The Truth About Dog Food Ingredients

Summary:

The back of the dog food bag can feel like a puzzle — “meal,” “by-product,” “natural flavor,” “limited ingredients,” “premium protein.” What does any of it actually mean? And more importantly, what’s really good for your dog? In this post, we break down common dog food ingredients, explain what labels don’t always tell you, and help you spot the difference between marketing fluff and meaningful nutrition.

Reading the Label Is Harder Than It Should Be

If you’ve ever flipped over a bag and thought, What exactly is “turkey meal?” — you’re not alone.

Dog food labels are crowded with:

• Vague terms
• Ingredient splitting
• Nutrient claims with no context
• Buzzwords like “premium” or “natural” with no real standards

The problem? These terms often distract from what really matters: how the food is made, where it’s sourced, and what each ingredient actually does for your dog.

Let’s decode some of the most misunderstood terms — and give you the tools to make better choices.

What Is Turkey Meal — and Is It Good for Dogs?

Here’s the answer: it depends on the quality of the source.

Like chicken meal, “turkey meal” simply means turkey that’s been cooked down and dehydrated to remove moisture — creating a concentrated protein source. In high-quality dog food, turkey meal is:

• Made from clean, fresh turkey meat
• Rich in protein, amino acids, and nutrients
• Free of bone waste, feathers, or non-meat by-products

But in lower-quality foods, “turkey meal” can be a catch-all for low-grade scraps, poor sourcing, or rendered waste.

At Brothers, we only use clean, high-quality animal-sourced meals — never by-products, and never mystery meat.

The Problem With “Meat Meal” and “By-Products”

Terms like “chicken meal,” “lamb meal,” or “meat meal” can be misleading.

Here’s how to spot the good from the bad:

Label Term	What It Means	What to Watch For
Named meal (“turkey meal”)	Concentrated meat protein from a specific animal	Good, if sourced with care
Generic meal (“meat meal”)	Source not named — could be any animal	Avoid — lacks transparency
By-product meal	Leftover parts like organs, beaks, feathers	Avoid — low digestibility, inconsistent quality

AAFCO allows all of these — but that doesn’t mean they’re all equal. Knowing the difference matters more than the label alone.

What About “Limited Ingredient Dog Food”?

Many pet parents are trying to solve:

• Allergies
• Sensitivities
• Digestive issues
• Skin and coat problems
  

But here’s the truth: fewer ingredients doesn’t always mean better. Some limited ingredient formulas remove variety but include low-quality proteins, starchy fillers, or synthetic additives that can still cause inflammation.

What you want isn’t just less — it’s better.

A truly functional limited ingredient recipe should:

• Feature high-quality animal protein
• Use low-glycemic, gut-friendly carbs
• Include no soy, corn, or wheat
• Offer natural enzyme and probiotic support
• Avoid artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives

At Brothers, we keep ingredients simple — and purposeful. Every element in our recipes has a job to do.

Ingredients to Avoid in Dog Food

If you’re wondering “what ingredients should I avoid in dog food?” — here's a solid place to start:

• “Meat” or “animal” meal (unnamed source)
• By-product meal
• Corn, wheat, or soy (inflammatory, often allergenic)
• Artificial preservatives (BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin)
• Food dyes or “natural flavors” (vague and unnecessary)
• Excessive starches (potatoes, peas, lentils, especially when used as fillers)

Some ingredients aren’t inherently bad — but they don’t belong in a food that claims to support long-term health.

What Ingredients Should You Look For in Dog Food?

Here’s what makes a solid foundation for real, whole-body nutrition:

• Named animal-sourced protein as the first ingredient
• High protein-to-carb ratio
• Low-glycemic carbohydrates (oats, millet, etc.)
• Digestive enzymes and probiotics
• Natural taurine for heart health
• Balanced omega fatty acids
• No antibiotics, hormones, or artificial anything

These are the pillars of premium dog food ingredients — not because they sound good, but because they actually support your dog’s biology.

Why Ingredient Order Isn’t the Whole Story

Many pet parents rely on the first few ingredients on the label to judge quality. But there’s a catch:

Manufacturers often use ingredient splitting to make low-quality components look smaller. For example:

• "Peas"
• "Pea flour"
• "Pea protein"

...might all appear separately on the list, but together they could outweigh the meat content.

This is how some brands make grain-free foods look meat-rich — when they’re really carb-heavy and unbalanced.

That’s why transparency matters more than marketing tricks.

The Brothers Dog Food Difference

We don’t build recipes to fit a trend. We build them to support long-term health — especially gut health, which is at the root of most chronic issues.

Our formulas are:

• Over 90% animal-sourced protein
• Made with low-glycemic carbs
• Free of corn, wheat, soy, by-products, and unnamed meals
• Fortified with digestive enzymes and probiotics
• Crafted in small batches, made in the USA
• AAFCO-compliant for all breeds and life stages

We believe every ingredient should earn its place in the bowl — and every bowl should help your dog live a longer, healthier life.

Final Thoughts: Ingredients Matter. But Integrity Matters More.

There’s no perfect recipe. But there is a right question: What does this ingredient do for my dog’s health?

Forget the hype. Forget the empty claims. Look for real meat, real purpose, and real results.

And if the label leaves you with more questions than answers — trust your gut. And feed theirs.

Explore our ingredient philosophy and gut-health-first recipes at brothersdogfood.com — because better ingredients lead to better lives.

Sources

• AKC American Kennel Club: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/how-much-should-i-feed-my-dog/
• AAHA American Animal Hospital Association: https://www.aaha.org/resources/5-ways-to-know-how-much-to-feed-your-pet/
• AMC Schwarzman Animal Medical Center: https://www.amcny.org/blog/2012/01/09/the-importance-of-portion-control-for-pets/
• NIH National Library of Medicine: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6488012/