General Questions

 

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We are proud to produce all of our Nature’s Select dry kibble foods in our Texas-based manufacturing facility. All Nature’s Select products are MADE IN THE USA and have USA sourced ingredients with the exception of our lamb and green mussels which are sourced from New Zealand. All of our formulas exceed AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) standards.

"USA Made" refers to our product being made here in the United States. "USA Safe" refers to the USA approval of processing for our New Zealand Lamb recipe which has lamb that is sourced from New Zealand. All Nature's Select Recipes are made in the great state of Texas! 

Our internal Nutrition Team works diligently with third-party nutritionists to formulate the diets, design new products, handle product registrations and ensure compliance with regulations. 

Nature’s Select was started by Paul and Diana Cavanaugh in Orange County, CA in 1994. They began with a simple idea… to deliver all-natural pet food to your door, using the freshest and finest ingredients at prices that fit your budget. What started as a small, family-owned business has grown to evolve over time to reach more pet lovers across the country and allow us to help as many pets as possible through quality pet food and personalized service! In 2012 Alan & Leslie Schrager started the Natures Select of Dayton and Southwestern Ohio distributorship. They have been serving Northern Ky, Cincinnati, Dayton area, up to and including the  Toledo area here in Western Ohio Since then.

Yes, we do. Our Vice President of Nutrition and Procurement is one of 12 nutritionists currently holding a Professional Animal Scientist certification in Companion Animal from the American Registry of Professional Animal Sciences (ARPAS). We also work with third-party nutritionists to validate our work, consult with us on research, and engage in open discussions about how to make sure our products continue to meet our high standards. We are highly rooted in science and continue to use the most proven, trusted ingredients available.

Read the label! High quality ingredients are essential for a healthy food. The first ingredient should always be a meat or fish protein. Whole meats, whole grains, and natural preservatives are key components of the healthiest pet food. Pay attention to the protein ratio. A pet food with 20-30% protein is ideal. The bag should also be dated for freshness. Every bag of Nature's Select pet food has a "best buy" date stamped onto the back of the bag. It is recommended that the bag is used before that date; however, the food is perfectly safe to feed to your pets after that date, it just loses some potency after that date. It's important to remember that a "best buy" date is not the same as an "expiration date".

All Nature's Select formulas are free from corn, wheat, soy, gluten, and any other processed grain by-products. We have NEVER been challenged on nutrition! At Nature's Select, we have kept our formulas current with the latest nutritional advancements to maintain a high level of nutrition. All Nature's Select formulas are formulated to meet or exceed the nutritional levels established by AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.

Always read the label. Avoid inexpensive, less nutritional ingredients and fillers. Corn, wheat, soy, and animal by-products are fillers that lack the nutrition your pets need.

Meat by-products consist of organs and parts not desired for consumption. They can include bones, blood, intestines, lungs, heads, feet, and feathers. We think it’s important to use specific ingredients such as chicken meal or brown rice. That way, you always know exactly what you are getting. When brands use ingredients such as poultry by-products, the ingredients can change from bag to bag. You may get chicken in one bag and turkey in the next.

Changing ingredients suddenly can cause digestive upset. Most fillers can be linked to excessive waste, poor nutritional absorption, and skin problems like excessive scratching and hair loss.

Also make sure there are no chemical preservatives such as BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), or ethoxyquin. These preservatives are potentially cancer-causing agents. The long-term buildups of these chemicals in your pet’s body have not been thoroughly studied and may ultimately be harmful.

When switching your pet to Nature’s Select food or from one Nature’s Select formula to another, we always recommend a gradual transition. Normal bacteria in the intestine help your pet digest food. A sudden change in diet can result in changes to the number and type of bacteria and their ability to digest food, which can lead to intestinal upset. Therefore, a gradual transition helps your pet’s digestive system adjust to a new food without causing loose stool or an upset tummy.

We recommend a transition over a period of 7-10 days. Start with a mixture of 25% new food and 75% old food for 2-3 days. Then switch to a 50/50 blend for another 2-3 days. If the transition is going well, move to 75% new food and 25% old food for another 2-3 days until you are 100% on the new food.

If at any time your dog starts to vomit, has loose stool, or appears constipated, slow the rate at which you are switching food.

In general, puppies need to have more scheduled feeding times per day than an adult dog. This is because a puppy’s body is in growth mode, and needs a constant supply of nutrients in order to be healthy. Most puppies will benefit from a diet that has their daily food portion divided into three feedings per day. New puppies, in general, do not eat a lot during their first few days in a new home. This is normal. Once they settle in they will start to eat again.

We have always been direct to consumer since we started our business in 2010 . You will not find our products in big box retailers, grocery stores, or big pet store chains. Why? Because our pet food is not made with harsh chemical preservatives, additives, or fillers, and in turn is not meant to sit on a shelf for months and months or in a warehouse for long periods of time. Our goal is to get our pet food from our manufacturer in Texas - where it is made fresh bi-monthly - to your door and in your pet's food bowl as fresh as possible! We have partnered with local, small mom & pop pet stores, pet groomers, doggie daycares, and pet hotels.

Although it is a quality ingredient, chicken is about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight. Ingredients on a pet food label are listed in descending order by weight. When you see chicken as the first ingredient in pet food, this is before it’s cooked. Once cooked, the percentage of chicken in the formula is much lower due to the loss of moisture. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken. Chicken meal does not contain by-products such as beaks, feathers, or feet.

You can find our feeding instructions in two places. Our feeding instructions are located on the back of every bag of kibble as well as on our website where feeding guidelines for each of our formulas are listed. A feeding guideline is found on the back of all of our dog food bags. An example is shown below for reference.

Dog Weight & Active Dog Recommended Serving:

10lbs+ = 1/2 - 1 1/2 Cups
25lbs+ = 1 1/2 - 2 1/4 Cups
50lbs+ = 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 Cups
100lbs+ = 3 1/4 - 4 1/2 Cups
125lbs+ = 5 - 7 Cups

Let's keep in mind that this is the suggested feeding amount for an active adult dog. The serving size may increase or decrease a bit depending on your dog's physical activity and age. If you are looking to promote weight loss, go with the lesser recommended amount according to weight. If you are looking to increase weight, go with the greater recommended amount.

We are proud to produce all of our Nature’s Select dry kibble foods in our Texas-based manufacturing facility. All Nature’s Select products are MADE IN THE USA and have USA sourced ingredients with the exception of our lamb and green mussels which are sourced from New Zealand. All of our formulas exceed AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) standards. "USA Made" refers to our product being made here in the United States. "USA Safe" refers to the USA approval of processing for our New Zealand Lamb recipe which has lamb that is sourced from New Zealand. All Nature's Select Recipes are made in the great state of Texas!

Our internal Nutrition Team works diligently with third-party nutritionists to formulate the diets, design new products, handle product registrations and ensure compliance with

regulations.

Nature’s Select was started by Paul and Diana Cavanaugh in Orange County, CA in 1994. They began with a simple idea… to deliver all-natural pet food to your door, using the freshest and finest ingredients at prices that fit your budget. What started as a small, family-owned business has grown to evolve over time to reach more pet lovers across the country and allow us to help as many pets as possible through quality pet food and personalized service!

Our Nature's Select poly-bags are BPA Free and #7 classification for recycling; Most neighborhood areas are starting to accept these but it is dependent on where you live. Otherwise, these need to be recycled through a commercial composting facility. Our bag company is currently working on a new resin that will soon make our bags completely recyclable across the board. Most major shopping stores have recycle bins available for our poly-bags and are a certified drop-off area.

Food safety is our priority. Our ingredients are tested both internally and externally to ensure they meet our high standards of quality. We also extensively test our finished products to ensure the health and safety of the pets eating our products. We are proud to say that our Texas-based pet food manufacturer has earned the SQF Code for Manufacturing 8.0, the SQF Quality Code 8.0, and the FSC 36 Safe Feed/Safe Food in 2018. In addition, all our recipes are formulated to

meet AAFCO regulations. We constantly analyze both raw materials and finished diets to validate AAFCO standards.

Since our product is made fresh bi-monthly, we ensure a fresh bag upon every delivery. Our pet food has a shelf life of up to 1 year when kept in an air tight container or bag not exposed to direct moisture or heat. Our food never sits on our shelves for long. We get our shipments in appx.every 5 weeks. We use only natural preservatives which is why our shelf life is about 11-12 months based on delivery. Store bought food usually lasts up to 2 years because it contains chemical preservatives. We do not have any chemical preservatives in our Nature's Select Pet Food.

Yes. Our VP of Regulatory Affairs and Quality for Nature’s Select Pet Food is one of the leading food safety experts in the United States. He, along with everyone in our company, works hard to ensure the safety of our products every day.

Our Texas-based Manufacturer has earned the SQF Code for Manufacturing 8.0, the SQF Quality Code 8.0, and the FSC 36 Safe Feed/Safe Food in 2018. In addition, all our recipes are formulated to meet AAFCO regulations. We constantly analyze both raw materials and finished diets to validate AAFCO standards.