Fresh Dog Food: Why Dogs & Dog Parents Love This Option
In the world of dog food options, fresh dog food has gained enormous popularity over the course of the last few decades. But not every fresh formula offers the same quality, so understanding what "fresh" means and what to look for is essential when choosing a healthy option for your dog.
What Is Fresh Dog Food?
In general, fresh dog food is made from a limited selection of ingredients that are gently cooked. Most fresh dog food brands contain a main protein, a grain, and a small selection of vegetables as well as added vitamins and minerals to ensure that the food is a complete and balanced diet.
Traditional commercial dog food, such as canned food and dry dog food (kibble), is heavily processed and laden with artificial ingredients, including preservatives, flavorings, and colors. To cut costs, the manufacturers also typically load the food up with cheap fillers such as wheat or corn. Additionally, because the standards of quality for dog food are lower than human food, the protein sources are often low-quality, fatty bits of meat scraps.
As veterinarians, we believe that a gently cooked diet of quality ingredients is the best option for dogs. Gentle cooking not only preserves moisture, but it also preserves nutrients and is generally easier for dogs to digest than canned food, kibble, or even raw food.
Why Do Dogs Love Fresh Dog Food?
Dogs love human food, and with a fresh dog food diet, they get exactly that, albeit in a safer form than the table scraps they crave. After all, our food tends to be too high in sodium for dogs, and ingredients such as onion and garlic are toxic for dogs.
Still, if you were a dog, which option would appeal most to you — dry kibble, lumpy mush from a can, or a delectable mix of fresh human-grade food? Whether you have picky eaters or you just want to switch to a fresh option, your dog will likely be thrilled with the change.
How To Select The Best Option
At Chi Dog, we firmly believe that fresh dog food is the healthiest option for most dogs; however, it is still important to read the food labels and consider the ingredients before making a choice.
For instance, we recommend opting for dog food that contains only human-grade ingredients that are minimally processed. Look for brands that say "lightly cooked" or "gently cooked" to ensure that processing is kept to a minimum.
The ingredient list should include easily recognizable whole foods. As an example, our Wood Diet ingredient list includes chicken, chicken eggs, brown rice, carrots, and broccoli with no fillers, preservatives, or artificial ingredients.
When it comes to protein sources, we highly recommend avoiding diet options that contain organ meats. This is a popular protein source for many dog food brands, but organ meats are fatty and can be high in copper.
Some dogs have difficulty digesting high-fat diets, and other dogs are prone to copper-storage issues. If you are searching for a dog food for digestive problems or a low copper dog food, diets with organ meats are not a good match. Fatty cuts of meat also would not be the best dog food for overweight dogs.
At Chi Dog, we use only lean proteins such as chicken breast, lean turkey, lean ground beef, and lean pork. We even have one plant-forward (The Earth Diet) option that includes egg and tofu as the protein sources. This can be a great option for weight management support or for dogs that need lighter, lower-fat nutrition.
When it comes to carbohydrates, we recommend opting for grains with a higher nutritional profile, such as millet, brown rice, or pearled barley. If you do need a grain-free option, we have two diets that are grain-free.
While low carb dog food is advisable, and protein should make up the bulk of a dog's diet, healthy carbs such as those mentioned above, as well as carefully selected vegetables, provide energy for your dog as well as supporting optimum health.
When reading the dog food label, we also highly recommend checking for ingredients such as carrageenan or synthetic emulsifiers. A few brands do contain these ingredients, and they have been associated with gut lining disruption.
Some brands also contain choline bitartrate, which is a synthetic version of choline. As veterinarians, we believe that dogs should obtain choline (and other nutrients) from whole food sources rather than synthetic sources as much as possible.
Choline helps transport fat out of a dog's liver, as well as supporting brain and nerve function and a healthy metabolism. It is particularly important during the puppy stage, as it also supports healthy growth and development.
What About Holistic Dog Food?
Chi Dog was formulated by veterinarians and a veterinary nutritionist to meet standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Diets are suitable for all life stages, including large breed puppies and senior dogs.
Our vet developed dog food falls under the fresh dog food category, but we truly have designed our diets to be holistic food for dogs, following the principles of both conventional Western medicine and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, or TCVM.
Western medicine tends to view food as simply providing the required nutrients and calories, which is certainly essential for any dog's health. With TCVM, however, we take nutrition a step further and have designed diet plans to nourish each dog's individual nutritional needs.
We offer five diet plans, and each ingredient was mindfully chosen for its nutritional properties. For instance, if you need kidney support dog food, our Water Diet includes just four easy-to-digest ingredients, including lean pork, pearled barley, green beans, and sweet potato.
These ingredients were chosen because they can help support normal kidney function and are gentle on your dog's system. Of course, we always recommend that you discuss diet and nutrition with your dog's veterinarian before switching to a new dog food, especially for dogs with any health conditions.
If you would like to switch to fresh dog food, we encourage you to visit our homepage and click the Get Started tab. This will lead to a short quiz to determine which diet plan might be the best fit for your sweet dog. If you have any questions about our products, don't hesitate to get in touch with us at any time. We are happy to help you find the best food options or address any questions or concerns.
FAQ's
1. What is fresh dog food?
Fresh dog food is generally made with a limited selection of recognizable whole-food ingredients that are gently cooked. Most formulas include a primary protein, a carbohydrate source such as a grain, vegetables, and added vitamins and minerals to provide complete and balanced nutrition.
2. Is fresh dog food better than kibble?
Fresh dog food can be a beneficial option for dogs because gently cooked food retains moisture and may be easier to digest than heavily processed foods. When choosing a fresh diet, look for minimally processed, recognizable ingredients and a formula designed to provide complete and balanced nutrition.
3. What ingredients should I look for in fresh dog food?
Look for fresh dog food made with recognizable whole-food ingredients and lean protein sources. Nutritious carbohydrate options can include millet, brown rice, or pearled barley, along with carefully selected vegetables. It is also important to review the label for unnecessary fillers, preservatives, artificial ingredients, and synthetic emulsifiers.
4. Is fresh dog food good for dogs with sensitive digestion?
Fresh dog food made with gently cooked, easily digestible ingredients may be a good option for dogs with digestive sensitivities. Choosing a diet with lean proteins and avoiding overly fatty ingredients, such as organ meats and fatty cuts of meat, may also be helpful for dogs that have difficulty digesting high-fat foods.
5. How do I choose the right fresh dog food for my dog?
Start by considering your dog's individual nutritional needs, age, activity level, and any health concerns. Look for a fresh diet formulated by veterinary professionals and designed to meet appropriate nutritional standards. If your dog has a health condition, discuss any diet change with your veterinarian before making the switch.
