Best Dog Food

People are cutting back on everything from groceries to luxuries. But there’s one big exception, according to a recent Associated Press survey. We haven’t cut back on pet food. Do you really have to pay top dollar? Consumer Reports tells you how to save without hurting your four-legged friends.

Consumer Reports rounded up pet foods with labels that tout “organic,“ “premium ingredients,“ and something called “human-quality ingredients,“ then consulted experts at seven of the top veterinary schools. As it turns out, there are no agreed upon standards for the terms organic, premium, and human grade on pet-food labels.

Pet-food prices vary dramatically—some can cost as much as 10 times more than others. Vets said paying a higher price might get you better quality ingredients and higher quality control standards, but you might also be paying for pretty packaging and a fancy-sounding name. Vets say the most important thing to look for in a pet food is that it’s feed-tested on animals…and that those tests are approved by AAFCO, the Association of American Feed Control Officials.

Also make sure the food says “complete and balanced,“ which means it can be your pet’s sole source of food. Most important, say vets: your pet’s health. If she’s got a shiny coat, her weight is stable, she’s active and healthy, the food is doing its job.

Consumer Reports says another pet-food claim that doesn’t mean much is one marked for “senior pets.“ That’s because nutritional needs for older pets vary. Instead, look for “all life stages” on the label, which means the food is nutritionally balanced for any age.