Why do we use certain ingredients in our natural dog foods? 

Meat

Meat supplies the body with an excellent source of protein and contains all the essential amino and fatty acids, as well as minerals and vitamins, that dogs of all ages need to maintain good health. Cooking meat has been shown to actually destroy a lot of the nutritional goodness, and that's why a raw diet is the best, most natural way to feed your dog. After all, a fox doesn't roast a chicken, and it isn't all that different to your domesticated pet!

Chicken

All the chicken used by Natural Instinct is farm-reared on a DEFRA regristered British farm. We NEVER use battery farmed chickens, and all the meat is dressed and fit for human consumption.

Lamb

Our lamb is sourced from a farm in Wales. Natural Instinct Lamb dog food is relatively high in fat compared to our other products (21.3%) and is therefore an excellent source of calories for dogs that need to gain weight or have higher calorie needs due to the fact that they work.

Tripe

Tripe is simply the stomach lining of a cow. Because we only use human grade ingredients for all our products, we use washed tripe which does not smell like the green tripe many people are familiar with. Because it is washed, and not bleached, it still contains much of the nutritional goodness and is an excellent source of protein. It is also very low in fat and can therefore assist if a dog needs to lose a few pounds! Most dogs seem to love tripe and it can therefore be a good introduction to raw feeding if your dog has never had any raw meat before, or is simply suspicious of anything new appearing in the food bowl.

Fruit & Vegetables

These supply dogs with many health promoting nutrients, fibre, omega 3 essential fatty acids, enzymes, antioxidants and phytochemicals. Fruits also contain soluble carbohydrates for energy. As dogs are unable to process celulose, we grind all our fruit and vegetables twice to ensure they are sufficiently broken down for the dogs to access all the beneficial goodness.

Carrots

Carrots are an excellent anti-oxident and a source of vitamin A, which is essential for good vision. They also supply fibre and consequently promote colon health.

Butternut Squash

This is technically a fruit, as it contains seeds. We leave these in our mix as they are very good for assisting with any anal gland problems and they also help keep the gut clean. It is a great anti-inflammatory because of the anti-oxidents it contains, and is a rich source of vitamin C.

Apples

As well as being a well-known source of vitamin C, apples are a good source of fibre and can help maintain a steady blood sugar level. The seeds of the apples are left in our products as these are a good source of B12 which is essential for life.

Nutrients

We add a number of nutrients to our foods to help ensure that your dog receives a completely balanced diet.

Kelp

This is a well-known "superfood", containing more than 60 minerals and trace elements as well as amino acids, simple and complex carbohydrates. It is also a natural source of iodine, and calcium.

Scottish Salmon Oil

This oil is well known for its beneficial affect on the skin and coats of our dogs. It supplies vitamins A and D as well as Omega 3 fatty acids. It can assist kidney function, the treatment of allergies, skin problems, yeast infections and inflammatory diseases. We have chosen to use Scottish salmon oil rather than cod liver oil as it is more environmentally friendly whilst providing much the same nutritional goodness

Spinach

This is a great source of B vitamins as well as trace elements such as zinc. It can help keep a dog's skin healthy and shiney, as well as strengthening the immune system.

Vitamin C

Dogs are actually able to produce their own vitamin C, and it is essential for healthy skeletal growth and development. It is also a natural anti-oxident. It has been suggested that this vitamin is helpful for dogs in a stressed environment, such as when dogs work, and for these reasons it is included in our working dog and senior food. Initially it was believed that a dog owner should avoid over-supplementation of this vitamin, as any excess in the dog's system is excreted in the urine, and was believed to cause calcium oxatate urinary crystals or bladder stones. However, it is now believed that the acidic nature of this vitamin actually can help disperse any such crystals, as well as being essential for healthy joints and ligaments.