What's The Scoop On Organic Pet Food?, Is it worth it? Where to get it? How to read pet food labels? Options

[Weegiewarbler]

I don't know if this is the right palce to post, but my husband and I ATTEMPT to eat an organic diet... I want our husky to eat just as healthily.
Before coming to the States, it was as easy to order online and lo and behold CERTIFIED organic dog food appeared on the door step.
I've had no end of bother obtaining good certified organic feed for my dog... any ideas or help out there?

I'll be grateful for all suggestions.

Hazel. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[diana]

Think I may have replied to this elsewhere (?) but we rawfeed. Raw, meaty bones, purchased from a local vendor at the farmers' market. We actually have a few to choose from. Lots of info on Yahoo!, groups, especially, including sources by state/ region/ country? No grains (dogs did not ever stalk the elusive corn, or wade in to catch a flailing rice), and no dog pound protein sources, either. (I have a hard time trusting organic standards now that Wal-Mart is in the mix). Just refrigerated deceased animal parts that were treated humanely while they were alive, My $.05. --diana

[InsideOut]

I met a lady on the bus recently who swears by the Timberwolf Organics line of dog food. She said it has prevented a skin condition on her dogs and she is willing to travel by bus to get it!!!

I know nothing else about the brand... so I hope this helps.

[kelsey]

HiHazel,

It is great to read that you are following organic food to your doggy. Following article will boost your morale for being organic …………….

http://www.organicauthority.com/organic-li...r-your-dog.html

Also you can find doggy organic food and suppliers from below links which may be helpful to you…………

http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com/dog-supplies/dog-food/


http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com/help.php?se...amp;mode=update

[radicalmom]

i know that wysong brand is very good. pet guard as well. and.. as diana said: make your own.

[MarinaSnow]

You should consider feeding your dog a raw diet if you want a healthy dog. I feed my dog locally raised organic raw buffalo, elk, and beef. But you need to use a supplement with it, like Urban Wolf. Especially puppies because they need calcium. I mix the Urban Wolf with the raw meat, an egg, sunflower oil, and water. She devours it. My holistic vet turned me on to Urban Wolf, it's a Canadian company:

http://www.urbanwolf.cc/

You can also order organic pet food from here:

http://search.onlynaturalpet.com/search.as...rganic&mf=0

[Craig Minowa]

Buying organic pet food is a smart consumer choice. Conventional pet food contains everything from animals put down at animal shelters to slaughterhouse waste (including spinal columns and potentially diseased tissue). Conventional pet food can also legally contain fillers like newspaper and feathers. Organic pet foods are a much higher quality. The National Organic Standards do not currently adequately address organic pet food labeling, but the wheels are turning to get such a system into place. Having said that, if you do find an organic pet food with the USDA seal, it means it has met the same standards as organic food for humans. If you do not see the USDA seal, read the product ingredient label to determine which of the ingredients are actually organic.

Learn more about what to look for in an organic pet food label here:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_15832.cfm

[otterlver]

For more information about what is really in pet food and what to look for and avoid visit Born Free USA united with Animal Protection Institute Here is the link:

What's really in pet food

http://www.api4animals.org/facts.php?p=359&more=1

[Kate Solisti]

Good for you for respecting your dog's needs and the planet! Everyone has offered some good tips and advice so far. Timberwolf Organics is an excellent food with "human grade" ingredients, but it is not 100% organic. They have listened to expressed concerns about this inconsistency and are dropping the "Organics" from their name. I have been teaching dog and cat nutrition for years, and am a proponent of "breed specific" nutrition -- especially when it comes to northern breeds like your Husky. Look to their ancestral diet and feed grain-free foods, high in fish fats and protein. Salmon, sardines, venison and buffalo would be my top meat choices. Check out the websites mentioned and look into raw diets by Bravo, Nature's Variety, Oma's Pride and homemade. The RIGHT variety of meats will keep your dog healthy and happy.

[Sally]

Karma, made by Natura Pet Products, is made from 95% USDA-Certified Organic Ingredients. The 5% non-organic content is added vitamins and minerals. Here is their website for more information: http://naturapet.com/brands/karma-organic.asp

[cwendykelly]

I have used LIFE'S ABUNDANCE pet food for a couple of years now - and wouldn't feed my dog or cats anything else. It is fully sourced here in the USA by a qualified vet who is very particular about what goes into the food etc, and there is also a phone/web forum each week if you have any problems. What you may really enjoy is that it is sold solely via the internet and is delivered direct to your doorstep - therefore does not need are preservatives etc as it is not stored anywhere before delivery.

[Henwhisperer]

As I understand it, organic dog food only needs to contain 70% organic ingredients to be called organic.

[Lily89]

Consider buying vegetarian dog food. I buy Natural Balance vegetarian dry dog food and Pet Guard Vegetarian Feast for wet food. My dog loves it and is in great shape. There's a huge problem with pet obesity in this country and feeding dogs a vegetarian diet is a great way to keep dogs healthy. And you can avoid those slaughterhouse byproducts commonly found in most brands of meat-based dog foods. Dogs are natural omnivores and like humans can do just fine without eating animal flesh.

[JTW]

I don't know if this is the right palce to post, but my husband and I ATTEMPT to eat an organic diet... I want our husky to eat just as healthily.
Before coming to the States, it was as easy to order online and lo and behold CERTIFIED organic dog food appeared on the door step.
I've had no end of bother obtaining good certified organic feed for my dog... any ideas or help out there?

I'll be grateful for all suggestions.

Hazel. :)

Hello,
I read a disturbing article this summer; people who handle dog treats can get salmonella on their hands and pass it on. They found that these doggie treat products contain salmonella. Households that had high rates of salmonella infections used dog treats for their pets. So organic would have to be better. Supposedly the dogs are not bothered by the salmonella, their system can handle it without them getting sick. Great, so who wants to be exposed to salmonella, and children are put everything in their mouths, so why is this allowed! I was outraged and I don't have any pets.

[gardenz]

I realize this thread was started awhile back, but apparently it's still of significant interest to a lot of members. Count me as one of them. (A new member, I might add. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) )

I briefly noted some mention of organic cat food in the thread, and would like to know some further recommendations. I, too, have doubts about that green & white USDA ORGANIC label being a green light for safety, especially since they watered down the criteria for what's organic-approved and what's not. But for now, I suppose, it's better than nothing and all we (as pet people and humans) can use as consumer guidelines.

With that in mind, what are some suggestions for USDA Organic (or pseudo-organic if you will) cat food? What about Newman's Own? Right now I can't think of any that actually bears the label. Currently, however, I'm feeding my cat Wellness brand. Thanks for any input and thanks for this forum. I've been getting the newsletter and reading the website for years and figured it was time I chimed in with my own 2 cents (or whatever that's worth nowadays). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/angry.gif)
gardenz

[Tama]

Here's a great company who offers organic/raw dog and cat food:
www.thehonestkitchen.com
They say that people taste each batch as a quality check.
My dogs have been on their foods since the pet food scandal, and are thriving.
I also add a small amount of Petbotanics lamb and wild rice for more meat.
I also give them a lot of Mother Hubbord treats during the day.
I have two Jack Russell terriers who are very active.

[Lindsay]

I recommend raw diet if you can (a good site for learning is the Yahoo raw feeding group, or sfraw.com), but if like me you cannot, the best dog food I have found is Great Life 4 Pets www.doctorsfinest.com I go to the warehouse to purchase the food, and the owner of the company is quite knowledgeable, I feel I can trust their products. I have a 2 yo Rhodesian Ridgeback, and a 12 yo yellow Lab, and they both thrive on this "raw diet alternative."
Organic is important, but equally so is content. Most dog food, even what your vet recommends, is full of not only by-products and other nasties, but also things a dog cannot digest, and things that give most dogs allergies including: wheat, corn, soy, potatoes (nightshade family bad for dogs).
As far as a vegetarian diet for your dog as I saw someone post - this horrifies me. I personally eat a primarily veg diet, but I would never subject a dog to this, just be sure the meat in their food is clean and not by products. If you can't find Great Life 4 Pets, I have heard good things about Candidae.
There are many strong opinions about dog food and training - what I believe would be hotly contested by others - but I encourage you to do your own research on what dogs should eat based on what they would in the wild, what holistic vets recommend, and what makes your dog happy and healthy. Good luck!

[PeasMom]

I don't know if this is the right palce to post, but my husband and I ATTEMPT to eat an organic diet... I want our husky to eat just as healthily.
Before coming to the States, it was as easy to order online and lo and behold CERTIFIED organic dog food appeared on the door step.
I've had no end of bother obtaining good certified organic feed for my dog... any ideas or help out there?

I'll be grateful for all suggestions.

Hazel. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[PeasMom]

For some great pet food information, pls go to: www.truthaboutpetfood.com
It's a great help in finding quality pet food. You'll be able to find out if the ingredients are from China, if the cans have PBA in them, which foods have been recalled, if probiotics have been added, etc. It also tells you which ingredients to stay away from.

[silver]

i feed my dog wellness dog food - i supplement with organic veggies.