While research may very well be able to provide you with the information you need in order to know what brand of dog food you would like to purchase, you can often have a wide variety of sub-categories of dog food options, even within a brand. This Iams dog food review will review the two different types of Iams brand dog food and discuss the pros and cons of each brand, as well as provide you with the nutritional information for each particular type of food so that you can make an educated decision on what type of Iams dog food may be best for your dog.
It is important to remember that many dogs may have specific dietary restrictions as provided by a vet or due to certain breed characteristics. Please make sure to ask your veterinarian before changing your dog’s diet to ensure that they are receiving the correct nutrients and calories per day. The purpose of this Iams dog food review is to provide you with the information necessary to feel like you are making a healthy decision for your animal, but should not supersede any information given by your vet.
Iams Healthy Naturals
Within the past ten years, many studies have shown that “natural” dog food may be better for your dogs – and with good reasoning. A natural dog food, typically, is made to imitate the same sorts of ingredients that an animal may experience if they were in their natural habitat and often cuts out unnecessary fillers in food that may be unhealthy for dogs, such as an abundance of grain or sucralose. It is suggested that by using natural ingredients, you are providing your dog with a more balanced, healthy diet.
The Ingredients
The very first ingredient listed on the package for Iams Healthy Naturals dog food, in the chicken flavor, is natural chicken. As many pet owners are aware, protein is a vital part of any dog’s diet and without it, dogs will often suffer from digestion issues. Followed by chicken is Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Ground Whole Grain Barley, Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Fish Meal. Each of these ingredients provides nutritional content for the animal and ensure that they are getting the minerals they need to be healthy and active.
Overall, the dog food consists of 25% minimum protein, followed by 14% crude fat, and 10% moisture. Furthermore, the food is balanced with essential vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, phosphorous, and zinc, to promote a happy, healthy dog on a whole.
Feeding Instructions
As this food is a high-calorie food, it is not advised that animals are free fed. Instead, there is a recommended serving size for each dog, dependent upon their age and weight. The amount to be fed per dog varies, from the lowest weight range at 3 pounds and 3/8th of a cup to the largest weight, 100 pounds, at 4 and 1/4ths cups of food a day. It is important that you follow these feeding directions, as overfeeding may cause weight gain in some animals or other digestive issues.
More information on feeding and how to accurately measure out the amount of food your dog needs per day can be found on the back of the dog food bag. Of course, it is always a good idea to consult your vet should you have questions about feeding, as dogs with certain health issues or who are severely underweight may require a different feeding regimen than the one listed on the bag.
The Benefits of Iams Healthy Naturals Dog Food
As with any dog food, there are always positive benefits that may be gained from feeding your dog a certain type of dog food. In this case, there are several benefits that have been listed, both by Iams and by customer’s who have reviewed the food itself.
Supports Digestive Health
One of the primary benefits of this particular brand of dog food is that it is known to support the digestive health of dogs. This is primarily due to the fact the formula eliminates many of the additives and fillers that may upset the stomachs of animals who have a more sensitive digestive system.
Iams Healthy Naturals is known for having combined a unique mix of proteins and healthy fibers, which is vital to a dog’s digestive health. Ingredients such as Prebiotics, which are healthy bacteria that aid in the breakdown of food, and beet pulp, which helps the body absorb nutrients naturally, are primary examples of ways in which this particular formula helps support the overall digestive health of dogs.
Healthy Energy Levels
Given the ingredients previously listed, and the fact that this food has a higher concentration of carbs, Iams Healthy Naturals food provides dogs with the right amounts of energy they need to spend their days healthfully active. These nutrients have been scientifically backed, and will keep the dog from being “overly hyper” but will allow the dog the right amount of energy to ensure that they are playful and energetic throughout the day, instead of lethargic.
Skin and Coat Health
A traditional sign of a healthy dog is the state of their skin and coat – in fact, it is often what many dog show contestants are judged on in the overall health section. Skin and coat health is important to animals for a number of reasons, and many different dogs may need different nutrients to ensure that they are receiving the correct vitamins to support the healthy development of their skin and coat. According to their website, Iams Healthy Naturals “vitamins A, E, C and B2, as well as biotin, zinc, copper and fatty acids from fish oil to nourish your dog’s skin and help his coat flourish.”
Easily Digestible
Due to genetic issues, many purebred dogs have been cited as having a digestion disorder that makes it difficult for them to digest certain foods. No one likes to see their pets suffer, of course, and finding a food that is compatible with your dog’s unique digestive system may be difficult. However, many dog owners who have used the Healthy Naturals brand suggested that this particular food worked well with their dog’s unique food needs and they were able to easily eat this particular brand of food without any issues.
High-Calorie Food
Another reason this brand of food is great is that it is a high-calorie food, meaning that in most cases the dog will need to eat less food to get the nutrients it needs. This is great for animals who may be somewhat overweight, as it allows them to begin to proportion their food intake without feeling as though they are being starved by their owners.
High-calorie food is also beneficial as it means that the same amount of food will typically last longer, as there is less need for the owners to free feed. If you are looking for a way to save money on animal food, though more expensive upfront, overall the total cost for food, in the long run, is less with a higher calorie food, as the animals are required to eat less and the food will last longer.
Promotes Overall Health
Most pet owners want their pets to be happy and healthy, and, of course, an essential part of their pet’s overall happiness is their health. In most cases, health is influenced heavily by the animal’s diet or lack thereof. This is why it is important that animals are actively being fed a diet that fits in with their nutritional needs.
Many owners have found that their dogs’ overall health improves when on the Healthy Naturals diet, as they are receiving the proper amount of vitamins and minerals daily to support their overall health. This is advantageous, as it saves owners in the long run on essentials such as vet bills and specialty diets.
Final Thought
Ultimately, many owners who chose to purchase Iams Healthy Naturals dog food for their pets find that they are satisfied with the food itself. The food is healthy and easy for dogs who have sensitive stomachs to digest. However, a common complaint is that it is oftentimes hard to find, as it is a less popular brand of Iams food, and it is often relatively expensive, as there are no artificial additives included in the food. However, many dog owners have stated that they would choose to feed this to their animals, as it does wonders for their overall health, and, in many cases, especially for their digestive health.
Iams Proactive Health
On the other side of the spectrum, Iams also offers a different type of dog food, their Proactive Health line. This line is meant to stay ahead of health issues – unlike the Healthy Naturals version of the food, which is often used to help cope with pre-existing health problems. Proactive Health is specifically formulated for specific breeds and weights of dogs so that each specific breed of animal is getting the nutrients they need in order to stay healthy throughout the course of their lives.
The Ingredients
Similar to its Healthy Naturals counterpart, the first ingredient listed on the Proactive Health formula is chicken This is closely followed by Ground Whole Grain Corn, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken By-Product Meal (Source of Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosamine), Ground Whole Grain Barley, Dried Beet Pulp. These ingredients are similar – but not quite the same – as the Healthy Naturals brand of food.
The primary difference here is that the Proactive Health formula contains whole grain corn, which some vets have warned may be unhealthy for certain breeds of dogs. This is furthermore why it is important to consult your vet in regards to any dietary restrictions that your pet may have prior to switching their foods. This is the best course of action in order to ensure the digestive health of your dog in the long run.
Feeding Instructions
The feeding instructions for the Proactive Health formula are different than the Healthy Naturals formula, in that the Proactive Health formula is broken into categories for types of food, ranging from chihuahuas and other small dogs to large breed dogs. It is important that you ensure that you are purchasing the correct food for your dog – this will ensure that they are receiving the correct nutrients as needed for their specific breed, health, and dietary needs, as these can vary from breed to breed.
Ultimately, information on feeding can be found on the back of the bag of dog food. It is most important, however, to ensure that you are purchasing the correct food for your dog – often, you can ensure this by checking the bag, which will advise the weight class for each type of food.
The Benefits of Iams Proactive Health Dog Food
Overall, the benefits of this brand of food are similar to the Healthy Naturals food brand – in fact, many owners have cited the same sorts of benefits for this brand of food. While this food, in particular, is not meant to assist with animals who may have digestive issues, it is formulated to ensure the same types of positive traits in the long run for animals to ensure their overall health.
Supports Healthy Digestion
This is an important part of any dog’s diet and is consistent across all Iams lines of food. The vitamins and minerals provided within these food brands ensures that the animals are receiving the vitamins and minerals that allow them to digest their food with ease, and prevent or reduce overall digestive issues, both presently and in the future.
Promotes Good Energy Levels
Energy levels are important in any dogs – but especially in larger breeds of dogs, who may need to have more encouragement to move around more often. This blend of food provides animals with the energy required to ensure they are maintaining a good level of activity, joint and bone structure, and healthy weight throughout all phases of their lives. This is vital not only to the animal’s current health but also to the animal’s long term health.
Healthy Skin and Coat
Just like the Healthy Naturals counterpart, the Proactive Health line of food also promotes healthy skin and coat by providing the vitamins and minerals needed to ensure that the dog appears happy and healthy, as well as ensuring that their skin and coat are shiny and clean – a clear mark of health in any breed of dog.
Final Thought
Overall, dog owners who purchase this food are content with it. While some have said that it is not the best option for animals with sensitive stomachs due to the fact one of the primary ingredients is cornmeal, animals who do not have digestive issues are often very content with this brand of food. As it is a higher calorie food, they often find that it is beneficial to purchase and saves them money in the long run, too. In fact, many of the same topics discussed are reiterated for this line of food. Many animals do well on this, as long as the correct food for the breed is used.
Why is the correct breed and size important? This is due to the fact that larger animals, for instance, require food with certain vitamins that help protect their joints in the long term, whereas smaller animals will need more focus on food that removes tar and other bad bacteria from their mouths. This is why it is important that you are getting the correct food for your dog – as long as you are able to ensure that, many owners have found that they are quite satisfied with the overall outcome of the food as provided to their dog’s overall health.
Iams Dog Food Review Conclusion
Overall, Iams has set out to be a stellar animal food provider and makes a wide range of foods for different animals – most popularly, however, cats and dogs. They strive to make food that is nutritionally valuable for animals, without too many empty calories and fillers. This is relatively vital to being successful, as a brand of dog and cat food, as many pet parents are becoming as educated about their animal’s health as they would their own children.
One of the perks that Iams promotes is their Satisfaction Guarantee. For every bag of Iams that is purchased, if you are not satisfied with the product for whatever reason, you are able to reach out to their customer care team – if they are unable to make it right, they are always more than happy to provide you with a refund. This is phenomenal, as it shows that they are dedicated to ensuring their customers are content with their purchase every time. Many animal food companies are not this careful with their purchases, and often times individuals will complain as food may not be nutritionally valuable for the animals, which is a different issue.
Ultimately, the brand values pets and the owners who purchase their food, which is why they provide their satisfaction guarantee. Given these facts, and the overall responsiveness of the brand to any questions or concerns, it is no wonder that so many pet parents would trust Iams when it comes to feeding their pets. It has become increasingly obvious that they are a company dedicated to ensuring the health and wellbeing of animals, not just the profit they can make by selling pet food, making them a great choice for many animals, at an affordable price range, none the less.
