Category: Dog Care

In this article we are going to take a look at some of the organic dog foods that are available and see which are the best organic dog food for gundogs.

Our favourite organic food for dogs

We looked at a few options to try and decide on the best organic dog food for gundogs.

We looked at ingredients, sourcing and the manufacturer’s story and approach, and, to be honest, all of the foods that we reviewed are excellent choices and a final decision was difficult.

However we chose the Tender and True Organic Dog Food on this occasion as, unlike the other options, we really struggled to find anything that we didn’t like about the food.

You can read more reviews about this food here at Natural Pet who specialise in natural feeds.

You can also see reviews for this dog food on Amazon via this link.

Thinking of organic dog food? A few considerations.

Many mass manufactured dog foods contain a range of additives that do not suit some dogs and there are many gundogs that suffer allergies and other conditions that seem to be affected by some foods.

Many of the organic dog food manufacturers avoid the use of artificial additives and preservatives and adopt the same approach as those taken by the organic food producers for the human market.

There are no regulations that control the production of organic food for dogs, so those manufacturers that have adopted the human requirements have hing that they did not have to do legally.

There are many reasons to consider the diet that your gundog has, from energy levels, growth, health and his enjoyment of his meals.

The behaviour of your gundog can be affected by his meals which can have an impact upon his training.

Just like children, dogs can be affected adversley by additives and food colorings and it may be that an organic food could be the thing that your gundog needs.

I’m sure that just like you and me, dogs like different types of foods and what one dog may enjoy, another may not.

Organic dog foods are becoming more and more popular. Many have been developed and are produced by people that have had pets and have identified a need for better nutrition for their animals and this has led to new foods and new businesses and ideas.

We’ve reviewed several organic dog foods that are suitable for gundogs and we’ll regularly update and add additional reviews to help you to decide if organic foods are suitable for your gundogs.

Organic dog foods that you might like

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Organic dog foods that we reviewed

We were able to review four organic dog foods – something that we’ll increase in time. 

The four manufacturers all have their own stories and approaches and we hope that you’ll find these reviews helpful.

Nutro Max Mini Chunks Dry Dog Food

Nutro Max is produced by the Nutro Company who produced a wide range of dog foods and have done so for almost a century.

The recipes used for the variety of foods are clean, simple, purposeful and trustworthy using real, identifiable and non GMO ingredients.

The company have rigorous testing processes in place to ensure food quality and consistency and only source from trusted farmers and suppliers.

Nutro are USA based and are now part of the MARS group of businesses.

Product Information

Nutro Max MIni Chunks Dry Dog Food is an adult dog food produced from farm raised chicken and is available in bag sizes of 4lbs and 25lbs.

This dry dog food is a natural food with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

Nutro are based near Nashville, Tennessee.

Features

Nutro Max MIni Chunks is suitable for all adult dogs, as stated the kibble is a smaller size than many foods making this an ideal organic food for smaller breeds of spaniels.

This food does contain grain as a source of fiber but grain free alternatives are available from the company.

The protein source is organic, farm raised chicken and the food does not contain any preservatives, artificial flavors or colors.

The Nutro MAx range is suitable for all life stages and breeds of dogs.

What we like

Good size kibble that suits most dogs – the food is easy to chew

Good quality chicken based kibble is enjoyed by dogs

Good value for money

What we don’t like

Limited range of flavors

This particular food contains grain which does not suit all dogs – although grain free options are available from this manufacturer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3GDfiFrEtU

Get the latest price for Nutro Max Mini Chunks Dry Dog Food

Tender and True Organic and Antibiotic Free Dry Dog Food

Tender & True are an independantly owned business based in the Midwestern United States of America.

In 2014 the company developed the first and only certified humanely raised pet food that meets USDA organic food standards from farm to bowl.

The business source and supply all of their own ingredients and, due to their long standing relationships with their suppliers, can be assured of the best quality ingredients for their pet feeds.

Tender & True produce a wide range of feeds for dogs, wet and dry food and a range of organic treats.

Product Introduction

Tender & True Organic Dog Food comes in a range of bag sizes up to 23lb weight. This dry food uses chicken, liver and fish as it’s prime sources of protein, and all ingredients are certified as organic and the food is available in five flavors.

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Features

Tender & True Organic Dry Dog Food is suitable for all dogs, regardless of size and breed. No matter the size of your dog, the comprehensive feeding guide will ensure that your dog gets the correct amount of food and optimal nutrition for his daily needs.

The food is hormone and anti biotic free and contains no artificial preservatives, colors or flavors.

The feed contains no grain.

All meat and seafood ingredients are certified as being sustainabley produced and in line with all animal welfare requirements.

The food is a premium kibble based dog feed that is made with USDA organic and anti biotic free ingredients.

What we like

A good quality product that dogs love

Picky eaters love this food

Certified Organic Dog Food

What we don’t like

We find no real issues with this food, occasional skin complaints in some sensitive dogs but this is very rare.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28ot1utbsus

Get the latest price for Tender & True Organic & Antibiotic Free Dog Food

Honest Kitchen Whole Food Grain Free Clusters

Honest Kitchen was founded in 2002 by Lucy Postins who was faced with a dog that had skin and ear problems.

Thinking that diet could be a cause of her pet’s discomfort, she began making home made food for him in her home.

So began a business that now produces a wide range of products to suit the various needs of pets.

The company is based close to San Diego Bay and operates to the principles of honesty, quality, responsibility and joy.

Their foods are produced from human grade ingredients and are only obtained from trusted sources that are able to evidence food handling, screening, origins and more.

Product Introduction

The Honest Kitchen Whole Food Grain Free Clusters Dry Dog Food is available in three flavors – Turkey, Beef and Chicken.

It is a complete and balanced food for all dog ages and breeds. A natural food that contains no artificial ingredients.

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Features

The Honest Kitchen Clusters Dry Dog Food is produced in the USA and is suitable for all ages of dogs and breeds. 

Unlike other manufacturers, the food is produced in small batches with whole food ingredients that have been chosen by the Honest Kitchen’s Veterinary Nutritionist.

The food is cold pressed, slow roasted and then dehydrated to preserve taste, goodness and the nutrients that are present in the whole foods.

All ingredients used in the food, like the others from this producer, are human grade thus ensuring quality and consistency.

What we like

The honesty and transparency of the producer and the quality of the ingredients

The food is made in small batches making quality control easier and more consistent

Dogs really enjoy the food and it comes with a good feeding guide to ensure that your dog gets the right amount of daily nutrition

What we don’t like

Shorter shelf life than other foods

https://youtu.be/cKehJkRTlck

Get the latest price for Honest Kitchen Whole Food Grain Free Clusters Dry Dog Food

I And Love and You Nude Food Dry Dog Food

I and Love and You are based in Boulder, Colorado and began life in a pet store where they created raw food for dogs.

As a business, and pet owners, they identified a need from other pet owner, for better food with real meat and real ingredients.

Between 2010 and 2011 the business developed it’s own branding and became even more passionate about developing foods that pets are meant to eat.

The company is employee owned and independent with a vision to help all pets to get the food that they truly deserve.

Product Information

This Nude Dry Dog Food is available in three flavors – Poultry Palooza, Red Meat Medley and Simply Sea. 

All of the recipes are produced with whole de-boned meats accompanied by real fruits and vegetables.

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Features

The food is high protein and totally grain free and contains up to 60% fully natural animal ingredients and oils.

In addition beans, lentils and sweet potatoes are used to help your dog to maintain good blood sugar levels and energy.

The food contains no grains, no fillers, no by products, in fact nothing of an artificial nature.

For dogs that have allergies the Simpy Sea version of the food contains only high quality fish and does not contain any meat based ingredients.

The food contains no artificial colors or preservatives and it is made in a family owned facility in the USA.

What we like

Smells really fresh and dogs love it – if you have a cat then he’ll try to beat the dog to it

Great for dogs that have health issues as it is gentle on the stomach

A good food for picky eaters

What we don’t like

Follow the instructions as some dogs can get rather ‘active’ if the food is introduced too quickly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFLIQimWTks

Get the latest price for I and love and you Nude Food Dry Dog Food

Conclusion

Of the four organic foods that we were able to review we found that our favorite choice was the Tender and True Organic Dog Food.

To be honest, we really liked all of the foods and there was very little between any of them – the decision was not an easy one to make.

What swung it was the independent ownership and the USDA certification.

If you’re interested in the Tender and True Range then you can get more information here at Only Natural Pet or you can see more of their range on Amazon via this link.

You may also be interested whether Cocker spaniels can eat fruit and you can read our article here which will answer your question.

Quinoa is also an option for feeding as an additional food and we have an article specifically dealing with feeding quinoa here.

Read Next

You may be thinking about getting a spaniel puppy as your first dog or, you may have had other breeds and this is the first time that you have thought about getting a spaniel.

Whatever your position it is always important to think about and research the type of food that you will feed your puppy as a youngster and then as a growing, lively adult.

Our favourite food for a growing spaniel

We were able to look at and review several foods that are  suitable for spaniel puppies.

Dry? Wet? Chicken based? Turkey flavoured?  Cereal or grain based? All good questions and in this article we’ve looked at some of the best quality puppy foods for a spaniel whether he will be a working dog or a pet.

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All of the foods on this list are great for young spaniel puppies. They have been developed with dog’s health and well being as the prime focus, they use quality ingredients and the businesses that manufacture them are focused upon improving dog health through quality food and nutrition.

They are all good foods but our choice is Eukanuba Puppy Food.

I found some great deals on Eukanuba Puppy Food here on Amazon.

Looking for organic puppy food?

If you are looking for Organic Dog Food the we have a great article that covers a wide range of organic and raw dog foods which you can read here.

One supplier that I recommend for organic food for your spaniel is Only Natural Pet who provide a full range of grain free, organic foods that are 100% carbon neutral and non GMO.

They often have discounts and coupon codes that you can use and recently offered free shipping.

You can find them here via this link.

At a Glance our Top 5 Puppy Foods

If you are in a rush and just want to get to the nitty gritty of the best spaniel puppy food that we have chosen then the table below will give you an idea of our choices and where you can get more information.

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Our spaniel puppy food reviews

We took a selection of puppy foods from some of the major dog food suppliers and looked at them in terms of quality, history, company reputation and, most important, the suitability for spaniel puppies.

Eukanuba Puppy Food

If you are new to the world of spaniels then you may not have heard of Eukanuba or be familiar with their products.

Eukanuba are one of the leading pet food manufacturers, producing quality feed for dogs and cats, which are sold globally.

Founded in 1969 by the IAMS company, Eukanuba was created on the basis that dogs and cats are carnivores and should be fed in accordance with their nutritional needs.

Eukanuba only use high quality animal protein ingredients, chicken or lamb, as the basis for their dog foods which are traceable back to sources in the USA, New Zealand and Europe, thus ensuring continuing safety and consistency in the quality of their products.

All suppliers to the company undergo strict checking and are required to certify all of their ingredients.

Every product undergoes 120 individual tests to ensure quality and compliance  and independent expert inspections ensure that the highest quality processes are followed. Eukanuba’s food production processes are the same level as that required for human food production.

Product Introduction

Eukanuba Puppy Food comes in a variety of pack sizes up to 33lb in weight. 

This dry puppy food uses quality chicken as it’s prime source of protein and provides for gentle digestion and immune system support which are both essential to a young, growing spaniel puppy.

Features

Eukanuba Puppy Food is available for all types of spaniel breeds with options for small, medium and large breeds. No matter his size, your spaniel is catered for with this food.

Offering complete and balanced nutrition for puppies up to 12 months old this food supports muscle growth and bone health  through high quality protein and balanced calcium and phosphorous levels.

Eukanuba Puppy Food is derived from high quality chicken based protein and contains clinically proven levels of DHA to support high levels of brain development making for a trainable and intelligent dog.

Your puppy’s energy will be great with this food which contains optimized fat and carbohydrate levels to provide him with everything that he needs for his growth and active puppy lifestyle.

The natural fiber within the food aid easy and gentle digestion, ideal for an active, growing puppy and the  guaranteed levels of Vitamin E support the healthy development of your puppy’s immune system.

Throughout the life of your spaniel you will be able to provide him with food from the Eukanuba range.

Once he has grown to an adult and his teeth and bones have developed then he can make a natural progression to Eukanuba Adult food, comprised of the same quality ingredients so that he won’t experience any dietary problems or upsets.

Eukanuba offer a full range of quality dog foods for the lifetime of your spaniel.

What We Like

Dogs love this food .

Veterinarians have recommended it

Consistent product which is gentle on a puppy’s tummy

Helps dogs to grow healthy bodies, eyes and coats

What We Don’t Like

The individual ‘nugget’ size can sometimes be too large for smaller dogs

Check the latest price of Eukanuba Puppy Food

Royal Canin Puppy

Royal Canin is a high quality, premium product range that is frequently recommended by veterinary practices to dog owners.

Royal Canin was formed in 1968 by French Vet Jean Cathay who believed that food could have a positive impact upon the health and wellbeing of animals.

After creating the ‘yellow soup’ for dogs, Royal Canin expanded until it was sold across most of mainland Europe until in the early 1980s the company launched it’s first complete dog food – AGR which was hailed a major innovation and remained so for many years, and, in 1985, Royal Canin was introduced to the USA.

After years of investment, research and innovation, the Royal Canin product range expanded in the mid 1990s with the introduction of dog feeds to suit the size and type of dog, followed in 1999, by breed specific dog food.

Product Introduction

Royal Canin Puppy Food comes in a range of pack sizes up to 30lb in weight. The food has adapted kibble size with tasty aromas to encourage your puppy and satisfying textures to help him to enjoy his meals.

The food encourages good immune system development, high energy levels and digestive health all desirable in the development of your spaniel puppy.

Features

Royal Canin Puppy Food is tailor made for puppies up to 1 year old.

The food contains all of the precise balanced nutritional elements to help and encourage the healthy growth and development of your puppy so that he grows into a strong, fit and healthy adult dog.

With highly digestible proteins and prebiotics the food aids gentle and effective digestion, preventing upset tummies while helping your puppy with his rapid growth needs and aids his bone and immune system development, even if he is playing hard all day long.

Chicken by product based, combined with chicken fats and fish oils the sources of protein are animal based encouraging your dog’s development through his natural, carnivore needs and instincts.

The unique shapes and sizes of the kibble ensure that it is suitable for your dog making it easy to consume and digest thus reducing wastage and costs.

The Royal Canin Puppy Food provides a good, healthy start for your spaniel puppy and, when he reaches a year old, he can switch to Royal Canin Adult Food with no ill effects due to the consistency of products across the dog food range.

What We Like

Dogs love this food

Recommended by veterinarians

Aids the development of healthy skin, coat and eyes

A good food for fussy dogs

What We Don’t Like

Can occasionally result in some puppies getting upset tummies

Check the latest price of Royal Canin Puppy Food

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IAMS Puppy Food

Founded in 1946 Paul F. Iams  looked for new ways to make high quality, premium pet foods. He spent large amounts of time with breeders and understood just how important fat and protein were in the diets of animals.

He was an innovator and was the first person to see dogs and cats as carnivores, something that went onto revolutionise the entire pet food industry and he launched his first IAMS dog food in 1959, the first dog food to use animal protein as the main protein ingredient.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s IAMs contiuned to innovate and develop new pet feed products and in the 1980s introduced dog foods to meet the life stages of dogs, including a custom puppy food.

Entering the 21st Century IAMS developed ranges of natural pet foods and published research to show that Omega 3 oils supported the development of coats and skin in dogs and cats.

Product development is a continual priority at IAMS and in they continue to enhance dog feeds adding DHA to puppy foods to enhance brain development and intelligence levels of pups.

Product Information

IAMS Puppy Food comes in a variety of sack sizes up to 30lbs in weight for medium sized dogs ( which is the size of most spaniel breeds).

The food is formulated from real, farm raised chicken and also contains beet pulp to aid digestion and DHA to help your puppy to develop into a healthy, intelligent and trainable dog.

Features

IAMS Proactive Health Puppy Food is veterinarian recommended for all puppy breeds.

The food is made with real ingredients which include farm raised chicken, beet pulp and wholesome grains and vegetables.

The quality of the ingredients provide a puppy with everything that he needs for strong, healthy growth and are easily digestible meaning strong immune support, good healthy coat and skin and strong bones.

The addition of Omega-3 DHA gives your puppy the maximum opportunity to grow into an intelligent and trainable dog.

The puppy food contains 22 key nutrients that are found in the mother’s milk thus helping your little one to develop quickly.

What We Like

Dogs like the food

Provides good levels of energy for the most active of dogs

Recommended by veterinarians

Promotes healthy skin and coats

What We Don’t Like

Can sometimes cause upset tummies in some dogs

Contains more grains and corn than some other foods which may not suit all dogs.

Check the latest price of IAMS Puppy Food

Hills Science Diet Puppy

Hill’s Pet Food was started by veterinarain Dr. Mark Morris who believed that the healthcare of pets was as important as that of the owners, he was of the view that poor nutrition was a prime cause of ill health in pets.

Dr. Morris developed a pet food that was superior to most on the market at the time.

When he met a blind man who was travelling the USA with his guide dog Buddy, Dr. Morris set about developing a new food, you see Buddy was suffering from kidney failure, caused by poor quality dog food.

This food became Hill’s Prescription Diet and it helped Buddy to enjoy many more happy years with his owner.

Today Hill’s Pet Food products are sold in 86 countries around the world. The food is widely sold in veterinarian practices with many vets feeding the food to their own animals.

Hill’s operate a Pet Nutrition Center in Kansas, where they develop new foods alongside veterinarians and specialist animal nutritionists. Their facility also houses a fully equipped animal hospital.

Product Information

Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Food comes in pack sizes up to 15.5 lbs. 

The food is formulated from chicken and barley and contains DHA from fish oil to help the puppy with healthy brain and eye development.

Features

Hills’s Science Diet Puppy is recommended by veterinarians and is rated #1 among US veterinarians.

The food supports the development of puppies and provides DHA for healthy brain and eye development.

The kibble is small to enable puppies to enjoy the food and to support easy digestion, the chicken flavor is great tasting making it suitable for all puppies.

The food contains no artificial colorings or preservatives and it’s precise nutrition supports a healthy coat, skin and stools.

What We Like

Supports the development of healthy and growing puppies

Puppies enjoy the food and kibble size

Can help puppies that might have sensitive tummies

Helps puppy to develop healthy skin and coat

What We Don’t Like

Quality of packaging can be questionable and is not tough as those of other sacks of food.

Check the latest price of Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Food

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Puppy Food Buyer’s Guide

Types of Spaniel Puppy Food

You may be new to spaniels as a breed, either you’ve owned other breeds of dogs or you’ve never had a dog as a pet before and you’ve just got a puppy or you are looking at getting one, you’ll need to make sure that you get a puppy food that is suitable and safe for your dog.

There are a number of different foods available, from various manufacturers, which contain different ingredients and you’ll want to make sure that you make the right choice.

You’ll want to ensure that you don’t waste money and that you puppy likes the food that you buy.

In this buyer’s guide we will consider a few questions that you might have and look at things that you will need to think about when selecting puppy food for your spaniel.

Dry or Wet Puppy Food

The majority of the major dog and puppy food manufacturers produce both dry and wet dog foods.

Wet dog food is typically canned or in a tin, sometimes it can be frozen in the form of raw food that, once defrosted can be fed to the dog.

Dry dog food typically comes in paper type sacks, of varying sizes. Dry feed is ‘kibble’ or biscuit based, like small nuggetts of food.

Normally mass produced with effective quality mechanisms behind the production, this type of food is generally consistent and the major manufacturers start with puppy food, moving onto adult food and then senior food.

This is good for your dog as it provides for consistency throughout his life.

Any decision that you make when feeding your puppy will, at first, be determined by what the breeder has been fedding him. 

You should always follow the breeder’s feeding regime initially before changing your spaniel puppy’s food, and this should be done gradually as he gets older.

Size of the Kibble/Biscuit

The size of the dry dog food kibble is important as your puppy needs to be able to eat it.

Dry puppy food generally comes in different kibble sizes and the kibble size for a large breed, such as a Great Dane, would be difficult for a small breed ( terrier for example) to eat.

When considering a dry puppy food for your spaniel puppy you should look at small to medium sized puppy food and be guided by the manufacturer’s instructions.

Ingredients

The contents of the puppy food are important. Dogs are carnivores and are at their healthiest when they are fed meals that comprise meat based products.

Most dry dog foods are based around chicken, turkey or fish, all of which are good for dogs and are enjoyed by them.

Most foods include grain or cereals and, whenever possible, in my experience, it is best to use foods that are low in this type of ingredient.

There are dry foods available that look like rabbit food and you should avoid these. Dogs are not rabbits.

How Long Will The Food Last?

A good thing to consider is how long will any food last that you buy for your spaniel puppy.

Sometimes cheaper foods work out to be more expensive in the long run as you have to feed more of it and thus buy it more frequently.

How Much Food Does My Spaniel Puppy Need?

The amount of food that you will need to feed will be an important consideration when selecting a food for your spaniel puppy.

From experience dry food tends to be fed more efficiently that wet food and a puppy requires less volume of food from a good dry food than a typical can based food.

A good quality dry puppy food may represent a seemingly high investment cost wise when buying it, but, the amount fed is less than other foods which will result in longer lasting and less cost per meal.

Shelf Life

Your spaniel puppy will grow quickly but you will need to make some purchases of food regularly during his puppyhood.

The shelf life or time that the food will last until it cannot be fed is an important consideration to make.

Thankfully, this is not a great problem with the dry, kibble based foods.

Once opened the sacks can be re-sealed and, provided that they are kept in a dry and damp free environment, the food will last for several weeks, and you should be able to use it all without any problems.

Is the Puppy Food Easily Available?

An important consideration, that is often often overlooked by puppy owners, is simply that of ‘ where can I get the food?’ 

Are there places nearby where you can buy the food that you want for your puppy?  Are these suppliers reliable? If they don’t have it can I get it elsewhere? Can it be purchased online?

My two Cocker Spaniels are fed Eukanuba and normally I do not have any problems getting the food for them. I have on the odd occasion not been able to get the food, but, as Eukanuba and IAMS are produced by the same manufacturer, I have been able to use IAMS food short term, with no ill-effects for my dogs.

Sometimes, it is worth looking at the options for backups if the food you choose is unavailable and well worth thinking about when you have a young dog.

Veterinary Recommended

Many of the dry puppy food and other dog food manufacturers work hand in hand with vets and specialist canine nutritionists. 

There are some dog food manufacturers that were founded by vets and continue to operate to their original ideals.

Food that is recommended by vets has been proven to be good for dogs and puppies and will most likely have a track record of success both in terms of general dog and puppy health and also in helping dogs with health problems to recover.

Final Words

All of the foods that we looked at here are worthy of feeding to your spaniel puppy. They are all produced by well known and credible manufacturers.

The foods are widely available and are all produced from meat based ingredients which are crucial fro the development and growth of your puppy.

We chose Eukanuba Puppy Food as our favourite food for a growing dog, you can read more reviews about this food here on Amazon where you can also check for the latest prices.

Read Next

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