud to have earned the NASC Quality Seal, one of the most coveted – and hardest to attain – quality certifications in the pet industry!" "Dr. Limoges and her team follow AAFCO feed guidelines and NASC supplement guidelines to ensure the highest levels of nutritional integrity. Dr. Harvey works in conjunction with his research and development department to ensure the highest quality human-grade ingredients are sourced for the formulations. Before any product is released to market, the formulation is reviewed by several holistic veterinarians whom our company works with closely." Everything is made in their family owned commercial kitchen. If you want to home cook, or truly enjoy preparing your dog's food, this is the easiest/most affordable way! While Dr. Harvey is a human doctor who simply loves dogs, his team of amazing Veterinary Professionals make this a trusted product we hope you try!
The Farmer's Dog "Yes. The Farmer’s Dog employs PhD, board-certified nutritionists." "Dr. Ryan Yamka, PhD, MS, PAS, FACN, Dipl. ACAS (companion animal nutrition) and Dr. Joseph Wakshlag, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (nutrition) both formulate The Farmer’s Dog’s foods while overseeing the initial formulations from concept to commercialization." "We require that our food is made to human-grade “ready to eat” standards in human food facilities that carry a USDA establishment number. In addition, we require that all kitchens be certified to GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) standards. Not only do we look to third parties to audit the kitchens, our internal Food Safety, Quality and Regulatory team conducts annual Food Safety Audits at each kitchen to ensure our standards are upheld. As with human food, we require the kitchens to have environmental monitoring for pathogen control programs and a documented allergen program, which not only has pet related allergens and hazards but also human allergen controls to protect the pet owner. Every lot of food must meet our strict analytical specifications to ensure each lot adheres to our guaranteed analysis. In addition to analytical testing, our food must pass microbiological tests, including pathogens such as Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, prior to being released. High risk ingredients such as our vitamin and mineral premix are tested for nutrients like vitamin D prior to being shipped to our kitchens." "All of our foods are complete and balanced according to AAFCO standards. We have conducted a feeding trial to ensure our food is complete, balanced, and bioavailable. Results of those trials are available upon request. Additionally, we have conducted third-party digestibility and Relative Supersaturation (RSS) studies on all our foods. All of our results are available upon request or can be found in the Nutrition Guide and the Veterinarian Portal online." "We require each facility to hold a USDA grant of inspection and have on site inspectors employed by the USDA. In addition, we require all locations to maintain GFSI certification and register with the FDA for pet food. Our internal Food Safety, Quality and Regulatory group has extensive experience in human food safety requirements and pet food nutrition, and holds our manufacturing partners to the same safety standards as human food with the vitamin and mineral accuracy required for pets." They exceed WSAVA guidelines, and to our knowledge, are the only subscription food service that does!
Farmina N&D Yes, employs several types of "Nutritionists" as well as 100 licensed Veterinarians. "Leadership of our international formulation team includes a veterinarian with both a PhD and master’s degree in Animal Nutrition. Other members of the formulation team include 5 additional veterinarians (one with a specialized nutrition focus), 6 members with a master’s degree in Animal Feed Technology and 3 members with a bachelor’s degree in Food Technology." "Each production site is equipped with state of the art quality control labs2 (3 in total) operated by 4 Chemists, 3 Biochemists, 2 Master of Science degrees in Animal Feed Technology and 1 Bachelor of Science degree in Food Technology plus 2 Biologists, 1 Biotechnologist, and 6 lab technicians." "All formulations occur in house and are developed in accordance with both FEDIAF and AAFCO guidelines. Farmina Pet Foods has a long working relationship with the Chair of Animal Nutrition at the University of Naples Federico II. Through this relationship, we have developed several lines of research that were published by certified high bibliometric international journals. All clinical findings were set up and led by impartial public entities, who confirmed our scientific validity and testified to the effectiveness of our food products. Farmina Vet Life and N&D products are scientifically developed and certified as effective by third parties.​ One of the unique characteristics of the clinical trials set up by Farmina Vet Research (FVR) is our full respect to the animal's welfare. We collaborate with dozens of independent veterinarians in Italy to offer nutritional solutions for cats and dogs that are affected by a disease. These pets have the chance to improve their health while remaining with their families throughout the trial period. The only change made to their lifestyle is their diet." "Farmina Pet Foods is a family owned and operated Pet Nutrition Company with 4 proprietary production facilities, including 3 dry food extrusion plants and one wet food manufacturing plant." This is Louise's favorite! If you know her, you already know this as she cannot help herself. It is so highly studied, formulated mainly with whole foods, and relatively affordable.
The Honest Kitchen "We work with a team of renowned veterinarians, including a veterinary nutritionist, to create each and every recipe." "In formulating our diets, we work closely with several Veterinarians and a Board-Certified Veterinary Nutritionist. Based on our formulations, nutritional profiles, independent laboratory data as well as a comprehensive review of all the currently available research, we continue to have the highest confidence that our foods are properly made and formulated in accordance with the peer-reviewed research that exists to date." "Since our foods, supplements, toppers are actually made in facilities that conform to all human food standards, our quality assurance program is designed to attest to the necessary standards that would apply if a human were to be the end consumer. We have an extensive sampling program for our finished goods, and test at an independent third-party laboratory to make sure every batch is free and clear of pathogens, such as E. coli, salmonella, and listeria. The laboratory also checks numerous other food safety and quality indicators. Our strict Test, Hold and Release Program means no finished goods are released into distribution until the test results come back." "We’re excited to announce that we have completed comprehensive in-home versions of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) feeding trials that included our Whole Grain Dehydrated, Grain Free Dehydrated and Grain Free Whole Food Clusters foods for dogs. The feeding trials were conducted by a third-party veterinarian group, fluent in both AAFCO standards and The Honest Kitchen’s products, spanning over six months and including eight healthy dogs in each trial (24 total). The trials showed overall excellent results and substantiated nutritional adequacy of The Honest Kitchen’s diets. ​" The Honest Kitchen recipes are made in the USA at a processing facility that is graded for human food.
Medicus Veterinary Diets Employs full time Veterinarians and consults with Board Certified Nutritionists. "We consulted with leading minds in the industry, including Independent Veterinary Specialists and Independent Nutrition Consultants, to formulate these therapeutic diets." "We source our foods locally and from trusted food suppliers committed to the quality and safety of their ingredients. The same ones who provide for restaurants. All of our ingredients are grocery-grade, including grass-fed meats, wild-caught fish, and organic produce." All diets are formulated to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles. "The food is made and manufactured in Wisconsin in a cGMP facility using the highest Quality Control and Food Safety standards. Dr. Chris Bessent owns Medicus along with the facilities in Wisconsin where the food is made." We have seen it work first hand. Many specialty clinics and treatment facilities use their products to help heal sick pups.
Nature's Logic Yes, Dr. David Dzanis, DVM, PhD, DACVN. "All diets are formulated by Nature’s Logic owner and founder Scott Freeman. Mr. Freeman has more than 25 years of experience in formulating animal diets. All Nature’s Logic regulatory information and declarations are critically evaluated by board certified veterinary nutritionist David Dzanis, DVM, PhD, DACVN. All formulas are also run through specialized formula software on-site at production facilities and analyzed at 3rd party labs for accurate declarations." "All incoming raw material is checked that it meets correct specifications and requirements. As the product is being manufactured, 18 different product data checks are continually done over 40 times to ensure the product is meeting all specifications and guarantees. Then the product is not released for sale until a 3rd party lab analyzes for pathogens." "All diets are tested through AAFCO Feeding Trials and are substantiated for all life stages." "All Nature’s Logic diets are produced and manufactured in the U.S. The main facilities are CJ Foods and Simmons Pet Foods." We love this kibble because it is eco-friendly, all natural, and affordable!
Open Farm "Core to this team are an Animal Nutritionist who holds a Master Degree in Animal Science, Formulation and Animal Nutrition and a PHD Food Scientist. These experts ensure that our recipes are formulated to meet the nutrition pets need to optimize their health and longevity." "All our recipes our formulated at our head office in Toronto with the support of various nutrition, animal science and food manufacturing experts." "Our foods and treats are tested by 3rd party accredited labs for nutritional profile, pathogens, heavy metals and other contaminants, to ensure they meet our strict nutritional and food safety standards. We take great pride in sourcing only the highest quality ingredients, maintaining significant control and traceability throughout our supply chain, and in ensuring that the foods we make are not only extremely healthy, but also safe." "All our recipes are formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by AAFCO In addition to formulating our recipes to meet AAFCO standards and requirements, we have many check and balances in place to ensure the nutritional integrity of our recipes." "We are a Canadian company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. All of the work to develop, formulate and distribute our recipes happens here in Canada. Our manufacturing facility, located in Minnesota in the United States, to facilitate our local vegetable program and access to our audited and certified partner farms." Open Farm is the first ethically raised and sourced pet food. Their recipes are prepared with 100% Certified Humane™ meats, ocean-caught fish sourced in accordance with Seafood Watch™ standards, and non-GMO vegetables. Their entire farm-to-bowl supply chain is audited and certified by third-party organizations specializing in humane animal care and sustainable farming practices. They have also partnered with TerraCycle to create the very first North American pet food bag recycling program.
Primal Pet Foods Inc. "Yes, we currently employ a a PhD Companion Animal Nutritionist. James Templeman, PhD is on-staff with us full time." "James Templeman (PhD, Companion Animal Nutrition)." ”Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP’s), Approved Supplier Program, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP’s), A Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) program, and lot segregation. Our ingredients are sourced only from USDA inspected facilities, and/or facilities regulated by the FDA. Our manufacturing facilities are FDA, USDA and California SDA inspected. Regular testing to ensure AAFCO nutrient profiles continue to be met. Strict Test & Hold policy for salmonella, e coli, and listeria at a 3rd party food safety laboratory for all finished products." "All our diets are formulated to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles by formulation & analysis of the finished product. Our PhD companion animal nutritionist uses advanced software to formulate these recipes to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Nutrient Profiles for the specific life stage. Additionally, our team conducts post-production nutrient analysis on the finished product in partnership with a third-party laboratory. We’re working with the University of Illinois to facilitate sponsored research. Currently, 2 of 3 works are published in the Journal of Animal Science." "All balanced formulas are produced by our own manufacturing facilities in California and Texas." SO HIGH PROTEIN. Also, they produce everything under the sun. A great brand to use and snag, especially if on sale.
Purina Pro Plan (Nestle Purina) Purina Institute is a WSAVA Diamond Partner. This means they meet or exceed all these questions automatically. It is very affordable, the 30/20 line is great when you are on a budget. You can add dog safe food scraps to it for a nutrition boost!
The Simple Food Project Owner, Chris Bessent, DVM, MSOM, Dipl. OM, L.Ac. has over thirty years of experience in veterinary medicine. Dr. Bessent also received her degree in veterinary nutrition and began to formulate recipes fit for a carnivore from nothing but whole foods. "We bring in USDA-inspected meats and grocery-grade produce (from the USA only!) directly to our facility, and rigorously check the quality of each ingredient before allowing it to come through our doors." All diets are formulated to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles. They also do feeding trials with personal pets. "All our recipes are crafted in small batches with USA-sourced ingredients at our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Wisconsin." While expensive, it is super simple to work with. Dogs love it and it is super healthy!
Stella & Chewy's Stella & Chewy work with a highly qualified 3rd party nutrition team to create their products and then the recipes are reviewed by a veterinarian. " Our products are formulated under the guidance of a PhD animal nutritionist and reviewed thoroughly by our cooperating team of veterinarians." "The safety of our products is managed through our FSMA required Food Safety Program which includes a specific HACCP program for each variety of food product produced. Each of our co-manufacturing partners also operates under their FSMA required Food Safety Program. We continue to verify the products have met the food safety program requirements by requiring finished goods microbiological testing. All results continue to be published on our website." "Our complete and balanced diet pet food products meet AAFCO Dog Food Nutritional requirements. This is verified through review of the diet recipe and product by the animal nutritionist and testing of the food product for those required nutrients. We continue to verify that our diets meet the nutritional adequacy expected at a prescribed frequency. We do not feel that feeding trials are the best, or the most scientific way to ensure that our products are complete and balanced. To be considered a “complete and balanced diet,” pet food must either meet one of the Dog or Cat Food Nutrient Profiles established by AAFCO or pass a feeding trial using AAFCO procedures. We do the former. Our products proudly meet appropriate AAFCO requirements based on the nutrient profile (formulation). We feel that this is the most precise and consistent way to provide pets with the premium nutrition they deserve. In addition, WSAVA also states in their recommendations that, “While feeding trials help to test for the food’s nutritional adequacy, the use of feeding trials does not guarantee that the food provides adequate nutrition under all conditions.” "Our raw food products and baked kibble products are manufactured in our own facility in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Our Stella’s Essentials and cat kibble products are manufactured at our co-manufacturers in Utah and Nebraska. Our wet food products for cats and dogs are made in a human-grade facility in Wisconsin." This brand is the holy grail for picky eaters!
ZIWI Peak Employs full time Nutritionist with a PhD degree in animal nutrition Nutritionists with a PhD degree in animal nutrition and Veterinarians "For our air-dried products we use a modern take on centuries old meat preserving techniques. Our dual stage Z-TWINTECH® technology removes pathogens with the movement of air. Air-drying is substantially more gentle than other pet food preparation methods, such as extrusion or baking. Our canned recipes use a retort method which means the core temperature reaches a level to kill pathogenic bacteria. The temperature is held for a short period of time necessary to meet all regulatory requirements to produce a safe, low acid canned food. As part of our commitment to quality, we test all our products to ensure they are safe and free of harmful pathogenic bacteria, prior to them leaving our kitchens." "All ZIWI Peak products meet or exceed the stringent New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries and AAFCO-approved standards." "ZIWI exports to over 30 countries around the globe and meets or exceeds all of their import regulations. Below are just a few of the regulator bodies overseeing importation of ZIWI products: Ministry of Primary Industries (New Zealand) AAFCO (USA) FDA (USA) FSMA (USA) CFIA (Canada) MARA (China) FEDIAF / European Union’s published regulations (EU) Permit to import into Australia." "ZIWI Peak complies with the New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) approved risk management programme based on a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan. Production samples are tested to ensure they meet the specified range for food quality and safety. We conduct laboratory testing on all production products to ensure compliance with stringent EU regulations and to meet our own strict in-house requirements. There are strict limits imposed for these tests, and MPI maintains an overview of the results. ZIWI conducts feeding and palatability trials working with Massey University in New Zealand, who are recognised for their veterinary program. ZIWI does not undertake any invasive animal testing." "ZIWI Peak foods are made in New Zealand in our own state of the art kitchens." If you do not have a budget in mind, this is arguably the best food you could possibly feed your dog! They are ethical as a bonus!

The Gold Standard Food Guide

 Our Favorite Products, From Our Favorite Brands


The prices listed are real life cost ranges, from the lower end, feeding a 5 pound Chihuahua, to the upper end, feeding an 140 pound Great Pyrenees; most dogs fall somewhere in the middle. We included treats, toppers, meal hydrations, and supplements too, which will just include the cost of the item total. You can schedule a consult and get a personalized feeding schedule with associated costs adhering to your budget if confused on what to choose, or if you are curious about other brands/foods we didn't list.  Just click on "Book a Consult to Discuss Your Dog's Needs" above in section 03. Since there are so many great brands out there, we only are listing brands we have personally used here at the rescue, that we seriously recommend! Most every brand, except Purina, utilizes human-grade, whole food ingredients. It would be silly if we did not acknowledge the oldest living dogs on Earth ate diets mainly comprised of human-grade, whole food ingredients. HOWEVER genetics, environmental factors, and so much more play extremely valuable roles in life expectancy! Fed is best, remember that, and take pride in it, no matter what you feed your dog. Price Range examples are averages for all sized pups: $2.00 and under daily (Affordable), $3.00-$6.00 daily (Moderate), $7.00 and more (Expensive).

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