Survey examined dog owners’ pet food beliefs

A media outlet that focuses on dogs conducted a survey about readers’ confidence in the safety and nutritional value of dog foods.

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(Monica Click | Bigstockphoto.com)
(Monica Click | Bigstockphoto.com)

A media outlet that focuses on dogs, iHeartDogs, conducted a survey of approximately 1,700 of their readers about their confidence in the safety and nutritional value of dog foods.

Since survey respondents were a self-selected group that read a particular media outlet, as opposed to a random sample, the results may not represent the total population of dog owners. However, the survey may provide insight into the opinions of certain dog owners, some of which may be engaged consumers.

Dog food survey results

More than half of the readers who responded to the survey said that they are “Not Confident” in the ability of major market pet food brands to deliver quality, safe pet food products for their dogs, according to a press release from iHeartDogs.

Nearly 85 percent of the consumers polled admitted to feeling that pet food manufacturers do a poor job of educating their customers about nutrition and pet health.

The majority of consumers (55 percent) reported purchasing their pet food from pet supply stores that offer a wide selection of diets to fit many different needs and price ranges. An additional 25 percent reported relying on grocery stores and discount shops for their pet food purchases.

Only about 10 percent of the survey participants purchase their pet food from a licensed veterinarian.

When it comes to questions and advice on nutrition, more than 40 percent of the 1,700 readers who responded said that they turn to their vet. An additional 40 percent sought information on Google and trusted websites.

Only about 5 percent reported seeking advice directly from the pet food companies.

The final survey question sought to gauge our readers’ confidence in their own ability to make choices about their pets’ diets. Most survey participants reported that they were at least “Slightly Confident” in their selections. Less than 5 percent stated that they were “Not Confident At All.”

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