Choosing food for a working dog

Read beyond the front label

Record the exact product and intended life stage. List what you still need to know rather than treating phrases such as premium, natural or high energy as a complete nutritional assessment.

Ask the manufacturer

WSAVA provides questions about the people formulating a diet and how it is evaluated. Save the answers alongside the product details so comparisons are based on the same questions.

Make a veterinary shortlist

Discuss the shortlist in the context of your dog’s medical history, present ration and work. Keep any commercial relationship separate from the nutritional explanation.

Compare the cost of the actual daily ration, storage needs and reliable availability once suitable options are identified. Record the exact formula because similarly named products may be intended for different life stages.

Ask how to compare the products on an equivalent basis, including their energy information. Price per bag and prominent ingredients alone cannot tell you what the dog’s eventual daily ration will cost.

Adequacy is different from ingredients

RSPCA’s feeding guidance recommends a balanced commercial diet appropriate to life stage and health status. An ingredient list does not, by itself, establish the finished diet’s nutritional adequacy or quality control. Record the product’s intended use and distinguish a complete diet from a complementary food, topper or treat. Ask for an explanation of how the claim is supported and which quality checks apply. If comparing home-prepared and commercial options, include formulation and preparation responsibilities in the comparison; a short list of familiar ingredients is not a nutritional assessment.

Common questions

Sources & further reading

References for this guide. Rules and services can change; check the responsible organisation for current details.

• WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines (opens in a new tab)

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