May 13, 2026, 3:09 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
Feeding is a daily ritual for us and our dogs. Open the can or bag, fill the bowl, and off we go! Ideally, what’s left is a satisfied and full four-legged friend. But is what lands in the bowl every day actually high-quality, healthy, and good for my dog? PETBOOK author and canine nutritionist Philine Ebert explains how you can analyze your dog food in five minutes based on the information provided.
What Belongs in Good Dog Food? The Ideal Composition
The order of composition should always start with meat, ideally with the exact amount specified. The meat content should be about 60 to 70 percent. Next comes vegetables such as potatoes, pumpkin, or parsnips, alternatively rice and grains. Third are fruits, herbs, berries, and oil. The total proportion of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and oil should ideally be 30 to 40 percent.
Analytical ingredients are also important. They show how the food is composed. These include crude protein, crude fat, crude ash, and crude fiber, each given in percentages, allowing an assessment of nutrient distribution.
Nutritional substances are also listed—nutrients the body needs. This includes minerals, vitamins, and trace elements, which are important for health and balanced nutrition. Additionally, other additives may be included, such as preservatives or flavor enhancers. A closer look is worthwhile here, as not all additives are equally beneficial.
Quality Criteria for Good Dog Food
Good food is recognized by the composition mentioned above, but also by the processed ingredients. Meat is not just meat—there are significant differences. Is it high-quality meat like muscle meat and organs, or animal by-products, meat meal, and slaughter waste?
The same applies to plant by-products, which are never as high-quality as fruits or vegetables in pure processed form. The plant portion provides essential fiber and vitamins for health and digestion. There should always be a portion of vital plant components. If these are completely absent, vitamins and minerals are added artificially.
Another quality feature is added herbs, berries, and oils. High-quality oils provide valuable fatty acids (such as evening primrose, flaxseed, or fish oil). Additional, unnecessary, mostly chemical additives and sugar should not be included.
How to Recognize Balanced and Suitable Dog Food
With this checklist, you can identify suitable dog food in a few steps:
- Is it a complete food? Only then does it provide the dog with all essential nutrients (supplementary or single-feed is not sufficient).
- Does the type of food suit my pet? (Puppy, adult, senior, allergic, etc.)
- Are declaration and composition clearly listed? Can I quickly check and understand the composition?
- Are all analytical components (crude protein, crude fat, crude ash, and crude fiber) as well as other additives (vitamins, minerals, etc.) listed and clearly declared?
- Do the values match the energy needs, age, breed, and health status of my dog? Are artificial additives like preservatives or flavor enhancers hidden?
- Is there a detailed feeding recommendation (the food amount should be two to three percent of the ideal body weight)?
- Can transparent information about the manufacturer, production, and origin of the processed foods (organic certified) be traced?
- Does my dog tolerate this food well, or does he have digestive issues, gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea, or even allergies to certain ingredients?
Risk Factors in Dog Food
What should ideally not be included in dog food are ingredients that offer no nutritional value or can harm health. These include sugar and sweeteners like sucrose, dextrose, or caramel. Artificial flavor enhancers and chemical preservatives should also be avoided.
Low-quality by-products should also be avoided, such as claws, feathers, or hooves. They are significantly inferior to high-quality meat. The same goes for low-quality plant by-products, often used as cheap fillers but are often hard to digest and nutrient-poor.
Additionally, gluten-containing grains can cause gastrointestinal problems in many dogs. Wheat, barley, oats, and corn are particularly hard to digest and can trigger or exacerbate allergies.
How to Recognize Good Dog Food
Does Premium Dry Dog Food Measure Up? Expert Compares Nutrients
Recommended Guidelines for Analytical Ingredients
Dry Food
Buying dog food can be overwhelming. Therefore, pay attention to recommended guidelines to recognize good dry food:
- Crude protein (animal and plant proteins): 18 to 25 percent
- Crude fat (animal and plant fats): 8 to 13 percent
- Crude fiber (plant food components): 2 to 5 percent
- Crude ash (mineral and trace element compounds): 4 to 7 percent
Wet Food
There are also guidelines for wet food to help you recognize good dog food:
- Moisture: 70 to 80 percent
- Crude protein (animal and plant proteins): 8 to 12 percent
- Crude fat (animal and plant fats): 4 to 6 percent
- Crude fiber (plant food components): 0.5 to 1 percent
- Crude ash (mineral and trace element compounds): 1 to 3 percent
My Tip
If you’re unsure whether the food is appropriate and right for your dog, or if your pet shows signs of intolerance and digestive issues, feel free to seek expert support. A veterinarian, animal naturopath, or canine nutritionist can provide targeted and individual advice.