Last updated: July 2026.
The short version: we take advertising, and it never touches our scores.
OnlyDogFood is free to use, and advertising is part of how we keep it that way. But the entire point of this site is a rating you can trust, so we draw a hard line between the two. This page explains exactly where that line is.
What we sell, and what we never sell
We sell clearly-labelled advertising space - banners and sponsored slots that brands can book to reach dog owners who are actively choosing food. Every one of these is marked "Ad" or "Sponsored" so you always know what you are looking at.
We do not sell, and will never sell:
- A better ODF Score. The score is calculated from a food’s ingredients and nutrition by a published algorithm. No brand can pay to raise it, and no amount of advertising changes a single point.
- A higher ranking. Our directory and best-of lists are ordered by score, full stop. Paying us does not move a food up a list.
- Editorial cover. Reviews, guides and ingredient assessments are ours. A brand cannot buy a good write-up, remove a bad one, or edit how we describe them.
If a brand ever asks for any of the above, the answer is no. That rule is the product.
How ads are labelled
Every advert on the site carries a visible "Ad" or "Sponsored" label and links out with the appropriate rel="sponsored nofollow" tag. Sponsored placements sit in their own slots and are never woven into a score, a ranking or the body of an editorial piece so as to look like our own recommendation.
Affiliate links
Some links to retailers ("where to buy") are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you buy after clicking - at no extra cost to you. This never affects a food’s score or its position in any ranking, and we show the same retailers whether or not a link earns us anything. We flag affiliate links where they appear.
Brand accounts
Brands can manage their own page on OnlyDogFood - correct their details, add offers, and respond to reviews - through a free account we set up on request. Anything a brand writes about itself is clearly labelled as coming from the brand, and it never changes the independent score.
Want to advertise with us?
We work directly with dog food brands and relevant partners on banner and sponsored placements. If that is you, get in touch: [email protected]. We will be straight with you about what we can and cannot offer - starting with the fact that the score is not on the table.
Questions
If anything on the site looks like advertising and is not clearly labelled, or you think a line has been crossed, tell us at [email protected] - we want to know.