For many people organic dog food sounds great but what exactly makes this food any different from regular canned or bagged dog food? What are the main differences in the ingredients? Why is the cost so much more than regular pet food? All of these questions have answers and for the new-to-natural pet owner the answers need to be given.
To understand the difference that natural organic pet food has to offer we first need to define what organic pet food is. Basically natural pet food or organic pet food is made with little to no chemicals and composed of plants and meat that are grown free of chemical compounds. That means that everything from the fertilizer used on the plants to the grain feed to the chickens is chemical free. This process is actually more expensive as most farms are run with chemical cleaning and production. To cut out that chemical process means that farmers have to closely monitor the plants, animals, and surrounding environment to ensure organic naturally pure results.
Special labeling is required for organic pet food as well. In the organic natural food industry, pet and human, there is a difference according to the U.S. Association of American Feed Control Officials. The difference is in raising the animals versus contents of the food itself. Natural means there are no chemicals contained in the food while organic means that the animals or plants were raised without the use of chemicals. This special labeling process does incur extra fees for farmers and food processors which, unfortunately, are passed onto the consumer.
As far as the difference between naturally or organic food and regular pet food there are only a few. Many of the bulk processed and manufactured pet foods contain by-products. These by-products are composed of chemicals, left over parts of animals and plants, and processing agents that allow the food to stay fresh in shipment and while sitting on store shelves. These chemicals, though fine separately, can cause severe issues for pets and humans over time. In natural and organic dog food there are fresh meats, fish, grains, and no chemicals.
