The Patio Expert Pages

Although the dog is considered to be man's best friend and his most loyal and faithful companion, little thought is given to how they are fed. Many rely solely on dry pellets or food tins, mass-produced goods of convenience made with little to no consideration for a dog's nutritional well-being. If you truly value your furry friend, then natural dog food is the only way to take his health seriously.

Yet with all due fairness, canned food and dry pellets are very convenient. Dry dog food can be left out for days in the feeding dish, which means there is no need to watch over the dog to ensure he finishes his meal. He or she can merely come and go at his stomach's urging. Canned food on the other hand, keeps fresh unopened and ensures a moist and tasty meal no matter how long they're been in the pantry.

Still, some would argue that the endorsement of natural dog food is merely born from a marketing trend that exploits the hippie feel-good urges of consumers, a fad that has made "organic" and "fair trade" a means to add value to commodities. The reality though is that commercial dog food is also unhealthy and in some cases unfit for consumption. They can be made from disgusting animal by-products, coated in chemical additives and preservatives or filled with unhealthy corn gluten.

Furthering the confusion is the extent to which many companies falsely advertise their products as "natural dog food." Because food labelling regulations have a very liberal interpretation of "natural," it is actually possible to sell dog food filled with processed intestines and cow brains and still get away with calling it "natural." Therefore, you should look to two companies that know what's naturally fit for consumption.

One company that attempts to find a realistic place between health and convenience in making and selling natural dog food is Honest Kitchen. Their natural dog food products come in dehydrated form and are made from fresh natural ingredients such as organic grains, vegetables and real meat. Serving them merely requires adding warm water to rehydrate them into a full meal packed with nutrition.

Another company that specializes in natural dog food, albeit of another variety, is Merrick Dog Food. They deal in canned meals made of human-grade food free of antibiotics, animal by-products, hormones and preservatives. Some of their varieties include a juicy mixed meat combination of turkey, duck and chicken called Turducken and a high fiber chicken, potato and apple combo called Grammy's Pot Pie.