Each dog requires good nutrition to remain active and healthy. There is no particular formula for dog owners to follow when feeding their pets. However, it is advisable to feed them with grain-free foods. The age, breed, health, and size of a dog influence its nutritional requirements. In this post, I explore crucial factors to consider when buying dog foods and the top seven-grain free dog foods.
Table of Contents
- 1 Best Grain Free Dog Foods – Comparison
- 2 What to Consider When Buying Grain Free Dog Foods
- 3 7 Best Affordable Grain Free Dog Foods – Reviews
- 3.1 1. Health Extension Grain-Free Buffalo
- 3.2 2. Ziwi Peak Air-Dried Dog Food Recipe
- 3.3 3. Naked Essentials Wet Dog Food – Grain Free and Canned
- 3.4 4. Taste of the Wild Grain-Free Real Meat
- 3.5 5. Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Wet
- 3.6 6. Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Canned
- 3.7 7. Purina Beyond Natural Grain Free Ground
- 4 Conclusion
Best Grain Free Dog Foods – Comparison
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What to Consider When Buying Grain Free Dog Foods
There are certain vital things you should look for when choosing dog foods including:
The Nutritional Guarantee: The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) adds a label on each food that constitutes the main dog meal. It offers complete nutrition. Some of the primary ingredients include beef, chicken and lamb. Select dog food that won’t cause an allergic reaction.
Serving Portions: Obesity is a common problem in dogs. Your dog might overeat if you leave the food in his kennel all day. Most modern dog foods are delicious. Every food has a label on its packaging that indicates the right amount of food to offer based on the weight of your pet. The activity level of your dog also determines his nutritional requirements.
The Byproducts: Some companies prefer using real chicken and meat ingredients. Typically, different animal parts such as bones and meat have varying nutrition levels. If your dog has a sensitive stomach, visit a certified veterinarian to seek guidance on which byproducts to avoid.
7 Best Affordable Grain Free Dog Foods – Reviews
1. Health Extension Grain-Free Buffalo
Health Extension food comprises buffalo, buffalo meal, chickpeas, deboned whitefish, lentils, salmon oil, and sunflower oil. The whitefish meal provides Omega 3 fatty acids. The meal is suitable for small dogs and teacups of all ages. Buffalo is the main ingredient. It offers sufficient animal protein for proper growth. Also, it contains antioxidant berries.
There are other quality ingredients including cider vinegar, coconut oil, natural probiotics, and turmeric. The Grain-Free Buffalo recipe is available in sizeable kibbles for old and young dogs. The most popular formula is packed in small bites. It offers a wide range of benefits found in holistic extension systems. It lacks extra hormones. Allergic Buffalo recipe, Chickpea, and Whitefish Little Bites are appropriate for toy breeds and puppies that are allergic to poultry products.
The Health Extension Grain-Free dog food contains different supplements and nutrients such as colostrum which boost your dog’s immunity. It lacks by-products, corn, artificial flavors, BHT, food preservatives, glutens, sugar, soy, and rendered fats.
What We Liked:
- It contains antioxidants
- There is sufficient animal protein supply
- Essential amino acids necessary for proper growth are present
- Suitable for all dog ages and breeds
- Artificial flavors, preservatives, gluten, sugar, and soy are absent
What We Didn’t Like:
- High-calorie levels might lead to obesity
- It is tricky for new pet owners to use it
2. Ziwi Peak Air-Dried Dog Food Recipe
Ziwi Peak is a single-protein dog food that comprises inulin, dried kelp, copper amino acid complex, New Zealand mussel, lamb, lamb liver, lamb tripe, minerals, parsley, salt, and thiamine mononitrate. Reputable New Zealand farms supply key ingredients that pet food manufacturers use to make Ziwi Peak. It ensures that your pet is free-ranging and grass-fed. The kelp acts as a natural source for minerals and vitamins while the green mussel provides chondroitin and glucosamine.
I recommend feeding your pet with this Air-Dried dog recipe. It is a complete, natural and simple meal that provides all essential nutrients and minerals. Ziwi applies natural methods to preserve ingredients such as air-drying. It inhibits the growth of pathogenic bacteria. It is not necessary to rehydrate the food recipe as it contains sufficient moisture, unlike dry kibble. Furthermore, it lacks glycerin, preservatives, and sugars thus making it clean, easy and safe to handle.
The meal lacks antibiotics, added hormones and growth promoters. Ziwi Peak comprises bones, organs, and fresh meat to promote joint health. It is available in high-calorie and protein packs that allow you to offer small portions to your dog daily.
What We Liked:
- A wholesome and well-balanced meal
- It is made of natural New Zealand farm and animal products
- Contains glucosamine and chondroitin
- Artificial hormones, preservatives, glycerin, and promoters are absent
- Fresh meat and bones promote healthy joints
What We Didn’t Like:
- Requires proper storage to prevent it from rotting
- It lacks essential antibiotics for improved immunity
3. Naked Essentials Wet Dog Food – Grain Free and Canned
I and Love and You is a whole-food recipe with several ingredients including turkey, turkey and vegetable broth, turkey liver egg whites and peas. Turkey is the primary ingredient in this canned stew food. It constitutes both the skin and flesh from whole carcasses or parts of a turkey. Naturally, turkey is rich in essential amino acids. Turkey and vegetable broth add moisture and flavor to the grain-free food. They are common in most canned foods.
Turkey’s liver is rich in iron and zinc. Dried egg whites are a highly digestible source of protein while peas provide carbohydrates and natural fiber. Holistic veterinarians formulated this canned stew food to suit all dog ages and breeds. They use real lamb as the primary ingredient.
Some I and Love and You varieties include cranberries, anti-oxidant vegetables, and fruits such as carrots and spinach. It lacks additives, artificial preservatives, corn, soy, and wheat. Moreover, it contains flaxseed oil which provides Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids for a healthy coat.
What We Liked:
- Sufficient animal protein supply
- A long lifespan since it is canned
- Peas to supply natural fibers and carbohydrates
- Tasty due to turkey and vegetable broths
- Essential Omega 3 and 6 amino acids
- Ingredients such as spinach are nice antioxidants
What We Didn’t Like:
- Some dogs are allergic to turkey products
4. Taste of the Wild Grain-Free Real Meat
The Real Meat Recipe is a wet dog food that contains bison, natural peas, roasted lamb and venison, sweet potatoes and potatoes. Beef is the main ingredient in Taste of the Wild Meat Recipe. It provides digestible energy needed to keep your dog active. Also, it contains several antioxidants such as blueberries, raspberries, and tomatoes. They boost the immunity of your pet thus protecting him from infections and diseases.
There are essential nutrients and vitamins that make Taste of The Wild a complete meal. It consists of the muscle tissues of the heart, diaphragm, esophagus, and tongue. There are vegetable and beef broths that add moisture and flavor to the meal. It contains an egg product which consists of dehydrated shell-free eggs. Your dog can easily digest the eggs.
Taste of the Wild contains peas. They provide carbohydrates and natural fiber. Nevertheless, they contain 25 percent protein. You should consider them when choosing a certain grain-free food variety.
What We Liked:
- Potatoes provide digestible energy
- It has antioxidants including raspberries and blueberries
- Protects your dog against infections
- Muscle development of the heart and esophagus tissues
- Dehydrated egg-shells comprise the egg product
- Each serving contains 25 percent protein
What We Didn’t Like:
- It is not appropriate for puppies
- The meal could result in obesity if you use the wrong portions
Also Read: The Best Dog Food for Urinary Health – Urinary Care
5. Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Wet
Wellness CORE is a natural dog food that comprises chicken, chicken liver, guar gum, egg product, ground flaxseed, dried peas, apples, turkey, turkey broth and zinc proteinate. The chicken consists of skin and flesh from chicken carcasses. Turkey and chicken are rich in essential amino acids. Chicken broth adds flavor and moisture to the wet canned food.
Sweet potatoes lack gluten. They are a source of carbohydrates, beta-carotene, and dietary fiber. Chicken meal is a meat concentrate that contains 300 percent protein than ordinary chicken. The meal contains other ingredients such as carrageenan, a thickening agent that is common in seaweeds. However, little research has been conducted to determine its safety.
Flaxseed is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and soluble fiber especially when it is grounded. Generally, it contains 19 percent protein. Wellness CORE contains a chicory root product. It provides inulin, a sophisticated compound made up of several carbohydrate units. It is present in particular tubers and roots. Inulin provides dietary fiber and prebiotics.
What We Liked:
- A natural complete dog meal
- Adequate animal protein for proper growth
- Doesn’t require extra moisture to rehydrate it
- It contains carrageenan unlike most dog foods
- Flaxseed provides natural fiber and Omega 3 fatty acids
- Inulin is rich in prebiotics
What We Didn’t Like:
- High protein levels might cause obesity-related complications
6. Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Canned
Whole Earth Farms is an American canned dog food that lacks by-products, corn, artificial preservatives, soy, and wheat. Its main ingredients include carrots, calcium carbonate, blueberries, chicken liver, dried egg product, deboned turkey, potatoes, natural flavor, and niacin. It is a balanced and complete meal. Deboned turkey is a major source of animal protein. Each kilogram of Whole Earth contains 860 kilocalories. It is suitable for dogs of all ages and breeds.
I advise pet owners to purchase Whole Earth Grain Free food for their dogs. It offers essential nutrients and minerals necessary for proper growth. Most of the ingredients are natural and they perfectly blend with each other. The U.S. makes all Whole Earth canned recipes and kibble. They are an ideal choice for pet owners who are interested in natural dog foods. Its ingredients are natural and they make a sumptuous meal for your dog. It is suitable for pets with allergies and sensitive stomachs.
What We Liked:
- Artificial preservatives and corn are absent
- Blueberries are renowned antioxidants
- Appropriate for all dogs
- It contains different minerals and nutrients
- Suitable for allergic dogs with sensitive stomachs
- An American made and manufactured dog food
What We Didn’t Like:
- High-calorie levels might cause obesity in puppies and small breed dogs
7. Purina Beyond Natural Grain Free Ground
Purina Beyond Ground Dog Food constitutes chicken, choline chloride, biotin, dried egg product, ferrous sulfate, green beans, potato starch, liver, turkey and poultry broth. It offers different grain-free and protein-rich mealtime choices. Each Purina Beyond variety contains natural chicken, beef or whitefish. Also, it has essential minerals and vitamins.
Every package has three recipes hence allowing you to offer different meals to your pet. You can trace each ingredient to its original source. The poultry broth adds moisture and flavor to the wet food. Turkey is obtained from turkey carcasses. It is rich in essential amino acids. The egg product is a type of shell-free eggs that you can get in commercial hatcheries. It is easy to digest and rich in protein.
Green beans are rich in natural fiber, minerals, and vitamins while potato starch provides carbohydrates. It thickens the wet dog food. The meal contains guar gum, a thickening compound that is added in most wet dog meals. Normally, the gum is derived from guar bean and it provides dietary fiber.
What We Liked:
- It offers several mealtime options
- Natural beef, whitefish, and chicken are rich in protein
- Guar gum thickens the food making it take longer to digest
- The dog food is FDA-approved
- Fruits and vegetables make Wellness CORE be complete and balanced
What We Didn’t Like:
- High protein content needs to be divided into small daily portions
Conclusion
The food and drug administration (FDA) regulates all commercial dog foods. Most brands comprise fruits, vitamins, and vegetables. It is safe to purchase grain-free dog foods such as Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free, according to the American College of Veterinary Nutrition. I recommend considering the byproducts and the nutritional guarantee of a particular food.