dog food holistic

WHAT DOES HOLISTIC & ORGANIC MEAN?:

Holistic/Organic food is produced without the use of: Conventional pesticides, Synthetic fertilizers, Sewage sludge, GMO grains, Irradiation.

Holistic/Organic farms are committed to: conservation of soil & water, environmental quality for a sustainable and contaminant free future.

Knowing this information, you can be better informed in your decision making about your pet’s health. Cheap and easy doesn’t always save you money when later down the road your pet develops health problems. Get informed and educated now and decide what is most important to you: saving money and taking your chances or spend a little extra now and spare yourself the trip(s) to the vet later – where you’re likely to spend FAR more than had you provided your pet with added nutrition and a lack of harmful pesticides & chemicals.

Top Rated Organic/Holistic Dog Food Brands:

More dog food organic:

1. Azmira – Whole Dog Journal has recognized Azmira as one of the best holistic dog foods every year since 2000. Their food includes only natural ingredients and is designed to be part of a larger holistic lifestyle.

2. California Natural – California Natural received 4.5 out of 5 stars from Epinions.com users; reviews most often praised it as a great food for dogs with allergies. The food is designed to be suitable for dogs with sensitive systems, with a short ingredient list of one protein, one fat, and one carbohydrate.

3. Homemade Food — So many of the best dog foods boast human-grade ingredients. Why not take matters into your own hands and give your dog food made with the “human-grade ingredients” in your own kitchen? With homemade food, you have the ultimate control over what your dog eats. There are no unknown ingredients, and you can control the quality of everything your pet eats.

There are numerous sites online offering potential recipes. For instance, Recipezaar offers over 200 pet food recipes, although a good deal of them are treats instead of everyday food. Natural Dog Food provides a list of “emergency food” which can be a good starting point for making the switch. You can also experiment with your own combinations of meat and vegetables. Consult your veterinarian before starting a homemade food diet to make sure you are providing all the nutrients your dog needs. You should also familiarize yourself with the human foods that can be harmful to dogs.

4. Raw Food — The concept behind the raw food diet is that dogs should eat raw meat and bones just like they would if they were living in the wild; raw food is the way nature intended animals to eat. ShirleysWellnessCafe.com explains some of the philosophies behind the diet and provides several recipe ideas. You should check with your veterinarian before switching to a raw food diet to ensure you are taking care of your dog’s nutritional needs. There is also some controversy surrounding the raw food diet, with opponents arguing that uncooked meat can harbor harmful bacteria, so those interested in this diet should research it carefully before making an informed decision.

5. Steve’s Real Food – If you’re interested in a raw food diet but you don’t have the time or the inclination to provide fresh meat and bones yourself, you can turn to Steve’s Real Food. Using all-natural ingredients, the brand’s nuggets and patties are promised to be “a 100% complete and balanced diet for all ages & stages of your pets development.” In an overview of dog foods, ConsumerSearch listed it among its top foods.

6. Orijen — While Orijen actually eschews the term “holistic”, the food is actually one of the best holistic dog foods because it fits the basic holistic ideals of healthy , natural food. By providing meat, vegetables, and grains in a ratio of 70/30/0, the company feels it is creating “Biologically Appropriate” food for dogs. It is a top-rated product among consumer dog food reviewers at Rate It All.

Do You Know What Your Pet is Eating?

(1) Corn Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Corn Oil: Corn is indigestible to dogs, due to their short intestine.

(2) Chicken By-Product: Ingredients listed as animal by-products are not required to include actual meat. Chicken by-products may include intestine, chicken heads, feathers, bone, beaks, and feet.

(3) Dried Egg Product: Ingredients listed as ‘product’ may include an unspecified part of the product. In this case, egg product may include eggshells, and may also not include any egg whites.

(4) Natural Chicken Flavor: Any flavor added reflects the lack of flavor in the main food ingredients.

(5) Soybean Meal:  Filler product of little to no nutritional value to dogs.

(6) BHA/BHT: Chemical preservatives that have been banned for human use in many countries. They are still allowed for use in pet foods in the U.S.

UPDATE 07/18/09: I received some very VALUABLE information today from my Holistic Veterinarian John Limehouse DVM of Limehouse Veterinary Clinic . I had no clue about RAW diets and the potential harm that they could do to an animal if improperly cooked. Here is what he said:

“PT and I and many other vets do not agree with raw food diets since so many animals get E. coli or Salmonella from them. Also, all home cooked menus need to be analyzed to make sure they are balanced and this does cost money. Every time the diet is changed, it should be reanalyzed. Go to Susan Wynn’s web and blog. She is about the sharpest veterinarian out there. She has so many advanced studies and is just completing her latest one in Nutrition and will be a Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist.
Here is one link to her: VetNutrition.blogspot.com“– John B. Limehouse, DVM, CVA (IVAS), FAAVA

[Sources: LoveToKnow, HolisticPetFood , APlusRiverRanch]