Our Process, Explained
When we recommend a supplement, we want you to know exactly how we arrived at that recommendation. No black boxes. No undisclosed relationships. Here's our evaluation methodology.
Step 1: Label Analysis
Every product evaluation starts with the label. We document:
- Every active ingredient and its amount per serving
- Serving size and servings per container for small, medium, and large dogs
- All inactive ingredients
- Quality certifications displayed (NASC, GMP, third party testing)
- Manufacturer information
- Expiration date and storage requirements
Products using proprietary blends that prevent us from verifying individual ingredient amounts receive an automatic penalty in scoring. We believe consumers deserve to know what they're paying for.
Step 2: Dose Verification
We compare every active ingredient's amount per serving to published therapeutic doses from peer reviewed veterinary research. We calculate this for three dog sizes: 25 lbs (small), 50 lbs (medium), and 75 lbs (large).
An ingredient at less than 50% of its researched therapeutic dose for a given dog size is flagged as underdosed. An ingredient at less than 25% is flagged as pixie dusted (present for label appeal, not therapeutic benefit).
Step 3: Evidence Review
For each active ingredient, we review the published scientific literature:
- Is there peer reviewed evidence for the claimed benefit in dogs specifically?
- If no canine data exists, is there evidence in other mammals with sound biological rationale for cross species applicability?
- What's the quality of the evidence? (Randomized controlled trials rank higher than case reports or in vitro studies.)
- Has the company published research on their specific product?
Ingredients with no published evidence for their claimed benefits receive a low evidence score regardless of their popularity or traditional use claims.
Step 4: Quality Verification
We assess the company's commitment to quality through:
- NASC membership verification
- Third party testing documentation (we request COAs)
- Manufacturing certifications (GMP, facility details)
- Formulator credentials (we ask who formulated the product and their qualifications)
- Adverse event reporting transparency
Step 5: Real World Testing
For products that score well on steps 1 through 4, we conduct real world trials with our own dogs and, in some cases, volunteer dogs from our reader community. We track:
- Palatability (will the dog actually eat it?)
- Digestive tolerance (any GI upset during introduction?)
- Observable changes over 6 to 8 weeks (energy, mobility, coat, behavior)
- Practical factors (ease of use, storage requirements, mess factor)
We acknowledge that our real world testing is observational, not blinded, and subject to bias. We note this in every review. Observable changes in our dogs supplement, but do not replace, the objective evaluation from steps 1 through 4.
Step 6: Value Calculation
We calculate the true daily cost for a 50 lb dog at the recommended dose. We also calculate cost per milligram of key active ingredients to enable fair cross product comparison. Products that appear cheap per bag but expensive per therapeutic dose are flagged.
How We Score
Our final score (out of 100) weighs each factor:
- Therapeutic dosing: 25 points
- Scientific evidence: 20 points
- Ingredient transparency: 20 points
- Quality assurance: 15 points
- Value: 20 points
Products scoring 80+ earn our recommendation. Products scoring 60 to 79 are noted as acceptable with caveats. Products below 60 are not recommended.
Our Disclosure Policy
Full transparency about our own practices:
- We purchase all products at retail prices for evaluation. We do not accept free samples.
- Some product links on our site are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if you purchase through them. This never influences our evaluation. Products that score poorly are listed with affiliate links disabled.
- We have no financial relationship with any supplement manufacturer beyond standard affiliate programs available to any publisher.
- If a company sponsors content on our site, it is clearly labeled as sponsored and the company has no editorial control over the content.
- We update reviews when products reformulate, when new research emerges, or when our ongoing testing reveals new information.
What We Don't Do
- We don't accept payment for positive reviews
- We don't let companies preview or approve our reviews before publication
- We don't recommend products solely because they pay higher affiliate commissions
- We don't recommend products we wouldn't give our own dogs
How to Use Our Reviews
Our reviews are a starting point, not a final answer. Your dog has individual needs that no general review can address. Use our evaluations to narrow your options, then discuss specific products with your veterinarian. If our recommendation doesn't align with your vet's advice for your specific dog, follow your vet. They know your dog. We don't.
Questions about our process? We're always happy to explain our methodology in more detail. Reach out through our contact page.
