It’s no secret that dog owners want to provide their pups with top quality food each and every day. After all, humans want to consume the healthiest options available including organic dog food, raw food, food that is grain free, and unprocessed food, so why would a beloved member of the family (furry or not) not have the same access to healthy food options? For the same reason you should be feeding yourself with the best food available, you should feed your dog with the best all-natural dog food on the market today.
Education
Owners Choose All-Natural Dog Food for Many Reasons.
One of the main reasons for choosing all-natural or organic dog food is that it eliminates any unnecessary additives or artificial ingredients you can find in dog food. Because dogs are just as picky about their food as humans, many manufacturers believe that these additional ingredients that help improve the taste of the food will encourage the dog to eat. However, enhanced flavor and prolonged shelf life only mean one thing: unnatural ingredients.
However, when dog owners choose all-natural dog foods, they are making the conscious decision to select food that closely resembles food dogs would find in the wild while also giving them the healthy nutrition they need and deserve.
Here are the top reasons pet owners choose all-natural dog foods when selecting the best diet for their furry friends:
Fewer Visits to the Vets
Pet owners can all agree that a trip to the vet can cost a pretty penny. That’s why avoiding the vet’s office for visits related to food allergies, or food-related illnesses is one of the best reasons to choose organic dog food/all-natural dog food vs. the leading commercially-produced dog food.
When dogs receive all-natural ingredients vs. chemically-created ingredients, their bodies respond in a much more positive manner. Some dog foods that are not all-natural in production may be laced with artificial preservatives, which are not best for your dog’s health and can potentially cause severe digestion issues, intestinal discomfort and sensitive stomachs, and allergies. Due to these illnesses, many dog owners find themselves in the vet’s office getting treated for seemingly avoidable diagnoses.
Like with all good natural pet food, with all-natural dog foods, your dog will be exposed to ingredients found in nature vs. chemically-created ingredients found in laboratories and not necessarily a good diet. This will result in fewer chances for your pup to experience adverse reactions to any unfamiliar substances.
Balanced Nutrition Is Key
Indoor pets rely heavily on their owners to provide them with food that is balanced nutritionally and meets their needs on all levels. That’s why it is so important to provide your dog with all-natural dog food that is specifically balanced nutritionally to keep your dog healthy.
Some dog food companies focus on making a profit rather than providing what’s best for dogs. However, all-natural dog food brands aim to do one thing: provide your dog with the healthiest options possible. If you were to expose the dog’s body to regular and healthy numbers of vitamins and minerals are found to exhibit fewer occurrences of diseases such as diabetes or joint pain throughout their lifetime. Of course, exposure to such ingredients also aids dogs in regular digestion and fewer allergic reactions compared to other types of dog food.
When you give your dog the correct nutrients recommended by vets, you are sure to have fewer upset stomachs. Also, your dog will have a better health status, and a happier and be a healthier dog all around. Making sure that your dog receives the balanced nutrition it needs is the only way to make sure he is around for a very long time.
Take Care of the Environment
Your family is your top priority—as it should be. But the world around your family is also important. Being exposed to a healthy environment will ensure that all of your family members (human and furry) are around for a very long time. What’s more, all-natural dog foods are typically considered organic, which means they lack the toxic elements that some other dog foods and foods not labeled organic can contain. For instance, all-natural dog foods will have little-to-no antibiotics or pesticides in their ingredients.
When these ingredients leak into the environment through animal waste or disposal of unused dog food, the air and ground are intoxicated with chemicals that can penetrate the land and come back to us through the foods that we eat or the air that we breathe. All-natural dog foods will be sure to expose your dog (and, to a lesser extent, the environment) to fewer chemicals and antibiotics than any other dog food on the market.
Read the Labels
Many pet owners tend to read the front of dog food packages and assume the ingredients are all 100% natural and safe when they contain labels such as “all-natural” or “high quality” ingredients. However, it is imperative that all pet owners read the ingredients list carefully to ensure that no by-products or animal meal as any of the top components.
It’s easy for companies to slap on an “all-natural” label on their products if they contain even a couple of all-natural ingredients. This type of label also ensures that consumers will flock to it. However, it is very important that you read the ingredients list to ensure that the dog food you want to purchase isn’t just using the “all-natural” wording as a marketing ploy.
Some ingredients to watch out for in any animal food are by-products of protein or animal meal of any type. For example, if the dog food is truly all-natural, as it claims to be, the ingredients list will place real protein first. It will clearly state that “venison” is the first ingredient and real protein that is in that food. However, if you see the words “venison by-product” or “venison meal”, you are not getting real venison protein. You are simply getting leftover parts of the venison which is combined with other ingredients to create the same effect as a real protein (hint: it is never actually the same).
By-products and anything labeled “meal” is dangerous for your dog for the simple fact that dogs are not meant to digest such products. They are difficult for your dog to digest, which can cause serious allergic reactions or intestinal issues. Some other products that may cause digestion or allergic reaction concerns are grains such as rice or corn. Because your dog would never find these products on their own in the wild, they are not considered all-natural and could cause serious issues for your dog in the long run.
All in all, read your labels!
How to Balance Your Dog’s Nutrition
Now that you’re aware of the good, the bad, and the ugly of all-natural dog food, you might be wondering how you can tell if the dog food you purchase your furry friend is actually balanced for their needs. This is a great question.
It’s important to keep in mind that no dog food company will intentionally tell you that their dog food is not nutritionally balanced. This is not in their best interest. However, just because they claim that their dog food is balanced nutritionally does not mean that it actually is.
Here’s how to tell if your dog is getting the nutrients it needs.
- Research exactly what kind of nutrition is best for your dog’s breed. Every breed is different, which means every dog will need a different type of nutritional balance. Understanding your dog’s unique needs will save you a great deal of time and money when it comes to finding the right dog food for your pup.
- Some dogs may need higher protein, carbohydrates, or fat content in their food based on their stage of life or current health situation. Here’s how to know what your dog needs for different situations:
High Protein
Pregnant dogs
Lactating dogs
Performance dogs
Puppies (you will actually need a unique puppy blend)
Dogs with illnesses (except dogs with kidney disease)
High Fat
Racing sled dogs
Performance dogs
Lactating or pregnant dogs
Puppies (you will actually need a unique puppy blend)
Carbohydrates
All all-natural dog food should contain carbohydrates. However, it is
important to look for high-quality carbs rather than grains (remember corn and rice are not found in the wild). Carbohydrates really are not a necessity to a dog’s diet. This is why you want to ensure that any all-natural dog food you purchase has the right carbs rather than fillers.
Reviews
We have gathered the top four all-natural dog foods to ease the comparison. This will ensure that you are not overwhelmed while shopping for all-natural dog food. Here is what we found:
Great Plains Feast by Earthborn Holistic
Great Plains Feast by Earthborn Holistic is one of our favorite all-natural dog foods here at Best Dog Food. We believe wholeheartedly in the quality of product that Earthborn Holistic puts out for its four-legged customers.
This dog food is 100% free of grains, gluten, and potato. This makes it safe and easy to digest for your pup. As mentioned above, you should keep your pup away from grains. This is exactly how you will guarantee your pup gets proper nutrition, without the worry of upsetting his stomach.
High protein dog foods are a must if you have a dog that is lactating, pregnant, or a performance dog, and Great Plains Feast is exactly the high protein dog food you’ve been looking for.
With real meat proteins from bison and beef, your dog will only taste the best and easiest to digest dog food full of amino acids. With other protein sources such as egg, your dog will get the balanced nutrition she needs.
Puppy Vantage by Earthborn Holistic
Welcoming a new puppy into your home is not always the easiest task (hide your shoes now), but finding the perfect dog food for her doesn’t have to be a stressor on your list.
Puppy Vantage is a specially formulated dog food made with puppies’ needs in mind.
As a growing puppy, your furry friend will need support. This should be for her brain, body, eyes, and intestinal function as she grows. For this to happen, the food you feed her needs to be geared specifically towards those functions. Puppy Vantage does exactly that.
With DHA present in Puppy Vantage’s formula, your puppy is guaranteed to be exposed to the omega-3 fatty acid. Omega 3 is known to promote healthy brains, eyes, and other intestinal organs.
Orijen Senior
Aging fur family members need extra support, too. The puppy stage isn’t the only
special requirements stage in regards to digestion and intestinal support. As your dog
ages, he will need extra tender loving care from all angles.
Orijen Senior is one of the greatest senior dog foods you can buy for your pup.
Orijen Fit & Trim
As your dog ages, you may find that keeping them healthy and fit becomes more of a struggle. Their activity levels decrease along with their energy levels. This will leave them less likely to enjoy a tiring play session in the background or a trip around the block with you. So, what does that mean for your dog? Basically, it means that you need to find a way to keep his diet balanced and healthy.
Orijen’s new Fit & Trim formula is perfect for dogs who need more lean muscle support so they can keep their fit figures as they move into less-active stages of life.
Conclusion
All-natural dog food doesn’t have to be a guessing game for any pet owner. Knowing all of the facts before shopping for your furry friend can save you time and money. Also, it will relieve you of headaches in the long run. If you are ready to give your dog the best life he can possibly have, all-natural dog food is definitely one of the components to that life.
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