# How do they know what it tastes like to a dog??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 14, 2003, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-know-what-it-tastes-like-to-a-dog/148594 "2003-01-14T21:40:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![80sHairMetalMaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/ed655f/32.png) [@80sHairMetalMaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/80sHairMetalMaven)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-know-what-it-tastes-like-to-a-dog/148594/1 "2003-01-14T21:40:21Z")
How do dog (and cat for that matter) food manufacturers know that a certain product tastes like fish, beef, chicken or what have you to a dog or cat? Do they actually TASTE these foods themselves and go “Hey! That actually kind of tastes like (insert food type here)!!!” Also…in that same vein…I have as of yet to meet a dog who doesn’t absolutely go insane for hot dogs. There are chicken flavored foods, beef and liver flavored foods and even fish and rice flavored foods. Heck…I even saw Turkey with stuffing and gravy flavored canned dog food once. So why is there no hot dog flavored dog food? IDBB ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-know-what-it-tastes-like-to-a-dog/148594/2 "2003-01-14T22:06:04Z")
Frankly I don’t think the animals eating that stuff can really taste much of a difference. First they have less tasting equipment than humans, and second they seem to eat it so fast that tasting it is seconday. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-know-what-it-tastes-like-to-a-dog/148594/3 "2003-01-14T22:09:38Z")
They have no idea what it tastes like to a dog, and they don’t care. Yes, it’s tasted by humans, and they may run it by a dog or cat to make sure they’ll eat it. Pet foods are not sold to pets! They’re sold to pet OWNERS, and it’s what they think that counts. Dogs have less tasting equipment? Cite? ---
**Author:** ![80sHairMetalMaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/ed655f/32.png) [@80sHairMetalMaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/80sHairMetalMaven)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-know-what-it-tastes-like-to-a-dog/148594/4 "2003-01-14T22:11:07Z")
Ok…that sort of makes sense, **Bongmaster**. But if that is true, then why does my then my cat turn up her nose at fish flavored food and really dig chicken and liver flavored stuff if it isn’t related to taste(realizing of course that their sense of taste is different from ours)?? IDBB ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-know-what-it-tastes-like-to-a-dog/148594/5 "2003-01-14T23:46:31Z")
Why would they have to taste fish-flavored food to know what it tastes like? They’re the one who put the fish in it, right? ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-know-what-it-tastes-like-to-a-dog/148594/6 "2003-01-15T00:11:57Z")
I was once told that in a marketing experiment, the same catfood packaged in two slightly different cans, one priced 15 cents higher than the other, were put on a supermarket shelf. The higher priced catfood sold better. Presumably because the purchaser’s have no idea which tastes better (assuming that the cat doesn’t actually refuse either) but assume that which is priced higher must be better quality. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-know-what-it-tastes-like-to-a-dog/148594/7 "2003-01-15T00:13:52Z")
Today is clearly not my day for grammar and spelling. ---
**Author:** ![leechbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@leechbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leechbabe)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-know-what-it-tastes-like-to-a-dog/148594/8 "2003-01-15T00:19:34Z")
I always thought that the manufacturers were more interested in the vitamin content of pet foods and making sure they got the right balance of nutrients. Cats and dogs have very good sense of smell so that may be more important to them than taste. We have learnt from harsh experience at our home to only buy certain brands of cat food as our moggies get sick eating some types. Nothing worse than waking up to find the cats been sick all over the floor during the night. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-know-what-it-tastes-like-to-a-dog/148594/9 "2003-01-15T07:16:06Z")
What luck! I remember Alan Alda going to a dog food testing place for Scientific American. Lets see if I can get the link right. [Dog Food Tasters](http://www.pbs.org/saf/transcripts/transcript502.htm#7) Of course this doesn’t meen ALL dog food manufacturers go to this extreme. ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-know-what-it-tastes-like-to-a-dog/148594/10 "2003-01-15T14:39:17Z")
I can’t see why you couldn’t run experiments with dogs. Have two options, see which one they go for. It’d have to be a bit more sophisticated that that, but… just becaue they can’t verbalize doesn’t mean they can’t communicate, their choice of food tells you which one they like. ---
**Author:** ![Ranmaru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19adc/32.png) [@Ranmaru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranmaru)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-know-what-it-tastes-like-to-a-dog/148594/11 "2003-01-15T14:39:48Z")
ALAN ALDA I think I could be a pro at this. It’s been nice sniffing you. Goodbye. lol ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-know-what-it-tastes-like-to-a-dog/148594/12 "2003-01-15T15:21:40Z")
And what dog wouldn’t like buble gum flavoured rawhide? Course, I’ve never seen this for sale… in Canada… ---
**Author:** ![80sHairMetalMaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/ed655f/32.png) [@80sHairMetalMaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/80sHairMetalMaven)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-know-what-it-tastes-like-to-a-dog/148594/13 "2003-01-15T15:44:30Z")
**Dr\_Paprika** —I’ve never seen it for sale…anywhere. But think of all the money these dog food people could make if they just listened to wierd ass ideas that actually make sense from normal people like us.🙂 IDBB ---
**Author:** ![Skelji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Skelji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skelji)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-know-what-it-tastes-like-to-a-dog/148594/14 "2003-01-15T16:27:25Z")
I just saw some dog food commercial where a guy says “Your dog has very exquisite taste”, or something like that. It was for some snooty, overpriced dog food that I can’t think of right now. These commercials, and people who foo-foo up their poodles and whatnot, always crack me up. Listen pal, if Fifi had her way, she’d root through garbage and drink from the toilet. Of course, it’s nothing but the best for my dog. 😃 Though seriously, I’m more concerned with ingredients than packaging or advertising claims. Like that high-falutin’ Fancy Feast cat food…next time you’re in the store, check the ingredients. Lungs, spleens, other by-products. Mmmmm. Chicken dinner my ass, they should call it “Autopsy Surprise”.