Is organic dog food better for Frenchies?
This article will tell you more about organic foods and what they stand for to help you determine if it’s worth trying for your dog.
But first
What Does Organic Mean?
Organic refers to any food ingredients meant for either human consumption or as feed for food-producing animals, including meat, produce, and multi-ingredients processed foods grown, raised, or made according to USDA set guidelines.
Do dogs need organic?
Yes, organic foods can help promote better health and well-being of dogs because they do not contain ingredients that can harm dogs.
Organic Plants
They are grown without GMO contamination, synthetic fertilizer, pesticides, or genetically modified seeds.
Organic Meat-Producing Animals
According to USDA guidelines, organic meat-producing animals must be raised in environments that accommodate their natural behaviors, not use any antibiotics or hormones, consume organic feeds, and have their meat processed in an accredited facility before packaging to avoid contamination.
Organic Multi-Ingredient Processed Foods
These should be made without adding artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives but can include certain approved non-agricultural ingredients.
What are the Benefits of Organic Dog Food?
Organic food can offer the following benefits for dogs:
- Better digestive health: Organic dog food is easier for dogs to digest as it does not contain additives like colors, preservatives, or flavors that dogs cannot digest. It’s therefore helpful in preventing issues like diarrhea, vomiting, and constipation.
- Maintaining a healthy weight: Organic dog food is free from fillers that pack unnecessary calories resulting in unhealthy weight gain in dogs. It’s packed with all the necessary nutrients dogs need without including junk, aiding in weight management.
- Managing skin conditions and allergies: Chemicals, pesticides, artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives are the leading causes of allergy in dogs. Organic dog foods are devoid of these components, making them ideal for managing skin conditions and allergies.
- Better energy levels: Organic food is made with ingredients that pack more nutrients. These supply higher levels of energy for a happier and more active dog.
- Enhanced overall health and immunity: Organic dog food contains natural fruits and vegetables loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals which can help boost the immune health of dogs and improve their general wellbeing.
What’s the Difference Between Organic Dog Food and Natural Dog Food?
Organic dog food refers to food made with strict adherence to precise guidelines set by the USDA and does not contain any GMOs, pesticides, antibiotics, genetic engineering, or chemical fertilizers.
Natural dog food, on the other hand, is derived solely from plant, animal, or mined sources, either in its unprocessed form or having been subjected to physical processing, heat processing, rendering, purification extraction, hydrolysis, fermentation, but without 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 unavoidably in good manufacturing practices according to AAFCO.
Organic foods fall under different classifications as follows:
100% Organic
For food to be considered 100% organic, it must be 100% USDA-certified organic ingredients. Additionally, the label must include the name of the organic certifying agent.
Organic: 95% Organic Ingredients
Products in this category contain 95% certified organic ingredients. It allows the inclusion of only up to 5% non-organic ingredients.
Made With Organic _______: 70% Organic
Products in this category contain up to 70% organic ingredients. They, however, don’t have the USDA certified organic seal but have the name of the organic certifier on their label.
Organic dog food recipes
This is a simple organic dog treat you can try for your dog:
Peanut Butter Cookies
You’ll need wheat flour, oats, peanut butter, honey, fish oil, and water to prepare this. To make it:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Mix all ingredients until well blended
- Add water slowly until you form a dough
- Roll out the dough on a flat surface
- Cut into shapes, place into the oven, and bake for 40 minutes
- Cool and serve.
What makes dog food organic?
The absence of ingredients containing antibiotics, pesticides, GMOs, genetic engineering, or chemical fertilizers in dog food plus the certified organic seal makes it organic.
Can dogs eat organic cat food?
Yes, dogs can eat organic cat food but not for the long term. Feeding cat food to dogs over long periods can lead to nutrient deficiencies.
Best Organic Dog Food
Some of the best organic dog foods include:
The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Dog Food
Benefits of this food include:
- This is ideal for dogs that are sensitive to meat
- Made with 100% human-grade ingredients hence easy to digest
- Packed with nutrients that can foster good health in dogs
Purina Beyond High Protein Organic Dry Dog Food
This food has the following benefit:
- Made with free-range chicken that can help dogs build and maintain healthy bones and tissues.
- Free from corn, soy, wheat, or by-products hence ideal for dogs with grain and gluten allergies
- It has antioxidants that boost immunity, help fight diseases, and combat oxidative damage to body cells.
Castor & Pollux ORGANIX Organic Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Benefits of this food include:
- Free from artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives hence easy to digest
- It’s wholly balanced for optimal health
- Made with free-range chicken, which can help build strong muscles in dogs
Is organic bad for Frenchies?
No, organic food is not bad for Frenchies. Frenchies have very sensitive stomachs and are prone to allergies. Hence, feeding organic food to these dogs can help them control these issues and improve their health. Since it’s free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives, organic food is easy to digest and easy on Frenchies’ stomachs.