Frequently Asked Questions

The Puglib score rates a dog food from 0 to 10 on the nutrition its label proves. It combines protein, measured for both quality (the amino acids dogs need) and quantity (usable protein per calorie, against what a dog needs at its life stage), with fat, checked against the AAFCO minimums and credited for omega-3s. On the cards it is shown as 1 to 4 bones: Excellent (8.0 and up), Great (6.5 to 7.9), Good (5.0 to 6.4) and Fair (below 5.0).

First, foods that don't suit your dog are removed: the wrong life stage or size, any mention of a protein you want to avoid, or a label that excludes large breed growth for a puppy that will grow large. The rest are ranked by Puglib score, with a small, capped adjustment for how active your dog is. The full method is on How We Score, and the equations are in the scoring methodology.

No. No brand pays to be listed, scored or ranked, and none can. Prices and store commissions are never part of a score or a ranking.

When you buy through a store link on Puglib, such as Amazon, we may earn a commission at the same rate whichever dog food you choose, and some pages show advertising. Neither has any effect on a score or a ranking. See our affiliate disclosure.

DIAAS, the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score, is the protein quality standard defined by the FAO. It rates a protein by the essential amino acid in shortest supply relative to need. Puglib uses the same method with dog requirements from the National Research Council (2006), so a food's protein is judged on what dogs actually need, not just on its percentage.

Because the percentage alone hides two things: how good the protein is, and how much energy comes with it. A dog eats to meet its energy need, so Puglib measures usable protein per 1000 calories, and protein from ingredients with a poor amino acid balance counts for less.

No. A food gains or loses nothing for being grain-free or containing grains. Every ingredient, plant or animal, is scored on its amino acids and where it sits on the ingredient list. For the wider debate, read our article on grains versus grain-free.

A food is rescored whenever we add it or its label changes, and the whole catalogue is rescored whenever the method changes. The methodology page shows its version and the date it last changed.

Life stage, adult size and the proteins you avoid decide which foods are shown at all. Activity then reorders the list a little: less active dogs are matched toward lighter foods with less of their calories from fat, very active dogs toward energy-dense foods with more. Weight sets the daily feeding amount. Your dog's breed only fills in the questionnaire's starting answers.

Because of your dog's activity. Foods whose energy and fat suit your dog's activity move up a little, and those that don't move down, by a capped amount, so foods of similar quality can swap places. For a dog of everyday activity the list is in exact score order. Sort by Puglib Score to see the plain order.

Two scores from 0 to 10 on each card that show how well a food's energy density and its share of calories from fat suit your dog's activity. Hover over or tap either one to see why. They help order your dog's list but never change a food's Puglib score or bones.

Either it was removed for your dog (its label is for another life stage or size, it mentions a protein you chose to avoid, or it excludes large breed growth for a puppy that will grow large), or we haven't reviewed it yet. You can ask us to review a food.

Some labels list a natural flavor without naming its source. If you're avoiding a protein, we can't tell whether that flavor contains it, so the food is shown with a warning instead of being hidden. Check with the brand if your dog has an allergy.

From each brand's own published feeding chart, read for your dog's weight and activity. Puglib doesn't calculate its own amounts. Your dog's needs can differ from the chart, so adjust to keep a healthy body condition, and ask your vet if you're unsure.

The bag's weight divided by your dog's daily amount from the brand's chart. Foods without a published bag size or feeding chart don't show it.

More than 100 foods from brands including ACANA, ORIJEN, Fromm, Hill's Science Diet, IAMS, Instinct, Merrick, Royal Canin, Taste of the Wild, VICTOR and Wellness CORE, with more added regularly. Every food is scored with the same method.

No. Puglib compares foods for healthy dogs on the nutrition their labels prove. If your dog has a medical condition, a prescribed diet or a diagnosed allergy, follow your vet's advice.

Yes. The questionnaire, the results and every score are free, with no account needed.

Your answers are stored with your results link so the page works when you return, and are deleted 12 months after the link was last opened. There's no account, and we don't ask for your name or email to show results. See our privacy policy.

Open the three-dot menu on the food's card and choose Report a mistake. Tell us what's wrong and, if you can, where you found the correct information. You can also contact us.