Pamper Your Pets With Organic Pet Food

Knowing the lasting benefits of consuming organic foods, you're now convinced that everyone in your household must eat healthy, even your pets. Believe it or not, there is now organic pet food available in the market for your pets. Of course, since they can't talk or demand that we feed them healthy food, it's up to us to provide them with it.

As a pet owner, you may be wondering what pets get out of eating pet food that's organic. Research studies conducted have proven that there are several benefits brought forth by feeding your pet with organic food. One benefit is the reduction of skin ailments and allergies. Pets who feed on organic pet food suddenly have more energy and healthy weight. It's also been deduced that they have fewer digestive disorders, better overall health and a stronger immune system.

You may be surprised to know that more and more manufacturers of foods for pet are now manufacturing organically grown pet food as well. Since pets are part of a family unit, their diet must not be ignored. If you have the means and can fit an entirely different set of organic food in your budget, then start shopping for organically produced pet food.

You can likewise make organic pet food for your pet. It's less expensive that store-bought organic foods and may even be healthier than some. You can make your own version of all natural food for your pet by combining some of the food items you already have in your pantry with organic food supplements which you can get from your vet. You can just mix and grind the ingredients and you now have food that is organic for your beloved pet.

No matter what your pet is, they are living things that must be treated ethically and accordingly. If you're trying to lead a healthy life, bear in mind that even your pet is entitled to one as well. The first step to that is feeding your pet with organic pet food.

Kristel Caldoron has been writing articles online for about 3 years. Come visit her latest website about men's winter coat and down winter jackets.

How to Begin Feeding an Organic Dog Food Diet

The year 2005, which heralded three separate and serious pet food contamination issues, has been marked by many as the year the pet food industry was unmasked. Many dog owners, frightened and disgusted with the lack of standards the American and Canadian governments hold regarding the regulation of the pet food industry, are seeking out new ways to circumvent the commercial pet food juggernaut. It seems, however, that a "new way" has been found based on an "old way": the organic diet.

Taking their queue from an ancient example, people all over the world are shifting their pet's diet away from the grain-heavy commercial kibble to what dogs have been eating the longest. For millennia, canines in the wild have been eating exactly what God intended them to eat- fresh meat, eggs, bones, antlers, velvet antlers, vegetables, roots, and greens- with marvelous results. Traditionally viewed as carnivores, the canine world is actually omnivorous, preferring a certain level of plant-based food in their regular diet. This is evidenced by wild canines the world over including wolves, coyotes, dingos, jackals, and wild dogs. In the wild, these animals stool is smaller by weight, and of significant import to you as a pet owner, significantly less aromatic.

Knowing that a natural diet is better presents its own conundrums. Your dogs diet must shift to a natural one. Unfortunately, dog's digestive systems are far more sensitive to change than human digestive systems; they simply weren't made to have sudden major shifts in the type of food they eat. This means that when you are ready to change your dog over to a natural diet you must take care to do it correctly.

First, divide your dogs regular kibble feedings up into a twice-a-day pattern. The first feeding should be when you wake up in the morning and the second feeding should be in the early afternoon. Insure that the second feeding is not given too late, as a stomach full of grain can sit poorly in the stomach overnight, causing gastric distress, vomiting or diarrhea.

After you have divided up the feeding schedule, begin introducing the elements of the new diet to the dog as treats between feedings. Test which meats your animal prefers before settling on any one in particular. Avoid pork and ground beef, but feel free to test poultries, mutton, cabrito, or beef. Feeding raw pork increases the possibility of subjecting your dog to trichinosis; ground beef increases the possibility of salmonella. Be sure to include the greens, supplements, and additives you've chosen in the testing phase, as well, insuring nothing will be refused as the diet is changed. Make sure your dog will eat the more exotic additives: dietary items like velvet antler are never refused but sometimes a dog will get finicky over ginger or mustard.

During the test phase, monitor your dog's health for any reactions to the new food. Does his stool change? Does he get sick? Insure that your dog has no adverse reactions to his new food before continuing on to the next phase.

Next, examine the daily caloric value of the commercial kibble. If this information is not present on the packaging, consult the web for a guide- there are several available. When you have this information- a specific number of calories- begin replacing 25% of these with the caloric equivalent from the new diet, both in the morning and in the evening. You will feel that you are underfeeding when you see the volume of food reduced but don't be alarmed. This is simply a visual indicator of how calorie-poor the regular commercial kibble is; your dogs natural diet will have nearly 1.25 times the calories and 2-3 times the protein by weight that his grain-laden kibble has.

Continue the 25% substitution for two weeks and then move to a 50% substitution. Some people substitute one entire meal at this point but this is a mistake. Make sure when in this conditioning phase that you substitute your percentage at each feeding and not from the total calories per day.

Let your dog stay on the 50% substitution for a full month and integrate your additives, such as velvet antler (a common preventative for canine arthritis) and greens during this time.

At the end of the 50% period your animal should also be taking all the supplements that will be part of his meals from now on.

From there it's a short one week stint at 75% at the end of which the impact to your dogs health should be self-evident. Most dogs show marked increases in activity, energy level, mood, as well as reductions in health problems. Thanks to your change to an organic diet you can both say goodbye to commercial food forever.

Larry Strawson is a concerned pet owner and webmaster of find veterinarian clinic [http://findveterinarianclinic.com]. It lists veterinarian clinics alphabetically by city and state.

Organic Pet Food - Why Natural Does Not Mean the Same As Organic?

Organic food enjoys an ever-widening consumer base and rightly so, as it is better for people and the environment. However, when it comes to feeding your pets, most people don't know organic pet food exists. Most people treat their pets like 4-legged children, some going so far as to literally clothe their pets. However, they feed them generic food which is billed as 'natural' and good for your pet. But be warned, further investigation is often needed to uncover some much needed facts.

Unlike food for human consumption, pet food is not strictly regulated which means if a dog food contains organic vegetables, the producer can then use non-organic beef and chicken, add preservatives and other toxic chemicals, and still label their dog food as "organic". While some certifiers have seals for organic pet foods, that doesn't mean the food is 100% organic. For example, if there is a USDA seal on a cat food package, that means that 70%, or more, of the ingredients in the food are organically produced.

However, there is a good-for-your-pet alternative, organic pet food. These typically contain very few ingredients. In one case, there is one fat, one protein and one carbohydrate. They don't use by-products, fillers of any kind, artificial flavors, artificial colors or preservatives.

While there is no way to prove a pet food product is entirely organic, with a little effort you can find the safest kibbles for your pet. Talk to other dog owners about what they feed their dogs. Experts at your local kennel club are typically happy to share information regarding the best dog foods available. Search for blogs and other online resources and find out what other pet lovers say about what they feed their beloved pets. Be mindful of the source of information however, as companies can, and do, pay people to say that their food is better than it is. The best way to verify the quality of a product is to look at the ingredients list. If you cannot pronounce the words, they are probably not organic or natural.

Not unlike human foods, your pet's body has to absorb and digest the food you feed it. When pets have to digest artificial ingredients, their bodies have to work harder, which in turn diminishes your pet. While organic pet foods do cost more than the standard food you find at the grocery store, you're paying for high quality ingredients that will be good to your pet and their digestive system.

While it might take a little time and effort to find a quality organic food for your pet, their continued good health and prolonging of life makes it worth the work. You and your pets will be thankful you made the effort to give them the best possible food. Pet owners who go organic with their animals rations notice more attentiveness, fewer health issues, shinier coats and happier, more attentive pets; these are priceless benefits.

Marty Rich has been a professional chef for more than 27 years. He is dedicated to helping everyday people, like you and me, learn to create easy, simple meals with the freshest of ingredients. For more information on organic living please visit http://www.chefmartyrich.com.