🥩 Why Protein Quality Matters

June 12, 2025

**The difference between ‘Protein’ and Real Nutrition for your Dog**

When shopping for dog food, it’s easy to assume all "protein" is created equal but that couldn't be further from the truth. At Ferguson Pet Foods, we believe that not just the amount, but the quality of protein is critical to your dog’s health, happiness, and longevity.

Let’s explore why protein quality matters, and how our carefully crafted recipes make the difference.

🧬 What Is Protein, and Why Do Dogs Need It?

Protein is made up of amino acids, which are essential building blocks for:

Muscle development
Immune function
Skin and coat health
Energy and organ repair

Dogs are natural meat-eaters. While they’re technically omnivores, their biology thrives on animal-based protein, especially when it comes from real, named sources like chicken, beef, salmon, or lamb.

🚫 Not all Proteins are Equal

Many commercial dog foods contain vague or low-grade proteins like:

Meat meal or animal derivatives (often unspecified)
Plant proteins (e.g. pea protein or soy meal used as fillers)
By-products (such as beaks, hooves, or feathers processed into powder)

While these technically contain protein, they lack digestibility and bioavailability, meaning your dog absorbs far less of the good stuff.

✅ What Ferguson Pet Foods does differently

We formulate every Ferguson recipe using named, high-quality animal proteins as the primary ingredient. For example:

80/20 Grain-Free Recipes – Made with 80% premium meats including up to 60% freshly prepared meat content
Grain-Free Single Protein Source Recipes – Includes 65% salmon, beef, lamb OR chicken packed with Omega 3 and Omega 6

We never use generic meat meals or animal derivatives, because your dog deserves better. Here is a full list of our ingredients and their benefits.

🐕 Real Protein = Real Benefits for Your Dog

When dogs eat real, high-quality protein, you’ll often notice:

Leaner muscle tone
Healthier digestion
Shinier coat and fewer skin problems
More stable energy levels
Better stool quality

These are everyday wins that make a big difference over time.

🛒 Explore Ferguson’s High-Protein Recipes

Our most popular high-protein recipes include:


Ferguson Original 80/20 Delicious blend of poultry, salmon, pollock and botanicals	Ferguson Fine Fish 80/20 Locally sourced blend of Scottish Salmon, trout, haddock, herring and botanicals	Ferguson Farmland 80/20 Powerhouse blend of poultry, pork, beef and botanicals

All of our foods are:

Made in the UK with British ingredients
Hypoallergenic and grain-free
Free from artificial additives such as colours or flavours
Rich in bioavailable animal protein

👩⚕️ Still not sure what’s right for Your Dog?

If you’re unsure whether your current food contains the right kind of protein, check the label:

Look for named meat sources in the first 3 ingredients
Avoid products using vague terms like meat meal or animal by-products
Choose grain-free or limited-ingredient recipes if your dog has sensitivities such as the Ferguson Single Protein Source dog food range

We sell small 2kg trial bags, which our customers found very useful to find the flavour their dogs preferred. Usually the differences in your dog become obvious in just a few weeks after introducing a higher quality kibble.

Final Thought: Quality > Quantity

It’s not just about how much protein is in your dog’s bowl, it’s about where that protein comes from. At Ferguson Pet Foods, we put real meat first, ensuring every meal delivers complete, natural nutrition with none of the guesswork.