FreshpetBeef, Egg, Green Beans & Sweet Potato Small Dog Food

A red-meat protein, higher in fat and iron than poultry. Fresh or deboned beef is mostly water and ranks higher on the label than its dry contribution; beef meal is the concentrated form. Beef is among the most common food allergens reported in both dogs and cats, probably because it has been fed so widely for so long. Beef by-products such as liver and heart are listed separately.

The most common protein in pet food, and for dogs one of the most common food allergens, with beef and dairy. If chicken is what your pet reacts to, it hides everywhere: chicken fat, chicken broth, chicken meal, natural flavor. On a label, chicken listed first is weighed with its water still in, so a food leading with fresh chicken often has less chicken protein than one leading with chicken meal. Neither is better; they are different measures.

Organ meat from the named animal, or unnamed when the label just says liver. Liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods there is, rich in vitamin A, copper, iron and the B group, and most pets love the taste, which is why it is used both as an ingredient and as a flavor coating. For allergies, the species is what matters, and beef liver is beef. Unnamed liver can come from any species and may vary by batch.

A small legume used for carbohydrate, fiber and plant protein in many grain-free foods. Lentils supply folate and iron, and like peas and chickpeas they add protein without adding meat. Lentils were among the legumes in the FDA's heart-disease review, which did not establish a cause. A food with lentils high on the list is a plant-protein-forward recipe.

A complete, highly digestible protein, which is why formulators like it. It is also a documented allergen in about 4% of dogs with food reactions. Egg allergy does not implicate chicken meat; the proteins are different. Dried egg product is the same thing with the water removed. A good ingredient for most pets and a fine-print one for the allergic few.

A root vegetable used as a carbohydrate source, especially in grain-free foods. It supplies energy, fiber and beta carotene and is well digested by dogs. There is no good evidence it beats rice or oats nutritionally, though it is a reasonable choice for pets that do poorly on grains. Like any starch, a food that lists it high is a starch-heavy food.

A vegetable that contributes a little fiber and beta-carotene and a lot of label appeal. In dry food it is usually present in small amounts well down the list. It is not an allergen of concern and not a meaningful protein or calorie source. Fine to see; not a reason to choose one food over another.

A staple of grain-free recipes, supplying starch, fiber and plant protein. Peas were common in the diets examined in a federal investigation into heart disease in dogs; the investigation did not establish a cause and no ingredient was banned. Pea protein high on a list can inflate the protein number with a plant source. Pea allergy is rare. Not a problem, but worth noticing when it appears in several forms in one recipe.

A leafy green added in small amounts for vitamins, minerals and color. Spinach is high in oxalate, which binds calcium and in large quantities is a concern for pets prone to calcium oxalate bladder stones. The amounts in a complete food are tiny, often a fraction of a percent, so for most pets it is a token vegetable with no nutritional or safety weight.

Oil pressed from whole fish, usually menhaden, herring or sardine, added as the source of the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA. Those fats support skin, coat, joints and brain development, and a food that names fish oil is delivering them in the form pets use directly. It goes rancid quickly, so look for a preservative named alongside it, usually mixed tocopherols. The species is rarely stated, which matters only if your pet reacts to fish.

A vegetable added in small amounts for fiber and a little flavor, and in fresh or raw recipes for its water content. It is safe for dogs and cats and appears well down the list, often alongside other vegetables in a blend. It brings almost no calories and only trace nutrients at these levels, so it changes nothing about the food either way.