About PlainBowl

PlainBowl translates what the authorities — the Merck Veterinary Manual, AAFCO, the AKC, and the FDA— actually say about feeding dogs, into plain English. We're a translator, not an advisor: we show you what the experts say, link the original source, and leave the decision to you and your vet.

How we work

• Every number traces to a named, dated source— no anonymous “experts say.”
• We quote the original wording verbatim and link to it, so you can read it yourself.
• An automated check re-fetches each source and confirms our quote still matches it — so the citations don't quietly drift over time.

What we don't do

• We don't give medical or veterinary advice.
• We don't rank brands or publish “best food” lists — what we tell you comes from the cited authorities, not from whoever pays us.
• We don't let an AI make feeding decisions — every figure comes from a cited authority, not a model's guess.
• We don't sell dog food, and no brand pays us to change our answers.

Who this is for

PlainBowl is general nutrition information for healthy dogs. If your dog has a health condition, is pregnant or nursing, or is a senior whose needs are changing, your veterinarian — or a board-certified veterinary nutritionist (ACVN) — should be the final word.

Our sources

• Merck Veterinary Manual ↗The Merck Veterinary Manual (published as MSD Veterinary Manual outside the U.S. and Canada) is a free, comprehensive veterinary reference used by veterinarians, students, and pet owners worldwide. Its nutrition chapters are authored by named board-certified veterinary nutritionists.
• Association of American Feed Control Officials ↗AAFCO is a non-profit organization of U.S. state and federal feed-control officials that develops model regulations and nutrient profiles for pet food. Every dog food sold in the U.S. must meet AAFCO's standards to be marketed as 'complete and balanced'.
• American Kennel Club ↗The AKC is the largest U.S. registry of purebred dogs and a widely-cited authority on general dog care, breed information, and owner education. Its Chief Veterinary Officer and expert advice column publish nutrition guidance for everyday dog owners.
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration ↗The FDA is the U.S. federal agency that regulates food and drug safety, including pet food. Its Center for Veterinary Medicine publishes safety alerts about ingredients and household items toxic to pets.
• PubMed Central (NIH) ↗PubMed Central is a free archive of peer-reviewed biomedical and life-sciences research curated by the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NIH). Papers cited here are open-access primary sources.