Intro:
Dog food labels can feel like tiny puzzles (and face it, sometimes they are). Small print, unfamiliar terms, and vague promises make it hard to know what you’re really feeding your dog. BorkBites was born from that frustration—an effort to untangle the confusion around dog foo and share what matters in plain language.
Whether you’re feeding kibble, fresh, or freeze-dried, these are the things I pay attention to most—so you don’t have to read through ten Reddit posts first.
🌟 What I Look For (And Why):
1. Guaranteed Analysis: Start Here, Not With the Ingredient List
Most pet parents start with the ingredients. But the Guaranteed Analysis gives you the actual nutritional content—which matters more than the order of ingredients.
The Guaranteed Analysis tells you the percentages of:
• Crude protein
• Crude fat
• Crude fiber
• Moisture
• …and sometimes extras like Omega-3s or probiotics.
💡 Why it matters more:
An ingredient list might start with “chicken,” but if the protein content is low—or if there’s too much filler or fat—your dog isn’t actually getting what they need. Think of the analysis as the macro-nutrient truth, while the ingredients tell the story behind it.
🧘♀️ Tip: Look for balanced levels that align with your dog’s age, size, and activity. For example:
• Active dogs: higher protein and fat
• Seniors: high-quality protein, lower fat, Omega-3 fatty acids
• Sensitive dogs: watch for fiber and moisture balance
2. Named Proteins First
Look for specific meat sources like chicken, salmon, or beef—not “meat by-product” or “animal meal.” Named proteins are easier to digest and indicate higher-quality sourcing.
3. No Fillers or Artificial Preservatives
If I see corn, soy, BHA/BHT, or vague terms like “animal digest” or “natural flavours” with no explanation—I pause and start to Google – why is this in there and what does it do for my dog? Ask questions. Always be curious.
4. Functional Ingredients with Purpose
Things like probiotics, glucosamine, or pumpkin should serve a clear role. I love brands that use them not for hype, but for true support—like joint care, gut balance, or calming blends.
5. Transparent Sourcing & Processing
Brands that openly share where their ingredients come from—and how they’re made—earn my trust. That doesn’t mean the food has to be fresh or expensive. Just honest.
💡 One brand doing this exceptionally well: Open Farm 🐶
Open Farm sets the bar for transparency in pet food. Every bag features a lot code that you can trace on their website to see exactly where the ingredients came from and when the food was made. That level of clarity is rare—and reassuring.
🌍 What makes them stand out:
• Certified humane animal welfare standards
• Ingredient traceability: from protein sources to vegetables, you can track it all
• Sustainability reporting: they publish impact reports and use recyclable packaging
💬 I’ve been feeding Open Farm to my three mini hounds for a few years now, and the consistency of their sourcing story shows up in every product. For pet parents who care about how and where their dog’s food is made, this is a brand worth watching—and feeding.
Closing Thought:
Dog food doesn’t have to be complicated. Just consistent, intentional, and made with care. By looking past the marketing and into the actual nutrition, we can feed our dogs with confidence. I’ll continue sharing the brands that meet that bar—and the ones that fall short—with clarity and heart.
✋What do you look for in your dog’s food?
Every pup is different—and so is every pet parent.
I’d love to hear what matters most to you (and your pup!). Drop a comment below, or share your go-to brand and why it works for your dog.
We learn best when we learn together.
BorkBites 
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