Maximizing Puppy Happiness The Benefits of Choosing Holistic Pet Food

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

How to Find the Best Puppy Food for Your Dog

There's nothing you want more than to keep your puppy healthy during the important formative months of his energetic life. But to set the stage for a long, happy adulthood, it's important to choose the best puppy food for his development. You want nutritious meals that are specially formulated for young dogs. And if you consider what you're feeding your dog now, you can avoid health issues like obesity, weak muscle and bone development, or poor immune response in the future.

Here's what to keep in mind as you search for the right product for your pup.

Research

The best puppy food is committed to high-quality ingredients formulated with a precise balance of nutrients that meet the needs of a growing pup. And the food brand you choose should care what goes into your dog's food at this critical early stage of development. Look for puppy food products created by experts like veterinarians, PhD nutritionists, and/or food scientists to help create puppy food that's nutritionally balanced so that your beloved dog lives a long and healthy life. The nutritional information on each puppy food label should always be the next step in your search.

Ingredients and Nutrition

Puppies require food that provides them with all the nutrients that growing puppies need, including calcium and protein. Puppy food with the right amount of calcium helps controlbonecontrol bone growth, ensuring his bones, muscles, and joints develop properly into adulthood. Protein also helps with strong growth in the development of lean muscle, so look for foods with proteins like chicken, lamb, salmon, corn, wheat or barley on the label to ensure he's getting what he needs. You'll often see Vitamins C and E on puppy food labels, as well, which help build a strong immune system, while fiber sources like flaxseed and whole grain and folic acid help him digest these important nutrients.

Size Matters

Maybe you brought home a dachshund puppy, whose tiny legs are only as long as your pinky finger. Or, perhaps you chose a golden retriever pup whose large (and sometimes clumsy) paws are an indication of the girth to come. Clearly the size of your dog needs your consideration when making a food choice. That's why most puppy foods, including Hill's Science Diet, have different options for large and smallbreeds. Not only do these foods meet the needs of each mouth, but are formulated to ensure proper bone growth, muscle mass, and energy output according to the size of your dog.

Feeding time

You might be tempted to leave food out for your growing and high-energy dog so that he can eat whenever he wants. But don't. Doing that can lead to bad habits, like overeating, and accompanying health problems like obesity and bone development. As a general rule, a young puppy should be fed three times a day to keep up with his high-energy lifestyle. By the time your dog reaches six months of age, you can reduce the number of times a day you feed your dog to two.

What to Avoid

Although some unwelcome ingredients might give your dog a stomach ache, other ingredients can be downright dangerous for your pup. Avoid giving your new puppy table scrap; foods that are part of your own everyday snacks and meals, like onions and grapes, and foods that contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener, can be dangerous to him. If you have any questions about what to feed your pup, ask your veterinarian for advice. You love your sweet puppy dog, and he knows it. After all, you prove it every time you play with him, shower him with affection, and feed him the high-quality kibbles that will help keep him become healthy now and stay fit in the years ahead.

Talk to Your Veterinarian

When youre trying to decide on the best food for your pup, its easy to get overwhelmed by the number of options you see on your shelves. While this article should give you some tools to help make the decision process easier, remember that your veterinarian is a reliable and trustworthy source of information on the food options available for your pet. Your puppys first appointment with their vet is a great opportunity to start a discussion about nutrition and get your pup on the right track from day one.

Contributor Bio

Kara Murphy

Kara Murphy is a freelance writer in Erie, Pa.

What Is Holistic Dog Food?

Reviewed for accuracy on June24, 2019, by Dr. Natalie Stilwell, DVM

With pet ownership on the rise in the US, the pet industry is seeing an uptick in pet food sales across the board. According to the American Pet Products Association, American pet owners spent an estimated $30.32 billion on pet food in 2018, which represents a 4.3 percent increase over 2017 spending.

Pet owners are not just buying more kibblemany are seeking out healthier, premium-grade pet foods for their four-legged family members. This includes natural and holistic options.

But understanding what constitutes holistic dog food is a tricky matter. If youre considering trying a dog food thats labeled as holistic, heres what you should know about what that term means, how its different from natural dog food, and which ingredients you should look for.

What Does Holistic Mean on Dog Food Labels?

While you may be inclined to think that you can draw parallels between holistic medicine and holistic food, the reality is that the term holistic carries a different weight and meaning with each use.

Currently, within the pet industry, there is no universal or standard definition of what classifies a dog food as holistic, says Dr. Travis Arndt, director of the Animal Medical Center of Mid-America.

Sometimes, says Dr. Arndt, the words on dog food bags and containers are simply used as marketing tactics to entice consumers.

Knowing that pet parents want what is best for their dog, holistic gives them the impression that the food will be nutritious and balanced and will benefit the pets total health and wellness, Dr. Arndt says.

Dr. Angie Krause, DVM, CVA, CCRT, and owner of Boulder Holistic Vet, agrees that the term holistic is not clearly defined in the pet food industry. Holistic pet food is more of a movement towards a less-processed diet with higher-quality ingredients, she says.

Industry Standards for Pet Food Labels

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) sets quality standards for animal feed and pet food, adding a label to products that the organization deems complete and balanced nutrition for animals.

One of the things AAFCO does is establishes regulations for pet food and sets standards for nutrition, says Dr. Arndt. While they have definitions for words like natural or organic when it comes to pet food, they do not define holistic, he says.

Holistic Dog Food vs. Natural Dog Food

AAFCO defines natural dog food as:

a feed or feed ingredient derived solely from plant, animal or mined sources, either in its unprocessed state or having been subject to physical processing, heat processing, rendering, purification, extraction, hydrolysis, enzymolysis or fermentation, but not having been produced by or subject to a chemically synthetic process and not containing any additives or processing aids that are chemically synthetic except in amounts as might occur in good manufacturing practices.

That means a dog food using the term natural needs to be free from chemically synthesized ingredients, additives and preservatives.

A few examples of chemically synthesized ingredients that are not allowed in natural pet food include:

AAFCO makes an exception for synthetic vitamins and minerals, which can be included in natural pet foods. For these diets, the products label will indicate the diet is natural with added vitamins and minerals.

However, since the label holistic does not have a formal, regulated definition, dog foods labeled as holistic may contain some or all of the above ingredients.

While the terms [natural and holistic] are often used together, they typically arent used interchangeably, says Dr. Arndt. Because of the regulation and oversight, the term natural ensures that ingredients have come from natural sources. It carries more weight than the term holistic, since there is no regulation for those claims.

Holistic Dog Food Ingredients

Because any dog food brand can label their formulas as holistic, its up to pet parents to conduct more research into ingredients and read food labels carefully.

While there is no standard for holistic dog food ingredients, some pet food brands include specific additives or ingredients that are thought to promote overall wellness in dogs. These ingredients might be probiotics, vitamins or minerals, or supplements reported to help with certain conditions, like joint and skin health.

The current and past trend in holistic diets includes grain-free formulations that substitute legumes and potatoes for wheat, corn and soy, says Dr. Krause. Adding superfoods to formulations like fruits and greens is also a popular trend. Raw diets and air-baked kibbles are also largely popular.

But Dr. Arndt says that pet parents shouldnt assume that all ingredients in a holistic dog food are good or beneficial to their pets. Without a standard definition, pet food companies can use any ingredients they choose and claim that the food is holistic, he says.

Choosing the Best Holistic Dog Food

Pet parents can choose from a variety of holistic dog foods. Holistic foods come in the standard kibble and canned, but also come in raw preparations, Dr. Krause explains. Within the raw food category there are dehydrated, freeze-dried and raw patty or chub formulations.

Before you decide which holistic dog food brand is the best for your pup, make sure you do your research first. Here are three steps you can take prior to purchasing a holistic dog food:

1. Talk to Your Veterinarian

Dr. Arndt says that its important for dog owners to talk to their veterinarians to find the best food to fit their dogs individual lifestyles.

Some dogs dont do well on raw or limited-ingredient foods, and home-cooked diets require pet parents to be diligent about making sure nutritional requirements are met, he says. Working with your veterinarian is the best way to ensure your dog is getting the nutrition and diet he or she needs.

2. Do Your Research on Dog Food Brands

In addition to speaking with a veterinarian, pet parents should read the ingredient labels on holistic dog foods carefully. They should also research the company and the brand responsible for creating and manufacturing the food.

Dr. Krause recommends that pet owners consider the following three things when researching holistic dog food options:

Recalls. What is the recall history of the brand? Some brands have had at least one recall due to incorrect labeling, ingredient contamination or another issue related to product quality or safety. Get the details if possible.
Quality Control. Determine what type of quality controls the company has in place to test food quality. These tests can help ensure foods are correctly labeled and free of contaminants.
Formulation. Ensure that the formulas are approved by a veterinary or animal nutritionist and meet AAFCO minimum requirements.

3. Make Sure There Is an AAFCO Label

Since there is no oversight of holistic dog foods, Dr. Arndt says that a label from AAFCO is important for ensuring a baseline of balanced nutrition.

AAFCO sets the minimum standards for pet food nutrition, so look for a statement that says the food provides complete and balanced nutrition, he says.

By: Deidre Grieves

Featured Image: iStock.com/AVAVA

Holistic Recipe Lamb & Rice Puppy 15kg Dog Dry Food

*This product has recently undergone a packaging change. Customers may receive old packaging during this transition.*

Holistic Recipe Lamb and Rice Formula includes greeb tea, lamb meal and brewers rice, all high quality ingredients that provide a healthy balanced diet for puppies up to 12 months of age or 18 months for large breed, and for pregnant or lactating dog.

It is specially formulated to prevent allergic reaction to food, help in development of the digestive system, prevent formation of free radicals, improve the immune system, reduce fecal odor and inprove skin and hair condition.

Ingredients:

Lamb Meal, Brown Rice, Barley, Ground Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken Fat ( Preserved with Mixed Tocopherole a source of Vitamin E) and Citric Acid, Beet Pulp, Natural Flavors, Brewers Yeast, Flax Seed, Potassium, Chloride , Salt, Proteinate Minerals, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Cobalt Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Choline Chloride, Vitamins ( Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Thiamine, Mononitrate, Puridoxine, Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex ( Source of Vitamin K Activity ), Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B 12 Supplement, DL Methionine, Lysine, Preserved with Mixed Tocopherolsand, Citric Acid, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Ascorbic Acid ( Vitamin C ), Green Tea Extract, Tryptophan, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Rosemary Extract.