#OrganicPet Food Survey Says...

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

This infographic is sponsored by Castor and Pollux, the makers of ORGANIX. I have not been compensated to participate in this project.

What is Organic Pet Food?

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com 
What Exactly Does USDA Organic Mean to You?

Most of you know that I've been feeding my dogs ORGANIX organic dog food for, well, years. I've lost count. Today I'm participating in an #OrganicPet survey to collect some data on what your perception of organic is. This is going to be fun, since understanding what you believe about organic is very important to understanding what I can do to continue to educate you and myself about this important topic. You can help by giving me just a few minutes to take the organic pet food survey.

Just in case you're passing up this chance to offer your

insight, I timed my own taking of this 6-question survey. It took me a whopping 21 seconds. Can you spare 21 seconds to help us create more accurate information to use in our sharing. Thanks!


Along with a group of us in this mini research project, we'll be tabulating the data and creating an infographic to share our findings. Are you curious? I can't wait to see it. I've read so much about this original method of food production and farming that I often forget what I thought about it before I started on this journey. Watch for the infographic to come as we approach Halloween. No spooky info, I promise. Just your answers. Join us!

Happy tails,

This survey, infographic and the follow up post that will share some of my insights on shopping for your pets' food, is sponsored by Castor and Pollux, the makers of ORGANIX. I have not been compensated to participate in this project, but Castor and Pollux is my site's primary advertiser, so I'm eager to learn what our readers know about organic pet food. More soon!

ORGANIX Winners Get Bonus Bowls

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
ORGANIX and More....

This latest promotion of our dogs' favorite chow has really brought out some newbies, along with our long time readers who are always a pleasure to have paying us a visit. It's been fun watching the chatter on various social media. With new bowls up for grabs along with a 25 lb. bag to each winner, you guys have really shown off your enthusiasm. Thanks and please remember that both Castor and Pollux and yours truly love to see "after" photos!

I have to clear up one important matter. One curious and concerned reader wrote to ask if I was really putting Oliver on a diet--LOL!  Good heavens! Under all that fluff he weighs in at 10 lbs. I think he's good! 

What I do plan to do is check the weights of each of our winners to assure we don't give a Chihuahua-sized bowl to a Great Dane winner, or vice versa. You get the idea. Our winners will receive a specialty bowl--or in some cases a pair of them--properly suited to their dog's size. 

More importantly, however, these lucky pups will get to enjoy the transition to an organic food, made by the manufacturer's own company from quality ingredients without toxins or artificial tagalongs that we find in other foods. Oh happy day!

We'd like to help you make this transition completely so that you'll discover the emerging benefits of this nutritious diet in the coat, behavior and health of your pup. Believe me, it's worth the time and effort to find out what you've been missing. Take the challenge and transition completely to the new food, noting changes in your dog as you go along. Be sure to let us know how it goes.

Drum roll please....our winners are: Bryn N., Jackie dogmoma, J. Diehl, and L. Glickman. I'll be in touch via AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com. Watch your inbox and your spam file or feel free to write to me. I'll need your dog's weight and your full name and shipping address.

Happy tails,

As my primary advertiser, Castor and Pollux Pet compensates me for the ad you see at the top of my posts column. As their biggest fan, I serve their food to my dogs and recommend it whole heartedly. This giveaway was written entirely by me and contains only my own opinions.

When Pet Food Companies Merge

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

If there's one thing that can really get pet parents riled up, it seems to be the merging or blending of two pet food or treat companies. I'm with you. When my pets' food is potentially up for a revised recipe, I want to know all about it. I want to make the choice--stay or run.

Sometimes running is the right thing to do. Some years ago when our Xena was diagnosed with cancer I woke up and read the bag. Her first veterinarian had recommended the food that she had been on for 11 years. I was led down that road blindfolded, and had no idea what I was feeding her. My bad!

Following her diagnosis, I had a long talk with the oncologist about the natural things I could do to extend her life and take stress off her liver, where the cancer had taken up residence in my girl. While her cancer was inoperable her doctors were also telling me they couldn't be sure how long Xena would be with us--a few months maybe. 

Long story short, reducing the stress on her liver wasn't all that hard. I just had to choose organic food to eliminate the synthetic ingredients, preservatives, food coloring and such. This meant that I was going to run, not walk, to a new dog food brand. 

Imagine what a breath of fresh air her new food must have been to her liver. Suddenly it's job was reduced to the point it could actually work at staying afloat. Our Xena stuck around for 3 more cheerful, pain-free years, playing a rough and tumble game of tag with her bigger housemate, Tanner, on the morning before she left us.

And to think I may have considered staying within my comfort zone. Sometimes making a change is stressful, you know? Thinking about this now I reflected on the pet food companies that have merged or purchased other pet food or treat companies. The list is far too long to regurgitate here. Some of these mergers have seemingly gone well, while others have presented challenges to the pet-loving public.

About 2 years ago Castor and Pollux was purchased by Merrick. Merrick had the capital to fuel the growth that Castor and Pollux was eager to bring on. Castor and Pollux had the products to fulfill a growing market for natural and organic pet foods. The synergies of this acquisition brought results that are nothing short of amazing. Castor and Pollux's product line has grown by leaps and bounds, with no end in sight.

The next time your favorite pet food company is involved in an industry sale or merger, the best advice I can give you is to compare labels. And not just once. Watch for ensuing changes as the companies combine facilities and infrastructure.

You may have read that numerous pet food brands are manfactured by the same facilities, producing product for multiple brands. Finding a pet food brand that is self-manufactured can give you a bit more peace of mind. Further, choosing a food that has achieved organic certification and/or the NOP's Safe Quality Food level 3 certification, can only mean better, safer nutrtition for your pet.

And here's one last tip for a good decision. Read up on the company history on the buyer's side. If you like what you read, you're likely to find many of the the same philosophies flowing into both brands as the two come together as one. Press releases are generally searchable online. Research will benefit you and your pet; embrace it!

To your healthy pet,

As my primary advertiser, I am compensated for the ad you see at the top of this post column. I often share educational articles about the pet industry that reflect what I have learned as I represent Castor and Pollux. My own dogs eat ORGANIX by choice and the thoughts I share above are my own.

Organic Pet Food Giveaway: Try ORGANIX and Score a Bowl Surprise Too!

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Bowls and Chow for Your Fido!

Don't kid yourself about our All Things Dog Blog giveaways. We aim to please, even when it means bribery. This month's ORGANIX giveaway is getting a leg up with an assortment of bowls for our 4 winners to assure that dinner is served in style.

Our goal? We want to give you a goodly amount of this nutritious kibble so that you'll take your time, make the transition, and allow yourself to watch the changes in your dog that result in a truly healthful meal each day. Will your dog's coat gain shine and softness, will his behavior calm, will he appear more satisfied? Whatever the change, we know your dog will enjoy this food. 

 As of October, 2013 both Merrick and Castor and Pollux have earned the Safe Quality Food (SQF) Level 3 certification for its 195,000 square foot facilities located in Hereford, Texas. Moreover, Merrick's facilities are the world's only known Organic certified manufacturer that makes its own food to achieve this level of certification for both dry and canned food for pets under the USDA National Organic Program (NOP). That's safety to cheer about!

As we draw our winners, the bowls will be assigned to the winners based on size, so each will be a surprise. We're looking forward to seeing a lot of variety in our Fido's entries, including their weigh-in on the scale!

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Time for a Weigh In :)

In order to win, you need only use the Rafflecopter entry form at the bottom of this post. Occasionally, however, we have to admonish this widget for lack of responsiveness. If this happens, just click on the title of the post to snap it back to attention. Then you can enter and have fun.

Entries will remain open through midnight on Thursday, August 21. We'll announce the winners on Friday afternoon, August 22. Just as the widget indicates, each one of our lucky winners will receive a 25 lb. bag (or the equivalent in smaller bags) of ORGANIX organic dog food. Be sure to let us know two things with a comment: your dog's weight and his favorite variety of ORGANIX kibble. 

Good luck to you all. I'll be back on August 22 with a list of winners.

As my primary advertiser, Castor and Pollux Pet compensates me for the ad you see at the top of my posts column. As their biggest fan, I serve their food to my dogs and recommend it whole heartedly. This column was written entirely by me and contains my own opinions only.

Pet Food Labels: USDA Certified Organic vs. Certified Organic

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Healthy Food Helps Build Attentive Minds

Today I'd like to share a little about the rules that the U.S.D.A. places on pet food makers that produce organic food. Much of this has been excerpted from various pages on the USDA.gov website where the National Organic Program is detailed. There's a lot there to digest, so I'm going to help you get to the meat of it--pun intended! The material in black below has been excerpted from the webpages that are linked in this article, in order to make for swifter reading. Let's start with some general definitions of organic standards:

What is Organic?

Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods. These methods integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.

Organic crops. The USDA organic seal verifies that irradiation, sewage sludge, synthetic fertilizers, prohibited pesticides, and genetically modified organisms were not used.
Organic livestock. The USDA organic seal verifies that producers met animal health and welfare standards, did not use antibiotics or growth hormones, used 100% organic feed, and provided animals with access to the outdoors.
Organic multi-ingredient foods. The USDA organic seal verifies that the product has 95% or more certified organic content. If the label claims that it was made with specified organic ingredients, you can be sure that those specific ingredients are certified organic.
What About Other Labels?There are other voluntary labels for livestock products, such as meat and eggs. Animal raising claims must be truthful and not misleading. USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service verifies the truthfulness of these claims:
Free-range. This label indicates that the flock was provided shelter in a building, room, or area with unlimited access to food, fresh water, and continuous access to the outdoors during their production cycle. The outdoor area may or may not be fenced and/or covered with netting-like material. This label is regulated by the USDA.
Cage-free. This label indicates that the flock was able to freely roam a building, room, or enclosed area with unlimited access to food and fresh water during their production cycle.
Natural. As required by USDA, meat, poultry, and egg products labeled as “natural” must be minimally processed and contain no artificial ingredients. However, the natural label does not include any standards regarding farm practices and only applies to processing of meat and egg products. There are no standards or regulations for the labeling of natural food products if they do not contain meat or eggs.
Grass-fed. Grass-fed animals receive a majority of their nutrients from grass throughout their life, while organic animals’ pasture diet may be supplemented with grain. Also USDA regulated, the grass-fed label does not limit the use of antibiotics, hormones, or pesticides. Meat products may be labeled as grass-fed organic.
Pasture-raised. Due to the number of variables involved in pasture-raised agricultural systems, the USDA has not developed a federal definition for pasture-raised products.
Humane. Multiple labeling programs make claims that animals were treated humanely during the production cycle, but the verification of these claims varies widely. These labeling programs are not regulated under a single USDA definition.
No added hormones. A similar claim includes “Raised without Hormones.” Federal regulations have never permitted hormones or steroids in poultry, pork, or goat.
Which fertilizers are allowed in organic crop production?
The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 prohibits the use of synthetic fertilizers—including ammonia salts and urea—in organic crop production. Organic farmers typically use natural fertilizers as needed, including chicken litter, compost, and fish meal. Sustainable management practices, such as crop rotation and cover crops, reduce the need for fertilizers and other inputs on organic farms. For example, a farmer may plant a crop that needs a lot of nitrogen (such as corn) on a field one season, and then a nitrogen-fixing crop (such as alfalfa) the next to replenish the soil.

You may wish to know that many of your local farmers market growers may qualify for exclusion. An exemption is in place for small farmers who sell less than $5,000 per year of organic produce. Get to know them; you'll save and support your local economy in the process. You can learn more about the rules at the USDA's online Audio slide program here.  

Another question that often comes up is in regard to GMOs--genetically modified organisms. So far, the USDA continues to ban use of GMOs in organic produce, even if it meets all the other qualifications. This is one guideline that is definitely under fire. If you'd like to educate yourself more on the woes of GMOs as well as the history and status of our nation's food production, please grab a copy of The Hundred Year Lie, by Randall Fitzgerald. An extremely education read, you'll be engrossed, enlightened and ready to make some serious changes in both your food and fido's. Bring your highlighter along when you plan to read it; you'll need one. 

Some years ago when I first began educating myself on the National Organic Program, the guidelines were a tweak more simple to wade through. Quite honestly, the differences between USDA Certified Organic and Certified Organic have become blurred, if you read the mountain of material found on the website currently. 

I'm not actually sure why they chose to leave the differences so unclear when they updated the website. I'd love to hear from anyone who can shed some light on this little conundrum. Now let's get back to what it takes to become organic, in whatever way is chosen.

courtesy usda.gov

Any land used to produce raw organic commodities must not have had prohibited substances applied to it for the past three years. Additionally, buffer zones are often in place to protect land, water and other natural resources. Until the full 36-month transition period is met, the farmer may not:

• Sell, label, or represent the product as “organic”

• Use the USDA organic or certifying agent’s seal

If you're truly interested in a snoozer of a read, you can wade through the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances of the National Organic Program here. Be warned; this is not enjoyable reading; however, there may be some gems of interest to you. 

Now I'm going to dangle a carrot. If you'd like to learn the pros and cons of buying each of these two types of organic pet food, I'll dish that info and more about our choices here at All Things Dog Blog. Join me on October 6 for the next step in this series on Dogs Going Green. If you've missed our earlier editions, you can catch up here:

• Pet Health and Nutrition: What We’ve Learned
• Dogs Living Green: What Got Us Started
• Reading Pet Food Labels
• Buy Your Pet Food With Confidence
• Pet Food Categories: Their Meanings?

Happy tails,

An an NB Insider, my goal is to help you better understand what goes on behind the scenes in making your pet's food. By educating you, I give you a chance to make better choices. Natural Balance provides my dogs with their organic formula, and I share news and educational insights that are already a part of my lifestyle. I am compensated by receiving my dog's food and sponsored travel to industry events where I have the opportunity to learn more and share this with others. My pledge to you is that I will not write anything that I do not whole-heartedly believe in.