Can You Really Trust Your Dog Food Label? Here’s How to Spot the Red Flags

How many of us actually check the labels on our food — not just dog food, but our own? If I’m honest, I didn’t… until I had to.

When my daughter developed a food intolerance, suddenly, I was reading everything. It was a right pain in the bum, but it taught me something important: I didn’t really understand ingredient lists — and manufacturers have a whole toolbox of tricks to hide what’s really in a product.

Then came my dog Storm and her issues, and I had to learn the world of pet food labelling inside out.

This blog isn’t about “kibble bashing” — it’s about helping you understand what’s in your dog’s bowl so you can get the best quality for your money.

Let’s be honest — dog food packaging is designed to make you feel good. Big pictures of juicy meat, lush veg, and happy dogs running in meadows… lovely.

But flip the bag over, and the real story is in the ingredients label.

Your dog’s diet fuels everything. Get it right, and you’re supporting their health for years. Get it wrong, and you could be filling their bowl with more fillers and marketing fluff than actual nutrition.

Why Reading a Dog Food Label Matters (Beyond Price, Pictures & Packaging)

Big brands are brilliant at advertising themselves as premium quality, but that’s not always the case. Some of the most expensive foods have the lowest quality ingredients hiding inside.

UK dog food labelling rules mean brands have to tell you what’s in the bag (UK Pet Food Labelling Code), but there are plenty of sneaky ways they can make it look better than it really is. Learning to read the label properly is worth its weight in biscuits.

Dog Food Label Guide – How Ingredients Affect Your Dog’s Health

1. Allergies & Intolerances: Hidden Proteins That Can Trigger Reactions

Dogs can react to seemingly harmless ingredients. Research shows that even single proteins like beef, chicken, eggs, milk, wheat, soy, or corn can trigger allergic reactions — and many dogs react to more than one protein (PubMed).

Another review found the most frequent canine food allergens are beef, chicken, dairy, wheat, soy, and lamb (PMC).

Here’s the problem: front-of-pack wording can hide these allergens.

If the bag says "with chicken", you might assume chicken is the only meat — but turn it over and you could find beef fat, pork meal, or fish meal in the composition list.For a dog with food sensitivities, that’s enough to cause a flare-up.

Vague terms like “meat derivatives” or “animal fats” make it even harder — you have no idea what species they came from, meaning you can’t confidently avoid known triggers.That’s why the front percentage claims and the back ingredient list need to match — otherwise, you’re shopping blind.

2. Peas, Lentils & Legumes in Dog Food – Why Ingredient Order Matters

Peas, lentils, and chickpeas are often used in dog food — both for their plant protein and as a carbohydrate source. There’s nothing inherently “bad” about them, but like any ingredient, too much can change the nutritional balance of the diet.

Some research (including the ongoing FDA investigation) has looked at potential links between very high legume diets and a heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in certain dogs (FDA).

Other studies, however, have found no harm when legumes are used as part of a balanced formulation (University of Guelph).

Front-of-pack connection:If the bag boasts “with salmon” but peas or lentils are higher up the ingredient list than the meat, the food is actually more plant-based than animal-based — regardless of the marketing image.

The key isn’t avoiding peas entirely — it’s knowing where they appear on the label and how much of the protein is coming from them versus real meat.

3. Dog Food Ingredients and Behaviour – How Carbs Affect Energy Levels

Your dog’s diet fuels their energy — and just like in humans, different foods release energy at different speeds.

High-glycaemic carbohydrates (like white rice, maize/corn, or wheat) release sugars into the bloodstream quickly, which may contribute to sharper energy spikes in some dogs (Oma’s Pride / Veterinary Practice). These spikes can sometimes be mistaken for “hyperactivity.”

Low-glycaemic carbohydrates — like sweet potato — release energy more steadily, helping to support balanced activity levels throughout the day.

Front-of-pack connection: If the first few ingredients are mostly refined grains, it’s likely the main source of energy is coming from quick-release starch. If you want steadier energy, look for foods where the carbs are low-GI sources (like sweet potato) and are balanced with named meat proteins — exactly the kind of formulation that supports consistent energy without big highs and lows.

UK Dog Food Labelling Rules Explained (FEDIAF & UK Pet Food Guidelines)

Every pet food label sold in the UK has to include:

• Product type – is it complete (all essential nutrients) or complementary (needs to be fed with other foods)?

• Target species & feeding instructions – so you know it’s for dogs and how much to feed.

• Analytical constituents – percentages of protein, fat, fibre, ash, and moisture (if above 14%).

• Composition – ingredients listed in order of weight, with percentages shown if an ingredient is highlighted (“with chicken” must state the % chicken).

• Manufacturer details – contact info, weight/volume, batch number.

Full guidance is in the UK Pet Food Labelling Code and FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice.

References 

UK Pet Food Labelling Code https://www.ukpetfood.org/resource/pet-food-labelling.html and FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice https://fediaf.org/images/FEDIAF_Code_of_Good_Labelling_Practice.pdf

Dog Food Front-of-Pack Claims – What “With” and “Rich in” Really Mean

The front of a dog food bag is designed to make you feel confident — but those tempting phrases are often doing more marketing than informing. UK and EU labelling rules set percentage rules for certain terms:

• “Flavour” – “Chicken flavour” may contain little or no chicken — just flavourings.

• “With…” – Must contain at least 4% of that ingredient before cooking. That’s not much — in a 12kg bag, 4% chicken = less than 500g in the whole bag.

• “Rich in…” – Must contain at least 14% of that ingredient.

• “Made with X%…” – This is the declared percentage before cooking, so in dry food that number drops considerably once the water evaporates.

• “Single-protein” or “100%…” – Must only contain that one animal protein source, but may still include vegetables, herbs, or supplements.

The Sneaky Bits They Won’t Put on the Front

• Hidden proteins – Even if the front says “with chicken,” the back might reveal beef, pork, or fish. This is a nightmare for dogs with intolerances.

• Animal oils & fats in the “meat %” – Brands sometimes bump up their “animal content” by counting chicken fat, fish oil, or animal digest. These can add flavour and nutrients but aren’t the same as actual meat protein.

• Grouped totals – “Total animal ingredients: 50%” sounds meaty, but it might include fresh meat, meat meal, oils, fats, and hydrolysed proteins all in one figure. Without a breakdown, you can’t tell how much is true muscle meat.

⚠ Why this matters:A big salmon steak on the front and “with salmon” in bold might legally mean only 4% salmon, some chicken fat, and the rest made up of cheaper proteins and fillers. Always turn the bag over and check the full composition line.

Dog Food Red Flags, Good Signs, and Sneaky Marketing Tricks

✅ The Good Ingredients to Look For in Dog Food

• Named meats first – e.g., fresh chicken (30%) or salmon meal (28%). Clear names and percentages = transparency.

• Full ingredient names – no umbrella terms or guessing games.

• Natural preservatives – tocopherols (vitamin E), rosemary extract.

• Functional extras – omega oils for coat, glucosamine for joints, real veg for fibre.

⚠️ Common Red Flags on Dog Food Labels

• “Meat and animal derivatives” – legal but vague; could be good meat or low-grade leftovers.

• “Cereals” or “derivatives of vegetable origin” – filler grains with no clear identity.

• Artificial colours, flavours, preservatives – e.g., BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin (EFSA opinion).

• Protein padding – plant proteins like soya, maize gluten, or potato protein replacing meat.

🎭 Sneaky Labelling Tricks Used by Pet Food Companies

• Splitting grains – breaking one grain into different forms so they appear further down the list, even if combined they’re the main ingredient.

• Fresh meat first – fresh meat is better quality, but in dry food it loses ~65% weight after cooking. That “30% chicken” could end up much less in the finished product.

• Total meat content claims – grouping all meat ingredients together without showing the percentage of each.

Meat Meal vs Fresh Meat in Dog Food – What’s the Difference?

• Meat meal vs fresh meat –

  • Meat meal = rendered animal parts (muscle meat, skin, bone, connective tissue), dried and powdered. Quality varies.

Meat meal = concentrated, but quality varies; can include less desirable parts.

• Fresh meat = whole meat before cooking, generally higher quality but loses weight as moisture evaporates.Fresh meat = better quality, but water content drops the cooked % in dry food.

• The trick? Brands can load up on meat meal to make the food sound “high meat,” but it’s cheaper and often lower quality than fresh meat. Always check the type and source

• Always choose named sources and avoid vague terms.

How to Compare and Choose Dog Food by Reading the Label

1. Check if it’s complete – it must say “complete” if it’s designed to be the sole diet.

2. Look at the first 3–4 ingredients – these make up most of the food.

3. Check protein source & quality – meat first is best, avoid plant protein padding.

4. Consider fat levels – active dogs need more, overweight dogs need less.

5. Look for functional extras – omega oils, joint support, probiotics.

6. Avoid the nasties – artificial preservatives, colours, vague ingredients.

Common Dog Food Buying Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

• Shopping by price only – a “premium” price doesn’t guarantee premium ingredients.

• Grain-free is better – it can still be full of poor-quality fillers. You need to check the ingredients and not just the front of the packet.

• Not adjusting feed amounts – switching to a higher-quality food often means feeding less (which can actually make it cheaper than some lower-quality feeds).

🛠 Dog Food Label Check Challenge – Try This at Home

Go and grab your dog’s food bag. Now flip it over and check:

• What’s the first ingredient?

• Is it with chicken (4%) or rich in chicken (14%)?

• Can you spot any vague terms like meat and animal derivatives?

If you’re unsure about anything you find, bring me the label — I’ll walk you through it. No judgment, just honest advice.

📩 Message me here [link to contact form/Facebook page] or pop into the shop. 💬 Want to keep learning? Join my free Facebook group [Paws in Balance: Natural Dog Nutrition](FB group link) where we break down pet food labels, share ingredient tips, and answer your questions. We have a pinned post ready for you to share your labels. 

Choosing Dog Food You Can Trust (Even If You’re Not Feeding Raw)

If you’ve been with me a while, you know I’m a raw feeder through and through. But with the UK cost of living as it is, I wanted to offer a kibble range I’d be happy to feed my own dogs — no vague ingredients, no artificial nasties, clear labelling, and high-quality meat as the star of the show.

That’s exactly why I’m launching our new range — so you have a kibble option you can trust, whether it’s for everyday feeding, mixing with raw, or just keeping a bag on hand for emergencies.

Want to Learn More?

• UK Pet Food Labelling Code

• FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice

• EFSA Opinion on Additives

📸 Want Help Reading Your Dog Food Label? Let’s Do It Together

Snap a quick photo of the ingredient list and send it to me — I’ll happily help you break it down and see if it’s really giving your dog what they need.

📩 Message me here [link to contact form/Facebook page] or pop into the shop and we can go through it together.

 💬 You can also join my free Facebook group [Paws in Balance: Natural Dog Nutrition](FB group link) for ongoing tips, live Q&As, and label-busting advice from me and other dog owners.

Here’s your finished References section, neatly formatted and ready to paste at the bottom of your blog so it looks professional and clickable on your website:

📚 References

UK Pet Food Labelling Code – Official guidelines on how pet food must be labelled in the UK.

FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice – European pet food labelling standards.

PubMed – Food Allergens in Dogs – Study on common canine food allergens.

PMC – Review of Canine Food Allergens – Systematic review of allergens in dog food.

FDA – DCM and Certain Dog Diets – FDA investigation into possible links between diet and heart disease in dogs.

University of Guelph – Legumes in Dog Food – Research on legume-based diets and canine heart health.

Veterinary Practice – Glycaemic Index in Dog Nutrition – Overview of carbohydrate types and energy release in dogs.

EFSA – Scientific Opinion on Additives – Safety assessments of BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin.

Oma’s Pride – Glycaemic Index & Canine Diet – Practical guide to glycaemic index and its role in dog behaviour and energy.