Every dog owner wants their pet to be happy, healthy and well fed. Of course, that means providing them with the best possible diet for their nutritional needs, which is where dog food comes in. James Wellbeloved sheds light on choosing the best dog food for your pet and how making some simple swaps in their diet could benefit them in the naturally healthy way.
So, what is natural dog food?
When it comes to pet food in general, ‘natural’ can be describes those ingredients “(derived from plant, animal, micro-organism or minerals) to which nothing has been added and which have been subjected only to such physical processing as to make them suitable for pet food production and maintaining the natural composition.”
Many natural ingredient-based foods also exclude artificial ingredients, preservatives and colours. James Wellbeloved naturally healthy dog food excludes these and provides all the nutritional goodness your dog requires.
What should natural dog food contain?
Natural dog food comes in so many forms, it can be confusing. However, finding the right food for your pet is easy once you know exactly what their nutritional needs are and how to ensure you meet them.
Things to consider when choosing a food:
- Is it packed with easily digestible, quality proteins?
- Complete and balanced?
- Is it made up of gentle, easily digestible ingredients?
- Does it provide all the essential vitamins and minerals your dog needs?
- Delicious to your dog?
A veterinarian will be able to advise you on an all-round nutritious dog food meal plan if you’d like more guidance.
Likewise, if you’re unsure how much you should be feeding your pet, our dog feeding guides can give you a good indication
Benefits of naturally healthy dog food
A healthy natural dog food provides essential nutrition for your pet in all their life stages. Good nutrition can support your pet in looking and feeling better than ever before.
The benefits of a healthy diet can include ingredients to support:
- A glossier coat
- More nourished skin
- Good energy levels
- Support for the immune system
- A healthy digestive system
- Natural weight control
Natural dog food ingredients
Whatever your dog’s taste buds and needs, you should only select food for them that you know is something they’ll enjoy. This may require a certain amount of trial and error, but it’ll be worth it once you see how much happier and healthier your dog is after switching.
Some popular natural ingredients for dog food include:
- Animal protein sources like turkey, lamb, duck and fish
- Whole grains, like barley and rice
- Starches like potato
- Vegetables like tomatoes, carrots and peas
- Herbs like chicory and rosemary
- Extracts like yucca and cranberry
- Seaweed
Every dog is different and will enjoy different foods. As a responsible pet parent, it’s important to be patient with them when you change their diet to a new type of dog food.
Also, for dogs, any diet change should be gradual to avoid tummy upset. Start by adding a small portion of the selected natural food a little at a time to your dog’s existing diet, then gradually replacing a larger portion of their daily meals with the new diet, ideally over a 7-day period, until they’re happily eating a full meal of natural food. And, of course, you can always contact the veterinarian if you need support or advice with this.
To ensure your pet will never run out of their food, make sure you subscribe and save for 10 % off – plus you’ll get free delivery across the James Wellbeloved product range.
