Which Dog Food FAQ

Our profile symbols are intended to quickly let you know if a food might be suitable for your dog. We give each food five symbols representing the most commonly discussed dog food characteristics — additives, hypoallergenic ingredients, meat content, cereal content, and the clarity of labelling.

• Natural — awarded to foods free from all artificial preservatives, antioxidants, colourings and flavourings, and other controversial synthetic ingredients like sodium HMP and STPP.
• High meat — the food contains at least 30% meat on a dry matter basis. If the percentage of meat is not stated, the logo cannot be awarded.
• Hypoallergenic — the food is free from ingredients regularly linked by veterinarians to food allergies and intolerance in dogs, including wheat, maize, dairy products, soya products and artificial additives.
• Grain-free — the food is free from all cereals including wheat, rice, maize, barley and oats.
• Clear labelling — the food states each ingredient clearly and individually, and gives a good indication of percentage meat content. Any unspecified or vague ingredients mean this symbol cannot be awarded.

The expert rating shows how beneficial we expect a food to be for the majority of dogs based on its stated ingredients. It is rated out of five stars.

We developed our own computer program to generate accurate, precise nutritional ratings. When an ingredient list is fed into the program, it identifies the quality and quantity of every ingredient. Where ingredient percentages are not stated, the program calculates likely percentages based on the order in which they appear in the list and other available information.

It is important to note that a higher rating does not necessarily mean a food is more suitable for your dog. Every dog is different and some may do better on lower-rated foods. The rating is designed to give a general indication of quality.

Daily feeding amounts are calculated using the feeding guidelines provided by the manufacturer. These are based on the weight and age of your dog and are presented as a guide only. Always follow the feeding guide on the product's packaging.

Daily feeding costs are calculated using the manufacturer's recommended retail price and the recommended daily feeding amount. These figures are provided for comparison purposes only. Prices may vary between retailers and change over time.

The nutrient levels (protein, fat, fibre, moisture and ash) shown on product pages are the ‘crude’ levels as declared by the manufacturer. These are estimates of the total amount present in the food and do not take into account digestibility or bio-availability.

For a more detailed explanation, see our Dog Food Dictionary.

Which Dog Food was founded by a British ex-pat living in Finland. The site is operated from the UK and is focused entirely on the UK dog food market, but for legal and administrative reasons the business entity is registered in Finland.