Lynn Stratton, an investigative journalist was horrified when she discovered euthanized pets in a pet food rendering plant. The discovery ruffled quite a few feathers. After all, it is not every day that one finds out that the perfectly labeled and neatly packaged pet food contains dead pets. It is scenarios like this that has led to the rise in popularity for holistic dog food.
Holistic dog food is a specialized type of food that is created with the intent of providing an individual dog with a wholesome and balanced nutritional diet that not only addresses their nutritional deficiencies but also helps to support their overall health and well being.
What makes it appealing for pet parents is that the ingredients are handpicked according to the health and the age of the diet. For example, if a pet needs more protein or fatty acids, then the food can be tailored to include it.
Unlike mass-produced dog foods, there are no cheap ingredients sourced for reducing production costs. So, you can rest assured that you won’t find animal byproducts or dead pets in holistic dog food.
What are the advantages of holistic dog food?
To be able to better understand what makes holistic dog food advantageous for dogs, one needs to look at every dog as a unique animal with equally unique nutritional requirements.
When they are continually fed food, that is loaded with cheap ingredients that are extremely low quality and the origins of which are dubious, it manifests on their overall health in one way or the other.
You may or may not notice it immediately. But the symptoms will be there to see. Sometimes, the coat becomes lackluster. Other times, there is excessive shedding or skin allergies. Joint problems, lack of energy, dull eyes and digestive problems can also be attributed to poor quality food.
Holistic dog food on the other hand helps improve the quality of the coat, makes the dog active, alert and improves the functioning of their digestive system. As a result of these, the dog’s overall health improves.
Are holistic and grain-free one and the same?
No, they are not. Holistic foods can contain some types of grains which are not necessarily bad for dogs. However, if the dog is allergic to grains, then there are holistic dog foods which are completely grain free. As we said before, it all boils down to the nutritional requirements of the dog.
How does holistic dog food fare against a raw diet?
Along with a holistic diet, a raw diet for canines has become quite popular in recent times. While it becomes difficult to draw a direct comparison between the two, holistic food has less chances of being contaminated by bacteria or causing any type of injury to the pet, which could be the case with a raw (meat based) diet.
Are they more expensive?
Unlike a few years ago, you have a lot more choices at different price points when it comes to holistic dog food. And it is completely possible to find something that fits your budget. But if you wanted to know the answer anyway, then ‘yes’. It will be more expensive as compared to any dry dog food because of the obvious reasons.
The more important question that one should be asking is whether it will be a healthier choice. Most definitely ‘yes’.
