Reviewing The Best Natural Dog Foods

The best dog food is a balanced, wholesome diet with all the nutrients your dog needs. That said, it’s impossible to feed a dog every nutrient it needs on its own. The best foods contain a variety of food items that a healthy dog can thrive on. And if you want to be sure your pet is getting a quality meal, here‘s what you need to know.

Tips

Is your dog picky? Dogs can be pickier than cats, but it’s normal for some to have trouble picking out certain food items. Fortunately, you have options. Let your pooch's dietary requirements inform your choice of paid or free dog food. You can prepare dog treats in the kitchen and let him explore his new favorites. Regular dog kibble has a higher protein content than pureed foods. Pureed dog diets contain ingredients such as free chicken, turkey, or fish that your pup would probably not eat in its raw form. By preparing a mixed diet in your own kitchen, your pet will get all of the nutrients he needs while getting the taste and texture he prefers.

Considerations

There are a number of factors to consider when buying a dog food. Some of these concerns are specifically related to the type of food your dog likes. When buying for a mixed-breed dog, such as a Chihuahua the small breed or a Labrador the large breed, you have to decide how spicy or mild you want your food to be. You may want to buy a food that contains more natural ingredients, or you may not. For example, a puppy who is raised on a very spicy food might grow out of it, whereas a Lab might never outgrow a mild dog-food.

What about grain? Grain is added to some dog treats, but it is not the best ingredient. It contains a lot of minerals, vitamins, and other substances that your pet needs in order to thrive. If you choose a canned dog diet, look for one that has been grain-free. Look for ingredients like organic whole grains and fresh fruit. Also, choose foods that are low in sodium and sugar, as these are important for both dogs and humans.

Prices

How much should you pay for a not free dog food? The price you end up paying depends largely on the quality of the ingredients, the brand name, and the overall cost. Natural dog treats generally cost less than synthetic dog snacks because of their natural ingredients and high nutrient content. You can expect to pay $0.10 to $2 per serving for natural dog diets that are made with whole foods rather than processed foods. For $1 to less that $3, you’ll find dog chews that contain natural flavors. These treats typically come in smaller packages. Some treats like fluffers and kibbles also fit in this price range. At $4 to about $6, there are a number of natural treats available. Many of them are freeze dried or canned, but you will also find some natural formulas made from scratch with little to no preservatives.

How We Chose Our Selection Of Natural Dog Foods

As we understand more and more about the beneficial effects of eating a dog food derived from plants, we wanted to ensure we only selected the best and most natural options for our readers. We used these criteria to narrow down our selection to the five natural dog treats you see above.

Brand

The brands we chose are well-known for their integrity and commitment to only use the highest quality ingredients, with each product having undergone rigorous testing to confirm it’s safe and effective for dogs. All products featured above are high quality, but they are not without fault, which is why we appreciate that our loyal readers want to get the benefits of these products without the problems that come with them.

Price

Price is an important consideration for everyone when it comes to purchasing any product. That‘s why the prices of our choices are realistic and transparent, to appeal to all budgets.

Reviews 

Reviews are an excellent way for us to determine whether or not a particular product is worth our money and how reliable it is. To make sure we select only the most reliable and useful natural products for you, the reviews we used included product owners who have used their selected products to see for themselves just how beneficial they can be for your dog's health.

Ingredients

Some dog owners believe that natural food is just as healthy as its conventional counterparts, and while it can technically be, there are some ingredients that are best avoided when looking for a natural treat. These are as follows:

Artificial flavoring or coloring

Added sugarHypoallergenic ingredientsKnown allergensOrganic ingredientsDietary supplementsAreas where there is a debate about GMOs Eating a plant-based diet has been linked to an increased risk of a host of health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and digestive problems. Therefore, if you're looking to give your pup the healthy benefits without any of the potential health risks, a food made from plant sources is the ideal way forward. Ingredients in a Natural Treats Quality Dog food should contain a wide variety of organic ingredients in order to provide your pet with the necessary vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids and fatty acids they need to stay healthy and strong. This means you don‐t have to worry about any preservatives, artificial colors flavors and additives or other junk foods that have been added to your food to mask any nutrients it doesn't contain.

Plant

While there's no point in purchasing a treat if it tastes bad, you might find a good natural pet food has some flavor that you enjoy. You should try out some of their treats to find out whether they taste good and if so, whether you prefer them as a supplement to what you normally eat. Also, try to compare the flavor of your natural treats with that of those made with a more conventional source of ingredients.

Quantity 

Natural dog treat recipes generally only require a small amount of food, usually around 2-3 ounces. However, it isn't always practical to eat this much at once, especially when your canine companion might be ravenously hungry. As such, some recipes call for feeding the treats in batches, so you can portion them out into smaller portions and still have enough to feed your furry friend for several days. When it came to choosing our natural ingredients picks, this was an essential feature we considered.

About

What is a natural dog food? A natural food is made without the use of any chemicals, synthetic ingredients, or other synthetic substances. The ingredients are selected to benefit the dog's body as a whole, without them having to compete for our dog’s attention. Natural dog snacks are sometimes made with ingredients that are also natural to dogs. Look for ingredients with a lower toxicity level, such as natural rice and peas, instead of high-toxicity ingredients like corn.

No animal testing

Natural pet foods are made from ingredients no animal has been trained to harm. All the dogs we recommend natural pet snacks for have been raised without any form of animal or animal byproducts in their diet. Some natural foods also exclude GMOs, preservatives, and artificial colors and flavors.