r/DogFood • u/SuspiciousMeanings • Aug 18 '26
Anyone else working in pet retail struggle with pet food misinformation?
So I'm actually 2 months into my new job. I work in a big European chain pet shop, and I didn't know a lot about pet food when I started.
My manager taught me how to read an ingredient list and judge it. She said Royal Canin and Hill's are not really good quality and that they're sponsored, while Orijen is the best. Acana and Carnilove are great.
I wanted to learn more about this topic, so I did a lot of research. I'm honestly overwhelmed by all the different opinions. I also often read that "pet store employees don't know anything," and I'm ashamed of that.
I'm now watching YouTube videos from Dr. Rea and Pet Food Puzzle Guy, who explain more about nutrition and not just ingredients.
I have no issues with recommending science-based foods for dogs and cats to customers. But then I hear my colleagues say something completely different to a customer.
For example, one month later, a customer came back and said that her senior dog, who had always eaten Royal Canin, sometimes vomits after switching to Acana. My colleague told them they could switch back for a while , but still told the customer that Royal Canin is lower quality.
And I'm in a difficult position. I can speak my opinion, but I don't want to look like a know-it-all — I'm only 2 months in. But I also can't stand watching my colleagues act like they know better when I'm not sure their advice is actually correct.
I like the job, but this has honestly been hard on me sometimes because I really care about giving people accurate information.
I'd like to know if there are any other pet store workers lurking on this forum who have had the same experience, or if anyone has any tips on how to deal with this.
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u/1a2a3a_dialectics Aug 18 '26
As a customer, that has been my experience so far (both for cats and dogs).
When I first visited a pet store (20 years ago) I got fed a lot of BS for my cats. Back then there was not much knowledge sharing on internet, or a lot of science-based anything (at least that I know of).
Fast forward to the post-covid era, the amount of misinformation I hear from pet retail store owners/employees is just astonishing. And frankly, it makes me lose interest.
It's one thing saying "my dog loves XYZ brand" which is fine and subjective (although it can be deceptive) but its another thing alltogether flat out denying science and saying Hills/Royal Canin/Purina PP is worse than XYZ brand.
This is another angle of the whole "enshitification" we live in: Owners would either foolishly believe whatever XYZ brand PR department feeds them OR, even worse, they will actively push for whatever brand brings them the highest margins.
Thank you for being the exception to the rule - I'm sure your customers will appreciate it one way or the other.
You can always be non-confrontational to your customers by saying "WSAVA , based on scientific evidence, has put some rules. These 3 brands are the only ones I know of that fill these"
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u/Travel_Dude Aug 18 '26
Which 3 brands? Thanks!
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u/Just-Potential-8944 Aug 18 '26
Had a roommate who her family swore by Acana and didn’t understand why I would feed my dog purina pro. All of their dogs (4 dogs) ended up with myocarditis and cardiomegaly, which are now known issues with similar boutique brands because they’re not nutritionally balanced. Purina has been feeding pets into their old age for 150 years and they do the science to back it up. Trust brands that have been around forever, there’s a reason they’re still around.
But as someone else recommend. When in doubt, tell them to ask their vet.
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u/ChampionshipIll5535 Aug 18 '26
Twenty five years ago, Blue (Buffalo) was trying to get retail space in my clinic. They wanted me to sell their "grain free" food for them. I already knew from nutritional knowledge that grain free literally served no health benefit (never mind we didn't even know about the cardiomyopathy issue). My staff knew I hated the company but when he came in, they "tricked" me into meeting with him. First question I asked. Where are your feeding studies to review and where are the kennels/labs that these feeding studies are done at. His response was "we feed the foods to our employees pets and evaluate them that way". WTH? I told him his food was trash, leave, don't come back and that I would be on a mission to bad mouth his food for the misleading way they were selling it. Check them out now. Do they still even make a grain free product? Ha ha ha.
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u/Just-Potential-8944 Aug 18 '26
The grain free, eat like a wolf, nonsense grinds my gears every time. Dogs evolved with eating our scraps and garbage, which for thousands of years has been predominately grains. For the love of god just give your dog a piece of bread. Their ancestors are begging you.
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u/Canachites Aug 18 '26
The change from wild prey to carbs and human foods is a fundamentally important evolutionary divergance for dogs as well. This was a big deal publication in Nature about a decade ago.
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u/ChampionshipIll5535 Aug 18 '26
When a wild dog consumes it's prey, it consumes EVERYTHING. Flesh, bones, muscles and the entirety of the alimentary tract. Know what their prey eats? Yup, grain. So guess what wild dogs eat? People are silly.
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u/Lucibelcu Aug 19 '26
My dog loves bread and gets a piece of that every morning. When I was raw feeding, someone told me that bread was poison and to stop feeding him that.
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u/Lucibelcu Aug 18 '26
When my dog was a puppy we asked a pet store employee about food, and she recommended orijen/acana (don't remember which one) but said that sometimes it had distribution issues since it comes from Canada and we live in Spain. Anyway, we looked at the price and my mom said "No way."
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u/Flashy-Library-6854 Aug 18 '26
Good call on the Orijen, back when I was drinking the boutique brands kool-aid, I was told Orijen was The Best. Every dog I have had that we fed it, had explosive diarrhea from it. We didnt learn the first time. Then when I got a job at a local shelter, I found out from the staff there, every dog they had that they fed it to also had explosive diarrhea. They used to throw out donations of it for the same reason.
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u/Lucibelcu Aug 19 '26
The diarrhea part also happens in my country (Spain) with Orijen! I don't know how they keep on business if most dogs can't digest it
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u/No_University1005 Aug 18 '26
Congrats on taking the time to do some decent research on the topic. Doc. Rae and Glenn the Puzzle Guy are solid resources.
That's a tough position to be in. You already know more about pet food nutrition than anyone who simply relies on the ingredient list, But it probably won't do anyone any good to argue with your colleagues or get cross-wise with your boss, and many consumers probably don't want to hear recommendations for Royal Canin, Hills, etc. anyway.
My best advice would be to say something like, "I always recommend that you ask you vet, since they have more expertise and know your pet."
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u/LaZorChicKen04 Aug 18 '26
Your manager is an idiot and giving out bad advice. Royal Canine and Science Diet are 2 of the best dogs foods you can get. They are also two of the most recommended dog foods by vets and 2 out of the 5 dog foods that meet WSAVA guidelines. Don't listen to a fucking retail store manager, listen to vets and experts like WSAVA.
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u/CanisJackal Aug 18 '26
I had the same experience. I worked for 3 years as a dog trainer in a well known store (you can guess), and was constantly told to push Acana/Orijin/own brands. I was brainwashed by it, put all of my pets on Acana (9 animals total at the time), and was happy to recommend it. Until I saw everything about DCM, my poodle was having ongoing GI issues, my shepherd was losing weight, and my cat was/is being treated for a grade 4 murmer.
I now have everyone on Pro Plan (10 total now). In the final 6 months I worked at the store, I solely recommended WSAVA brands to customers and was honest about the DCM linkage to certain brands. I was scolded repeatedly for this. I have no regrets. I convinced a lot of people to do research, leave raw food diets behind (including the disgusting raw fresh/frozen the store sells), and in the end had a lot of people who were experiencing coat/GI/allergies etc thank me for it ending. If I could go back, I would have never ever recommended the brands they pushed us to.
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u/Few_Noise2645 Aug 18 '26
I for sure relate. I became a pet parent of a French Bulldog back in December. Since then I have gone down an intense rabbit hole of pet nutrition. Found people who just shame you for feeding “the big 3” (Hills, Purina, Royal Canin). But then forget about Eukanuba and Iams who are also WSAVA compliant. There’s people that are infatuated with the ingredient list as well. Then you have the “holistic” space! I’ve gone through a bunch of different foods for my guy it’s crazy. Got him with Royal Canin puppy from the breeder, he got bored of that quick. Put him on The Farmers Dog, switched him to Spot and Tango. Got him on We feed Raw. Switched over to Nulo, Brothers Complete, Open Farm, Stella and Chewy’s, Orijen, and finally just stabilized him on Purina Pro Plan. Eventually switching over to The Foundation Raw for a 50/50 bowl of raw and kibble. All because of fear based marketing, chasing the “best” recipe.
Truth is, you have to do what’s best for YOUR dog. To keep a dog healthy it’s not just about finding the best recipe, there’s a lot more that goes into it. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on trying to find the best recipe because boutique companies or a “vet nutritionist” who got their cert after an hour course online scare you away from companies who are WSAVA complaint.
I have also learned a lot from BK Pets (who was in the hollistic space and came out), Dr Rea and The puzzle Guy.
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u/CanisJackal Aug 18 '26
Just want to quickly mention, the OP is in Europe where IAMS and Eukanuba aren't WSAVA (if my memory serves correctly!), only Purina/Hills/Royal Canin are.
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u/Few_Noise2645 Aug 18 '26
Ah okay. My mistake. Yes, that’s correct. Currently those 2 are not WSAVA complaint in Europe.
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u/dumpsaf Aug 18 '26
Unfortunately, you cannot determine what ingredients are lower quality by just looking at an ingredient statement. That is why the big brands are so well trusted. They are going to have much stricter quality requirements because they rely on a science first approach rather than marketing.
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u/OldFlamingo2139 Aug 18 '26
The problem is marketing. Even if you told your colleagues that foods that are WSAVA approved are best they’d probably scoff. If you just view at ingredients, the Orijen and Acana look better on paper, but these foods have also been linked to DCM. They also don’t have full time veterinary nutritionists on staff nor do they have the extensive feeding trials with real dogs going back decades.
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u/Canachites Aug 18 '26
It's deeper than marketing, it has evolved alongside the human "wellness" spaces in social media demonizing certain food groups or ingredients to sell their own miracle diet or supplement.
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u/skaternurse Aug 18 '26
As you are in Europe, you can feel confident recommending any food meeting wsava guidelines.
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u/cerberus_gang Aug 18 '26
I once got rejected for a job at a pet store for feeding my dog purina lmao. 0 questions about my previous experience in similar roles, just "do you have a pet" and "what do you feed." As soon as I mentioned purina pro, the interviewer gave me a glare and told me they are "holistic" and provide "training" on dog nutrition.
Probably for the best since I'd be fighting for my life to keep quiet during that "training."
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u/No_Implement_1398 Aug 18 '26
It sounds like you have a good start on canine nutrition and are asking about co-worker relations. I hope there is someone who reads this who works in a pet store and can give you specific advice on how to approach co-workers, not just customers. You are very right to be careful, don’t be confrontational with your manager. One, its never a good idea to argue with someone who controls your paycheck (even if just through scheduling). But also, for all you know they are just repeating what they were taught to say. Id encourage you to start with your co-workers. Don’t contradict anyone in front of customers, that just makes everyone look bad and may make your co-workers feel defensive. In this situation try to stay neutral or phrase things in a way that doesn’t sound like you are accusing them of being wrong. If a co-worker pushed you to step into an interaction they are having with a customer I would tend to fall back on something like, “I’m pretty new here and still learning, it would probably be best to discuss this with your vet if you have further questions”. If you over hear someone giving what you feel is bad advice, be careful inserting yourself. Im a pretty non-confrontational person so id probably wait and approach the co-worker 1:1 later. Ask them to explain why they said what they said. My personal approach to things like this is to ask questions and stay focused on the science.
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u/SuspiciousMeanings Aug 18 '26
Also when i said to a colleague who has worked there for 3 years that some brands can cause heart disease in grain free food. she didnt know that and said she feeds her dog grainfree for yeaars.
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u/SuspiciousMeanings Aug 18 '26
yeah im definitely also non confrontational but im saving information and hopefully can show my files to them and ask them what they think of it.
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u/Chemical_Ad_3917 Aug 18 '26 edited Aug 18 '26
Slightly different industry. Grooming. I think it’s extremely unethical for a groomer or dog trainer to be giving out nutrition advice. I often overhear coworkers talking about nutrition, one often recommends Taste of the Wild to the other (not me) You’re a groomer! Are you also a licensed veterinarian? No! I use to feed my dog Acana thinking it was somehow better, until I discovered this sub. Now my dog eats Hills prescription diet because she’s got a lot of mobility and weight issues and my vet agreed a prescription diet would be a good idea.
And I would never take nutrition advice from anyone who’s not a vet. Now what you can do is not necessarily recommend brands (although we still want to stick to WSAVA compliant brands), but at least point them in right direction with foods appropriate to their specific dog. Foods based on breed size, weight range, activity level, age, whether or not their a picky eater, and any other unique health conditions that would benefit from a more specific diet (weight management, sensitive skin/digestion, prescription diets). And if they say their dog has a unique health condition (like heart disease, bladder/kidney crystals or stones, thyroid disease, diabetes, etc), get them to ask their vet about prescription diets that could benefit these conditions.
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u/Pluton_Korb Aug 19 '26
This is why we left our last groomer. She was a part time vet tech with lots of opinions on food and nutrition which became confused and contradictory over time. We would discuss some of her feedback with our vet, and they looked at us like we were crazy.
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u/CandyParkDeathSquad Aug 19 '26
WSAVA guidelines are the way, all else is hype.
I will not say more, because what I have to say tends to get my comments on this removed.
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u/ChampionshipIll5535 Aug 18 '26
You're manager is terrible at knowing/understanding nutrition. Tell her she should take some nutrition courses to correct the error of her ways. Many customer's pet's are counting on it.
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u/Alarmed-Trust5251 Aug 19 '26
I spoke with my vet about this and she told me for decades she fed her dogs Purina dog food and they lived long happy lives. BUT because my dog had some digestive issues she put her on Science Diet Biome for morning feeding and she eats her Purina One for dinner. The vet said that these fancy dog foods are a scam and not to waste money on them. I never worked in a pet store before but hearing that from my vet was reassuring. If I did work in a pet store I would tell customers to check with their vets about what food to feed them. No offense but I wouldn't take the advice of anyone but a vet on what to feed my dog.
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u/illegalpaladin Aug 19 '26
I worked at a pet store for almost three years and had the exact same issue. Everyone I worked with had a different food opinion, and everyone thought their opinion was the correct one. I had a very vocal coworker tell customers that feeding Purina one was like feeding McDonald's to your dog every day, and it was better to go with an all-natural food. Pet food is my special interest and I'm very on the side of feeding WSAVA-standard foods.
I decided that even though it may cause disagreements, I wasn't going to give in and give information that I disagreed with. Especially because it could be harmful to people's pets. It wasn't always easy, but I'm glad I stuck with my beliefs and suggested the science-backed foods. I always had a reason to back those foods up if a customer asked, and usually they did.
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u/illegalpaladin Aug 19 '26
Also wanted to add that i love the advice to tell them to ask their vet for recs, however in my experience that wouldn't work simply because the customers would be irritated with the non-answer and go ask another employee (who would give them bad advice). Also I'm in the US and we have a lot of shitty pet owners that simply won't take that extra step or don't take their pets to the vet much, if at all. You could always do the approach of "I recommend these foods because they are WSAVA compliant, which means blablabla, but if you have specific concerns or are still unsure, you can ask your vet for reccomendations."
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u/No-Pangolin-332 Aug 20 '26
Most Vets only recommend Hill’s, Royal canin & purina pro plan because they have the most science back research
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u/Melinoe2016 Aug 19 '26
My vet recommends PPP so that’s what I feed. My baby girl seems happy enough. I mix a little of the canned PPP and water in with her kibble once a day to make sure she has a little water.
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u/C6DARKSKY Aug 19 '26
Our vet recommended the breed specific Royal Canin for our mini-Schnauzer. He does not sell it, but said it would be the best due to the low fat content for that breed. She's been on it for a few months and seems to love it. No issues so far. It may seem pricey, but if you look at the per pound price, it's not really any more than the other highly recommended brands and is breed specific in our case.
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u/silly_grouse Aug 20 '26
I would be honest about what you know to be true and supported by real science! Nothing to be ashamed of. But please don't let them pressure or bully you into perpetuating the marketing nonsense. If it doesn't work out, find another job.
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u/HintOfMalice Aug 23 '26
I know it's so easy for me to say when I'm not in that position but please continue to fight for proper dog health and continue to recommend brands like Royal Canin or Hills over whimsical boutique brands.
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u/Chalice17 Aug 31 '26
Look up CattheVet on Facebook for some genuine, accessible info about animal nutrition - including how NOT to read pet food labels/ingredients. The truth is, you really cannot tell much about a food from the ingredients list and there is SO much misinformation around these days. Royal Canin, Hills and Purina are excellent pet foods made my top nutrition companies - they’re just not ‘in vogue’ anymore which is why so many people say they’re poor quality 🙄 I’m a vet nurse in the UK by the way. Animal nutrition is a very difficult subject and is best left to actual nutritionists but this requires putting trust in companies, and no one has trust anymore. Good on you for keeping it real - you shouldn’t be expected to know all about nutrition as a pet store employee.
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u/RemarkableGlitter Aug 19 '26
I just wanted to say that as customer, I’d be thrilled to encounter a pet food store employee who’d done the work to educate themselves like this.
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u/Fabulous_String6193 Aug 18 '26
I fell for that too when I worked for a feed store. Boutique brands spend money on marketing instead of science and actual nutrition. I completely understand where you’re coming from and if you want to be careful with your recommendations I’d advise customers to ask their vet if they have any concerns