Colorado dog maker resource

Colorado dog treats labeling guide

A free, plain-English research guide for Colorado home dog treats makers and small pet-food businesses planning their path before they print or sell.

Read the walkthrough

Guide status

Research-only — unverified

Research notes are for review only. They are not owner-verified or published guidance.

Research checked

October 6, 2026

Owner-verified date

Not yet provided

Published date

Not yet provided

The Colorado walkthrough

Research steps before you print or sell.

Read the notes in order, then continue with the official sources. This page is research material, not legal advice or a regulatory determination.

  1. 01

    Company registration

    Register the person or company first.

    Colorado requires each person or company making pet food or treats to register with the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA).

    • The FAQ lists a current company fee of $75 per year.
    • The registration period is February 1–January 31, and the fee is not prorated.
    • The FAQ directs makers to complete the Colorado Feed Company Application and follow the payment instructions from CDA.
  2. 02

    Small-package labels

    Register each dog treats package label at or below 10 lb.

    Each label for a package of 10 pounds or smaller is registered separately after company registration.

    • The distribution fee is $25 per year and is due in January after the year of sales.
    • After company registration, the state sends online-account instructions for small-package label registration and upload.
  3. 03

    Larger packages

    Report packages over 10 lb as tonnage.

    Packages over 10 lb are reported as tonnage each January rather than through the small-package label path.

    • The minimum tonnage fee is $50 per company per year.
  4. 04

    Home-kitchen eligibility

    A home kitchen can qualify.

    The FAQ says treats may be made in a home kitchen when good manufacturing practices are followed.

    • Makers must avoid contamination by bacteria or disinfectants.
    • A sole proprietorship requires a business license; this guide does not expand that note into unsupported local licensing advice.
  5. 05

    Label contents

    Build the label from the required information.

    Colorado label rules also apply to websites and social media marketing the product.

    • Include the product name, a nutritional adequacy statement such as Treat or Snack, and the intended species.
    • Include the manufacturer name and complete address, net weight, ingredients, guaranteed analysis, and lot code.
    • Products containing raw meat or poultry need the conditional safe-handling statement and “Keep Frozen” requirement described by CDA.
  6. 06

    Approval before sale

    Wait for an active label registration.

    A label is eligible for sale in Colorado when it has an active registration in the online system.

    • Reviews are handled in the order received, and the state may request revisions.
    • This guide does not verify a label registration or approve a label for sale.
  7. 07

    Lab analysis

    Use an animal-food testing laboratory for the guaranteed analysis.

    Finalize the recipe, order ingredients by weight, and send the final product to an animal-food testing lab.

    • The lab should test for crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, and moisture levels.
    • CDA does not recommend a particular nutrition-analysis lab. The maker may choose a listed lab or another lab.

What this guide does not settle

Label Hutch is an independent service. This research guide is not legal advice and does not create a regulatory determination for your business.

Research-checked dates and owner-verified dates are separate. No entry is presented as published guidance until an owner-verified date and a publication date are both recorded.

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