Choosing The Best Natural Dog Food

What Exactly Is Natural Dog Food?

Natural dog food is a nutritionally balanced ratio of vegetables and meat with little carbohydrates, and few preservatives or "meal" ingredients. A diet high in carbohydrates can cause diabetes and obesity. Dog nutritional needs used to be 50% vegetables, 40% meat or protein, and 10% carbohydrates. Now, many dog nutritional specialists have modified the percentages to suggest that the best dog food should contain 70% meat, 30% vegetables, and no carbohydrates. This is why natural diets have become so popular.

Some preservatives that are added to many regular dog foods for longer shelf life are not good for the dogs' health. Natural dog food may have a shorter shelf life, but is much better for the dog. Preservatives have been linked to serious liver damage.

When you see meal ingredients on a nutrition label, such as chicken meal or beef meal, at the very least it is questionable what kind of meat you are really getting. For instance, it could mean that the food includes ground up waste from these animals with very little bits of meat, if any. Actual premium meat dog food may cost more, but could save you money on later health complications.

3 Of The Best Natural Dog Food Brands Per Consumer Reviews

Horizon Pure Canine Formulas

• Horizon products contain a great balance of protein and vegetables.
• They come in frozen, raw food patties that you thaw and serve.
• Ingredients include chicken or beef, pork, chicken necks, eggs, cabbage carrots, apples broccoli, beef heart, beef kidney, beef liver, bok choy, cranberries and canola oil.
• The ingredients are emulsified so your animal can easily absorb the nutrients.
• Price: 32 pounds of frozen patties for around $60.00 ($1.87 per pound).
• This product is the lowest price per pound out of the three choices, and you get a lot of fresh ingredients for the price. This is one of the main reasons why it is regarded as one of the best natural dog food brands on the market.

• Contains no grains or potatoes
• Contains open range chicken, chicken liver, high antioxidant berries (including the acai berry), (which is regarded as one of the world's top super food for humans), kale, broccoli sprouts, pumpkin, carrots, parsley, milk thistle, coconut-salmon oil, blueberries, eggs, peas, artichoke, fennel, and the list goes on. This raw food product is full of healthy ingredients.
• Price: 7 pounds for around $20.00 ($2.85 per pound)
• This product costs a little more than Horizon by the pound, but picky dogs love this natural dog food and it has great consumer reviews regarding improvements in dogs' health.

Darwin's Natural Dog Food

• This company has developed a formula that has no grains or additives, so it fits the criteria for no carbohydrates.
• It is made with free-range meats and organic vegetables.
• It comes in four varieties: Chicken and Vegetable, Turkey and Vegetable, Beef and Vegetable, and Buffalo and Vegetable.
• Developed by a veterinarian and lab tested, it contains top quality, fresh ingredients.
• Price: around $3.50 to $4.50 per pound, depending on variety.
• This product is pricier than the others, but it is almost fit for human consumption.
• Consumers report there dogs having shinier coats and better overall health.

Final Comments

Clearly, these are three of the best natural dog food brands on the market. Horizon Pure gets the best overall rating in the combination of all three categories. The other two get high ratings in the ingredients and consumer reviews, but cost a little more in the case of Great Life, and quite a bit more in the case of Darwin's Natural.