Why we made the switch to organic pet food for our little dog

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by ORGANIX. I received complimentary product and compensation, however all opinions, pictures and words are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that support A Lady Goes West!

I am super excited about this one, because it gives me a chance to talk about something so important in my life that doesn’t get enough blog screen time … my pet! Brought to you by ORGANIX pet care, this post has plenty of dog pictures, so stick around.

Before Dave and I had a dog of our own, we didn’t truly understand how much a dog would change our lives. Our 9.5-pound maltipoo, Rudy, is 100 percent a member of the family. We take him as many places as possible, including on cross-country trips, he sleeps right between us in our bed and is always top of mind. And we wouldn’t have it any other way. We’re Rudy obsessed.

Looking at the ingredients list

The funny thing is: as you know from reading this blog and following me on Instagram, in addition to being Rudy-obsessed, I’m very much aware of everything that I put into my body and choose organic fruits and vegetables and whole foods most of the time. I’ve always looked at food labels and been health conscious. I’ve eliminated so many bad items and ingredients from my life in the past few years as well.

However, for some reason, for the first year and a half of Rudy’s life with us, I somehow neglected to ever look at a single ingredient label on anything we fed him. While I wouldn’t exactly say I’ve been negligent, I just haven’t focused on his diet. He has eaten the same two brands of dry dog food since we brought all three pounds of him home in June of 2015. That being said, there were times a few months into Rudy’s life with us that I would say to Dave … you know, I keep trying to eat less packaged food, but if you think about it, that’s all Rudy gets. Everything he eats is packaged, processed and has been on the shelf a long time. Is that good? He seems to be thriving? Who knows. We never really dug deeper, because Rudy has always been a happy and healthy pup.

Introducing organic pet food to Rudy

Well, fast forward to just a few weeks ago, when I received two huge bags of ORGANIX organic pet food for Rudy to try in the mail. He was super scared of the bags when they came, and yes, he barked at the UPS man who dropped them off (but then he got a treat, because our UPS man is not offended by Rudy’s barking and always gives Rudy a big bone when he comes by). And although Rudy still runs from the big bag of food when it moves around the kitchen, he has become totally enthralled in his new food, which makes me very happy.

I was honestly so excited about the thought of improving Rudy’s diet and giving him real food that would somehow be better for him and find a food he would be more excited to eat. After a little research I came to find out that many popular dog-food brands use meat by-products, processed meat and all the bad leftovers from what is going to be sent to package up for humans to eat. Gross right? Rudy does not deserve scraps, and I bet you feel the same way about your dog. That’s where ORGANIX came in, because when I read up on the brand, I instantly knew I was confident that I could feed it to our little guy. Here’s why …

Overview of ORGANIX organic pet food

ORGANIX is organically-certified and it’s balanced nutrition for dogs — which basically means you don’t need to feed your dog anything else (which we don’t), because they get all they need from the food.

The brand has a great reputation and profile (more details below), which is all well and good — but what is also very important is whether Rudy would eat it. He isn’t a huge eater, and would often leave his food bowl untouched all day until he would pick at it in the evening. Let me just say, the second I poured out his first bowl of ORGANIX, he went to town. He’s a big fan! I haven’t exactly done a taste test myself, but I trust Rudy’s refined palette. 

In our shipment, we got a big bag of Salmon & Peas Grain-Free Recipe and Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe. The bags are big, and the food does not have an odor, which I think is awesome. The little bites are small, round and brown and perfect for a small dog like Rudy, but would also work for a big dog in larger quantities.

Really cool things about ORGANIX 

• The FIRST and number-one ingredient in Rudy’s favorite flavor, Salmon & Peas Grain-Free Recipe (yes, just like his mommy, he loves salmon) is real salmon. And in the pet food world, that’s a big statement. The other ingredients in it are organic garbanzo beans, organic sunflower meal, organic lentils and even organic flaxseed. So basically, Rudy is getting fiber, vitamins, minerals, protein and even omega-3 fatty acids with each meal. Amazing!
• You can buy ORGANIX in Pet Smart, Petco, Whole Foods and other natural grocery stores. I looked for it in the pet area of my local Walnut Creek Whole Foods, and it was there.
• The organic ingredients are made without chemical pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, artificial preservatives, added growth hormones or antibiotic (because ain’t nobody got time for that).
• No soy, no corn, no wheat, no grains in some recipes, such as the Salmon & Peas, and all cooked in an organically certified kitchen in the U.S. Wow!

It’s pretty clear with those credentials that ORGANIX has what you’d need to feed your pet a good diet, but let’s talk price. So as you would imagine, organic pet food will usually be slightly more expensive than regular pet food, and ORGANIX is. However, when you buy in bulk with a big bag, you can justify the higher cost. And remember, when you pick up an organic tomato for yourself, you’re doing so with the knowledge that organic is better for you, so wouldn’t it be the same for your beloved fuzzy friend?

As far as Rudy’s energy level and trips to the potty, they remain the same and good. However, I did read that switching to organic pet food can help your dog have more energy. Oh and as a reminder, I also read something on the importance of rinsing out your dog’s water dish each day too, which is something we’re trying to do now, in addition to giving Rudy filtered water from the fridge. Only the best for him!

All in all, my little Rudy means the world to me, and I know we are great dog parents. But after switching him over to organic food, I feel that much more comfortable that we’re giving him everything he needs to live a long and healthy life, bringing his favorite toys over to our feet to play fetch all night into eternity. 

To find ORGANIX in a store near you, visit the store locator on the ORGANIX site. You can also order on the brand’s online shop and follow along on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  

Real talk: Should you buy your pet #organic food? @apstyle reviews @castorpolluxpet food #ad ... Click To Tweet

Questions of the day

Do you have a pet? What kind and what’s his/her name?

If you had to create a pet food flavor profile? What would be in it?