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Why Organic Dog Food Is Better
There are a whole host of reasons why organic dog food is better for Fido than formulas made with non-organic ingredients.
Let's begin with the fact that what you feed your puppy or dog has a profound, and long-lasting, impact on his health.
The right diet can increase both the quality, and length, of your pet's life and it all starts with the right ingredients.
Experts and pet-care professionals believe that a poor diet is one of the main reasons pets today are increasingly suffering from chronic or auto-immune conditions, and even dying early.
That old saying 'you are what you eat' doesn't just apply to humans.
The sale of 'natural' and 'organic' pet foods is growing up to three times as fast the sale of regular, generic food, because pet owners are realizing the importance of premium ingredients and formulas.
Find The Best Organic Dog Food Formulas Here!
If you're looking for the best organic dog food formulas, check out this page.... Best Organic Dog Foods (link will open in a new window).
If your dog's food contains a whole host of 'nasties' such as hooves, beaks and feet, sub-standard grains and questionable (or downright dangerous) chemicals, then he's not likely to be in optimum health.... and that's going to cost you both, financially and emotionally.
Natural organic dog food is better than 'regular' dog food because it's packed full of wholesome, healthy and SAFE ingredients that give your pup the nutrition he needs, without all the nasty stuff that he doesn't.
Non-organic dog foods don't just contain nasty bits and pieces of animals or low-quality ingredients which lead to poor nutrition. They're also full of artificial pesticides and chemicals (many of which have been proven to cause cancer), GMO ingredients (which can cause allergies, cancer, organ damage and much more) and then there are the hormones and antibiotics which saturate the flesh of livestock which then end up in the food. Ugh.
What is Organic Dog Food?
When we say something is 'organic', it means that it's been grown or raised without the use of artificial/synthetic pesticides, fertilizers or chemicals. However, naturally derived pesticides can be used and the USDA has a list of products that are acceptable for farmers to use.
In the United States, any dog food that wants to carry the USDA Organic 'Seal' and 'Certified Organic' statement must meet the very strict standards which are set by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). If a food is labeled as USDA certified organic then at least 95% of the ingredients must be organic. There is not a requirement that all ingredients originate in the USA.
However, the farms which provide the ingredients must meet very strict rules and regulations which govern every aspect of their work.
- Livestock must be treated humanely and be fed only organic animal feed and cannot be given hormones or antibiotics.
- Crops must be grown without the use of any synthetic/artificial pesticides and the farmer must use natural methods to keep soil healthy (such as crop rotation).
These restrictions/standards are complex but worth investigating if you're interested in learning more. I'd suggest starting on this page of the USDA government website... Organic Standards.
It's reassuring to know that certified organic dog food has to meet the same standards that are used for organic human food.
beware of misleading product labeling
Just because a bag/pouch/can of dog food has the word 'Organic' slapped on it, that doesn't necessarily mean it IS organic! Without the official 'USDA Organic' seal (see first image on this page) there are no guarantees that what you will be buying is truly an organic dog food. Be vigilant, look for the official seal, study the ingredients list, make sure you're not paying an organic price for a generic food.
what should not be in organic dog food
By law, an organic dog food CANNOT include ingredients which contain any of the following:
- Toxic pesticides
- Artificial flavors, colors or preservatives
- Synthetic growth hormones
- Antibiotics
- Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO's)
- Irradiation
There are also regulations governing the manufacture of organic pet foods. By law manufacturing plants and facilities have to:
- Maintain detailed records of all pet food production so that source of ingredients can be traced and verified, and that production methods can be authenticated.
- Be subjected to regular inspections by a USDA-accredited agent to make sure that all the standards, rules and regulations are being followed.
what should be in organic dog food
This is much simpler! As long as the USDA organic seal is on the food you're considering you can be sure that it's as close to 100% organic as you can get (short of making home-made or raw dog food where you control the ingredients yourself).
All you have to do now is find the flavors and ingredients that you and your dog prefer.
An organic dog food formula should include a variety of high-quality, human-grade ingredients which provide maximum nutritional value.
Grains should be easily digestible, and oats or barley are preferred over wheat (which can cause allergies). Corn is to be avoided and unlikely to be found in truly organic formulas as it is almost always a GMO crop.
Look for natural preservatives (such as Vitamin E, Vitamin C or plant extracts).
The manufacturing process is also important, because some processes can rob the ingredients of valuable nutrients and enzymes. Lower cooking temperatures are preferred as this helps to preserve maximum nutritional value from the ingredients.
The Benefits Of Organic Dog Food
The benefits of organic food are huge in terms of the impact on your dog's overall health and well being.
Here are some of the most important ones:
Better Overall Health & Longer Life
By providing superior, quality nutrition organic dog food can improve your dog or puppy's health by:
- Reducing digestive disorders
- Strengthening the immune system
- Increasing energy levels
- Supporting optimal growth and development in puppies
- Reducing, or even eliminating, allergies
- Keeping skin and coat healthy
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Helping to prevent the development of serious diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes
- Increasing life expectancy, and quality of life
Let's take a look at just a few of these benefits in more detail....
Disease Prevention
There are all sorts of dog health conditions which can be the result of inadequate nutrition or the exposure to dangerous chemicals, additives and toxins found in certain dog food ingredients.
Heart disease, diabetes and cancers, are among the most serious dog health problems that can be related to diet.
Pesticides are known to cause cancer (among other diseases), antibiotic laden meat fuels the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria, and the health consequences of eating GMO products is just beginning to be understood fully. Studies have shown that genetically modified foods can cause damage to organs and major bodily systems and may promote cancer growth.
In addition there are a number of more minor conditions such vomiting, diarrhea, urinary tract infections, skin infections and non-cancerous tumors which can be caused by a nutritionally inadequate and/or highly processed diet.
Feeding your dog a premium quality organic dog food can reduce his chances of developing many of the above conditions or diseases and simultaneously improves his immune system.
Weight Control
Being overweight, or even obese, is a growing problem for pet dogs today. Illnesses such as diabetes, organ failure and joint problems are just a few of the side effects of a weight problem.
Organic dog food is better at helping your dog maintain a healthy weight because it has a higher nutritional value and less fillers than most commercial dog foods. This also makes it more satisfying to your pup. He needs less food to be satisfied and isn't weighed down by 'empty' calories from fillers and poor quality ingredients.
Plus, he'll have more energy and be able to walk, play and run more... helping to keep his weight in check and his heart healthy.
Superior Digestibility
Premium ingredients and no artificial chemicals or fillers means that organic dog food is easier for your pup's digestive system to handle.
This means less gas (whew, that's a plus) and he'll also need to 'poop' less - good news during
the housebreaking stage!
Reduces Allergies & Food Sensitivities
Many dogs and puppies suffer from dog food allergies that can be caused by artificial additives, chemicals and fillers, or by sub-standard ingredients .
The
superior quality of the ingredients in organic food means that common
allergy-triggers (such as corn) are eliminated, plus it helps your dog's
immune system grow (and stay) strong which can reduce his chances of
suffering from allergic reactions, or even infections.
A sensitivity to a particular ingredient might cause a mild tummy upset and/or excessive gas. A true dog food allergy usually results in skin irritation and inflammation, and intense itching and scratching.
Repeated ear infections or head shaking can also be a sign of allergies in dogs.
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FTC Disclosure: Some pages on this site contain affiliate links. I may earn on qualified purchases.
FTC Disclosure: Some pages on this site contain affiliate links. I may earn on qualified purchases.
For your peace of mind, puppy and dog health information on this site has been approved by veterinarian Dr. Megan Teiber, DVM
