The R in PAWer: Review the Label (and Choose with Confidence)

Pet parents are reading labels differently, and really, we all are. They don’t want mystery ingredients or vague promises. They want clarity.

And inside my PAWer Move System, I’m using the R as a simple skill you can practice any time you shop: R = Read the label. Rather than obsess or spiral. Just to make a confident choice that fits your dog’s needs.

Why “Review the label” matters (Root-Cause Awareness, not guessing)

When we don’t understand the label, we often end up in the “try something and hope” cycle.

Reading the label supports Root-Cause Awareness because it helps you answer:

• What am I actually feeding or giving?
• Is this clear or vague?
• Does this match what I’m trying to support (gut, joints, skin, stress)?

The confusing word that shows up everywhere: “Meal”

You’ve probably seen ingredients like chicken meal or meat and bone meal and wondered what that actually means.

Here’s the simple version:

Rendered products have been cooked before they’re shipped to pet food manufacturing. During rendering, heat and pressure remove most of the water and fat, leaving primarily protein and minerals.

And the term “meal” is used because after cooking, the ingredient is ground into uniform particles. That’s it. Rendered + ground = “meal.”

Quick definitions (so you can read labels faster). Below are a few label terms that trip people up. These are definitions you’ll commonly see referenced in industry ingredient standards.

Meat meal

A rendered product from mammal tissues (with specific limits on what can be included). It may come from mammals other than cattle/pigs/sheep/goats unless a species is named (example: “beef meal”).

Meat and bone meal

Similar to meat meal, but includes bone and has minimum phosphorus requirements.

Animal by-product meal

A rendered product from animal tissues that don’t fit other “meal” definitions. It’s not intended to label a mixture, but it can be broader/less specific than a named protein source.

Poultry by-product meal

Rendered, ground parts of poultry carcass (examples listed can include necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, intestines; excludes feathers except unavoidable traces).

Poultry meal

Rendered poultry from clean flesh/skin with or without bone, excluding feathers, heads, feet, entrails.

My “PAWer R” 4-step label check (takes 60 seconds)

Next time you pick up a bag or bottle, do this:

1. Read the first 5 ingredients
   Those tend to make up the biggest portion of what you’re buying.
2. Look for specificity
   “Chicken meal” is more specific than “meat meal.”
   A named protein is usually easier to evaluate than a broad category.
3. Circle the “purpose” in one sentence
   “I’m choosing this to support my dog’s gut comfort”
   “I’m choosing this to support active joints”
   If you can’t explain the purpose simply, it’s harder to use consistently.
4. Ask: Can I use this consistently?
   The “best” product doesn’t help if it’s too complicated to maintain. Consistency is part of transparency.

A gentle note (because real life happens). Sometimes we make a choice and it  goes other than the way we hoped. You may feel you failed. It means you got new information.

That’s Root-Cause Awareness in real life: Read → try → observe → adjust.

Educational info only and always loop in your veterinarian for urgent symptoms or medical concerns.