Organic dog food diets can do wonders for your Tibetan dog’s health. They prevent diseases and ensure a long and happy life?
If you agree with this, go for it. Get your dog on an organic diet.
But first, when you go looking for organic food for your Mastiff dog, you sometimes get overwhelmed by the number of different kinds of organic products?
This is the thing: Each organic pet product may have a unique effect on your dog’s health. Depending on how the word “organic” is used, it has very different meanings.
I was confused by this. So, I created this article to help choose what’s best for our pooches.
The True Meaning of "Organic Dog Food" For Tibetan Mastiffs
In general, organic food is made of raw materials produced following the principles of organic farming. These principles include sustainability, resource cycling, and preservation of biodiversity.
When it comes to dog food, organic means you do not use anything artificial or chemical in any of the processes used to produce the food.
Unfortunately, that is so only in an ideal world.
In the real world, things are not that simple. (I wish it was.) Many variants of the term “organic” appear, and we need to know the meaning of each of them.
“Organic,” “100% organic”, “70% organic”, and the list goes on. So let’s get down to business, here’s the 7 types of organic.
1. 100% Organic Dog Food
When you read 100% organic on a dog food package, it means quite a few things:
All raw materials are organic. Plant products are naturally grown, that is, no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Animals are raised on 100% organic feed and forage, and not treated with antibiotics or hormones.
No synthetic additives are allowed, either for coloring, flavoring or preservation.
There are no genetic modifications whatsoever. Not in plants, not in animals.
All organic processes must be kept basic and simple – curing, baking, separating, extracting, slaughtering, or fermenting, to name a few. No processes are allowed that alter chemical properties, such as irradiation, artificial hydrogenation, or use of solvents for protein extraction.
Material handling must follow strict guidelines set by USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP).
If you’re really serious about organic, you should go for 100% organic.
It will cost you more, but you can be pretty sure that no chemicals, no genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and no artificially processed products enter your dog’s organism.
And your friend will enjoy all the benefits of truly organic food.
Tip: Take into account that 100% organic products have no preservatives, which means you won’t be able to store them for too long.
Always look at the date of expiry when you buy 100% organic, and buy only for a few days.
2. Organic Dog Food
Dog food products are allowed to use the word “organic” in products that are not 100% organic, together with the USDA organic seal.
How much non-organic is allowed in a product labeled as organic? Up to 5%.
But don’t worry – that 5% of non-organic components in organic dog food cannot include anything. They must be on a list of approved non-agricultural items.
For example, you can take the use of baking soda for baked goods, the use of pectin in fruit jams, or even enzymes in yogurt.
Genetic engineering and chemical alteration procedures are still prohibited, even for this 5% of non-organic.
The other 95% must comply with the same organic guidelines as 100% organic food.
3. Dog Food Made With Organic
When you read “made with organic” on a dog food package, it means that the product contains at least 70% organic products.
As with the previous 5% rule, the 30% non-organic in this type of dog food product cannot be made following prohibited practices – again, no genetics and no chemicals.
But you must be aware that the non-organic 30% of a “made from organic” product can include ingredients prohibited in the two top categories of organic products. There’s no list of allowed products here.
“Made with organic” food products are not allowed to include the USDA organic seal on their package.
But they must identify the entity responsible for certifying the product as made of organic ingredients.
When in doubt, read the package carefully and look for the identity of the certifier.
4. Mastiff Pet Food With Organic Ingredients
The word “organic” may appear on the ingredient list of food products that are not organic.
In these cases, labeling regulations prohibit the food vendor from making any organic claim on the main areas of the package. That is, the use of the USDA organic seal is not allowed, and also “organic” cannot appear on the principal display panel.
In this type of food product, the certified organic ingredients are allowed to be identified as organic on the detailed information panel.
Also, the percentage of organic ingredients may be shown.
But keep in mind that, even when some organic content may be included, the food itself is not certified organic. Therefore, it can contain all kinds of chemicals and GMOs, and it can be artificially processed.
5. Non-GMO Dog Food
Non-GMO foods – as you can imagine – contains no genetically modified organisms. By definition, organic products are also non-GMO, but not the other way around.
That means not all non-GMO products are organic. But they are still good for your dog since they do not present the problems that GMOs bring.
Although the issue is being discussed in the US Congress, there are still no regulations regarding the labeling of GMO and non-GMO products.
Therefore, as dog owners, a way to avoid feeding our pets GMOs is simply to go organic.
Or we can check the Non-GMO Project website and its product verification program, where non-GMO food and products are listed.
The Non-GMO Project tests products for GMO contamination, that’s why it is stricter in this sense than USDA organic certification.
6. Raw Dog Food
A raw food diet is free from the nutrient-destroying processes that are used to make commercial, regular dog food. But nothing guarantees that raw food ingredients are organic.
Raw meat or vegetables can be made of GMOs or grown following non-organic methods.
Therefore, to feed your dog a truly organic, raw diet is to buy all raw ingredients yourself and make sure they are organic. Or buy pet food that is both raw and organic.
7. Vegan Dog Foods
While some principles of veganism coincide with those of organic products, vegan and organic are two completely different things.
Remember: Dogs are not vegan in their natural state. They’re omnivorous, and they eat animals or animal products whenever they have the opportunity.
They also need nutrients from meat-based food.
Also, having said that, here is the thing – vegan dog diets have some benefits.
For instance, they make dogs less prone to some diseases and causes fewer digestive problems.
Important: Proceed cautiously if deciding not to feed your dog animal products. Make sure that the vegan diet actually meets all of the dog’s nutritional needs.
Conclusion: Is Organic Dog Food Better For Your Tibetan Mastiff?
Organic dog food is better for your pup’s health, since organic is (mostly) free from synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, additives, coloring, flavoring or synthetic preservation. It is also non-GMO, free from antibiotics and hormones, and often has much higher nutritional value than commercial non-organic dog foods.
One-line conclusion: Organic pet food helps you give your dog a healthier life, more so than (pretty much) anything else on the commercial market.
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