Because our dogs depend completely on us for their nutrition, we should be aware of what we're feeding them. After all, in a time where everyone is so conscious about what they put in their mouth, insisting only on "natural" or "organic" foods, shouldn't that kind of concern also extend to the canine members of our family, with natural dog foods?

Recent studies have shown that many of the diseases that beset us - heart problems, diabetes, excessive weight - are directly linked to diets with low nutritive value. This goes the same for dog food: much of what is on the market is heavily processed stuff - designed less for Fido's health than for longer shelf-life and low production costs, with cheap ingredients.

An example that can be found in many ingredient bales is "meat byproducts." These are "clean parts other than meat" that are rendered from "slaughtered animals," the parts being, specifically "lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, partially defatted low temperature fatty tissue, stomachs and intestines," according to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).

Even worse, there isn't much regulation going on as to what the source of these "parts" is - stories abound, and a lot of them are backed up by evidence, of the dead animals that go into the rendering plants: animals killed on the highways, 4D (Dead, Diseased, Dying, Disabled) animals, and even dogs and cats that were put down in pounds!

That last ingredient isn't so common these days, thankfully, but there are still places that process them. If you'd really like to avoid that, just avoid meat byproducts altogether by switching to a brand of natural dog food. There are brands out there, such as Flint River dog food and Lifes Abundance dog food, that use only the finest sources for their whole meats: chicken and range-fed lamb, and menhaden pulled from the waters of the North Atlantic.

Because you're not feeding your dog junk, switching to natural dog foods means your dog will require less per meal. This not only makes up for the higher price point, but also consider: less food means less scooping up after your dog!