What, exactly, does “natural” mean? More importantly, what does “natural” mean whenever you see it on a can or a bag of pet food? You desire the best of everything for your dog, including his food, but are foods that are labeled as natural dog foods any better than any other not labeled natural?
The essential description of natural is, “in accordance with nature.” As it pertains to commodities – and dog food is really a commodity – the definition is, “being unprocessed or manufactured using only simple or minimal processes.” The commercial food you buy your pet may contain natural ingredients, but are they good for your dog? Are they healthful? The definition doesn’t say anything about being healthy or good for you – or your dog.
A well-liked brand of dry puppy food contains“natural poultry flavor”. If the maker doesn’t give the source, and this one doesn’t, then you are relying on his word that this really is in actual fact natural and not a chemical. Even if it is natural, does it contain something your dog may be allergic to? In this instance, you don’t know.
Meat by-products are a typical ingredient in many dog foods, including those advertised as natural. These by-products are the non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals. It includes, but isn’t limited to, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, partially defatted low temperature fatty tissue, and stomachs and intestines freed of the contents. It doesn’t include hair, horns, teeth and hoofs. Nothing unnatural here, however the nutritional value is way less than the meat itself. Your dog would get a bunch of food but little nutrition.
If you would like your dog to get a natural diet but you don’t want to fret about an entire host of ingredients that may or may not be good for the dog, your best choice is to make your dog’s food yourself. You’ve got control over the ingredients. You have control over the nutritional value of your dog’s food. Of all the natural dog foods, the ones that will be best for your dog are your own.