I have a friend who has, for a long time purchased one particular variety of white label dog food from a local pet supplies warehouse. The food in the recent delivery was of a different type and has caused problems with her dogs; one dog won’t touch it, one has eaten it has had loose poo and the third dog seems to be OK with it so far. We have compared the recipe from the old and new bags and there are a lot of differences, including the analysis. This made me think of the difference between open and closed formulas and it is something worth considering when deciding which food to give to your dog.
Open Formulas:
As the name suggests, these recipes are not fixed - the ingredients can change subject to availability and/or cost. This means that the formula may change at any time and that the dog may not be able to tolerate the new ingredient/s.
Closed Formulas:
These formulas are always made to the same recipe and don’t change. This is clearly much better for your dog as you know what they are getting every time. A company that has closed formulas will always fully inform their customers if any changes are made, no matter how small.
It’s always worth reading the labels carefully.
References:
My Itchy Dog
UK Dog Foods