Our data methodology is now public

We have published our data methodology: the rules we follow to collect dog food information from manufacturers, check it and keep it current. It applies to every product, brand and ingredient page on Right Dog Food.

If you use our tools to choose a food for a dog with allergies or a weight problem, this is the page that explains how far you can rely on our data, and where you should check the label yourself.

What we record for every formula

For each product we record what the manufacturer publishes:

• the full ingredient list, in label order
• the guaranteed analysis
• the calorie statement, per kg and per cup or can
• the life stage and AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement
• format and package sizes
• the source URL and the date we last checked it

If a manufacturer doesn’t publish a value, we show it as missing. We don’t estimate it.

How we check it

We take data from manufacturer product pages and product guides first. We check a sample of products by hand against the manufacturer’s page, and if errors in a batch are above our threshold, we fix the process before publishing more. The full rules are on the methodology page.

Ingredients are matched to allergen groups using our ingredient dictionary. Unnamed ingredients such as “natural flavor” or “animal fat” are marked “may contain”, not passed silently. Our post on why we show our sources explains why every page links back to its origin.

Why we published it

Our tools make claims that matter to people managing allergies and weight: this food contains chicken, that one has 372 kcal per cup. Those claims are only as good as the process behind them. Publishing the process lets you judge how much weight to put on our data, and lets you hold us to it.

It also sets out what we won’t do. We won’t estimate missing values, rate foods as “safe” or “unsafe”, or let commercial relationships change our data.

How corrections work

If you spot a difference between our page and the label on your bag, tell us through the contact page. We check it against the manufacturer’s current information, correct it, and update the check date. The editorial policy describes how we handle corrections in articles.

What’s next

We’re continuing to add brands and formulas, starting with the foods most widely sold in the US. Recall alerts by email will follow, using the FDA’s published recall notices as the source.