Benefits Of Feeding Your Dog An Organic Dog Food Diet

When choosing a diet for your dog, the source of the ingredients, type and ratio of ingredients, and the processing all affect the final product. Labeling requirements ensure that "organic" really does mean something. Sales of organic dog food have been on the increase for several years as dog owners seek to provide their animal companions with the best nutrition possible. Natural refers to the way the foodstuff is processed with no artificial preservatives or chemical additives. Organic is the way plants are grown, with no fertilizers or pesticides, or raised, with no antibiotics or growth hormones. Dogs are carnivores that do best on a meat-based diet. Meat should be the primary ingredient, not meat byproducts or animal protein. Byproducts include head, feet, lungs, spleens. Ligaments, fat trimmings, any piece of the animal not used for human consumption. The nutritional value of byproducts varies from batch to batch. It's legal to include dead, dying, diseased, and disabled livestock. There are some legal restrictions for ingredient labels. Meat must be specific muscles and tissue of cows, pigs, sheep, or goats. "Beef dog food", must by 95% beef. "Beef dinner" need only be 25% beef, and "with beef" only requires 3% beef. Flavor can be any offal, byproduct, or trace amount. Most dog fare lists grain as a primary ingredient. Grains have to be cooked at a high temperature to render them digestible. Few nutrients remain. They're empty calories leading to weight gain. Artificial preservatives give a shelf life of 12 months to a bag of food. With natural preservatives, shelf life is a more than adequate 6 months. There have been few studies regarding the long term health effects of artificial preservatives. Propylene glycol was banned in cat cuisine because it causes anemia in cats but it's still allowed in dog products. Some experts say dry product should not be mixed with water, milk, canned or other liquids. Although high heat kills bacteria, additional bacteria can be picked up during drying and packaging. Liquids allows the bacteria to multiply. Wet fare is a recommended part of a healthy diet, just feed it on a separate plate. Always check the expiration date when purchasing. Don't use any product that has a rancid odor. Dry foodstuff should be stored in a tin or other sealed non-porous container. The upfront cost of organic nourishment is higher but these products contain little or no filler. Dogs don't need to eat as much to satisfy their nutritional and caloric needs. This will be evident when you're scooping the yard. Much less of the food comes out as waste. Pets eating a natural and organic diet will be healthy and energetic. Review plans to upgrade your dog's diet with a veterinarian, especially if a pet has allergies or is on medication. To prevent digestive upset, introduce the new diet in stages. The first offering should be 1/4 new and 3/4 old diet. Each meal increase the proportion of the new diet. There are many varieties of organic products to choose from. To be healthy, the new diet has to appeal to your dog's taste. Purchase organic dog food through your veterinarian, at most pet stores, or order it online to be delivered to your door. Buy standard meat-based products, vegetarian offerings, even raw food fare is available. Dogs on a healthy diet will have fewer allergies, skin problems, and digestive problems. A nutrient rich diet controls weight and boosts the immune system.

Jamie is a pet health consultant who specializes in feeding your dog raw food. Click here to learn more.