{"id":517,"date":"2015-12-28T09:00:52","date_gmt":"2015-12-28T17:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/?p=517"},"modified":"2020-06-18T22:23:35","modified_gmt":"2020-06-19T05:23:35","slug":"the-truth-about-the-aafco-dog-food-stamp-of-approval","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/dog-care\/the-truth-about-the-aafco-dog-food-stamp-of-approval\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the AAFCO Dog Food Stamp of Approval?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reading the label of your dog\u2019s food can feel useless, as the ingredient list may seem like a foreign language. One of the first things to remember is that a stamp of approval from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO<\/a>) on your dog\u2019s food bag does not necessarily mean it’s a healthy brand. Many generic brands of dog food boast this stamp of approval, which deceivingly makes their product appear healthy even if it’s not.<\/p>\n

\"AAFCO<\/a>How does dog food get the AAFCO stamp of approval?<\/h6>\n

The label that the AAFCO bestows upon dog food bags usually states \u201cOur pet foods are made following AAFCO guidelines and must pass stringent testing.\u201d This label isn\u2019t a complete lie; the dog food brand does have to go through testing to receive approval from the AAFCO. However, the test consists of a trial where a controlled group of healthy dogs above the year of one eat only the brand being tested for a period of six months. The brand will pass the test if none of the dogs lose more than 15% of their body weight, experience severe health problems, or die. This criteria is hardly adequate to determine if the dogs being tested receive a balanced diet.<\/p>\n

What should dog owners look for on food labels?<\/h6>\n

Instead of looking for the AAFCO approval stamp, you should look to the ingredient list instead. If the ingredient list contains protein sourced from any of the following, it is a red flag:<\/p>\n