There are many ways in which to comply with AAFCO guidelines. In many cases, dog food manufacturers simply throw in a bunch of vitamins and minerals to meet the standards. This doesn't mean that they're making a quality food. In many cases, the added vitamins and minerals are the ONLY thing that qualifies the food as being 'nutritious'. The rest of the food is mostly filler and poor quality protein. Even some 'better' brands rely on too many added vitamins and minerals to meet the requirements. Adding vitamins and minerals is an admission that the food ingredients do not measure up to meeting the requirements. Saying that any food that meets AAFCO requirements is just as good as any other is ridiculous. With that logic, we could all just eat cardboard and take a bunch of vitamins to get our nutritional requirements. The Dog Food Project is a good source in determining ingredients to look for and which ones to avoid in making dog food choices. My own opinion as to why dogs don't live longer in spite of getting a better diet is that the typical modern dog is being over-vaccinated and being bombarded monthly with flea and heartworm preventatives. It is a constant toxic attack on the dog's whole system that contributes to premature organ failure and cancers. |