TOP 12 holistic dog food: what is it, list of the best holistic-class dry food

Ready-made dry food is usually divided into classes: economy, premium, and so on. It is from these keywords that we often draw conclusions about the quality of the product. And although this classification is not officially established anywhere, it just so happens that it is actively used by both animal owners and pet food producers, which means it cannot be ignored. In this article we will look at the main criteria by which a product is classified into a particular class.

Economy

The name of the category speaks for itself: the key advantage of these foods is their affordable price. Their composition is developed in such a way as to fit into industry standards for basic nutrients, but that’s all. The cheapest and easiest to process raw material sources are selected. These are mainly processed products that are not used for human food.

The inscription “economy” is unlikely to be found on food packages, since manufacturers rightly believe that such positioning will scare away potential buyers.

The following features allow a product to be classified as economy class:

• it can be found in any chain supermarket and grocery store;
• the name of the brand is on everyone’s lips because it is actively advertised;
• the lion's share of the composition is represented by grains, sources of vegetable protein, vegetable oils are present;
• there is no specificity in the names of the ingredients, for example “poultry”, “meat products”, “cereals”;
• the product packaging is bright and colorful, the name emphasizes the meat component of the product, the share of which is actually negligible;
• the emphasis is not on quality, but on appearance, so the granules often have intricate shapes and are painted in different colors;
• Synthetic preservatives and flavorings are sometimes used.

Despite all their shortcomings, economical feeds are considered complete: they contain the necessary minimum of nutrients for an animal of a particular species. The trouble is that these substances are poorly absorbed, since the body of cats and dogs is “programmed” by nature to consume predominantly animal food.

Economy food lines usually include products for adult animals and kittens (puppies). Sometimes options are offered with a similar composition, but different tastes.

Rating #1: The best economy class dry food

Foods in this category are not recommended by veterinarians, but if you buy them, it is worth highlighting the most reliable brands that deserve attention. Economy class varieties, as a rule, are distinguished by well-promoted advertising and are often broadcast on TV. However, please note that their budget cost is fully offset by the amount of feed required. They have a low calorie content, so a larger volume is required to saturate the pet:

• Chappie;
• Pedegri;
• Our Brand;
• Friscas;
• Meal;
• I eat without problems;
• Caesar;
• Happy Dog;
• Stout.

The listed brands have approximately the same pricing policy, and the quality of the products is also identical. Companies offer not only dry types of food, but also wet variations. However, their quality also leaves much to be desired.

Premium

The next category in our dry food classification is the premium category. It sounds promising, but when it comes to the pet industry, you shouldn’t rely too much on fancy words. Such feeds, as a rule, are produced by the same companies as economy, but differ slightly in composition. For example, the total percentage of protein is slightly above the minimum threshold. Perhaps meat will even take first place in the list of ingredients. However, from which animal it was obtained will again remain a mystery. This is most likely due to the fact that the actual composition of the raw material is unstable and varies from batch to batch.

Premium food can also be purchased in regular supermarkets. Their lines are varied and include variations for different ages, large and small breeds, sterilized individuals, and so on.

In general, prices for economy and premium differ much more than their quality. The composition is still dominated by a large number of cereals, vegetable protein, seed oils, and the ingredients are named in groups. Therefore, it is better to pay attention to higher class products.

What about canned food?

When processing applications from users, we strive not for quantity, but for quality. In 2017, descriptions and ratings of canned food from more than 40 different brands appeared on the website. On the one hand, this is a lot, but on the other hand, we have not yet studied enough types of canned food from each brand for comprehensive statistics.

Therefore, for now we have limited ourselves to statistics on dry food only. In 2018, we will pay close attention to canned food and promise to prepare a separate report on them about the leaders and outsiders in the future.

Superpremium

These foods are more difficult to find - you will have to go to the pet store for them. To be classified as super premium, a product must have a really good composition, in which:

• meat or fish comes first, with a clear indication of the source of the raw material and the method of its processing, for example “dehydrated lamb” or “fresh salmon”;
• animal fats are present, including sources of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids;
• plant components are listed after meat and are represented by low-allergenic cereals, vegetables, and fruits;
• Various functional additives are available: to strengthen the immune system, protect joints, comfortable digestion and others;
• Only natural preservatives are used: tocopherols, rosemary or other substances of plant origin.

Super premium food is represented by a wide range of products: for different age groups, large, medium and small dogs, animals with special needs. Sometimes manufacturers narrow the target audience as much as possible by offering food for specific breeds of dogs and cats. But this is more of a marketing ploy than a real necessity.

Rating #3: Super-premium – choose the best

Photo: Rating of super premium dry dog ​​food
1. One of the best food in this category is Acana Adult Dog . The food is produced in Canada and consists of 60% meat products. The lion's share is given to chicken meat and salmon fillet. Oats, peas and black rice are sources of healthy carbohydrates. The product is well balanced to suit the dog's needs.

At the same time, after eating, the animal’s blood sugar level practically does not change. The product contains useful additives in the form of herbs, dried fruits and vegetables. The product is universal and can be used to feed pets of any size. Disadvantages of the food: you can rarely find small packages, it is not distributed in all stores, the high cost is more than 2,000 rubles for 13 kg.

Photo: The best dry dog ​​food - super premium rating

2. The food Go Natural Holistic Fit deserves attention , the share of meat products reaches 70%. The elite food contains turkey, chicken, trout and duck meat. Berries, fruits and spices are used as healthy additives. No artificial additives are used at all.

The product is rich in vitamin complexes. An additional advantage of the food is the absence of cereal ingredients, since some breeds do not digest this product. The disadvantage of the product is the high cost of about 3,000 rubles per 11 kg.

Photo: Orijen Adult dog food (super premium)

3. Orijen Adult food is of high quality and popularity . Its meat share is as much as 80%. The main ingredients are cold cuts without bones, fish fillets, berries and fruits. Only those types of meat that have previously passed an examination and meet high quality standards are allowed into production.

Orijen Adult has a pleasant smell that does not irritate people, and is consumed very economically due to the high calorie content of the product. The product also does not contain grains and has a beneficial effect on your pet’s digestion. Cons: you can’t buy this brand in all stores, and the cost for 6 kg of product will be 1,800 rubles.

Photo: Belcando super premium dog food

4. Belcando is a German brand that is also of good quality. The amount of meat in the total portion of the product is 35%; the food also includes brown rice, which is extremely beneficial for many breeds of dogs. The brand is known for having a wide range of foods for different types of dogs, from their size to their activity level.

A small percentage of Belcando meat products is compensated by a large proportion of vitamin and mineral supplements, which allows the food to be classified as elite. Veterinarians recommend this product to those pets who have a slow metabolism. The cost of Belcando will be about 4,500 rubles per 15 kg.

See the rating of super-premium food 2018

Holistic

The classification of dry food would be incomplete without mentioning the holistic category. These foods appeared in our country not so long ago, but have already won the trust of domestic consumers. Having analyzed their composition, we can come to the following conclusion: they are in many ways similar to super premium, with the exception of some improvements:

• the list of ingredients must include fresh meat (fish);
• these are grain-free or low-grain products; instead of grains, they use legumes, potatoes, vegetables and root vegetables;
• the formula includes various phytocomponents that serve as a natural source of fiber and vitamins, have a positive effect on the functioning of the body, and reduce the smell of feces.

Types of feed

There are two types of food - dry and wet (canned). The first is made from products that are exposed to high temperatures. Then they are passed through a special machine (extruder), where they are twisted in a similar way to a meat grinder. The strips that come out of the nozzle are cut into pellets, dried and sold.

Dry granules are more convenient to store and take on the road. If you follow the dosage, the risk of obesity in your cat is minimal. The downside is that the animal needs a lot of water. If your pet drinks little fluid, dehydration and urolithiasis may occur.

Canned food is easily digestible and satisfies the cat's need for water. They contain whole pieces of meat that pets like, and they eat them with pleasure. The downside is that canned goods of the same class as dry granules are more expensive, and the consumption is higher; the shelf life after opening is a couple of days in the refrigerator.

What class does Blitz food belong to?

Having studied the generally accepted criteria for the classification of dry food, we can conclude that Blitz Classic and Blitz Sensitive for dogs and cats belong to the super premium class. They have a transparent composition with a high content of meat components, include animal and fish oil, and are enriched with probiotics, L-carnitine, Yucca Schidigera extract and other useful additives.

The Blitz Holistic line of food for dogs, as the name implies, belongs to the holistic class. Its main advantages:

• production is located in Italy, at the family enterprise Mister Pet™;
• fresh meat and fish products from farms are used;
• contains only low-allergenic ingredients, no GMOs and soy;
• there are no high-glycemic carbohydrates that cause spikes in blood sugar;
• added medicinal herbs and berries to support immunity and other body functions.

“Elite in a bowl” or “Everything is sad”? Find out your brand's rating according to CPP!

We studied dry food from 100 different brands, focusing not on the manufacturers' marketing messages on the packaging, but only on the list of ingredients in the composition.

As a result, it turned out that many foods that manufacturers and sellers classify as “superpremium”, “holistic”, “ultrapremium” are not leaders in the PPC rating.

In order to clearly show this to you, we have divided all brands into five categories:

• "Elite in a Bowl" (average score from 41 to 55);
• “B plus” (average score from 31 to 40);
• “Solid average” (average score from 21 to 30);
• “It could have been better” (average score from 11 to 20);
• “Everything is sad” (average score from 1 to 10).

The average score for each brand was derived based on a study of the compositions of those specific dry foods that we processed based on user requests in 2022. For your convenience, brands are listed in descending order from highest average score to lowest. We also suggested that you compare the average score in the PPC rating with the class that is attributed to a particular brand on the Internet.

Check which CPT category the brand of food you feed your pets belongs to!

How to check the quality of feed

The first piece of advice is to read the label carefully. Holistic feeds are as complete and honest as possible. You can see for yourself what the food is made of. At the same time, manufacturers do not hide low-quality ingredients behind the phrases “meat flour” or “animal protein.” The components are stated accurately and with percentages.

Do you doubt that what is stated there is true? The American Association AAFCO puts forward requirements for food labeling: the pet food manufacturer must indicate on the label a list of ingredients presented in descending order. Product quality is monitored not only by the American AAFCO, but also by the European organization FEDIAF.

Second tip. Buy food from reliable places. Large brands are very responsible when choosing distributors, which is why their products cannot be found in regular supermarkets. By the way, feed manufacturers warn against selling their diets in bulk, since long-term storage of an open package in a store can lead to spoilage of the product.

The Masterzoo chain of stores and our online store offer holistic food from the world's leading brands, delivery throughout Ukraine is possible. Consultants will help you decide on the choice of product for your pet.

Table with the approximate composition of Holistic food

The approximate composition of Holistic feed is given below:

Concept and food are two different things

Abroad, especially in the USA and Canada, there are already holistic veterinarians who rely on this concept in their practice. However, animal nutrition, especially industrial diets, clearly stands apart from the approach used in treatment.

The task of any food is to fully meet the physiological needs of animals for nutrients necessary to maintain the normal functioning of their body.

Of course, certain supplements can affect, for example, the functioning of the nervous system or increase learning ability, as, for example, this has been proven with respect to DHA fatty acids, but in general, they do not have any complex, comprehensive effect on the pet’s life.

This means that we can safely say that in the prepared food industry the concept of “holistic” has grown into something completely different, far from the original idea.

Advantages and disadvantages of Holistic food

These natural foods are the latest word in veterinary medicine and cat nutrition. Their advantages include:

• Composition balanced in the content of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, micro- and macroelements.
• All components are made only from natural food products intended for human consumption.
• Special manufacturing technologies allow you to preserve the ideal composition of nutrients.
• High content of fresh meat, above 70%.
• High nutritional value.
• Economical, one serving is at least two times less than cheap food.
• Small granules are convenient for use by both adult cats and kittens.

The disadvantages of this class of feed are few:

• Very high cost. Many nursery owners, having cooperated, buy Holistic at wholesale prices with discounts.
• Not widely available, sold only through official distributors of manufacturers.
• Exclusion from the assortment of many manufacturers of therapeutic and age-related lines; there is no division by breed.
• It is difficult to transfer some animals to Holistics due to the absence of artificial flavors and taste enhancers in their composition.

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Rules for feeding cats

A cat that is accustomed to regularly eating only ready-made food should not be offered tasty breast or minced meat. She won't refuse, of course, but her stomach will suffer because your treat will create an imbalance in her digestive system. You need to choose one thing - ready-made food or natural products.

Choose one thing: ready-made food or natural food

It is advisable to purchase dry and wet food from the same manufacturer; the products must belong to the same price category. You should not treat your cat with economy-class food in the morning and an elite-class treat in the evening. If you really want to change the diet, do it slowly, slowly mixing the new food into the animal’s usual food for at least a week. Increase the amount of new food by approximately 1/6 of a serving daily, accordingly reducing the portion of the food you decide to give up.

If a cat, accustomed to an elite diet, for some reason finds itself without dinner, and there is no way to buy expensive food, do not run headlong to a 24-hour supermarket for an affordable cheap product - the next day the animal is guaranteed to suffer from diarrhea. It’s better to sleep hungry, but healthy.

There should always be fresh water in the cat's bowl. Please note that cats have a reduced sense of thirst. If you notice that your pet is not drinking enough, soak it in dry food or replace it with wet food.

Cat and vegetarian diet

Doctors do not recommend giving your pet a vegetarian product. The cat is a carnivore. It needs substances that it extracts only from meat - taurine, niacin, vitamins A and B12, anachidonic acid. He cannot extract these substances from plant foods in the required quantities.

If you only buy him vegetarian food, it will be bad for his health. Most recipes are not well thought out or are focused on averages, while each pet requires an individual approach.

Let's sum it up

All of the above is just an approximate guideline for the distribution of feed into classes. In practice, manufacturers do not always adhere to these criteria. In any pet store you can find a super premium product and even a holistic product with a frankly weak composition. To make an informed choice, the owner should learn to independently determine the quality of dry food. You can read more about this in our article.

A loving owner wants his cat to have the best. Delicious, healthy food will keep your pet healthy and give it joy and energy. Premium cat food has been created for this purpose.

Age recommendations

Most manufacturers of Holistic class mixtures produce special lines, divided by age groups and specific veterinary or preventive indicators.

For cats of different groups, the composition includes certain types of meat, some berries and fruits, a certain content of vitamins, micro- and macroelements, Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, enzymes, prebiotics and probiotics.

Holistic for kittens takes into account the need of babies for a high content of protein, enzymes and probiotics for active growth of muscles, hair and skeletal formation. The offspring raised on these mixtures from the first days of transition to complementary feeding have a good appearance, are not susceptible to diseases, and have a long life span.

There are special foods for young cats, older cats, and sterilized animals.