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how to choose a quality pet food

It can sometimes feel overwhelming to choose the “right” diet for the pet you love. If you have questions, please reach out to your veterinary team. We’re here to help advise you on quality nutrition choices for your BFF.

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Get help decoding your pet’s dietary needs.

The furry pet body you love needs quality nutrition to feel happy and healthy. But how do you sort through all the conflicting information and make a quality selection with so many choices in the pet food aisle?

The good news is that there are many, many ways to deliver a quality diet for your cat, dog, puppy, or kitten. Quality pet foods are available in a whole range of prices, ingredients, flavors, and forms. Many varieties come specifically formulated to support your pet’s age, health needs, and dietary preferences.

Want to take some of the guesswork out of it all? Look for quality commercial pet foods. They will come pre-balanced with the correct ratio of protein, vitamins and minerals, key nutrients, and critical carbohydrates. They’ll list serving size suggestions based on your pet’s age and weight. Plus, they’re designed to be both yummy and easy to digest.

smiling woman holds brown dog talks to smiling vet

The basic building blocks of a quality pet diet

Nutrition is important in any diet because nutrition literally sustains life. Living things need essential nutrients to function, but they can’t make them on their own — they need to get them from nutrition-packed ingredients in their food.

Quality pet foods contain a scientifically-balanced ratio of ingredients that delivers key nutrients, protein, vitamins and minerals, critical carbohydrates, and more. And ideally, they come in a flavor and form that your pet will happily eat. (And digest, since runny pet poops are icky for everyone.)

Where does nutrition come from?

Critical carbohydrates

Carbs may get a bad rap in the human world, but they’re a crucial energy source for your pet. Many carbs also act as a terrific delivery mechanism for vitamins and minerals. A carb like rice is not only easy to digest, it helps to power your pet’s adorable antics and basic life functions.

See more about carbohydrates

Nutrients and nutraceuticals

Why does nutrition knowledge help you pick a food for your pet? Because nutrition is provided by nutrients in your pet’s food, and some ingredients are more nutritious than others. Here’s a starter list of nutrient-rich ingredients that you may see in pet foods or supplements.

See our basic nutrient lists

Protein

Protein is quite the buzzword these days, but pets have always known that protein is an awesome way to rebuild their bodies and fuel their active lives. And protein doesn’t just come from raw meat. Here’s what to know about what makes a quality protein source for your pet’s food.

See more about protein

Vitamins and minerals

So what’s the big deal about vitamins and minerals? A lot! These nutrients are vital for processing energy at a cellular level, supporting healthy skin, eyesight, bones, and your pet’s immune system. So yay for vitamins and minerals. Here’s what to look for.

See more about vitamins and minerals

How do I know my pet is getting a quality diet?

When picking pet foods, it can help to know that animal protein, meat and bone meal, and grains like ground whole corn and rice aren’t necessarily cheap fillers. In fact, these ingredients can be nutritious and easily-digestible power players for pet food.

If you’re feeding your pet a commercial pet food, check out the ingredient list. Commercial pet foods are required to show a complete list of all ingredients. Another tip is to look for logos from the FDA, the Unites States Food and Drug Administration, and the AAFCO, the Association of American Feed Control Officials. These labels certify the food is what it says it is. But don’t stop there — here’s how to know what’s going into your pet’s kibble, wet food, and stomach.

See how to read pet food labels

Answers to questions about wet vs. dry food, serving sizes, and how to switch pet diets

How much do I feed my pet a day?

Wet and dry commercial pet foods make knowing a serving size easier, because they’ll list “serving sizes” on the label based on your pet’s weight. However, weight isn’t always the only important factor. Age, body condition, health needs, and more will inform how many calories your pet actually needs. Health conditions, like diabetes and obesity, will also affect how often, and how much, your pet needs to be fed.

If you have concerns or questions, your veterinary team can help with suggested calorie counts, serving sizes, and a healthy feeding schedule.

Is wet food better than dry food?

Wet food isn’t necessarily more nutritious or easily digested than dry food. In fact, since wet food contains more moisture, it may actually contain less solid stuff than an equal amount of kibble. So long as your pet is getting the nutrition they need, you can choose one or the other, or mix it up. It’s really a matter of what your pet — and you — prefer.

Some dry foods may be better for helping reduce dental plaque, so if that’s a concern, ask your veterinary team what they recommend.

Keep an eye on the kibble size

Size matters when it comes to dry dog food. Because cats usually tend to all be roughly the same size, most dry cat foods work for most adult cats. But dry dog food is a different story.

Smaller dogs need smaller kibble, and bigger dogs need bigger kibble. Dogs can easily choke on kibble that’s the wrong size for their mouth, so check labels and ask your vet if that’s a concern. Your Banfield veterinarian can help you optimize your dog's daily diet for their breed and size.

Switch pet diets slowly

Pet stomachs can be creatures of habit. New foods can easily cause digestive upset, which usually translates to distressing pet diarrhea and other problems. Even if you’re switching from one top-quality brand to another, you’ll need to take it slow.

The usual advice is to take a week and slowly adjust the ratio of old food to new food. Start with 75% old food at the start of the week, move to 50/50 by midweek, then start the all-new diet the first day of the new week. Keep an eye on your pet’s poop, which can let you know how happy their stomach is with their new food. If your dog is experiencing major upset even after a slow transition, contact your veterinary team for advice.

Sorry, a quality pet diet does not include regular doses of human food or table scraps

Why? Unfortunately, many people foods are actually toxic to pets, even in small amounts. And even if your pet’s stomach tolerates the occasional table treat, be aware that people foods are high in calories, fat, salt, sugar, and other not-so-hot-for-pets ingredients. Pets don’t need to eat your food to know that you love them, we promise.

How do you give your pet a quality “alternative” diet?

You can absolutely give your pet a decent diet with a quality commercially produced pet food. But if you’re looking for a different route, a correctly-balanced alternative diet can be a great choice.

Be aware that alternative diets require you to be very involved with knowing which food ingredients, ratios, and amounts to correctly feed your pet.

It also helps to know what buzzwords and descriptors — like “holistic” or “natural” — actually mean before you plonk down your cash.

See more about options for alternative diets