Confused by the term “holistic” on pet food labels? You’re not alone. In this episode of Barking Mad, we unpack what holistic pet nutrition really means—from food energetics and antioxidants to species-appropriate diets and the One Health approach. With expert guests and a no-nonsense approach, join us as we help you navigate the science, the claims, and the gray areas of holistic pet nutrition so you can feed with confidence, not confusion.

Helpful Links

🔗 The Lifestyle Link: How Home Environments Shape Your Dog’s Health and Happiness: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/the-lifestyle-link-how-home-environments-shape-your-dogs-health-and-happiness/

🤔 What does “minimally processed” even mean? https://bsmpartners.net/insights/understanding-minimally-processed-what-it-really-means-for-your-pets-food/

🙆 Find more on the CDC’s One Health initiative: https://www.cdc.gov/one-health/about/index.html

🔋 Learn more about energetics: https://www.naturopathy-uk.com/news/news-cnm-blog/blog/2020/07/16/the-energy-of-foods-in-chinese-medicine/

🌐 Check out Dr. Chris Bessent’s brand, Herbsmith, and Dr. Dody Tyneway-Robi’s brand, Holistic Vet Blend. 

📖 Find Rita Hogan’s book, The Herbal Dog, and learn more about her work: https://www.theherbaldog.com/ 

Show Notes

00:00 – Inside the Episode

02:09 – What’s Driving This Trend?

04:34 – Food is Love—And There Is Such a Thing as Too Much

07:47 – A One Health Approach

09:28 – Not a Category, But a Concept

14:21 – Other Trends Driving Interest in Holistic Pet Nutrition

20:45 – Key Principles of Holistic Pet Nutrition

24:22 – A Quick Note on Energetics

29:00 – Taking an Integrative Approach

32:00 – Tips on Who to Trust

35:15 – The Herbal Dog by Rita Hogan

37:10 – Questions to Ask About Your Pet’s Holistic Dinner

38:01 – More Research Needed

39:56 – Today’s Key Takeaways