Natural dog food is made with recognizable ingredients and no artificial additives: named animal protein, vegetables, fruit and quality fats, with no artificial colors, preservatives or flavorings. It can be dry food, wet food or home-cooked food. What makes it natural is the label, not the format.
What natural dog food is (and what it isn't)
"Natural" is used very loosely in the market, so every brand applies it in its own way. The most reliable way to know whether a food is truly natural is to read the ingredient list. It all shows up there:
- Natural: "salmon", "dehydrated chicken", "insect protein", "sweet potato", "peas", "salmon oil".
- Not natural: "meat and animal by-products", unspecified "cereals", colorings, added sugars or preservatives such as BHA and BHT.
If you'd like to go through how to read a label step by step, you'll find it in how to read a dog food label.
What a good natural dog food should contain
- Quality protein first: named meat, fish or insect. It's what keeps muscle strong.
- Fats with omega-3: salmon oil or oily fish look after the skin, coat and joints.
- Vegetable and fruit fiber: pea, pumpkin, carrot or apple. They feed the gut flora and improve stools.
- Functional extras: probiotics for digestion and chondroprotectors (joint support: chondroitin, glucosamine) for the joints.
- No fillers: no artificial colors, preservatives or flavorings and, if your dog is sensitive, grain-free.
Natural dry food, wet food or homemade: how to choose
Natural dry food: the most convenient and the most complete. It comes balanced, keeps well and makes it easy to measure the portion. It's the base for most dogs.
Natural wet food: more water and more flavor. It works very well as a complement for senior dogs, dogs that drink little or that eat without much appetite.
Homemade food: the most controllable, but also the hardest to balance. Without the supervision of a veterinary nutritionist, calcium and vitamins are often lacking.
A combination that works for almost every dog is natural dry food as a base, with a food topper or a can of fish on top a couple of times a week.
How to switch your dog to natural food
Do it gradually, over about 7 days: 25% new food for the first two days, 50% for the next two, 75% for another two and 100% from the seventh day. We explain it day by day in how to change your dog's food in 7 days. During the switch, keep an eye on the stools: they're the best sign that the food agrees with your dog (here's how to interpret them).
Togo natural food
- Natural Hypoallergenic Salmon: dry food with salmon, probiotics and chondroprotectors, low in fat. For active dogs or those with sensitive skin and digestion.
- Bioprotein: insect protein and grain-free. For dogs with food allergies or intolerances.
- Veggie: grain-free recipe based on fruit, vegetables and superfoods. A light option.
- Premium Puppy: chicken, lamb and duck, gluten-free, for puppies.
- Vitality Collection: 5 natural toppers to add more flavor and protein to your dog's usual food.
You'll find them all in the natural hypoallergenic grain-free dry food collection.
Frequently asked questions about natural dog food
Is natural dog food the same as the BARF diet?
No. The BARF diet is raw food that you prepare at home. Natural food is a broader concept: any food made with recognizable ingredients, with no artificial colors, preservatives or flavorings. It can be cooked, wet or in the form of dry food.
Can dry food be natural food?
Yes, if the ingredient list proves it: named animal or insect protein at the start, no generic by-products and no artificial additives. It's the most convenient way to give a complete, balanced natural diet every day.
Is homemade food better than natural dry food?
Homemade food is only better if it's well formulated. It's common for it to lack calcium, vitamins or omega-3. If you cook for your dog, do it with a veterinary nutritionist. If not, a complete natural dry food is safer.
How long does it take a dog to adapt to natural food?
Make the switch over about 7 days, mixing the new food with the old in increasing proportions. Stools are the best indicator: if they stay firm and smell normal, the transition is going well.
Is natural food more expensive?
Per kilo, yes. But you usually feed a smaller amount because it has less filler and more nutrients, so the daily cost is closer than it seems. Work out the price per portion, not per bag.
Is it also suitable for dogs with allergies?
It's a good starting point, because it removes additives and grains that sometimes cause problems. If your dog has a diagnosed allergy, the right choice is a hypoallergenic dry food with a single protein or with insect protein.
