The front of a dog-treat pack is designed to be noticed. The back is where the useful comparison usually begins. In the UK, pet-food labels follow animal-feed rules and should give you a product description, composition, analytical constituents, additives, feeding information and traceability details.
This guide explains what those sections mean so you can compare products more confidently. It does not decide whether a treat is suitable for a dog with a medical condition; ask your vet about that first.
First: is it complete or complementary?
A complete pet food is formulated to provide all the nutrients an animal needs each day when it is fed as directed. A complementary pet food is intended to be fed with something else. Most treats, chews and toppers are complementary.
That distinction matters because a complementary treat is not meant to replace a balanced main diet. Check the product description rather than assuming that a pouch, pâté, chew or topper is complete.
Composition: what the product is made from
The composition list names the feed materials used. They are generally listed in descending order by weight at the mixing stage. Ingredients may be declared individually or by legally permitted categories, depending on the product and the way it is labelled.
Use this section to answer practical questions:
- Are the animal or plant ingredients named clearly enough for your needs?
- Is the product made from one declared animal source or several?
- Are cereals, vegetables, oils, minerals or other materials included?
- Does the list match the prominent wording and imagery on the front?
The first ingredient is not automatically a verdict on quality. Fresh and dried materials contain different amounts of water, and weight before processing does not tell you the final nutrient contribution on its own.
Analytical constituents: the measured nutrient categories
For pet food, the familiar analytical panel commonly includes:
- Crude protein: an analytical estimate based on nitrogen; it does not measure protein quality or digestibility by itself.
- Crude oils and fats: the measured fat fraction.
- Crude fibre: a specific laboratory measure of fibre, not necessarily total dietary fibre.
- Crude ash: the inorganic mineral residue remaining after analysis; it is not added fireplace ash.
- Moisture: water content, which is particularly important when comparing wet and dry products.
These are percentages of the product as sold unless the label states otherwise. They describe nutrient quantity, not whether the food is “good”, balanced, digestible or appropriate for an individual dog.
Why moisture changes the comparison
A soft treat containing more water can show a lower crude-protein percentage than a dried treat even when their protein proportions would be closer after water is removed from the calculation. Compare products on the same basis before drawing a conclusion.
For a rough dry-matter comparison:
Dry matter % = 100 − moisture %
Nutrient on a dry-matter basis = declared nutrient % ÷ dry matter % × 100
Example: a treat with 20% crude protein and 20% moisture contains 80% dry matter. Its crude protein is 25% on a dry-matter basis (20 ÷ 80 × 100). This arithmetic does not assess amino-acid balance, digestibility or medical suitability.
Additives: what has been added for a purpose
The additives section may include nutritional additives such as vitamins and trace elements, technological additives such as preservatives or antioxidants, sensory additives such as colours and flavourings, or other authorised categories. Labels may give a functional group, the additive’s name or identification number and an amount where the rules require it.
“No artificial additives” does not mean a product has no additives of any kind, and the presence of an authorised additive is not evidence that a food is poor quality. Read the actual declaration.
Feeding instructions and daily totals
Check the recommended amount and the size or weight of a piece. A small-looking treat can still add meaningful energy if it is given often. Count food used for training, enrichment toys, chews and table extras within the dog’s total daily intake.
General guidance often suggests keeping treats to a modest share of daily energy so the complete diet remains the nutritional foundation. The right allowance varies with the dog and the treat. If weight, a medical condition or a prescribed diet is involved, ask your vet for an individual limit.
Traceability and practical details
Look for the responsible feed-business operator, contact details, batch or lot information, net quantity, storage instructions, best-before date and any directions or warnings. Keep the pack until the product has been used; the batch details matter if you need to report a problem.
A two-minute label check
- Find the product description: complete or complementary?
- Read the composition list without relying on front-of-pack slogans.
- Check protein, fat, fibre, ash and moisture.
- Compare moisture before comparing percentages.
- Review additives, feeding guidance, piece size and storage.
- Check the responsible business, date and batch details.
- If your dog has a medical or dietary restriction, pause and ask your vet.
When you are ready to compare non-medical shopping options, browse our dog treats. Use the filters as a starting point, then verify every product’s own label before buying because recipes and declarations can change.
Reviewed: 23 July 2026.
