best dog food for puppies grain free

The 12 Best Grain-Free Dog Foods to Buy in 2024

Deciding what to feed your dog isnt just a matter of selecting the cutest pooch on the packaging. A dogs food should be protein-rich and provide them with the well-rounded nutrition they need for a long, healthy life.

Just like with people, there are all sorts of fads and trends in food. Perhaps none has been bigger for dogs over the past decade than grain-free food. Almost every big brand today offers at least one grain-free dog food product and choosing from the array of options can be dizzying. Find out what you need to know about grain-free dog food and which products are the best of the best.

Most Important Factors in Choosing a Grain-Free Dog Food

Your mileage may vary, but there are several factors that you most likely will need to take into consideration before deciding which grain-free dog food is the best option for you (and your best friend).

Main Ingredients & Nutrition

With grain-free dog food, the first listed ingredient generally will be some form of protein, usually chicken but sometimes beef, fish, or something more unusual. Because grain-free dog foods dont contain wheat, corn, soy, or other grains, vegetables and fruits are generally substituted in. So youre likely to see ingredients like sweet potato, potato, and peas (like in this food or this one).

Grain-free foods that are heavy on carbohydrates may not provide adequate nutrition for the average dog, while some foods are specifically formulated for life stage, breed, or other considerations. This includes foods that are ideal for seniors (such as this one) or puppies (like this option).

Dog Size & Breed

As mentioned, some foods are specially formulated for particular sizes or even particular breeds. Not only does the mix of ingredients change, but the size and type of the food could change as well. After all, you cant expect a toy breed to eat the same size kibble as a large breed, so pet parents with tiny dogs should think about feeding them tiny food (such as this one with very small kibble).

Dog Age

Senior dogs have unique nutritional and dietary needs, as do puppies, so depending on the age of your pup, you may need to consider special food for that stage of life. Many foods for older dogs are easier to digest or they may have special joint-health ingredients, while puppy food usually has ingredients to bolster healthy growth.

Allergies & Dietary Restrictions

Dogs may be allergic to specific ingredients, and grain-free foods may be available to cater to this allergy. For example, some dogs cant digest eggs, while others may have skin allergies that can be triggered by their food. In other cases, dogs may need to lose weight or have sensitive digestive tracts that need a particular type of food.

Food Type

Dog food comes in dry or wet versions, and which is right for your pet depends on a range of factors. Many pet owners feed a combination of both, as dogs may be more drawn to wet food because of its strong scent.

Price

High-end grain-free foods will come at a premium, and for people who need a particular type of food or special ingredient, they can get even more expensive. Plus, its something youll need to buy month after month, so the costs can add up quickly, so considering a product that balances nutrition and cost might be worth it. Well indicate the price-point of each product in the review, whether that be lower than average ($), average ($$) or above average ($$$).

Veterinary Recommendations

Especially when switching foods for an existing dog (rather than researching options for a new best friend), be sure to consult with your veterinarian, as changing to a new food can be very upsetting for your dog (some tips on that here!). They can help you understand all aspects of your dogs nutritional, breed, size, dietary, and other needs. Theyll also probably have their own strong opinions about which foods are best based on their experience.

With this overview in mind, lets tuck into our list of delicious dog food. If you want more detail about what to keep in mind when purchasing grain-free dog food, we have a full guide below.

Guide to Buying the Best Grain-Free Dog Food

What to feed your dog is no small consideration, so its no surprise that there are big questions to have answered and issues you need to understand before making your decision. Follow our guide to help you understand what you need to know about grain-free dog food so you can make the healthiest choice for your furbabies.

Changing Dog Foods

For most dog owners, once they find a food that works, they stick with it and for good reason. Thats because an abrupt change in food can wreak havoc on a dog, potentially even making them sick enough that they need to see the vet. Even dogs without food sensitivities can experience vomiting, decreased appetite, and diarrhea after a sudden food change.

Any food switch should be done gradually. Heres a good rule of thumb from the American Kennel Club about making the change to a new grain-free dog food over a weeklong period, which well summarize here:

• Day 1: 25% new food, 75% old food
• Day 2: Repeat
• Day 3: 50% new food, 50% old food
• Day 4: Repeat
• Day 5: 75% new food, 25% old food
• Day 6: Repeat
• Day 7: 100% new food

If your dog is sensitive, has allergies, or has a history of digestive problems, you may need to be even more gradual than the seven-day switch schedule proposed here. Note any changes in your dog, including digestive, skin, or behavioral shifts, and consider slowing or stopping the transition and consult with your vet if you are concerned.

Grain-Free Dog Food Explained

Human food trends often show up a few years later in what we feed our pets, and the same is true with grain-free dog food. The low-carb, high-protein trend (including the move toward gluten-free foods) is mirrored in the rising popularity of grain-free dog food.

Grain-free dog food expanded its share of all dog food purchases by more than 171% percent between 2012 and 2016. Unlike traditional dog foods, grain-free dog foods are made without wheat, corn, rice, or other grains. In most cases, alternative carbohydrates are substituted, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and peas.

Pros and Cons of Grain-Free Dog Food

While there certainly are many positive aspects to grain-free dog food, not every facet of this type of food is positive. Heres a look at some of the pros and cons of buying grain-free dog food for your pets:

Pros

• High protein content
• Usually contain higher-quality ingredients
• Lack of fillers

Cons

• Cost and availability
• Often offers less-balanced nutrition
• Some include carbohydrate sources with high starch content, which can promote weight gain

Grain-Free Concerns

Many dog owners were disturbed a couple of years ago when the Food and Drug Administration announced it was investigating a possible connection between grain-free dog food and heart disease.

The agency has not indicated that a clear link exists between grain-free foods and heart problems in dogs, but the evidence was terribly worrying: About 90% of dogs reported to have a heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) were eating grain-free food, and a similar percentage ate diets that contained peas and/or lentils. But it should be noted that the dogs in those cases ate only that food, and some of the dogs were from breeds predisposed to the condition.

Still, with no clear link between grain-free foods and DCM in dogs, its best to consult your veterinarian if you have concerns about your pet, rather than considering avoiding all grain-free foods, even those that are well-balanced nutritionally.

Alternatives to Commercial Dog Foods

While you cant feed your dog table scraps, it may be possible to feed a dog many of the same types of foods you eat, though special considerations exist. For those who may be interested in avoiding commercial dog foods while feeding their pets a grain-free diet, homemade dog food could be a good alternative, though there are some quite affordable options on this list (especially this one and this one).

Many foods on our list are filled with ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen right now: chicken, beef, salmon, carrots, green beans, apples, eggs, and more.

Balance is important, so any homemade dog food recipe should include a quality protein source (beef, chicken, eggs, fish, and liver are all dog-approved proteins), a fat source (olive oil, canola oil, or fish oil), fiber-rich carbohydrates (for those avoiding grains, sweet potato is a good carb), and fruits, vegetables, or herbs.

Dogs, of course, dont have the same nutritional requirements that humans do. The biggest example of this is calcium. People need calcium, too, but for dogs, calcium is even more critical, so for those considering a homemade dog food recipe, calcium tablets would likely need to be incorporated.

Consider, though, that your dog will need to eat a certain amount of calories per day to sustain health, and if you were feeding them twice a day with commercial food, youll probably need to prepare at least that many homemade meals if not more, since your homemade food will have fewer filler ingredients that add to the calorie count. Learn more about homemade dog food in this article from the AKC.

Factoring in Your Dogs Unique Needs

Your specific dogs needs are the most important things to consider when picking a dog food, regardless of the composition or ingredients that the food has. Lets take a closer look at how factors related to your dog can influence their dietary needs.

Age

Food thats great for puppies may not be so great for senior dogs. With a puppy, the concern isnt getting them to eat (because theyll do that pretty much all the time), but its making sure they are getting a nutrient-dense diet so that they can grow up strong and healthy. Heres a look at how a dogs dietary needs change over its life:

Puppy

Just as human babies need foods that make their brains and bodies grow quickly, so do baby dogs. Growing puppies need food with more calories per serving and more nutrients, fat, and protein than adult dogs. In general, dogs stay in this phase of their dietary life until 1 year of age.

Young Adult to Middle Age

As long as there arent any health problems or allergies, most adult dogs (between 1 and 7 years of age) dont really need special dietary considerations, and foods that have lots of nutrients and are well-balanced in terms of protein, fat, and vitamins will keep an adult dog happy and healthy.

Senior

Older dogs (8 years and up) tend to be less active than their younger counterparts, so they may need a boost of protein to help them stave off weight gain while still eating the same number of calories. Also, dogs in this age group are more likely to have chronic health problems that can sometimes be helped by feeding them a great diet.

Breed

While a Pomeranian and a Mastiff could each be perfectly healthy eating exactly the same food, they are very different dogs, and optimizing their health may mean selecting a particular food based on their breed.

In some cases, foods can be tailored to behavioral quirks often present in one breed or another. For example, Labradors are notorious food-scarfers, and foods designed for them will often come with specially shaped kibble meant to eat more slowly.

Size

Breed-related food differences will most often come down to size rather than behavioral or health quirks. Larger dogs are more slow-moving, and they expend less energy to move the same distance as a smaller dog. But with their larger size, they will need more calories to function properly.

Researchers recommend that an inactive 30-pound dog consume 674 calories per day, compared with 2,100 calories per day for an active 90-pound dog.

Health

In some cases, grain-free dog foods can help manage health issues in dogs, including digestive problems, allergies, joint health, and more. But the choice of dog food and how much to feed them could also be impacted by sickness or surgery.

Dogs that are recovering from trauma like a surgery will probably need to eat foods that are higher in fat while they convalesce. Feeding a more fat-rich diet allows the dog to get the calories and energy it needs while eating less food, which will probably make him more comfortable depending on the nature of his surgery.

If this applies, be sure to consult with your veterinarian before making any decisions on what to feed your dog after surgery.

Number of Dogs

Beyond each individual dog, its important to consider if the food will need to provide nutrition to multiple dogs. If so, unless the dogs are wildly different sizes or have unique nutritional concerns, its likely youll be able to feed them all the same food.

This is certainly easier with dogs of the same breed and roughly (ruff-ly?) the same size, but consider a medium-sized dry food that has an easily digested common protein, like chicken, as this should appeal to most dogs. A product like this is helpful in a multi-dog household.

Treats

Not all dog treats are grain-free, so if your plan is to make sure your dog doesnt eat grains, youll need to closely examine ingredients in their treats as well. But regardless of whats in the treat, the calories in each treat your dog gets every day should be factored into the amount and type of food theyre getting.

Healthy Weight

Like with people, carrying around extra weight can be a drag on overall health. Dogs that are overweight by as little as 5 pounds could be an elevated risk of early death, joint problems, diabetes, heart disease, and more. So, if you notice your dog is on the plumper side, a food specially formulated for weight loss may be helpful.

A safe rate of weight loss for most dogs is 1-5 pounds per month, or about 3-5% of bodyweight lost per month, depending on their size and ideal weight.

Grain-Free Dog Food FAQs

Heres a look at some of the most frequently asked questions about grain-free dog food:

Does My Dog Need to Eat a Grain-Free Diet?

In short, a diet reliant on grains is probably not good for either you or your dogs health, and rising rates of overweight-related health issues point to this being the case.

So, if you are interested in eating less of this starchy, filler-laden food for your own health, shouldnt it stand to reason that your dogs health could also be improved?

Additionally, as with humans, some dogs do have difficulty digesting grains or may even be allergic to them.

What Meats Do Dogs Like?

If your dog is like most, theyll eat pretty much any type of meat. But balance is important in a dogs diet, as in a humans. Generally though, dogs require more protein per serving than humans.

So lean proteins like chicken or turkey, as well as more fat-rich ones like beef or liver, should be the foundation of a dogs diet, assuming they dont have underlying health issues that would keep them from eating any of those foods.

Are Eggs Good for Dogs?

Usually, yes. In fact, many veterinarians prescribe a diet of eggs, cottage cheese, and rice for dogs who are in acute intestinal distress. Eggs are an excellent source of protein and are usually rich in amino and fatty acids.

However, some dogs are allergic to eggs, so be sure to monitor your dogs reaction to any foods containing eggs if you think they could be allergic.

Can Dogs Eat Vegetables?

There are many vegetables that are as beneficial for dogs as they are for humans, and most grain-free foods include at least a few of them. This could include things like potatoes, carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, and peas, all of which are quite common in grain-free foods.

But pet owners could consider giving some less-obvious veggies to their dogs, either as additives in their food or as a treat, including cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus.

Dogs should never be given onions, mushrooms, leeks, chives, avocado, or garlic, as they all are toxic to dogs.

Is Wet Food Better Than Dry Food?

There is no single answer to this. But its important to note that dry food is generally cheaper, though canned wet food and regular dry food both have a similar shelf life. Canned wet food also has a higher moisture content, which can leave your dog hungry even though he recently ate.

Also, dry dog food can help remove tartar from your dogs teeth, while most wet foods dont have any solid bits that can help with dental health.

How Can I Keep My Dog From Scarfing Down Their Food?

In addition to sounding gross, rapidly wolfing down food can be dangerous for your pet. Dogs who scarf down food also take in large amounts of air as they take in the food, and that air can travel into their stomach and digestive tract, making them sick.

There are many specially designed anti-scarfing bowls, but a more economical solution may be to place a smaller bowl upside-down inside a larger bowl and pour the dogs food around the smaller bowl. The goal is to force her to eat more slowly.

Food for Thought

You take great care in making sure your dog is as happy and healthy as possible, and choosing the best food is no different. While they certainly arent for every single dog, the variety of grain-free dog food options means most dogs can benefit from one of the products on our list. And, hey, if your best friend needs to taste-test a few different finalists, he probably wont mind.