Dogs enrich our lives and give us so much joy. Dogs are our loyal companions in all situations, they are our family members and our best friends. Naturally, you only want the best for your friend, and this includes an optimally balanced and healthy diet. For the best dog life - species-appropriate right from the start - we concentrate our actions on offering good things that make animals healthy and happy. Because if the dog is healthy - or rather, if the dog eats healthily, the owner is happy.
But not all food is the same! The differences in the quality of the individual raw materials and manufacturing processes are considerable and can certainly affect the health of our four-legged friends. Many diseases are genetic, but the majority are based on environmental factors - in which nutrition plays a decisive role. The increasing number of allergies, joint problems, skin and hair problems, cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, kidney and liver diseases as well as digestive disorders can certainly be linked to an unhealthy, incorrect diet. Particularly in the case of the numerous food allergies and sensitive dogs, the owner must look for a food that does not contain the respective allergens. Here it is advisable to choose a food with a gluten-free formula and one that contains only has a single source protein - as intended in the recipes of Canis Plus® and as recommended by vets and veterinary practitioners.
The foundation for a long and vital life
The increase in dogs with behavioural problems is not only due to poor husbandry and training but is also the result of too many chemicals in their food, as neurotoxic substances in synthetic preservatives can change a dog's behaviour. However, it is up to the dog owner to have a direct influence on their pet's health by providing high-quality food.
What's more, biologically appropriate food must correspond to the animal's natural way of life. A diet tailored to individual needs and living conditions is the foundation for a long, vital life. For this reason, if you feed your dog a wholesome diet in harmony with nature, your four-legged friend will reward you with a healthy body and a zest for life.
Natural dog food for a species-appropriate diet
What you feed your dog has a major influence on their health and well-being. This is because not all dog food is the same. Different recipes sometimes contain more meat, sometimes more grain and often also synthetic additives. Not everything contained in a supposedly species-appropriate dog food, is actually good for the animal. At Naturavetal® we are convinced that natural dog food is best as it consists exclusively of natural ingredients. In this article, we will show you exactly what is meant by natural dog food, which substances should not be present and how your dog benefits from a naturally healthy diet!
What does that mean?
If something is natural, it belongs to nature, occurs in nature and/or results from the laws of nature. It is also important to note that something natural has grown naturally and has not been artificially produced in a laboratory. For natural dog food, this definition means that it consists of ingredients that have been taken unchanged from nature. Neither animal nor plant ingredients have been genetically manipulated or have had their properties altered by synthetic substances. The processing of these natural ingredients requires the utmost care. For example, if they are heated too much during the production of dry food - as is the case with extruded food - vitamins and nutrients can be lost. Inevitably, these must then be replaced by artificial additives. Such unnatural food can swell up in the dog's stomach and cause metabolic disorders, which is completely against nature.

Components of natural dog food
Natural dog food contains exactly what nature intended and what your four-legged friend needs in terms of species-appropriate feeding. That is why meat is the most important component. Unlike cats, dogs are not exclusively carnivores, but the main component of their diet is animal-based. The origin of this diet can be traced back to it’s ancestors, the wolf. The wolf eats its prey with skin and hair. This also includes the respective stomach contents, which in herbivores are made up of plant components Natural dog food should therefore contain plenty of meat as well as fruit, vegetables, herbs and/or sprouts for a balanced, species-appropriate diet. It should be noted that neither a wild wolf nor a domesticated dog would consider nibbling off individual stalks in a wheat field to get their lunch. This is why an excessive amount of grain does not belong in natural dog food.
What is the truth about the "bad grain"?
High amounts of cereals such as wheat, rye or barley have no place in high-quality dog food. In principle, grain contains a lot of energy, it contains vitamins, minerals and trace elements. However, if the proportion is not right or vegetable by-products such as roots or stalks are processed, then it is not a species-appropriate dog food. In addition, many dogs are allergic to different types of grain or cannot tolerate the gluten contained in grain. That's why Naturavetal® has always avoided cereals containing gluten.
Undigested grain is difficult to digest - it not only leads to short-term constipation or diarrhoea but can also cause long-term diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and other organs. Too much grain, on the other hand, can lead to diarrhoea and make dogs chronically ill, for example by damaging the kidneys. Naturavetal® therefore relies primarily on broken-down substitute cereals such as millet and buckwheat, which make a valuable contribution to the diet.
The cereals and cereal alternatives that we use in our range come from the EU and are grown in accordance with legal standards. We only use grains and grain alternatives that are not genetically modified.
However, the absence of genetic engineering cannot be guaranteed, as environmental factors and transportation routes can result in minute impurities, which unfortunately nobody can avoid nowadays.
The grains or grain alternatives used in our Canis Plus® food are tested according to the strictest quality criteria and broken down using a steam-cooking process. This means that they can be optimally utilised by the dog and provide a wide range of nutrients when added to meat, vegetables, fruit and herbs. During the strict quality controls, the raw material is cleaned several times so that only the valuable grain remains for the production of our cold-pressed food. Inferior plant by-products such as stalks or leaves are therefore already sorted out during these quality controls. The content of micro toxins, including aflatoxins, is also strictly monitored.
Why is only one animal protein source useful?
When considering the wolf as a wild relative of the dog, it quickly becomes clear why only one animal protein source per meal corresponds to natural feeding behaviour. The wolf chooses a specific animal as its prey. Regardless of whether it is a deer or a rabbit - neither will have any meat from other animals in its stomach. Neither deer nor rabbits are carnivores, but feed on grasses or herbs. This means that the wolf only eats the meat of the prey it kills and consumes a single type of animal protein. Following these natural feeding behaviours and preferences, Naturavetal® also relies on a single source of animal protein for it’s cold-pressed dry food. Most of the complete meals are based on a single protein, but there are also 3 varieties for sensitive eaters that rely on different, easily digestible animal protein sources.
Elimination of synthetic and harmful substances
Naturavetal® does not use any of the following ingredients, because they do not belong in natural dog food:
- Flavour enhancers
- Chemical preservatives
- Artificial colours
- Artificial Flavours
- Attractants
- Vegetable by-products
- Animal by-products
- Synthetic binders
Plant by-products include peanut shells, straw, beet pulp, roots and molasses. Animal by-products can be feather meal, claws, beaks or hooves. Behind both categories are waste products that are used as cheap fillers. Low-quality dog food therefore often refers to plant or animal by-products rather than the actual ingredients.
The benefits of natural dog food
The basis for natural dog food is first-class quality raw materials. Naturavetal® uses only pure, high-quality ingredients and prepares them using gentle production processes. This preserves all the natural vitamins and makes them digestible for the dog. The avoidance of genetically modified ingredients and cheap fillers such as wheat, soy, dairy products, sugar in the form of beet or molasses is a matter of course. Synthetic vitamins, attractants and preservatives also have no place in all-natural dog food. This results in numerous health benefits for your dog. By choosing natural dog food, you are actively helping to keep your pet healthy!
At a glance
Naturavetal® dog food is
- natural
- species-appropriate
- holistic
- high quality
- compatible
- healthy
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by phone. We are here to help you with comprehensive advice. You can reach us Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. by phone at 0208 - 531 7804 or mail info@naturavetal.co.uk.