What is the Best Dog Food that is Grain-Free? Top-Rated Grain-Free Brands in 2020
Many of you may think that a grain free dog food is the best for your mutt. There is nothing wrong in thinking that way. After all, their ancestors would never opt for grains over meat, right? As a result of this, the number of grain-free products for dogs is growing at a steady rate. There is also the fact that more and more people are preferring gluten-free and paleo diets over traditional meals. The simple thinking is that, if a grain-free diet is beneficial for humans, then why not your beloved pet.
With quite a few grain-free dog foods available at the stores, it is very natural for dog owners to get confused and frustrated when it comes to choosing the right brand for their pets. A little research and going through the user reviews will help you chose the right dog food that is grain-free and also good for your dog in general.
Top 5 Grain Free Dry Dog Food Brands
Why Should You Opt For Grain-Free Dog Foods?
Many of you may wonder why you should opt for a grain-free dog food for your pet. This is a natural question to ask, especially when you notice quite a few advertisements and commercials talking about the health benefits for a dog when you feed the animal with a grain-free dog food. Here are some common reason behind people choosing grain-free dog foods for their dogs.
- Eating Grains Is Certainly Not In The Genes Of Dogs As They Are Natural Carnivores: You will be surprised to know that the ancestral diet of dogs was not 100% carnivorous. On the contrary, cats are more carnivorous as a compared to dogs. There have been numerous studies that prove that members of the canid family are basically omnivores. They can thrive both on plant species and other animals. The ancestors of dogs had to go out on a hunt. The prey animals also learned how to adapt, which made it tougher to hunt them down. Thus, dogs started looking for other means to survive. However, if given a choice between a plant based and an animal based meal, dogs will definitely choose the latter over the former.
- Cereal Grains Are Said To Be the Biggest Causes of Food Allergies in Dogs: There are many people who think that cereal grains are the biggest causes of food allergies in dogs. However, there are several studies that have proved the opposite. You will be surprised to know that there are several non-grain foods that are also allergenic. Nonetheless, these are still being used as the primary ingredients in several grain-free dog foods available in the market.
- Dogs Lack Amylase in Their Saliva That Can Properly Break down the Carbs in Grains: Amylase is basically an enzyme that is necessary to break down carbs into starch in order to prepare the carbohydrate molecules for further digestion. This enzyme is present in the human saliva. However, it is lacking in the saliva of a dog. This is one of the major reasons behind people not willing to give their pet dogs various cereal grains as they are unable to break down these grains further in their digestive process. However, it is important for you to remember that although amylase is missing in their saliva, it is present in their small intestines supplied by their pancreas in the form of pancreatic amylase.
Best Grain Free Dry Dog Food List
As discussed above, there are numerous brands of grain free dog food in the market. Which one is better than the rest, is really a tough challenge to fulfill. After all, since it is a matter of your own dog, you certainly cannot take any risks. This is why we have listed down some of the best quality grain free dog food that will be suitable for your pet. This list will also act as a guide while you shop for such a product.
① American Journey Salmon and Sweet Potato Recipe Grain Free Dry Dog Food
The formula used in the making of this dog food comprises of real deboned salmon, which forms the primary source of protein in the form of amino acids. It will help to build lean muscles in your pet’s body. The chickpeas and sweet potatoes form the primary source of energy that will help your dog lead an active and healthy life.
This dry dog food also contains various types of vegetables and fruits such as dried kelp, blueberries and carrots that provide the much needed fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients to your pet. The presence of flaxseeds and salmon oil form the root source of omega 3 such as DHA, which takes care of the eyes and brain.
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② Taste of the Wild Prairie Grain Free Dog Food
This dog food contains a balanced diet and made from novel proteins that includes the likes of bison and buffalo. The dog food is made from a grain free recipe and includes peas and sweet potatoes that provide the much needed energy to your dog to lead an active life. Various types of veggies and fruits provide the antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins that are needed by your dog to remain healthy. Dried chicory root provides the prebiotics that help in the digestion process.
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③ Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken Recipe Grain Free Dry Dog Food
This dog food has been designed to be exactly the same as those of ancestral wolves. It contains just the right amount of carbs, plenty of fruits that provide antioxidants, and tons of protein. The product is made with Blue LifeSource Bits, which is a precise mix of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This helps to boost the natural immune system of your dog and support the healthy oxidative balance.
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④ Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredients Diet Sweet Potato and Fish Formula Grain Free Dry Dog Food
This dog food has a grain free formula that makes the product suitable for dogs with sensitive stomachs and for dogs with food allergies. It uses fish as the primary source of protein and it also provides the high quality carbs and potassium that dogs need to lead an energetic and healthy life.
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⑤ Merrick Grain Free Real Texas Beef and Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food
As the name suggests, this dog food comes with beef as the primary source of protein along with sweet potatoes. It is basically a grain free dog food that also contains apples, peas, blueberries, and plenty more. It is a well-balanced dog food that provides protein, carbs, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to your dog in the right proportions.
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⑥ Nature’s Recipe Grain Free Salmon, Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Recipe Dry Dog Food
Salmon is the primary source of protein in this dog food. It also contains pumpkin and sweet potatoes that provide carbs to your dog to lead an active lifestyle. It is very simple to digest this dog food due to the mild yet effective ingredients.
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⑦ Wellness CORE Grain Free Original Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal And Chicken Meal Recipe Dry Dog Food
This dog food is made with protein that is sourced from real turkey and chicken. It also provides all the essential vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals from real fruits and veggies. It is free from any type of grain such as corn and soy and does not contain any artificial flavors or colors.
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⑧ Diamond Naturals Skin and Coat Formula All Life Stages Grain Free Dry Dog Food
This dog food provides plenty of protein sourced from salmon. It is a highly suitable food for dogs that suffer from food related skin sensitivities. It also contains plenty of fruits and vegetables such as peas, papaya, blueberries, pumpkin, and lentils that provide the minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins to your dog.
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⑨ True Acre Foods Chicken and Vegetable Recipe Grain Free Dry Dog Food
This dog food contains USA-raised chicken along with real and naturally grown carrots and peas. This food product provides all the necessary nutrition that is needed by your dog to lead a healthy and happy life. It is gentle on the digestion and provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support the overall well-being.
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⑩ Zignature Turkey Limited Ingredients Formula Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Made from real turkey along with chickpeas, flaxseeds, this dog food is highly suitable for dogs suffering from food allergies. It is a good source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that will help your mutt remain fit and healthy. Pros Cons
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Conclusion & What is the Best Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
The best of the list of grain-free dog foods is the American Journey Salmon and Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food (CHECK BEST PRICE HERE). It contains real and deboned salmon as the primary source of protein along with chickpeas and sweet potatoes as the source of carbs. It also provides all the vital minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants due to the presence of real fruits and veggies.
Are Dogs Truly Allergic To Grains?
The primary cause of opting for a grain-free dog food for your pet is because it may give rise to food allergies. This makes it rather important for you to understand how allergies develop. Allergies are basically the way an organism protects itself from being invaded by various foreign materials such as viruses and bacteria. The natural immune system of the body releases immunoglobulin E in response to the presence of a specific allergen.
During the first instance of being exposed to the substance, some of the cells of the immune system effectively disable the threat. At the same time, other cells make a copy of the specific threat in order to produce defensive cells to counter the same substance if it resurfaces in the future. As a result of this, the next time the same organism gets exposed to the same substance, the immune system will be ready to produce an effective reaction against the threat. This reaction is basically known as an allergic reaction.
When it comes to food allergies, protein is often considered as food allergens. However, according to science, not every food protein have the potential to cause allergies. This is mainly related to complex biochemical characteristics of the specific food proteins. Some specific types of protein are more allergenic than others. Some of the most food allergens are dairy, beef, wheat, soy, corn, chicken, and egg.
It is true that some specific type of dogs are allergic to some specific types of grains. However, they are equally allergic to various animal-based proteins such as beef and chicken. Thus, if you are worried about food allergies in your dog, you should also get rid of other food items from their diet such as those mentioned above.
What Can Be Considered As A Good Grain-Free Dog Food?
You probably know by now that a grain free dog food is basically about the wholesomeness of the various ingredients that are used in the formulation of the different canine nutritional products that are available in the market. Let us see what can actually be considered as grain-free dog food.
- Animal Protein Should Be The Primary Ingredient: A good quality grain free dog food should always have a whole animal protein as the primary ingredient. It is needless to say that animal protein can easily be digested, as well as, used by the various cells of dogs. Although plant proteins are also digested and used by the cells in your dog, these types of protein need extensive processing in order to get effectively utilized by the various tissues. It will be a good idea to look for animal protein that have a low allergenic potential. Always remember the fact that the more novel the animal protein, the better it will be. Since beef and chicken are considered to be pretty allergenic, you may consider other alternatives such as proteins from boar, bison, waterfowls, venison, rabbit, to name a few.
- It Should Include Wholesome and Healthier Carbs, Including Grains: As mentioned above, not all types of grains are allergenic. It will be a good idea to opt for those dog foods that come with wholesome grains, since most of them also include various beneficial nutrients and essential amino acids. Some of the examples are brown rice, oats, and quinoa. It will also be a good thing to look for those products that also contain healthy veggies and fruits, since these contains minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants that are also rather useful in promoting better health in dogs.
- Should Be Free From Harmful And Artificial Ingredients: There are some dog foods that come with several flavor enhancers in order to boost the palatability of the food. As long as these flavor enhancers are made from natural ingredients, it is acceptable. However, these may shoot up the price of the dog food. As a result of this, many manufacturers resort to using artificial additives, ingredients, and sweeteners into their formula to bring down the price and also improve the overall quality of the dog foods. It will be a good idea not to choose such products for your mutt.
Tips To Feed a Dog with Food Allergies
It is quite obvious that you may be concerned about your dog suffering from food allergies. Although a grain free dog food can help a lot in reducing the possibility of provoking an allergic reaction in your pooch, there are several other things that you can also do in order to help feed your dog with food allergies. Here are some vital tips that can help you in this process.
- Conduct A Food Allergy Test: It may so happen that you may not know the type of food protein that can cause allergic reactions in your dog. In that case, you will have to perform an allergy test that can last from a few weeks to even a few months. You will have to start off by feeding your dog with a novel protein. This will show signs of improvement in your dog. Once your dog has recovered completely, you may start introducing one ingredient at a time from its previous diet. Stick to a single ingredients for a couple of weeks in order to check for any probable reaction. If there is none, you can easily switch to another ingredient. The primary motive is to eliminate any possible food allergen one at a time.
- Find out More about Various Brands: There are multiple types of dog food brands in the market. Thus, it is quite challenging to say which is better than the rest for your mutt. The best way to find out is to do some research work on the various brands in the market. This will help you filter down the various available options and also assist you in narrowing down the choices for you.
- Better Give Hydrolyzed Or Novel Protein: These types of protein are absolutely new to your pet. This will be highly effective in reducing the immune response. It is always better to sometimes give protein in their simplest form to your dog, such as in the form of amino acids, in order to trick the immune system into categorizing these molecules as non-allergenic.
