Paleo for Pets? Can Pet Food get anymore human?

You don’t have to be an expert to see that marketing pet food and human food is becoming more and more similar. The intense dietary demands that we are beginning to put on ourselves have started to bleed into the realm of our pets. 

That means expectations of quality ingredients aren’t going away any time soon and that “wellness” is a concept for our pets too. Not really that surprising when you think about how much a part of our families pets have become.

 Also not surprising when you realize that the same factors that are taking their toll on us and our kids, are also effecting our pets. Domestic animals are not only more overweight and inactive than previous generations, but they are suffering more from disease like diabetes and obesity. 

When you closely examine the ingredients, a lot of pet food is basically the animal equivalent of highly processed snack packs, loaded with grains and various different chemicals.

 And with all the access we have to information, we now know that none of this is good for our families, human or pet. So like human food companies, Pet food companies are starting to pay attention.According to the bark magazine, trendy diets like raw food, home-made and dietary rotations are gaining in popularity. Similarities exist even through weight loss regimes for those pets that need them (an estimated 44% of dogs in the US). Brand, are certainly reacting as well. One look at Beneful’s packaging shows hoards of cascading vegetables, while Purina’s “Beyond” line comes in cans and juice pouches with a very artisanal design feel. Brands like Hill’s offer a line called “Ideal Balance” that has “natural ingredients perfectly balanced”. It includes lean proteins, vitamins and minerals, brown rice for natural fiber, and even Omega 3 and 6. Sound familiar? 

And marketing to our furry friends is filled with familiar buzz-words like Paleo, GMO free, high protein. I even heard “small batch” in a dog food commercial this past weekend..

 What’s out in Pet food marketing are claims that use language like “scientifically formulated.” Today’s health conscious consumers equate that to the notion that ingredients aren’t natural. It appears as if “Nature has overtaken science as a reason to believe” and we know consumers now trust nature over science for themselves and for their pets. And when you really think about it, why wouldn’t this healthier generation of humans want the same healthy lifestyle for their pets? After all, pets are people too.