Before we carried Farm To Pet's treat chips at Best Friends General, I read the ingredient list out loud to Wilbur. He was not interested in my analysis. But I was.
It said: chicken.
That was it. One ingredient. And that's how I knew it was worth carrying.
Pet product labeling is not well-regulated, which means the gap between what sounds good on a bag and what's actually in it can be enormous. Here's what I look for — and what I've learned to ignore.
Treats: Shorter Is Better
The ingredient list on a treat should be short enough that you can read it without squinting. Single-ingredient freeze-dried treats — like Farm To Pet's chicken chips, turkey chips, and beef chips — are the gold standard. You know exactly what you're giving your dog because there's literally only one thing in it.
The moment you see "natural flavors," "by-products," or a string of preservatives you can't pronounce, start asking questions. Those aren't necessarily dealbreakers, but they're reasons to look harder.
For baked treats like Doodle Doo's bakery biscuits or Dawg Butter's peanut butter spreads, look for recognizable whole food ingredients in the first few spots. If the third ingredient is sugar or corn syrup, keep moving.
Supplements: Look for Transparency
A supplement label that vaguely says "supports joint health" without listing what's actually in it — or how much — is worth scrutinizing. The more reputable supplement brands, like Makondo Pets, list their active ingredients with actual quantities, which lets you compare them and have a more informed conversation with your vet. That said, labeling standards vary by ingredient type, so the presence or absence of specific mg counts isn't a universal quality signal on its own.
What matters most: recognizable ingredients, clear sourcing information where possible, and a brand that's transparent about what they're putting in the product. "Natural" on a supplement label means very little on its own — what matters is the ingredient itself, the form it's in (some forms are more bioavailable than others), and whether the dose is appropriate for your dog's size and health status.
As always, check with your vet before adding anything new to your pet's routine — especially if your dog is on medication or has an existing health condition. Your vet can also help you determine whether a supplement is actually needed and what dose makes sense.
Food: The First Five Ingredients Are the Story
Pet food ingredient lists are ordered by weight before cooking, which means the first five ingredients tell you most of what you need to know about what your dog is actually eating. A named protein — chicken, beef, salmon — should be first. "Meat meal" is acceptable (it's actually more protein-dense than fresh meat by weight); "meat and bone meal" without a named species is a flag.
Montana Dog Food Co's freeze-dried raw meals solve this differently: the ingredient list is whole food because the food is whole. Chicken, organ meat, produce, and nothing that needs to be explained away. That simplicity is why they're in the shop.
The Label Isn't Everything
Labels tell you what's in something. They don't always tell you whether a toy will hold up, whether a carrier will fit your specific dog, or whether a harness will actually stay on during a full Wilbur-level walk-and-bolt situation.
That's what the curation at Best Friends General is for. We've done the reading. We've also done the living with it, which matters more.
— Ryan