From the perspective of a dog’s health and wellbeing, feeding is naturally one of the most important responsibilities for any owner. Food should be nutritious, tasty – and of course, safe. The safety of dog food has recently been a much-discussed and widely reported topic – but what do dog owners themselves actually think makes dog food safe?
To better understand dog owners’ wishes and concerns, we conducted an online survey. In total, 613 people responded – 337 from Finland and 276 from Sweden. The results paint a clear picture of what food safety means to consumers, and how opinions differ across various aspects of safety.
96% of respondents said that safety is an important factor when choosing dog food.
The results reveal that while most people trust the products they choose, many still want more transparency and reassurance about what really ends up in their dog’s bowl.
What does safety mean in dog food?
According to the survey, the most important safety factors for dog owners are:
- Transparency of ingredients
- Assurance that the food does not contain harmful additives
- Naturalness of ingredients
- Local origin (domestic or at least European)
Many respondents emphasized that they want to know where the ingredients come from, where the food is made, and whether it contains anything “unnecessary” – such as preservatives or artificial fillers. Vague ingredient lists, uncertain origins, additives, and difficult-to-interpret terms tend to create distrust.
“I wish that the food includes a clear list of ingredients. Knowing the country of manufacture and the origin of ingredients creates a strong sense of trust – a sense of safety. Food of European origin creates more trust, than food that comes from outside of Europe.” one dog owner commented.
🌱 Natural and local options stand out
One clear trend is the desire to choose natural and locally produced options.
Respondents considered it important that dogfood is made from pure, traceable, and preferably domestic ingredients. This ties both to safety and environmental values – for many dog owners, these two go hand in hand.
About 18% of respondents felt that natural ingredients are one of the most important safety factors, and around 19% considered local origin or production as key.
“Domestic origin, responsibility, added vitamins and other key nutrients but no unnecessary additives, a transparent company and production chain”, one respondent summarised as trusted factors.
🧩 Where Do People Look for Information?
About 59% of respondents rated their own ability to assess dog food safety as good.
The sources they trust and use to find information include:
- Clear product details (e.g., on packaging labels)
- Brand reputation
- Veterinarian recommendations
- Online customer reviews
Veterinarians and manufacturers’ own channels were seen as credible, but many still wanted more concrete facts and lists explaining how the food is made, how production is monitored, and how to ensure that the food contains nothing harmful.
💡 Tips for Dog Owners
The study shows that dog owners increasingly want to make informed choices.
These three tips can help you when selecting food for your dog:
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Read the packaging carefully.
If you don’t understand an ingredient, look it up – a good and trustworthy manufacturer will be happy to explain more.
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Look for and favor transparency.
Manufacturers that openly share information about origin and production are also more likely to be responsible.
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Trust, but verify.
You don’t have to be a nutrition expert to feed your dog well, but you’ll feel more confident in your choice if you combine multiple reliable sources.
🔍 The Most Trusted in the Nordics
Dog food safety is not just a passing trend – it’s part of a growing interest in pet wellbeing.
The survey results show that consumers want more information and openness.
As a company that has prioritized “natural, local, transparent” ingredients from the start, we know we have much to contribute to this topic. Alvar Pet has risen to the top of Nordic dog food brand rankings – not by chance, but through uncompromising quality and the trust it has earned.
This is also supported by comments from survey respondents who feed their dogs Alvar Pet food, explaining why they consider it a safe choice:
- “Domestic origin, developed by veterinarians, and clear ingredient information”
- “Meets the owner’s expectations for production. The dog is healthy and happy!”
- “Customer feedback and good explanations of product development”
- “Customer satisfaction and transparency in ingredients”
It’s a joy to see that Alvar is recognized as a safe and trustworthy brand. 💚
We will continue to emphasize these themes in the future.
A big thank you to everyone who took part in the survey!
