Organic Dog Food – Healthy Nutrition With Sustainability

Organic is the trend. It stands for healthy, sustainable nutrition with a good conscience as a bonus. To prevent it from becoming a mere marketing element, the term “organic” is strictly protected. In the case of food for humans, the “EC Organic Regulation” takes effect. This decides which food can receive an “organic certificate” and which cannot. Similar regulations have been in place for pet food since 2009. The pet food regulation stipulates that at least 95 percent by weight of a feed unit must come from organically controlled cultivation. But is organic dog food always the best for your pet? This and other questions we clarify for you in this article.

What Does “Organic Dog Food” Mean?

Organic dog food does not only mean that the dog is fed healthy. The term “organic” also says a lot about the way food is produced. Anyone who wants to produce “organic food” or “organic pet food” must adhere to strict guidelines. For example, the following ingredients must not be included in organic dog food under any circumstances:

  • Colorants
  • Preservatives
  • Flavor enhancers
  • added sugar

In addition, the organic food regulation also sheds light on the method of production of raw materials. Vegetables must not be sprayed and breeding animals must not be treated with antibiotics. The cleanliness and animal welfare of breeding pens are also strictly controlled.
By choosing organic dog food, you have already made a good contribution to the healthy nutrition of your four-legged friend.

Beware Of False Claims With Organic Dog Food!

Because the term “organic pet food” is so strictly protected, some feed manufacturers try to give a false impression by using misleading claims. For example, the following terms are not yet protected and should make you wary:

  • Sustainable
  • Wholesome
  • Comprehensive
  • Controlled cultivation
  • Controlled production.

Although the term “sustainable” is on everyone’s lips, everyone understands something different about it. In essence, this term simply means that a maximum of as many resources are consumed in the manufacture of a product as are newly created. For example, a feed farm that runs on renewable energy and produces its own compost is operating sustainably.

Similarly, “whole-food” or “comprehensive” are poorly defined terms. Ultimately, they don’t say much about the quality of dog food. For example, it doesn’t clarify which type of dog or breed the food is suitable for. A puppy needs to be fed differently than an old, neutered male dog. A lively greyhound has a different eating behavior than a leisurely herding dog. Sustainable, wholesome and comprehensive are far too woolly terms for this, which quickly convey a false sense of security.

“Controlled cultivation” or “controlled production” also say practically nothing. One should expect a feed manufacturer to control its production in some way.
Therefore: with the organic seal, you are always on the safe side with your organic dog food.

What Is Wrong With Dog Food That Is Not “organic”?

Quality dog food does not necessarily and in every case also has an organic seal. For good reason, there are also many manufacturers who only mark part of their range with this coveted certificate. For certain indications, such as special diet food for sick dogs, it is difficult to produce it as organic food.
Nevertheless, there are worlds between cheap no-name food and quality organic food. Cheap dog food is often loaded with ingredients that will make your dog sick in the long run. In addition, the ingredients are often unbalanced and contribute little to the complete nutrition of your dog.

You should always expect the following ingredients in cheap dog food:

  • Added sugar
  • Poor carbohydrates
  • Undefined residues such as stomach and intestinal contents
  • Bad fats
  • Low quality additives
  • Preservatives and flavor starches

All of this contributes to your dog getting sick faster. At the latest then you have to change to special food. This can be more expensive than if you had provided your dog with quality food from the beginning.

Is Organic Dog Food Always The Best Choice?

Choosing organic dog food is a good first step to feeding your dog as healthy as possible. However, it’s not guaranteed that you’ll always be doing the best for your dog with this feeding method. “Organic” only says something about how it’s made. The EU pet food regulation does not make any statements about how healthy the food actually is for your dog. As a result, many organic foods have come up negatively in tests in the past. Often, the contents are composed in an unfavorable way. This applies, for example, to the following ingredients:

  • Vitamins
  • Minerals
  • Trace elements
  • Fiber
  • Vegetable or animal oils

A dog is just as dependent on a balanced diet as a human being. Wolves, from which dogs are descended, also do not feed exclusively on the muscle meat of the killed sheep, deer, and hares. Rather, the animal is always eaten whole. Thereby the various stomachs of ruminants and their contents supply the wolf with the necessary vitamins and minerals.
A balanced biological diet must therefore contain all these ingredients as well. Here tests or the advice of your veterinarian or breeder will help you.

When Should I Switch To Organic Dog Food?

Switching to organic dog food should be preceded by your conscious decision to adopt an environmentally friendly lifestyle. Feeding animals and humans organically means stopping the ecological damage of industrial diets. It means consuming less packaged, processed, and alienated food. Organic is not just a label, but a way of life that we want to encourage you to adopt.
We have already clarified that organic does not automatically mean “maximum health”. But a conscious life also includes a conscious food preparation for humans and animals. Organic is the ideal start.

What Are The Advantages Of Organic Dog Food?

Organic dog food primarily ensures that your pet doesn’t get certain ingredients. Preservatives added sugar, antibiotics, dyes, or flavor enhancers not only disrupt your dog’s eating habits. When consumed in excess, they can also cause massive health problems. This starts with obesity and ends in diabetes, gout, or cancer.
However, always pay attention to the recommendations of your veterinarian and the specified ingredients. The food should not only be organic but also have all the necessary ingredients. If you only look at the “organic” label, you run the risk of giving your dog malnutrition.

Can I Make Organic Dog Food Myself?

Organic dog food is particularly suitable for home production. It offers you the following advantages:

  • Full control over all contents
  • Perfectly adapted to the needs of your dog
  • Versatile and varied
  • Great fun factor and gaining valuable knowledge

To give your dog the best homemade organic food, you should consult with your veterinarian. Some additives you need to add manually, such as certain oils or vitamins. In addition, you only need to pay attention to the organic production method of the raw materials. In this way, you can acquire profound knowledge and skill for which many other dog owners will be grateful

In our article about barfing, you can find more useful information about homemade dog food.

What Do Breeders And Veterinarians Say About Organic Dog Food?

There is probably no vet or breeder who would advise against organic dog food. The advantages are obvious. However, even a professional will always advise you to carefully study the ingredients of the packaging. If in doubt, bring a can of your chosen dog food to the consultation or photograph the ingredients with your smartphone. The vet or the breeder can then give you valuable tips on how to optimize the food for your dog. Sometimes it is already enough to stir in a few drops of a special agent into a finished product to obtain valuable dog food.


If your dog has symptoms of illness, you should put the desire for organic food behind. In this case, it may well be that only non-organic dog food is best for your faithful friend. Once he is back on his feet, you can switch back to the organic diet.

Feed With Variety – Even With Organic Dog Food

As good as you are about feeding your dog organic dog food, make sure you add variety. If you always give your dog the same food, he will eventually refuse the food. Organic only says something about the method of production. It doesn’t matter whether you use pork, beef, chicken, lamb, or venison. However, only use meats that are suitable for your dog

If your faithful friend suffers from obesity, for example, you should avoid overly fatty meats such as pork or lamb. You can also be variable in the preparation. Baked, cooked, or raw ingredients in the dog food should balance each other out. In the selection of carbohydrates, fiber, minerals, and vitamins you also have a wide choice. This will not only keep your dog healthy but also happy!

Share Your Knowledge About Organic Dog Food With Others!

We hope this article has helped you understand the basics of organic dog food. If we could inspire you for this approach, then share your experiences with us. Drop us an email and tell us how your dog has changed with organic food.
Other dog owners would also like to have first-hand information and experiences. Therefore, share your knowledge on the relevant forums and groups. On Facebook or Instagram, you will also find numerous like-minded people who only want the best for their faithful four-legged friends. These communities are always grateful for first-class experience reports. However, please make sure that the information is as correct as possible. Therefore, do not believe everything you read there. The vet or the breeder should always have the last word about the nutrition of your dog. This also applies to organic dog food.

Faq About Organic Dog Food

What is organic dog food?

Organic dog food consists of biologically controlled ingredients. It must not contain more than 5% non-biological ingredients according to the pet food regulation.

Is organic dog food always the best?

Organic food for dogs is a good basis for a healthy diet. However, it depends on the ingredients of the product and the particular dog, how healthy the food really is.

Can you make organic dog food yourself?

Organic dog food is especially good for making your own. Not only is it a lot of fun, but you always have full control over all the ingredients and how they are prepared.

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