Is Black Hawk dog food owned by China

Dog Food

What makes Black Hawk pet food so good?

To put it simply, the thing that makes Black Hawk pet food so good is our ingredients. Every ingredient in every recipe has been carefully selected by our team of vets and pet nutritional experts for its nutritional value every item used in our pet foods provides a benefit, whether it's energy, immunity, joint health, digestive health or brain function.

As we say, every ingredient matters, so everything we pack into our dog foods is there for the benefit of your dog or puppy. Here are some of the ingredients we use in our pet foods.

Fruits and Vegetables

• Beet pulp This powerhouse vegetable is a wholesome source of fibre that natually delivers prebiotics to help support overall gut health for happier tummies and healthy stools.
• Berries Full of vitamin C and other powerful antioxidants, our blend of cranberries and blueberries can help control free radicals and protect against cell damage.
• Carrots A rich source of beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A in the body and may help vision.
• Sea kelp Iodine is essential for a well-functioning thyroid and this seaweed is packed full of it.
• Sweet potato A rich, natural source of fibre which can support the passage of food through your dogs intestine and assist the absorption of vital nutrients.

Herbs and Roots

• Rosemary Packed full of antioxidants and flavour, rosemary is also a natural preservative used to keep your pets food fresher for longer and may improve cell function.
• Chicory root A superfood when it comes to natural prebiotics. Its high inulin content helps feed beneficial bacteria to keep the gut balanced, which may help with gas and flatulence. A healthy microbiome can support dogs with food sensitivities.

Grains

• Oats A good source of carbohydrate and dietary fibre, providing a slow-release energy source and essential nutrients to the body and digestive tract.

Protein

• Chicken A highly digestible, delicious, lean and versatile protein packed with amino acids which are essential for building strong bones and muscles.
• Eggs Can aid muscle growth and maintenance. Eggs are a complete source of essential amino acids, the building blocks required for body structures and functions. Eggs are an easily digestible protein boost, containing choline which supports normal liver function.
• Kangaroo A lean meat for strong muscles. Naturally one of the leaner meats, kangaroo is nutrient rich in zinc and iron. Zinc can help with skin health, while iron is essential for muscle growth.

Oils

• Coconut Oil For easy digestion. This fat supports healthy metabolism and provides energy.
• Fish Oil For healthy skin, a shiny coat and joint support. Natural source of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids.

Black Hawk dog food is extremely rich in nutrients and is packed with only the best ingredients hand-selected for the benefits theyll bring to your pet. All the nutrition they need with no unhealthy or artificial ingredients and only natural preservatives.

Original versus Grain Free Dog Food whats the difference?

At Black Hawk, we offer nutritious dog foods in both Original and Grain Free formulas in wet and dry dog food varieties. Grain Free Formulas are higher in protein and ideal for owners who wish to exclude grain from their dogs diet. Black Hawk Wet Dog Food can be fed as a complete, nutritionally balanced meal or in combination with dry food to supplement your dogs meal and provide some added variety.

Both Grain Free and Original dog foods are packed full of nutrition and come in a variety of options for dogs of different sizes and ages including specially formulated puppy food options.

When should I transition my puppy from puppy food to adult dog food?

We recommend transitioning your puppy from puppy to adult dog food between 10 and 18 months of age. Different sized breeds of dogs grow at a different rates, and generally smaller dog breeds are transitioned at an earlier age than large breeds.

For smaller breeds (under 15kg), transition at around 8-10 months of age.

For medium sized breeds between 15-25kg in weight, transition at around 12-15 months of age.

For large breeds above 25kg, we recommend transitioning at around 18-24 months of age.

Can I give adult dog food to my puppy?

You should feed your puppy specially formulated puppy food. While it wont harm your puppy to occasionally have adult dog food if you run out of puppy food, adult food doesnt meet your puppys nutritional needs. Puppy foods are typically more energy-dense compared with adult dog foods as puppies require more energy as they grow and develop.

Puppies also require higher levels of protein and specific amino acids, fatty acids, and minerals. Much the same way a human childs nutritional needs differ from those of an adult, a puppy requires tailored nutrition for the first 12 to 18 months of its life.

At Black Hawk, our team of vets and nutritionists has developed a range of puppy foods formulated especially for growing puppies with calorie-dense and extra fatty formulas designed to help them grow, learn and develop.

Does Black Hawk dog food contain any additives or preservatives?

Black Hawk wet and dry food contains only natural preservatives. A natural preservative is one that occurs naturally in nature, as opposed to a chemical preservative that is made synthetically such as BHT, BHA or ethoxyquin which are often found in cheaper brands.

The natural preservatives we use in our products include rosemary extract, vitamin E (tocopherol) and vitamin C.

Is Black Hawk a complete diet or a complete and balanced pet food?

Yes. Our pet foods are specially formulated to provide a complete diet solution this means your pet will receive all the vitamins, minerals, protein and nutrition they need from our pet food. Its important to note that every dog is different and your pet may have unique nutritional or medical needs which may require additional supplements to ensure optimal health.

You can also supplement your best friends diet with dog treats to help with training and as a reward for good behaviour. Oven-dried and made with natural preservatives, these treats can be used to teach your puppy new behaviours or to give your grown-up dog an extra treat.

What changes will I see in my dog after switching to Black Hawk?

When you switch from low-quality dog food to Black Hawks premium Australian dog foods you may notice a change in your pet. The benefits from a nutritious diet will take some weeks to take effect, but the advantage it has to the health and vitality of your dog in the long term is whats most important.

• Healthy, shiny coat Thanks to the special blend of oils in our dog foods, your pets skin and coat will be well supported by natural omega fatty acids. You may notice your dogs coat looking healthy and shiny with less shedding and dandruff. The high levels of omega fatty acids in the Black Hawk recipes may also help support your pets natural skin barrier function.
• High energy levels Black Hawk dog and cat foods are all packed full of valuable, easily digestible protein, combined with our special oil blend which means your pet has more energy for running and playing.
• Less mess One little-known benefit of an easily digestible, high-protein diet for dogs is the reduced amount of waste they produce. Because our formulas are easy to digest, more of your dogs diet will be absorbed and less will be excreted as poo, meaning less time spent cleaning up after your dog.

How do I transition my dog to a new brand of pet food?

You can get your dog to transition to a new pet food brand by adding a small amount of the new brand to its current food and gradually increasing the ratio until it has moved to the new brand. For example, you might start with 25% new food to old for the first few days, then up it to 50% for the next few and then 75% and so on. This not only helps your pet get used to the taste of the new food but also allows the good bacteria in your dogs gut to adapt to the new ingredients.

The key when transitioning your pet from one diet to another is to do it slowly. Whether youre switching from puppy food to adult food or from one brand to another, veterinarians recommend taking at least one week or preferably two weeks to make the switch. If you rush your pet into starting a new diet too quickly they can experience diarrhoea or other digestive issues as their gut bacteria wont have had time to adapt to the new food. While these symptoms should pass on their own, seek immediate veterinary advice if your pets condition deteriorates. We also recommend checking customer reviews before switching to a new wet or dry dog food.

How much should I feed my dog?

The amount of food your pet needs will vary depending on their age, weight, lifestyle and breed. Black Hawk pet foods come with a feeding guide which will offer a recommended serving size for your dog.

Its important to take into account changes to your pets lifestyle when following the standard feeding guide remember, these guides are general and your pets needs may vary. For instance, if you are walking your dog less during the winter months or your pet isnt as active as it used to be its important to cut down its serving size to ensure your pet doesnt gain too much weight.

Who Owns Your Pet Food Company?

Pet food isnt a famously transparent industry. It can be tricky to navigate the adverts, packaging, and marketing to get a sense of what youre buying. For example, most of the major brands that dominate shelves are owned by giant foreign companies.

Sometimes those overseas companies will choose to manufacture locally, due to Australias access to high-quality raw ingredients. Thats great. It creates jobs and cuts down the time it takes between food being processed and bought by you.

Now, the quality of your food depends on much more than where its made and who owns it. But were dedicated to helping our readers understand the confusing world of internationally and Australian owned dog food, so enjoy this crash course in the dizzying world big business.

The Big Three Brands

The pet food industry is largely dominated by three foreign-owned groups: MARS (North American), Nestle (Swiss), and The Real Pet Food Company (Chinese-led).

Between them, they own pretty much every pet food brand youve ever heard of. But, here is a complete breakdown.

Mars, a private US company, owns:AdvancePedigreeGreeniesChumIAMSMy DogNatures TableNutroOptimumRoyal CaninSchmackosWiskasDineEukanubaGood-O and more

Nestle Purina, a public Swiss company, owns: Beyond Lucky Dog Beneful Supercoat Felix Friskies Proplan One Fancy Feast and more

The Real Pet Food Co, a majority Chinese-led Asian investment consortium, owns: Billy & Margot Natures Gift Natures Goodness Farmers Market Ivory Coat VIP Doctor Bs BARF Tucker Time Fussy Cat Lovem

Other Foreign-Owned Brands

There are a handful of other foreign owned companies that youre probably very familiar with who arent quite as massive.

New Zealand owned: Black Hawk, ZiwiPeak, and K9 Naturals. US owned: Hills Science Diet & Wellness UK owned: Applaws

Australian Owned Dog Food Brands

That probably feels like every brand youve ever heard of so far, but there are a bunch of local dog food brands in the market. Again, just a reminder none of this is commenting on quality of food. Scratch (our fav, obviously)Meals for Mutts SavourLife BioPet VeganPet CopRice Australian Dog Food Company Prime 100 Stay Loyal Vets All Natural and Balanced Life Lifewise

So there you have it! Now, just a reminder, none of this is commenting on the quality of the food. A good and a bad product can be manufactured in any country.

To understand more about what you feed your dogs, catch up on:

How the Pet Food Industry Got Hooked on Bad Chicken

Understanding the Invisible Economics of Pet Food

Can Dogs Be Vegan?

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Written by Doug Spiegelhauer on February 13, 2019 forOff The Leash

Article last updated on October 1, 2021

Doug never had a dog growing up but as soon as he stopped moving around knew he needed a dog in his life. Enter Snoop the Beagle. Doug worked for 7 years designing and making dog treats and food for some of Australia's best brands. Now a Co-Founder of

Scratch Pet Food

.