The information you need to choose the best dog food is right there on the back or side of the package - not in the name, the brand logo or which one has the cutest picture.

The list of ingredients is the first thing you should read when looking at a new brand of dog food. Read carefully. The order in which ingredients are listed is regulated by law. Ingredients are listed according to how much of each is in the food, with the largest (by weight) ingredient first and so on down the line. So when you see fresh carrots, peas, etc. listed WAY down at the end of the list, you can be pretty sure they are there for show and not much else.

Whole meats are always better then meat meals,they will be listed simply as "chicken" or "beef", occasionally as "fresh whole..." or some other fancy term. Meat meals are preferable to by-products.

Single source meals, such as "beef meal" or "chicken meal" are more wholesome than those marked simply "meat" or "poultry" meals. Single source meals contain the muscle meat from that animal, along with accompanying tissues, such as nerves, blood vessels and skin. Generic meals may contain other organ tissues and fatty tissue. By-product meal is a catchall term for anything that doesn't fit the other meal definitions - avoid these at all costs!

Look for the meat source (or sources) to be listed first on the label. If grains are included (which they always are in kibbles), they should be whole grains, rather than fractions, such as wheat bran, brewer's rice, etc. Watch out for multiple listings of grains, they may add up to be more than the meat portion!

It is best to avoid artificial flavors, colors and preservatives. Colors are added for your benefit, not to appeal to dogs. Artificial flavors are added to enhance palatability or cover up off tastes of poorer quality ingredients.

For more information on choosing a dog food, as well as choosing to make your own, see the article at PetHealthResource.com