Grain-Free pet foods - latest trend or legit?

crabcake

crabcake

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Is it really better/healthier for pets to eat grain-free, or is it more just another option for hyping various brands and starting a new trend? If my pets are otherwise healthy (no allergies, medical issues, dietary concerns, etc), is there a reason to go G-F? I have conflicting info from vets, and for every article I read online that is pro-GF, there is another saying it's just marketing hogwash unless warranted for dietary purposes.

Anyone care to please share their opinions/perspectives? TIA
 
migtig

migtig

aka Mrs. Giant
I have little dogs nowadays. I do think there is something about them that makes them more sensitive to dietary concerns. GF treats and food seems to resolve watery eyes, coat/skin issues and tummy troubles. I can actually tell the difference going grain free with them, and I can tell when I give them a treat that isn't GF. With the larger dogs, I never had any dietary concerns other than them not eating my shoes, socks, rocks, and small children.
 
crabcake

crabcake

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I haven't had a dog in two years, and even then, Emmitt was on a special diet for his weight and older age. But I just adopted two dogs in the last week - a 2.5yr old German Shepherd/Beagle mix (full grown at 29lbs so medium sized), and a golden retriever/lab mix puppy at 13 weeks (but will be large when full grown).

The rescue vet said "go grain free-period"; my regular vets says "if dietary concerns warrant it, go GF". Neither dog has any known allergies, dietary issues. I started the GSD/B on grain-free Blue (mixed with what she had been getting at the rescue), and she seems to like it, and I am almost out of the bag of puppy food the rescue provided for the GR/L (Hills SCience Diet non-GF) so I need to get more tonight. I am just trying to reconcile what makes the most sense for them both vs just "buying the hype", IF that's all it is. And I would rather not be buying two bags of food/week at $30/bag since one needs pup and the other adult.

Petsmart has their "Simply Nourish" brand in GF & non-GF, and they guarantee 17 factors of their nutrient profile analysis which makes choosing the right food a little easier, so I thought I might try a small bag of that for the puppy to see how she does, but they don't make "large breed puppy" food in smaller quantities.

This was so much easier years ago when it was "puppy, adult, senior" to choose from. :doh:
 
lucky_bee

lucky_bee

RBF expert
There's something to be said about bringing the dog food back to basics, some of the fillers and additives were getting a little crazy in the ingredients department. I keep my shiba inu on a mostly grain-free diet. It helps her coat and allergies. However if it wasn't recommended for her to be eating GF, I'd probably stick with the slightly healthier versions that Pedigree or Purina One brands have been releasing more recently. Not all are specifically grain-free (they might have sweet potato or rice), they are a little cheaper than all-GF, but they're not as full of crap like ALPO or the cheapest of cheap stuff with all the corn-by products, etc. They focus on proteins and better filler.

Both your dogs have hardy breeds in them. I wouldn't worry so much about them, take a walk thru the aisles of Petco and see what ingredients you're comfortable with in comparison to price. Those breeds tend to eat anything in front of them, so I'm sure they'll like whatever you put down :smile:
 
H

Hodr

Guest
If one vet suggested it, and the other said it would be better but you are ok as long as your dogs are healthy, that sounds like the expert believe grain-free to be healthier.

My perspective, cats are carnivores. Not omnivores like dogs. No cat in the wild digs up potatoes to eat them or munches on barley and wild berries. One of my old cats for some reason liked to eat grass, but would always throw it up about an hour later. So while it might be arguable if the filler products are hurting, they almost certainly aren't helping your cat.

As for dogs, I guess technically they are omnivores but you know they never ate processed grains in nature. Potatoes might not be out of the question, but corn seems like a stretch. Of course the Old Roy dog food we used to buy from Wal-Mart turned out to be made in China, and they apparently think sawdust and lead are appropriate fillers (ask me how I found out about that).

My grandmother cooks the food for her dogs, rice and hamburger meat. Her dogs (she usually has 3-4 at any one time my whole life) always seems to live at least twenty years in good health, so there might be something to it.
 
Roman

Roman

Active Member
My Boston Terriers eat grain-free as recommended by their Vet. One of them had the dandruff from hell, and the other had weepy eyes. Since going grain-free, no more dandruff, and the eyes are still a little weepy, but her eyes are bugged out, so that is to be expected. I read an article a few years ago, that said corn was added to the regular dog food as a filler, and not for the health of the pet. It made the food cheaper price wise, but there was less meat. So the manufacturers were making bank on their product. We had a dog that lived 20+ years, and she lived off of Old Roy back in the day. So I guess it's up to you! We all want to do the best for our dogs. Hodr, congratulations on your new babies.
 
stgislander

stgislander

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
My Goldens have always been on a fish/potato based diet. The pure breds had allergies that required it. My current Golden/Chessie mix doesn't require it, but once you get started why stop. At least a prescription is no longer required to purchase the fish/potato food.

That being said, my Goldens would eat anything and everything. How many dogs have you seen that will eat orange slices?
 
crabcake

crabcake

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Thanks so much for all the input everyone! And HODR, I am sorry about your Ol Roy experience. :(

The GS/B ("Nugget") is on the Blue GF (was mixed with the HSD from rescue , and I might keep her on that because she does have dandruff, so will see if that improves. The pup - however - needs a good, large-breed puppy food that is properly balanced for her growth (so she doesn't grow too fast while her bones are developing). I read about excessive calcium being a contributor to larger breeds experiencing skeletal issues like hip dysplasia and that it's important to make sure the calcium is properly balanced. Finding a GF especially for large breed puppies isn't as easy, and AAFCO doesn't have a nutrient profile specifically for large breed puppies which adds to the confusion.

Looking at Petsmart's Simply Nourish for large breed puppies (non-GF) shows it has the right calcium level, and it does not contain corn. Here is a link to the SN I am considering for the GR/L ("Donut"). Is there anything else in these ingredients that appear concerning to anyone?
 
crabcake

crabcake

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I picked up the SN, mixed it up with the HSD from the rescue, and little bit devoured the bowl. That's a good sign!

If I could figure out how to post pics from my iPad, I would share pics. They are both such sweet, adorable gals!
 
migtig

migtig

aka Mrs. Giant
crabcake said:
Looking at Petsmart's Simply Nourish for large breed puppies (non-GF) shows it has the right calcium level, and it does not contain corn. Here is a link to the SN I am considering for the GR/L ("Donut"). Is there anything else in these ingredients that appear concerning to anyone?
Click to expand...

I have two things - one - I didn't see where it was manufactured. I'm especially cautious of anything that was not made in the USA. Just don't buy Chinese dog food. Something made in China is usually on the re-call lists. Two- again, I have smaller dogs, but since it says "chicken meal" and "chicken ligaments" I suggest you always visually inspect the food. There have been instances where that has not been processed/ground down enough so that there aren't any sharp pointy pieces sticking out of the food. I actually ran into that with a very expensive dog food. Otherwise, if your dog is happy with it, stay with it.

I buy Wellness Toy Breed formula nowadays, so I don't know much about the other brands. However, I do have it on re-occurring home delivery by Chewy.com. I recommend checking them out once you settle on your dog food.

Looking forward to the pictures.
 
vraiblonde

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
Apollo eats grain-free when it's commercial dog chow, but when I make his food I use oats and other grains that I know are real. But that's just my hippie dippyness coming out - dogs ate Purina floor sweepings for generations and were perfectly fine.
 
crabcake

crabcake

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@Migtig - I didn't even think to check the country of manufacture, but looked on the package and didn't see it noted. I called the company, and they confirmed it is made in the U.S., and all ingredients are from within the U.S. I asked why it wasn't on the label anywhere, and she said it's something they have repeatedly asked the marketing dept about because they get a lot of calls asking this.

ETA - she said their SN kibble is US-made. The wet/canned SN stuff is made in Thailand in a govt facility. I won't be buying that.

@Vrai - have any recipes you care to share? As much as I love to cook, it would be fun to make some special meals for them. A friend's Grandmom also used to make all of her dogs chicken and rice, and they loved it. I might do that on occasion for them, but having other stuff to mix in and make would be fun.
 
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vraiblonde

vraiblonde

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Patron
crabcake said:
@Vrai - have any recipes you care to share? As much as I love to cook, it would be fun to make some special meals for them. A friend's Grandmom also used to make all of her dogs chicken and rice, and they loved it. I might do that on occasion for them, but having other stuff to mix in and make would be fun.
Click to expand...

Whatever I have on hand is what I put together and give him. I don't shop special for ingredients. Any combination of meat, veggies, and fruit, he loves eggs (pulverize the shell and add it to the chow), and some oats or brown rice. No seasonings, but parsley and rosemary are good for him. He likes plain yogurt and cheese. He's crazy about beets, but they make his poop red.

Like, I'll have leftover chicken so I'll chop that up and add some chopped carrots and apple, kale or spinach if I have it, a bit of cooked rice, and bind it with yogurt. Or I'll scramble him an egg with cooked veggies and oatmeal. Nothing artificial or processed, no sugar or salt, but other than that it's a great way to use up leftovers.
 
lucky_bee

lucky_bee

RBF expert
vraiblonde said:
Whatever I have on hand is what I put together and give him. I don't shop special for ingredients. Any combination of meat, veggies, and fruit, he loves eggs (pulverize the shell and add it to the chow), and some oats or brown rice. No seasonings, but parsley and rosemary are good for him. He likes plain yogurt and cheese. He's crazy about beets, but they make his poop red.

Like, I'll have leftover chicken so I'll chop that up and add some chopped carrots and apple, kale or spinach if I have it, a bit of cooked rice, and bind it with yogurt. Or I'll scramble him an egg with cooked veggies and oatmeal. Nothing artificial or processed, no sugar or salt, but other than that it's a great way to use up leftovers.
Click to expand...

no raisins or onions either. I learned that the hard way :dance:
 
crabcake

crabcake

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Thanks much! I knew about onion, but not raisins.

Given the pup has special dietary concerns (being a large breed and growth rates and such), I think I will keep anything I do simple in terms of homemaking their food until she is out of the puppy stage and reaches her growth peak. And it won't be a primary source but rather maybe a "Sunday special" sort of thing.
 
crabcake

crabcake

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Here is Nugget
image.jpg

And Donut
image.jpg
 
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