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We’ve decided to adopt a new dog, and I’ve done a lot of research on caring for our new family member, including getting him the proper medical care, plus leashes, beds, combs and other various products. Now I’m feeling into feeding him. It’s taking a while, because I don’t want to buy just any random dog food. After having watched Food, Inc. earlier this year, I’ve made an effort to change my eating habits. I don’t want to contribute to the agricultural, medical, economic and cultural problems of the country caused by the large corporate food companies. So we’ve been trying to buy at the Farmer’s Market as much as possible, plus buy organic and other more environmentally friendly items. It’s hard getting started, but we’re feeling more confident as time goes on.
But now we’re going to have to determine how to factor a pet into our new eco-minded ways. I’ve never owned a dog before, so I am starting from scratch regardless of the environmental considerations. Although I guess that could either be a benefit or a curse–a benefit since I have no habits to break, a curse because I have no idea of where to start. My first thought was to look at some all natural dog food that I saw advertised. But as I researched, I ascertained that “all natural” can mean just about whatever the manufacturer chooses it to mean. It’s not genuinely regulated, and therefore can’t be trusted as a label. So now I’m looking for the most part at organic dog food.
There are a fair number of brands available, which surprised me a little. I’m very happy to find that dog owners think about their pets when thinking about eating healthful foods and stewarding the environment. I wonder if pet lovers are more likely to also be environmentally conscious? In any case, now I plan to narrow down the choices by examining the individual companies. I don’t want to buy something that’s technically organic, only to find that they mistreat test animals or have an unusually huge carbon footprint. Someone also mentioned today that many people are changing to grain free dog food, since dogs in the wild don’t really eat grains.
Much food for thought when it comes to choosing pet food these days. Though it’s taking a good amount of time to get all this research done, in the end I’ll feel better knowing my love for my dog is not hurting the environment or his health.
Related articles
- What Human Foods Must Not Be Given To Dogs (animaltopics.com)
- A Guide To Good Commercial Dog Food (animaltopics.com)
- How Does the Nutritional Needs of Cats Influence the Price of Dry Food? (brighthub.com)
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