This page explains how our content is researched, written, checked and kept up to date.
Independence
Every rating comes from our published scoring formula. Brands cannot pay for a rating, a better position in a list, or a review. We earn commissions from some retailer links, as explained in our affiliate disclosure, but whether a link pays us never affects a score, a ranking or a recommendation. Foods without any affiliate link are rated and ranked exactly the same way.
- No brand pays a fee to be rated, listed or reviewed.
- We don’t accept free products, gifts or payments in exchange for coverage.
- We don’t sell “featured” spots, badges or sponsored rankings.
- When a brand answers our transparency questions, we publish its answers as information. They never change a score.
How content is made
We use software, including AI tools, to collect label data from manufacturers’ websites, calculate nutrition figures and build product pages from our database. Every number is automatically checked against the label text it came from, and anything that doesn’t match is held back for review. We also spot-check foods by hand against the manufacturer’s label before publishing, and a person approves every page and every recipe-change notice before it goes live. AI tools never publish anything on their own.
- 1Label data collected
- 2Numbers checked against the label
- 3Spot-checked by hand
- 4A person approves
AI tools never publish anything on their own.
Sources
Product data comes from manufacturers’ published labels and websites. Recall data comes from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional standards come from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). We link to official sources wherever possible.
- Product dataManufacturers' labels and websites
- Recall dataU.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Nutritional standardsAssociation of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)
Hands-on experience
We only say we have tried, fed or tested a product when we actually have, and we show our own photos when we do. Ratings based on label data alone are clearly presented that way.
Health information
Our content is general information, not veterinary advice. We don’t diagnose conditions or recommend therapeutic diets. Always talk to your veterinarian about your own dog’s health.
Updates and corrections
We regularly check product labels for changes and re-score foods when recipes change. If you spot an error, please contact us. We correct mistakes promptly and note significant corrections on the page.
Report an error