They say, “you are what you eat,” but this old adage is not simply a truth universally acknowledged for humankind. Our dogs also are “what they eat,” and switching to a human-grade dog food can be an excellent alternative to traditional kibble and canned food for several important reasons.
But First, What Is Human-Grade Food?
There are many types of dog food, including kibble, traditional canned, raw and fresh dog food. To qualify as “human-grade dog food,” these foods must meet certain standards set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
The standards require that each of the ingredients in the dog food is fit for human consumption and that all of the ingredients are “stored, handled, processed and transported in a manner consistent and compliant with current good manufacturing processes for human edible foods” as outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, Part 117.
Currently, there are no kibble or traditional canned dog foods that meet the standards to be labeled as human-grade dog food. Only some brands of raw and fresh dog food meet these requirements, but not all of these brands are 100% human-grade, some are still feed-grade (or a mix of human-grade and feed-grade), which is a lower standard.
At Wag Tantrum, our dog food is 100% human-grade dog food. All of our ingredients meet or exceed USDA and AAFCO standards, and we believe that a human-grade diet can be the best option for many dogs for the following reasons.
1. Human-Grade Dog Food Is Higher Quality
Every ingredient in our small-batch, organic dog food has been selected carefully, both for its quality and its nutritional value. We use only the highest organic produce, organic grains and USDA organic beef and chicken.
Too often, canned dog foods and kibble brands use the lowest quality scrap meats (sometimes even from diseased animals), and they also tend to load up the food with cheap fillers. With human-grade dog food, the ingredients tend to be limited to a high-quality protein (we use beef and chicken), a single grain (we use brown rice or quinoa) and a few carefully selected fruits and veggies.
2. Our Human-Grade Dog Food Contains Nothing Artificial
Canned food and kibble are designed to be shelf-stable, which means preservatives and chemicals must be used to ensure that the food is safe for many weeks or months as it sits on a store shelf. These preservatives as well as any added artificial colors or flavors aren’t good for your dog.
Humans are encouraged to eat wholesome, fresh foods and avoid heavily processed foods because many of these chemicals and artificial additives are detrimental to our health. The same nutritional advice applies to dogs, as they also thrive when fed a diet of fresh, wholesome food.
3. Our Food Offers Full Nutritional Support
With canned dog food and kibble not only will you sacrifice quality, but these brands also often contain ingredients such as corn, wheat, soy and other cheap fillers as their main ingredients. While many dogs have no sensitivity to these ingredients, they have little nutritional value and some dogs do have an allergic reaction to wheat or soy. These cheap fillers also create metabolically stressful insulin, glucagon and cortisol spikes throughout the day.
At Wag Tantrum, our ingredients are selected due to their high nutritional value, but immediately after the cooking process is complete, we mix in a blend of pharmaceutical-grade vitamins and minerals to ensure that the food meets AAFCO standards and provides all of the nutritional support your pet needs for a healthy, balanced diet. The food is then quickly frozen to retain its nutritional value and fresh taste.
4. Human-Grade Food Can Alleviate Allergies & Gut Issues
If you have a dog prone to allergies or digestive issues, a human-grade fresh dog food diet can be one of your best options. Because our food contains limited ingredients and no chemicals or fillers, it can be easier to digest and it’s less likely that your dog will be allergic to any of the ingredients in our meals.
We worked with pet food experts to ensure that the ingredients we chose not only pack a heavy nutritional punch but also are easy for dogs to digest and don’t tend to provoke any kind of allergic reaction. If you have an itchy dog or a dog that constantly seems to have an upset stomach, fresh dog food often can alleviate these issues.
Human-grade dog food also can promote joint health and provides proper nutritional support for healthy skin and luxurious coats. Our limited-ingredient dog food also can alleviate ear issues and urinary tract issues, and an organic diet also may prevent certain types of cancer.
Our story actually began because our own precious pooch, Lily, had digestive issues and was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor before she was six months old. Our recipes initially were developed to provide Lily with complete, gentle nutritional support and her life improved drastically once she was fed a human-grade diet of wholesome dog food. We also have many happy dog parent customers who have told us that their dog’s health has improved after making the switch to Wag Tantrum.
5. Dogs Love Fresh Dog Food!
I mean, what more is there to say? We all know that dogs love to eat their human’s food, and with Wag Tantrum, they get to do exactly that. Whether you have a picky eater on your hands or you simply want to provide the tastiest possible meal for your beloved dog, human-grade dog food is a perfect option and we have three tasty varieties – beef dog food, chicken dog food and beef-quinoa dog food.
How To Serve Wag Tantrum
With Wag Tantrum, there are several options. You can feed your dog Wag Tantrum every day for complete nutritional support or feed them Wag Tantrum just a few times per week to supplement their regular diet. Some clients also mix Wag Tantrum half and half with organic kibble.
If you have a dog that tends to be resistant to drinking water, add some water or perhaps bone broth to their Wag Tantrum as this can provide some extra hydration, if needed. Keep in mind, however, fresh dog food already is far more hydrating than kibble, so if you have a dog prone to dehydration, fresh dog food is an excellent option to consider.