Natural dog food is a key component in the life of a happy, healthy, and active dog. Many commercial brands offer natural dog food selections, as well as smaller independent brands that may be from right around your region of the country. The most important thing to consider when looking for natural dog food is that the moniker “natural” corresponds to the ingredients listed on the label.

The first obvious sign determining whether or not a selection is indeed natural dog food is the appearance of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. Some preservatives used in natural dog food are in fact very harmful to your dog. Look to be sure the label reads all natural preservatives as opposed to harmful chemical additives. Likewise, natural dog food should not contain artificial flavors. All of the ingredients that give natural dog food its flavor should be as easily recognizable as the flavors added to human food. If the label suggests that chemical additives are a source of flavor, then it is not natural dog food. Also, artificial colors can have harmful effects on your dog’s digestive system. Look for natural dog food that appears to be colored soft earth tones; anything bright green or red probably contains additives, and this means you are not holding a bag of natural dog food.

Another indicator to suggest whether or not a brand is indeed natural dog food is the type of meat it contains. Look for meat such as turkey, liver, or lamb, and avoid all brands that claim to be natural dog food if their ingredients include meat by-products. If a brand is considered human grade, then this is a good indication that it is natural dog food, since the designation human grade means that only meats fit for human consumption were used in the manufacturing.