Natural Dog Food for Your Canine Friend’s Well-Being
Although widely regarded to be man’s best friend and a pet that makes the most loyal companion, dog owners give little thought to how they are fed. Many simply keep a stock of dry pellets or food tins, and in most cases such foods are mass-produced without any consideration for the nutritional well-being of the dog. If you truly value your faithful hound, then it is important for you to take his health seriously by feeding him natural dog food.
Granted, there is much convenience to be had from dry pellets and tins. Dry dog food can be left out for days in the dog’s bowl, which means you don’t have to sit and watch your dog finish his bowl in one sitting. He or she can merely come and go to his feeding bowl at his convenience. Canned dog food is moist and tasty, and best of all keeps very well in the pantry.
That said there are some who would contend that natural dog food is merely a trendy fad spawned from the same hippie urges that have made organic produce and fair trade so fashionable. The reality of the matter is that the convenience of commercial dog food comes at a price. Most brands are filled with disgusting animal by-products, unhealthy gluten and other components not suitable for consumption by dogs.
Furthering the confusion is the extent to which many companies falsely advertise their products as “natural dog food.” Because food labelling regulations have a very liberal interpretation of “natural,” it is actually possible to sell dog food filled with processed intestines and cow brains and still get away with calling it “natural.” Therefore, you should look to two companies that know what’s naturally fit for consumption.
Honest Kitchen is one company that attempts to find a reasonable place between commercial convenience and healthy, natural food. They specialize in taking fresh natural ingredients such as real meat and organic grain and putting them in a dehydration process. You only need to rehydrate their products with warm water in order to get a wholesome, colorful meal packed with nutrition.
On the other corner is Merrick Dog Food, a company that specializes in canned meals that many have rated as human grade. They are free of hormones, antibiotics, preservatives and animal by-products and resemble a great dinner. Some of their varieties include a hearty stew called Working Dog Stew and a multi-grain and meat ensemble called Puppy Plate.
This article describes how commercial dog food can sometimes be filled with unhealthy components that do not do well for the nutritional well-being of your dog. With that in mind, it recommends purchasing natural dog food made of all-natural human-grade ingredients. Furthermore, it advises readers to look past false advertising and turn to trustworthy brands such as Honest Kitchen and Merrick Dog Food.
- Melinda Smith