Frequently Asked Questions

For almost half a century, the Waltham Petcare Science Institute has led the world in advanced pet care research and companion animal nutrition. This includes conducting research into the nutritional requirements of dogs with leading academics and pet experts globally for publication. The Waltham Petcare Science Institute is responsible for the science behind all Mars Petcare pet food brands, including PEDIGREE^® Food for Dogs. This helps in the development of the Brand's best dry recipe ever, and provides all dogs with access to professional nutrition.

The Waltham Petcare Science Institute is owned and operated by Mars, Incorporated. As a global leader in advanced pet care research and companion animal nutrition, the Waltham Petcare Science Institute is the science behind all Mars Petcare pet food brands globally, including PEDIGREE^® Food for Dogs.

The Research and Development group at Mars Petcare US includes scientists and nutritionists that provide much of the innovation behind our brands, including PEDIGREE^® Food for Dogs. Our experts in Product Development and Nutrition work closely with the scientists and researchers at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute.

We believe that every dog deserves leading nutrition. The researchers at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute have identified the four Universal Needs of Dogs: Skin & Coat, Oral Care, Digestion, and Immunity.

These needs were identified through a review of the Waltham Petcare Science Institute's robust body of research studies on the requirements of dogs of different breeds, sizes and life stages. Additionally, the Waltham Petcare Science Institute research has identified how we can deliver nutritional benefits that address those four needs. It is this research that went into making our best dry recipes ever.

The PEDIGREE® Dry Recipes are our best recipes ever, and are specially formulated to meet the 4 Universal Needs of Dogs: Skin & Coat, Oral Care, Digestion, and Immunity.

The dry product line includes eight different product options, each specially designed to meet the nutritional requirements of dogs of different breeds, sizes and life stage for overall health and well-being. The products are:

• PEDIGREE® Adult Complete Nutrition
• PEDIGREE PUPPY™ Complete Nutrition
• PEDIGREE® SMALL BREED Nutrition
• PEDIGREE® LARGE BREED Nutrition
• PEDIGREE® Health Longevity
• PEDIGREE® Healthy Weight
• PEDIGREE® Healthy Joints
• PEDIGREE® Wholesome Nutrition With Chicken, Rice & Vegetables

The PEDIGREE® Dry Recipes are our best recipes ever, and are specially formulated to meet the four Universal Needs of Dogs: Skin & Coat, Oral Care, Digestion, and Immunity.

The PEDIGREE® Dry Recipes will nourish a dog's first line of defense—its skin & coat—by including leading levels of Linoleic Acid and optimum levels of Zinc, which have been identified as two of the most important nutrients for helping dogs maintain a healthy skin and coat.

Several PEDIGREE® Dry Recipes include a patented Oral Care kibble. This kibble will provide oral care benefits by promoting chewing and mechanical cleaning action that helps reduce plaque and tartar buildup, a contributor to gum disease (the number one health issue for pet dogs today). The Oral Care kibble is available in select varieties.

Puppies have different needs because they are learning to chew and are developing new teeth. The oral health emphasis in PEDIGREE PUPPY® is focused on tooth development by optimizing calcium and phosphorus. The crunchy texture of PEDIGREE PUPPY® also helps reduce plaque and tartar buildup.

Our special care products (PEDIGREE® Healthy Joints, PEDIGREE® Healthy Weight, and PEDIGREE® Healthy Longevity) provide the professional nutrition of the improved dry recipes, but they were launched prior to the final development of the Oral Care kibble. However, the special care products, like all of our products, contain the right balance of calcium and phosphorus for strong healthy teeth and a crunchy texture that also helps reduce plaque and tartar buildup.

Additionally, the PEDIGREE® Dry Recipes are highly digestible and have an improved blend of fiber for optimum stool quality. Highly digestible meals, balanced with the right blend of fiber, can lead to overall digestive health, optimal nutrient absorption and less waste.

Finally, PEDIGREE® Dry Recipes will help support a dog's immune system through the addition of key antioxidant nutrients vitamins E and C. Supplementation of vitamins E and Vitamin C together have synergistic benefits to promote a strong immune system and to help protect every cell in your dog's body, as the Waltham Petcare Science Institute's research has shown.

Yes. We believe that every dog deserves leading nutrition. That's why the PEDIGREE® Dry Recipes have been formulated for all breeds, sizes and life stages. Because all dogs deserve to have food that is specially formulated to meet the Four Universal Needs of Dogs: Skin & Coat, Oral Care, Digestion, and Immunity.

Formulas have been created for puppies, small- and large-breed adult dogs, and seniors. Careful consideration has been taken to address the unique needs of the animals at each of these stages.

The PEDIGREE® Brand created two formulas to address the different needs of small and large dogs. Small dogs have smaller mouths, so PEDIGREE SMALL BREED® kibble is smaller and easier to crunch than PEDIGREE® Adult Complete Nutrition. The PEDIGREE LARGE BREED® formula, in addition to having larger kibble to promote proper chewing in large dogs, also helps maintain healthy joints with natural sources of glucosamine.

We're always happy to answer any questions you may have about our company or products. You can contact us online here or by phone at 800-525-5273.

Corn is an excellent source of protein and energy in a balanced diet. It provides essential amino acids and carbohydrates (including fiber for healthy digestion) as well as being a good source of linoleic acid (a key driver of skin and coat health) and antioxidants (important for a healthy immune system).

A small percentage of the pet population suffers from allergies, most of which are not related to diet. However, a small number of pets have sensitivities to food. It's important to know that pet foods do not cause allergies. The risk of developing an allergy is based on the pet's genetic profile, not related to diet. If you believe your dog has a food allergy, it is best to discuss this with your veterinarian to help you choose the right diet for your pet.

Animal by-products are excellent sources of protein and essential vitamins and minerals for pets.

By-products are the clean, internal organs, including liver, lungs, intestine, etc. In fact, when eating in the wild, dogs naturally gravitate toward the internal organs as their first choice of food. One reason may be because organ meats are a more highly concentrated source of essential nutrients, as compared to muscle tissues (meat), thus providing more nutrition to the dog.

The use of by-products not only provides the essential nutrients that dogs need, but they are also a sustainable source of quality protein to ensure the human food chain is not negatively impacted.

It's a common perception that dogs should and want to eat high quantities of meat. However, in reality, dogs are semi-carnivorous, meaning they can thrive on a diet of both meat- and plant-based ingredients.

What is most important is not what the first ingredient of the diet is, but what the overall nutritional composition and digestibility of the diet is. All our products deliver all the essential nutrition dogs need, in a highly digestible formula. The PEDIGREE^® Dry Recipes provide all dogs access to the professional nutrition often found only in premium diets, so that they can live life to the fullest every single day.

Meat meals are a concentrated muscle meat and bone combination. Because they are concentrated and contain bone, they have higher levels of protein, fats and essential minerals than muscle meat alone. Most of the water and some of the fat are removed from meat meal, which reduces the risk of spoilage.

A filler is an ingredient with no purpose that is added to a food. All of the ingredients used in PEDIGREE® Food for Dogs are included for a specific purpose and provide a benefit to the dog. All of our products are designed to provide good digestion, which is only achievable with good quality ingredients and no fillers.

We include preservatives such as BHA and BHT in our foods to help preserve the nutrient integrity of our products. Delivering the nutrition essential to a dog's health is a top priority for us. This ensures product safety and freshness during storage.

We don't recommend feeding your dog expired food. PEDIGREE® Food for Dogs, just like food intended for human consumption, is designed with the best nutrition in mind, and is made by using the best ingredients. Like all foods, our foods have a finite shelf life. So to provide your dog with the best nutrition, only feed foods within their stated expiration date.

PEDIGREE® Dry Recipes have a 12-month shelf life from the date of manufacture. After the "Best Before" date, we recommend that the product be disposed of because the nutritional integrity of the product may be affected.

PEDIGREE® Canned and Pouched recipes have a 24-month shelf life from the date of manufacture. After the "Best Before" date, we recommend that the product be disposed of because the nutritional integrity of the product may be affected.

Yes. Artificial food colorings are safe for pets, and we have absolute confidence in the safety of all the ingredients we use, including synthetic colors. They have been the subject of robust review around the globe by leading scientists and regulatory agencies, and their safety has been affirmed through the FDA.

While FDA approved, we recognize the growing desire of dog owners to use more natural sources of food colorants in their pet's food. Therefore, we are pleased to announce that we have significantly reduced the number of artificial colorants in our PEDIGREE® Dry Recipes, and we continue to explore future alternative recipe improvements.

Poor oral health can lead to red, swollen gums, bad breath, tooth loss and—if left untreated—has been associated with the development of more serious issues like heart, lung and kidney problems. Just like in humans, poor oral health can also lead to pain, which can reduce overall quality of life. In fact, 4 out of 5 dogs over the age of three may suffer from some level of gum disease.*

This is why the improved PEDIGREE® Dry Recipes have been formulated to meet the Four Universal Needs of Dogs, which includes Oral Care;

Dental health may not be at the top of many pet owners' list of priorities, but caring for your dog's teeth is critical to its overall health. As with humans, a proactive approach is key. This can be achieved through regular dental exams and cleanings by a vet, daily tooth brushing and feeding your dog specially designed foods and treats that help clean teeth.

Select PEDIGREE® Dry Recipes include a patented Oral Care kibble. This kibble promotes dental health through chewing, increasing the mechanical abrasion action that helps reduce tartar buildup on the tooth surface. (Note: Oral Care kibble not available in all varieties. See bags for details.)

A visibly healthy skin and coat is considered to be an indication of the overall health of a dog. A dog's skin and coat serve key functions such as regulation of body temperature and hydration, and storage of several nutrients. As with humans, a dog's skin is its largest organ, and—in conjunction with its coat—acts as a protective barrier from the external environment.

Skin and coat problems, such as flakiness and dullness, are often the first indication of a health issue. Conditions which can negatively affect skin and coat quality include nutritional deficiencies or a poor-quality diet.

This is why the PEDIGREE® Dry Recipes have been formulated to meet the Four Universal Needs of Dogs, which includes Skin & Coat.

Linoleic acid and zinc are the two most important nutritional ingredients for helping dogs maintain a healthy skin and coat. Research from the Waltham Petcare Science Institute has shown that supplementation of linoleic acid and zinc at levels well above minimal requirements will lead to increased coat shine and gloss, and an increase in the hydration of the skin. Further research shows that the addition of each of these nutrients separately leads to small benefits; however, the benefit is much greater when these nutrients are supplemented together.

A dog's immune system works hard to combat daily exposure to disease, toxins, environmental stressors, and free radicals. Its importance in keeping a dog healthy cannot be underestimated. Therefore, it is imperative that everything should be done to keep a dog's immune system as strong as possible.

This is why the PEDIGREE® Dry Recipes have been formulated to meet the Four Universal Needs of Dogs, which includes Immunity.

Research from the Waltham Petcare Science Institute has shown that supplementation of the antioxidant vitamins E and C together, have additional benefits by supporting the effectiveness of the immune system and to help protect cell function and integrity.

Research from the Waltham Petcare Science Institute indicates the importance of dietary fiber to the health of a dog's digestive tract. Meals rich in the right types of fiber support the overall health of the digestive tract which can help to optimize digestibility of the food, which means dogs utilize more of the nutrients in the food with less waste.

The PEDIGREE® Dry Recipes have been formulated to contain an improved ratio of insoluble to soluble fiber, promoting a healthy digestive tract and optimal stool quality to make backyard cleanup easier. Digestion is one of the Four Universal Needs of Dogs.

It's important to remember that your dog's stomach is very sensitive. Some dogs can handle a diet switch without any problems. Other dogs are more sensitive and may experience temporary digestive problems, such as loose stools, until they become accustomed to the new food.

When switching to the PEDIGREE® Dry Recipes, we suggest gradually transitioning your dog's food over a 7-day period by mixing small amounts of the new food into current food. Each day, add more of the new food into decreasing amounts of the current food.

Days 1 to 2 (25% new, 75% old)

Introduce your dog to his new food gradually. For the first two days or so, his meals should be about 25% new food and 75% old food. Mix the two foods together, don't keep them separated.

Days 3 to 4 (50% new, 50% old)

If the first couple of days of the transition have gone smoothly, you can now mix 50% of the new food with 50% of the old food.

Days 5 to 6 (75% new, 25% old)

At this stage, your dog's meals should be about 75% new food and only 25% of the old food. Always look for signs that your dog is making the transition smoothly and without any sign of an upset stomach.

Day 7 and beyond (100% new)

At this stage, your dog's meals should consist 100% of the new food. Which means his old food is now officially his "old" food.

The PEDIGREE® Adoption Drive is a fund-raising and education campaign focused on the cause of shelter dogs and breed rescue dogs. Through no fault of their own, more than four million dogs end up in shelters and breed rescues every year. Sadly, nearly half of those canines never find a place to call home, a trend that the PEDIGREE® Brand hopes reverse. For the past 6 years, with the help of dog lovers across the country, we have been proud to raise more than $6 million dollars for the cause.

Through this program, the PEDIGREE® Brand is raising awareness for the plight of America's homeless dogs and hopes to encourage those who are ready to bring a dog into their lives to consider adopting. Click here to learn more about how you can help us help dogs.

Every time you purchase a PEDIGREE® Food for Dogs product, we make a donation to help dogs in need. Dog lovers can get involved by purchasing our products and by supporting the PEDIGREE Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping dogs in need find loving homes. The Foundation supports the good work of shelters and dog rescue organizations throughout the country. Visit www.PedigreeFoundation.org to make a donation to help support shelters and breed rescues nationwide. (Total donations from PEDIGREE® consumer and trade programs in 2011 to local shelters: minimum of $250,000 up to a maximum of $2,000.000. Click here to make an online donation now.

The PEDIGREE Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping dogs in need find loving homes by supporting the good work of shelters and dog rescue organizations around the country. Through no fault of their own, more than four million dogs end up in shelters and rescue organizations every year, and nearly half of them never find a place to call home.

The Foundation provides grants to 501(c)(3) shelters and dog rescue organizations nationwide and encourages dog lovers to adopt, volunteer, and donate to support the cause. For more information or to make a tax-deductible donation online, visit www.pedigreefoundation.org. All donations help us help dogs.

As the brand that loves dogs, the PEDIGREE® Brand believes every dog deserves a loving home. To ensure the brand was maximizing its efforts to help four-legged friends in need, they created The PEDIGREE Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping dogs find loving homes.

The PEDIGREE® Brand understands there are people out there who love dogs but may not be ready to care for one full-time. Donating to the Foundation helps those dog lovers get involved and make a difference.

Donations to The PEDIGREE Foundation directly benefit select shelters and breed rescues nationwide. Thanks to the generosity of dog lovers across the country, the PEDIGREE Foundation has awarded more than $3 million to more than 1100 shelters and dog rescues nationwide since its inception in 2008.