A lot of resources I've read online state that AAFCO feeding trials are basically the gold standard for commercial dog food. Most kibble is stated that it's formulated to meet AAFCO standards, but it seems that the only companies conducting feeding trials are the widely-reviled, massive corporations like Purina, Iams, etc (presumably because they're large enough to afford them?) whose foods are full of fillers and by-products.

I know there's ridiculous amounts of contradictory information about dog food out there, and the topic has been revisted here as well. We're not really set up for raw (we live in a very small condo with no freezer capability) and at this point I'm not sure I trust myself to ensure my dog a completely balanced diet. I'm looking to switch him from his puppy food (Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy) to Orijen's Adult formula, having recently discovered a close pet store carries it.

I hear many great things about Orijen's dry food - many people have said it's as high quality a kibble as you can get. We're also Canadian and I do like the idea that most of their ingredients are Canadian-sourced and made. But I also keep hearing about this AAFCO feeding trial thing, and Orijen specifically states basically that they only do palatability and digestability tests and do not conduct laboratory testing. Is AAFCO testing a marketing gimmick? Is it meaningful in any way?