Is there a way to assure balanced nutrition in natural diets?
Even some “unnatural” commercial diets are not nutritionally balanced. Many dog foods claim to meet the National Research Council’s (NRC) Nutrient Requirements of Dogs, however, dog food labels are misleading because although many of them claim to meet or exceed NRC recommendations for nutrients, the quality and thus the digestibility (bioavailability) of these nutrients are often undetermined in these dog foods. Therefore, when purchasing either standard or natural dog food, the best assurance of nutritional quality is given by labels that state: “Complete and balanced nutrition for all stages of a dog’s life as substantiated by feeding trials performed in accordance with the procedures established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).” Also, a warning about diets labeled as “natural”: many pet foods that claim to be natural may not be natural at all. Some do contain chemically synthesized preservatives. The AAFCO has established recommended guidelines for “na
