The Real Reason You Shouldn't Buy Dog Food From Dollar General

If you're more of a Dollar Tree shopper than a Dollar General one, you've probably come to expect little in the way of true groceries –- maybe an aisle of snack foods, one more of dubious non-perishables, and a cooler with generic "cheese" — Dollar General does a better job of replacing the grocery stores that may be absent in the food deserts they often serve, and in keeping with this, they offer a wider range of pet products than you might expect. Dollar General's website features 165 different types of dog food, all of which is available for in-store purchase, although every product won't necessarily be stocked by every store. While none of the dog food they carry is the super-premium kind, many are the same mid-range brands you can find at grocery stores. In fact, several Dollar General offerings –- Iams ProActive Health and Rachael Ray Nutrish -– earned 4-star ratings from DogFood Advisor.

So why shouldn't you buy these brands if your pooch is okay with mid-tier foods? Because, as Insider reveals, Dollar General may sell dog food that's close to its expiration date, thus leading to "upset tummies" and other unpleasantness. If you do some research on what brands are relatively nutritious and find a fairly fresh package, you might find dog food at Dollar General that works for your furry BFF, but you shouldn't count on the store as your one-stop pet supply shop.