Feeding with Confidence: A Short Guide to Commercial Dog Food Choices

Pet-food bags are often riddled with claims like ‘Premium,’ ‘Holistic,’ ‘Gourmet,’ ‘Ancestral,’ or ‘Vet Recommended’ - but there’s only one phrase that is actually regulated and reliable: ’Complete and Balanced’. This guide explains how to assess different dry & raw commercial dog food options, how kibble processing affects nutrients, and the practical steps that make commercial-based feeding safer and easier at home.

Prefer to listen? Check out Podcast Ep 5: Complete & Balanced

 

Interpreting the Nutritional Adequacy Statement

Look for the nutritional adequacy statement (usually on the back/side). If it says the food is 'complete & balanced' for a specific life stage (Growth/Reproduction or Adult Maintenance) or All Life Stages, it’s been formulated to provide every essential nutrient a dog needs - at safe levels and in the right ratios - so it can serve as the sole diet.

Foods can earn this claim in three ways:

• Formulated to AAFCO profiles: The recipe’s lab analysis matches all required nutrient numbers for the stated life stage.
• Feeding trials: Real dogs eat only the test food under AAFCO protocols (e.g., ~26 weeks for adult maintenance; ~10 weeks for growth) and maintain health on bloodwork and body weight.
• Family product ('family designation'): The statement may read, '[Product X] provides complete and balanced nutrition for [life stage] and is comparable to a product which has been substantiated using AAFCO feeding tests.' In this case, the food is nutritionally very similar to a related product that has already passed a feeding trial.

If you see 'For intermittent or supplemental feeding only,' it is not a stand-alone diet - common for treats, toppers, base mixes, and some therapeutic diets.

Life-stage fit:

Puppies (and pregnant/lactating dogs) need Growth/Reproduction or All Life Stages.
Adult dogs can have Adult Maintenance or All Life Stages.
For seniors, choose adult-maintenance diets that meet individual needs (e.g., calories, joint support, kidney-friendly options). 'Senior' isn’t a separate regulatory life stage.

What 'Complete & Balanced' Tells You

Seeing the claim 'Complete & Balanced' on a label confirms the food meets AAFCO (or FEDIAF) nutrient profiles for the stated life stage - i.e., required amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals at specified minimums (and applicable maximums), via formulation or feeding trials. Treat this as your baseline for nutritional adequacy.

Don’t be fooled by buzzwords

Terms like ‘Premium,’ ‘Holistic,’ ‘Gourmet,’ ‘Grain-free,’ or ‘Ancestral’ are marketing descriptors - none of them are regulated for nutritional adequacy. ‘Vet recommended/formulated’ only confirms some veterinary involvement - not universal suitability. 'Natural' typically means no artificial flavours/colours (vitamin/mineral supplements are still allowed). 'Grain-free' swaps grains for other starches; it isn’t automatically lower-carb or healthier.

(Note for Australian shoppers: national pet-food standards are voluntary (AS 5812), so many local brands reference AAFCO or European FEDIAF nutrient frameworks on labels.)

Inside Kibble: How It’s Made and Kept Stable

Most dry dog foods are made using extrusion - a process where the ingredients are mixed, pushed through a machine under high heat and pressure, dried, and then coated with fats and flavour enhancers. This method allows the food to be shelf-stable and tasty, but it can also affect nutrients in a few ways:

Vitamin loss from heat

Some vitamins - like A, E, C, and several B vitamins - are sensitive to heat and can break down during cooking. Manufacturers usually add a vitamin-mineral mix after processing to make sure the final product still meets nutrient requirements.

Formation of AGEs

High heat also triggers a natural chemical reaction (called the Maillard reaction) between proteins and sugars, creating compounds called advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). Dogs eating highly processed foods tend to have higher levels of AGEs in their blood than those on less processed diets. Researchers are still studying what this means for long-term health.

Fat oxidation after opening

Once a bag is opened, the fats on the surface of the kibble can slowly react with oxygen. Over weeks, this can make the food less tasty and reduce the potency of certain fat-soluble vitamins.

While kibble remains the most common format, many owners also choose commercial raw diets - which fall under the same adequacy rules but come with different safety considerations.

Commercial Raw Food Diets Under the 'Complete & Balanced' Banner

The 'complete & balanced' claim applies to commercial raw foods just as it does to kibble. Products that meet AAFCO or FEDIAF standards for a life stage can carry the claim; others are sold 'for intermittent or supplemental feeding only.' The nutritional adequacy statement makes this distinction clear.

Raw foods can support good digestibility and nutrient absorption, but they differ from kibble in day-to-day safety. Expect all brands - both kibble and raw - to explain their pathogen-control approach (e.g., HPP or other validated methods), publish testing and quality results with lot/batch codes, and provide unambiguous storage and handling directions.

At home, keep raw food frozen until needed, portion meals ahead of time, and thaw only a day or two’s worth in a sealed container. Make sure to discard leftovers within about 30 minutes, and wash hands, bowls, utensils, and surfaces straight away.

With the basics in place, you can build variety and flexibility into your dog’s diet as long as you stay within safe limits. As a rule of thumb:
You can replace around 15-20% of a complete & balanced meal with fresh add-ins (like meat or vegetables) while maintaining nutritional adequacy.
Keep treats to < 10% of daily calories.

Prefer to listen? Check out Podcast Ep 6: Transparency in raw food feeding

A Practical Checklist for Feeding with Confidence

• When choosing a food, always begin by reading the adequacy statement and checking that it matches your dog’s current life stage - growth, adult maintenance, or all life stages.
  • For seniors, choose adult-maintenance diets that meet individual needs (e.g., calories, joint support, kidney-friendly options). 'Senior' isn’t a separate regulatory life stage.
• Look for labels that include calorie information and clear feeding instructions, so you can portion accurately and keep your dog at a healthy weight.
• Check the basics: best-before / use-by date, and the lot / batch code. These small details enable safe feeding and traceability if there’s ever an issue or recall.
• Expect all brands - both kibble and raw - to be clear about their food safety protocols & pathogen-control approach.
• Store dry food properly to preserve quality, palatability, & safety. Keep dry food tightly sealed in a cool, dry place, and never feed from damaged or wet/damp packaging.
• Once opened, finish dry food within ~6-8 weeks.
• If feeding raw, be extra strict about hygiene. Control cross-contamination, always keep raw foods frozen/cold, and clean surfaces & utensils immediately after use.
• When transitioning to a new food, protect your dog’s digestion by introducing it slowly and steadily (over ~5-7 days), mixing in the new food in increasing amounts until it fully replaces the old.
• As a general rule of thumb, aim to keep treats under 10% of daily calories. You can safely swap in a variety of fresh foods (e.g., meat & vegetables) for up to around 15-20% of their complete and balanced meal without affecting their nutritional baseline.
• Keep an eye on your dog day-to-day. Note any changes in stool quality, coat and skin, energy, appetite, and weight so you can adjust portions gradually as needed throughout the transition. If any issues persist despite minor portion changes, consult your vet to rule out underlying issues.
• FSANZ publishes recall alerts for Australia, including pet food. Their website is the most reliable source for updates.
• If you suspect a link between a commercial food and your dog’s health, contacting your vet is the first step - they’ll need to assess your dog and lodge a report through PetFAST.

From Standards to Daily Practice

Pet-food marketing is crowded with promises, but only one claim is both regulated and reliable: complete and balanced, the signal that a diet meets minimum nutrient standards. Beyond that, feeding well depends on you - proper food storage & safety, introducing new foods steadily, and always staying vigilant and responsive to your dog’s needs over time.

Hungry for more? Narelle discusses The Safety of Raw vs. Kibble in Podcast Episode 18.