A full investigation of dog tucker was published in Country-Wide, March 2011 – go to bit.ly/1tCiSVB for an online version.
This explains the basic science behind working dog nutrition. The information hasn’t changed, but products have come, gone, altered, and been priced anew.
The latest general information, nutritional data and ration-cost data, provided by dog food manufacturers, are summarised in this article’s three tables.
• AAFCO Approved
In Table 1, where the dog food has achieved the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) Approved standard, this is an indication that the food has passed independent testing, is considered non-toxic, and is a complete and balanced diet.
Formulated – to meet AAFCO standards – indicates good intent to reach these standards but does not include AAFCO testing.
• Ingredients list
Ingredients are listed in order of proportion, with the highest listed first. In Table 1, only the first three ingredients are listed. In general, where the first is a high-quality ingredient, the shorter the list, the higher the food quality.
Suppliers describe the content of fat, protein and other ingredients in various ways – see Table 2. These may be specific like “20%”, or quite vague, such as “at least 20%”,“up to 20%”, or “20% maximum”.
These guys have a full working life ahead of them. Their diet will have a big influence on their health and performance.
