How I review dog products
This site is run by one person — a software engineer who started reading ingredient labels like spec sheets after getting frustrated with vague pet food marketing. This page describes exactly how I evaluate every product that appears on Dog Food & Fun, so you can decide whether my opinions are worth your time.
No black boxes. No proprietary scores. No paid placements influencing ranking. If the process changes, this page changes first.
What I actually do
1. I read the label like it’s a spec sheet
For every kibble, wet food, or treat I review, I pull the full ingredient list and guaranteed analysis from the manufacturer’s packaging or website — not from retailer pages, which are often outdated or truncated. I look for:
- The first five ingredients. By weight, these are most of what’s actually in the bag. “Chicken meal” in position 1 is very different from “chicken meal” in position 6.
- Named vs. unnamed protein sources. “Chicken” beats “meat meal” or “animal digest.” Specificity is a quality signal.
- Fillers and splitting. Watch for the same grain split across multiple entries (e.g., “ground corn” + “corn gluten meal” + “corn bran”) to push a protein higher on the label.
- AAFCO statement. Every complete-and-balanced food has an AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement — which life stage (puppy, adult, all life stages), and whether it was formulated or feeding-trial tested.
2. I compute cost-per-serving, not price-per-bag
Retailers display price-per-pound. What matters for your wallet is price-per-feeding, which depends on the food’s caloric density and your dog’s weight. I calculate:
cost_per_day = (daily_calories_needed ÷ kcal_per_cup) × cost_per_cup
Where cost_per_cup is derived from bag price ÷ (bag weight × cups per pound). For every food I review, I publish the math for a 25-lb adult dog so comparisons are apples-to-apples.
3. I test with Nalla
Where I can, I feed the food to my dog Nalla (a ~30-lb mixed breed) for at least 2 weeks before publishing. I track palatability (does she eat it?), stool quality (is it consistent?), and whether anything changes about her energy or coat. This is a sample size of one — it’s not science. I say so every time.
4. I check for recalls and regulatory flags
Before any review goes live, I check the FDA’s recall database for the brand. If a product is under active recall, it doesn’t get reviewed — it gets a warning post instead.
What I don’t do
- I don’t score on a 1–10 scale. Most scoring sites use opaque “proprietary” formulas that conveniently produce the same winners as their affiliate revenue. I’d rather publish the criteria than a number.
- I don’t accept free product in exchange for reviews. If a brand sends samples unsolicited, I disclose it. Nothing I review comes through sponsored-review programs.
- I am not a veterinarian or certified pet nutritionist. I’m a dog owner who reads carefully. Always talk to your vet before a major diet change. See the full disclaimer.
How to push back
If you think I got something wrong — a calculation, a missed ingredient flag, an outdated AAFCO statement — email info@dogfoodandfun.com. I correct publicly. Every review has a “last reviewed” date at the top, and if it’s older than a year, take it with a grain of salt: formulas change.
Affiliate relationships are disclosed separately on the Affiliate Disclosure page.
Last updated: April 2026.