Grain-free dog food – just a trend or sensible?

Wolves are carnivores—does that mean dogs are too? There is no simple “yes” or “no” answer to that. In reality, wolves do not just eat meat; they consume entire prey animals. In addition to muscle meat, these consist of significant amounts of connective tissue, bones, organs, and their contents. Carrion, berries, and herbs are also part of a wolf’s diet.

Dogs have long been domesticated and live alongside humans. Over time, their bodies have adapted to utilise leftovers from human meals, significantly broadening their diet. Cooked vegetables and grains generally pose no problem for a dog’s digestive tract. In fact, Swedish researchers used DNA analysis to demonstrate that dogs possess the enzyme amylase. This enables them to digest grains and other carbohydrates—an ability wolves lack.

Good to know: Dogs are even capable of increasing their amylase production when fed a starch-rich diet, thereby adapting to their nutrition.

Nevertheless, a dog’s intestine is significantly shorter than a human’s, meaning it cannot process large quantities of grain. Dog food containing more than 60 percent grain is indigestible for your dog; generally, the grain content should not exceed 30 percent.

Arguments in favor of grain in dog food include the fact that it provides healthy fiber and easily digestible carbohydrates—both essential for a healthy gut flora. Furthermore, a certain amount of grain in the food provides a real energy boost. Grains also contain protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals.

Not all grains are the same. The following varieties are commonly found in dog food:

• Wheat (contains gluten)
• Spelt (contains gluten)
• Rye (contains gluten)
• Barley (contains gluten)
• Oats (low in gluten)
• Corn (gluten-free)
• Rice (gluten-free)
• Millet (gluten-free)
• Amaranth (gluten-free, pseudocereal)
• Buckwheat (gluten-free, pseudocereal)
• Quinoa (gluten-free, pseudocereal)

Grains are particularly well-tolerated by dogs when the starch has already been broken down. This occurs, for example, through cooking. Using pressure accelerates the process, helping to better preserve vitamins. Grinding also breaks down the grain. Starch that has not been broken down cannot be utilised by the dog and is excreted.

In principle, grain-free dog food is not necessarily better. Far more important than the presence of grain are the sources of high-quality proteins and fats, as well as their digestibility. After all, not all the protein contained in the food can actually be utilised—or “digested”—by the dog’s body. (Some products separately list the “digestible protein” content, which is very helpful when assessing quality.)

However, there are dogs that do react sensitively to grain in their food, developing symptoms such as itching, flatulence, or diarrhea. In some cases, this may indicate a food allergy, which manifests through the following symptoms:

• Loss of appetite
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Flatulence
• Paw licking
• Ear infections
• Skin problems
• Itching
• Dull coat
• Hair loss

Dogs can also develop a gluten intolerance. Although this condition is relatively rare in dogs, it involves the gut mounting an inflammatory response to the grain in the food. In such cases, you do not need to eliminate grain entirely; instead, you can offer your dog a gluten-free food. These foods typically contain rice, which is gluten-free and generally well-tolerated.

If you suspect your dog has a food allergy, please consult your veterinarian. There are various other ingredients that can trigger intolerances or allergic reactions in dogs.

Switching to grain-free dog food can also be beneficial when dealing with certain health issues:

For dogs with diabetes, you should generally aim for a low carbohydrate intake and avoid both grains and pseudo-cereals, as these cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. However, you should not eliminate carbohydrates entirely in this case.

Switching to grain-free dog food can also be helpful for senior dogs, as older dogs tend to be less active. Excessive energy intake can lead to weight gain in such cases. Overweight dogs also benefit from grain-free food. Furthermore, rice and corn are very high in calories. If your dog needs to lose weight, increasing physical activity and switching to a food free from grains and corn is a sensible approach.

Sufficient protein combined with moderate amounts of carbohydrates—that is the rule of thumb for optimal canine nutrition. Furthermore, all essential fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals must be present in the right proportions. And in the case of an allergy, the dog food should be free of both grain and sugar.

The food in the bowl should be precisely tailored to the dog’s age and activity level. Active, athletic dogs, puppies, and nursing females have higher protein and energy requirements. In contrast, older dogs or those with kidney disease need lower amounts of protein—though it should come from high-quality sources.

When in doubt, a veterinarian can offer advice on the right diet for your dog.

Quality, digestibility, and price are important criteria. However, even the very best dog food is of little use if your pet doesn’t like the taste. Therefore, your dog should certainly be allowed to try different types of food.

The meal in the bowl should be precisely tailored to the dog’s age and activity level. Active, athletic dogs, puppies, and nursing females have higher protein and energy requirements. Older dogs or those with kidney disease, on the other hand, require lower amounts of protein—though it should come from high-quality sources.

When in doubt, a veterinarian can offer advice on the right diet for your dog.

Quality, digestibility, and price are important criteria. However, even the best dog food is of little use if your pet doesn’t like the taste. Therefore, your dog should certainly be allowed to try different types of food.

Grain-free dog food is available in both wet and dry varieties. What you choose to feed depends on your personal preferences and, of course, your dog’s taste. If you cook the food yourself or use a raw feeding (BARF) diet, vegetable flakes or alternative carbohydrate sources make excellent substitutes for grains. You can add ingredients such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, or zucchini.

Even if a dog has no health issues, many owners tend to opt for grain-free dog food. For one thing, grain has a bad reputation as a cheap “filler.” For another, there is a wide range of high-quality grain-free dog foods available on the market. As long as the complete food provides your dog with all the necessary nutrients, there is no reason not to feed them a grain-free diet.

Grain-free dog food should be made from high-quality ingredients. These are listed in descending order of quantity; therefore, muscle meat should appear first on the ingredient list. The labeling should be transparent—meaning that individual ingredients are not lumped together under a generic term like “meat and animal derivatives,” but are explicitly listed (e.g., “chicken,” along with its exact percentage of the total composition).

Good to know: You can tell if your dog tolerates its food well by observing its bowel movements, among other things. A low stool volume and firm stools indicate that your dog is effectively utilising the food.

There are many websites that compare various grain-free (and sugar-free) dog foods. Alongside a great deal of useful advice, the comparison of ingredients is particularly helpful and clearly presented.

Unfortunately, however, such sites also perpetuate nutritional myths that are factually incorrect. For instance, the pure meat content is not the decisive factor in meeting a dog’s protein needs (see the section on digestibility above). Nor is grain inherently responsible for food intolerances or allergies; instead, a dog’s inability to tolerate its food may be due to the specific type of meat used or the preservatives it contains.