Written by Dr. Sarah Wilson, BScH, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition)
Introduction
It can be incredibly confusing trying to understand pet food labels, the guidelines of who regulates pet food, and what is appropriate for your beloved furry family member. “Complete and balanced” may (or may not) be something you look for on a dog food label, but something that may be seen is ‘AAFCO approved’ or ‘AAFCO certified’, but those terms aren’t quite correct. It is important to understand what guidelines and standards are out there for dog food and what you should look for so you can be certain you are feeding something that meets your dog’s needs.
What Is AAFCO?
The Association of American Feed Control Officials, usually called AAFCO, is an association of local, state, and federal officials that provide guidance relating to pet food (and animal feed) sale and distribution, but it doesn’t control, manufacture, test, regulate, approve, or certify pet foods. Individual states will decide whether to adopt the guidelines put forth by AAFCO, so most pet foods that are sold in multiple states usually follow the guidelines established by the model regulations and have specific language that helps a consumer to know what they are feeding their pet.
Why AAFCO Standards Matter for Dog Food
It may seem unnecessary to have guidelines for the makeup of your dog’s food, but when you consider that most foods are carefully designed to be fed to meet essential nutrient needs and be fed exclusively, if standards are not met some serious problems could arise. There are some essential nutrients that dogs must get in adequate amounts, essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids all must be consumed in proper amounts, and some in appropriate ratios; achieving that is not a simple task. Some essential nutrients are also harmful if given in excess, examples like vitamins A or D, selenium and iodine should not be fed to excess, or they can cause significant harm. AAFCO provides guidelines as to minimums (and maximums when appropriate) for essential nutrients so that foods can meet specific needs for different species (i.e. dog or cat) and for different age groups (ex. growing puppies, adult dogs). Additionally, there are feeding trial protocols to help determine product safety, and specific guidelines for pet food labeling, so that products can be evaluated by consumers in a consistent manner. When a dog food meets with AAFCO standards, then it should meet with the regulatory standards that have been outlined for your dog and be labeled appropriately, so that as a consumer you know what you are feeding to your pet.
AAFCO Nutrient Profiles Explained
So how do you know what food is appropriate for your dog? If there are foods out there that meet AAFCO nutrient recommendations, but there are different recommendations, what do they each mean and how do you decide what is right for your furry friend?
AAFCO has specific nutrient profiles based on the species (dog or cat), as well as based on a pet’s life stage & condition. The recognized life stages for dogs include:
– Growth and reproduction
o Gestation and lactation (pregnancy and nursing)
o Growth (with an extra specification for large breed puppies (greater than 70 lb. as an adult))
– Adult maintenance
– All life stages
These various stages have different nutrient requirements, as a puppy that is growing requires different amounts of certain essential nutrients than a mature adult dog. The AAFCO guidelines also clarify whether a dog food formulated for growth is appropriate for inclusion or exclusion of large breed dogs (those weighing 70 lb. or greater as mature lean adults) as large breed growing dogs have very specific nutrient ratios that must be met to ensure healthy bone growth. Each life stage is appropriate for the described dog, but some dogs may be able to eat foods designed for other stages. Below is an explanation of the differences between the stages.
– Gestation and lactation have higher requirements than adult dogs, thus if a dog is pregnant or has given birth and is now nursing, she has increased needs of some essential nutrients, like protein for example.
o An adult dog that is not pregnant, may also eat a food designed for gestation and lactation, however it may provide more protein than is necessary for those dog’s needs. These foods are often also higher in calories and thus may make it easier for more sedentary adult dogs to gain weight inappropriately.
– Growth recipes are very specific with nutrient requirements and there is an extra specification for inclusion or exclusion of large breed puppies (those weighing 70 lb. or greater as mature lean adults). Puppies have an increased need for protein and specific amino acids, as well as some other essential nutrients such as DHA (an essential omega 3 fatty acid), and some minerals. Additionally, large breed dogs have very specific calcium and phosphorus mineral requirements as they grow to ensure healthy skeletal growth and prevent developmental orthopedic disease. Because of this mineral requirement recipes that meet requirements for growth of puppies including large breed dogs are the ones that meet the most dogs needs.
o An adult dog can also eat a growth recipe, however, because growth recipes tend to be higher in protein and fat than adult maintenance recipes, they are often more calorie dense and thus growth recipes may contribute to excessive calorie intake and inappropriate weight gain in a more sedentary adult dog.
o A small breed puppy could eat any growth recipe; however a large breed puppy should be fed a recipe that specifically is appropriate for growth of large breed dogs as there are more stringent calcium and phosphorus requirements for large breed dogs as they grow.
– Adult maintenance recipes meet the requirements for an adult dog, thus have lower protein, mineral, and fatty acid requirements compared to growth and reproduction requirements.
o An adult dog may eat an adult maintenance recipe, but it is not recommended for a growing dog to eat an adult maintenance recipe. This is because the adult maintenance recipe is not required to have higher protein, some essential omega 3 fatty acids, or higher calcium and phosphorus requirements which are necessary for a growing dog. Thus some adult maintenance recipes can be more appropriate for an adult dog as adult maintenance recipes do not provide excessive protein (which is more sustainable for the planet), nor excessive fat and calories (which may limit undesired weight gain) the way a growth and reproduction recipe may contribute.
– All life stages recipes are essentially recipes that meet the needs of all the life stages (including gestation/lactation, growth, and adult maintenance) thus must meet growth and reproduction needs as these are the most stringent of the stages with regards to nutrient requirements. Since large breed puppies have more specific requirements, it is necessary for the product to clarify if it includes or excludes large breed puppies.
o An adult dog and a growing puppy may both eat an all life stages recipe, as these recipes meet the growing puppies needs. However, similar to the Growth & Reproduction recipes these foods may be more calorie dense and can contribute to excessive calorie intake and inappropriate weight gain in a more sedentary adult dog.
How Dog Food Meets AAFCO Standards
Since the various life stages have clear nutrient guidelines specified, it is also important to understand how these standards are substantiated. There are two main ways that pet food can meet nutrient standards and that is communicated through the nutritional adequacy statement. A pet food can meet AAFCO requirements for a specific species (ie. dog or cat) and life stage (ie. adult maintenance) through formulation or feeding trials conducted according to AAFCO protocols.
– Formulation of recipes to meet nutrient requirements, means recipes are formulated using computer databases and expertise, then lab tested to ensure they meet the stated nutrient requirements. Understanding nutrition with formulation of recipes is important, as tested values may not necessarily reflect how a food responds in the actual dog.
– Feeding trials conducted according to AAFCO protocols require a food to be fed to the specified group of dogs for a set period to monitor for signs of nutritional deficiency or excess (ex. adult maintenance protocol requires a minimum of 8 dogs fed the food for 26 weeks minimum). General health is monitored and base veterinary evaluations of the dogs are made at the beginning and end of the trial.
Each method of substantiation has advantages and drawbacks. With recipes that are substantiated from formulation, knowledge of how the foods combine, their digestibility, nutrient bioavailability must be taken into account as what is reflected through laboratory testing may not be what is actually available to the dog eating the recipe. Often additional testing is performed on recipes to ensure digestibility and gain insight into how dogs respond to eating the actual food. Conversely, feeding trials only require a small number of dogs and for a limited period of time (usually at most 6 months), some nutritional deficiencies may not show up in a short-term feeding trial and feeding a recipe longer term (i.e. years) may show concerns due to deficiencies of essential nutrients. Testing recipes can help identify nutrient deficiencies or improper nutrient ratios that would not be seen in an AAFCO feeding trial.
What “Complete and Balanced” Really Means
Understanding the pet-food lingo can be difficult, and it is important to know what you are feeding your beloved pet is meeting their needs. When a food is complete and balanced per the AAFCO guidelines, it should meet nutritional adequacy for the species and life stage indicated. That means, if a food is complete and balanced for growing puppies (including large breed); then it should contain enough of all the essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids, making it complete; as well as all the energy and essential nutrients in appropriate ratios (for example calcium and phosphorus), making it balanced. Complete and balanced is in reference to the nutrients in the recipe but cannot indicate quality or sourcing of the raw materials. It is important to feed a food that is complete and balanced while also meeting your expectations of quality and sourcing.
Understanding AAFCO Statements on Dog Food Labels
Knowing what you are feeding your dog requires knowing where to find the information on the food package. AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements are required to be displayed in a prominent place on the label of all pet foods. In coming years, there will be changes to pet food labels, to look more like human food labels and make reading labels clearer. By 2030 pet food labels will have a Pet Nutrition Facts box (that looks like most labels on packaged foods we eat as humans), and at the bottom of that box will be the nutritional adequacy statement which will clarify what species (i.e. dog) and what life stage the food is appropriate for (i.e. adult maintenance) and how it was substantiated (i.e. formulation or feeding trials). The wording must be specific, so on current labels dog parents should look for nutritional adequacy statements that say a statement as one of the following:
- “(Name of Product) is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog (or cat) Food Nutrient Profiles for _______”
- “Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that (Name of Product) provides complete and balanced nutrition for _______”
- The _______ indicates the life stage for which the product is for. It is also important that growth recipes should clarify if inclusive or exclusive of large breed dogs (those weighing 70 lb. or greater as mature lean adults)
Common Misunderstandings About AAFCO
Hopefully it is clear that AAFCO provides guidelines regarding pet food, but doesn’t approve, or monitor those pet foods. So, it may help to understand who then, is involved in pet food regulation. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine, regulates pet food to ensure that it is safe to eat, produced under sanitary conditions, contain no harmful substances, and be truthfully labeled (per the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act)). Other agencies involved in pet food regulation include the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) which is responsible for labeling pet food ingredients and handling, as well as inspection of animal facilities and production facilities. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is also involved in regulating media and advertising related to pet foods. So while AAFCO may not be certifying any foods, there are guidelines set forth that ensure nutritional standards for all pups!
How The Pets Table Approaches AAFCO Standards
It is very important to us at The Pets Table that food is complete and balanced and provides not only all the essential nutrients your pups need to thrive but is also high quality and food you can feel good putting in their bowl. We have recipes that use high quality ingredients that are highly digestible, maximizing all the nutrient benefits from each bite. We carefully formulate our recipes to have balanced fiber profiles, with high quality protein, and many different functional foods that help support your dogs health. We not only make sure to meet AAFCO standards, we test our products for digestibility, palatability, and conduct ongoing safety and nutrient testing to ensure our recipes continue to bring all the essential nutrients your dog needs day in and day out!
When to Talk to Your Veterinarian
If you have questions about your pet’s health, you should always consult your veterinary health team and remember to get regular physical examinations with your veterinarian so they can provide appropriate individual guidance. It is also important to understand that recipes that meet AAFCO standards are for healthy dogs, and if your dog has a specific dietary condition or medical disease that can be managed nutritionally, a veterinary therapeutic diet may be necessary, and your veterinarian is the best person to discuss options with.
Final Thoughts
After this evaluation of guidelines and standards, hopefully you have a better understanding of what AAFCO is (a group of local, state, and federal officials that provide guidance relating to pet food) and that AAFCO not responsible for regulating pet food but rather providing nutrient, labelling, and safety standards for specific species as they progress through various stages of life. There are many foods that may meet AAFCO standards, and understanding which of the standards best meet your dogs needs will help guide you in making an informed choice about what to feed your beloved dog.