Dog owners want what’s best for their pets. That’s why so many people start exploring options and will quickly be faced with a decision about “grain-free” diets. Grain-free diets are generally straight-forward on what it means but is it a smart choice for your dog.
Let’s break it down.
What Does Grain-Free Mean?
A grain-free diet excludes common cereal grains like:
- Barley
- Corn
- Rye
- Rice
- Wheat
Instead, these grains are typically replaced with ingredients like peas, lentils, and/or potatoes. For those pet parents looking for a grain-free diet it is typically fairly easy to find an option with a pre-packaged food in the store. Some pet owners will choose to go even further and feed a raw diet which almost always excludes grains.
Why Do Some Pet Owners Avoid Grains?
Most of the time, going grain-free comes down to perceived health benefits or food allergies. Some pet parents report that switching to a grain-free diet helped with skin issues, digestive discomfort, or energy levels. Others believe grain-free is more natural, since dogs are related to wolves who are carnivores.
In certain cases—like dogs with diagnosed grain allergies or intolerances—avoiding grains can make a real difference. But the number of reported grain allergies is rare. According to research, less than 1% of dogs actually have a true grain allergy.
The fact is that certain grains offer lots of quality nutrients for dogs and can be a perfectly healthy part of their diet.
Are There Any Real Benefits?
Grain-free food might help in specific situations:
- If your dog has a diagnosed grain allergy or sensitivity
- As a short-term elimination approach to rule out potential allergens
- When used under veterinary guidance for certain health conditions
But for the average healthy dog, removing grains may not offer any added benefit. In fact, what matters most is the overall quality of the ingredients—not whether grains are on the list.
Common Grain-Free Myths
A few misconceptions tend to crop up around the grain-free conversation. Let’s clear them up:
- Dogs are naturally sensitive to grains – Not usually. Meat proteins are a more common cause of food allergies.
- Grain-free means carb-free – Most grain-free foods still include carbs (just different ones).
- Grain-free is automatically healthier – It’s not about labels; it’s about what goes into the recipe.
Dogs are carnivores like their wolf ancestors – dogs and their digestive system have evolved over centuries and dogs are classified as omnivores not carnivores. Meaning that they can easily consume and digest both meat and plant-based foods.
So, Is It Right for Your Dog?
That’s a personal decision—and one worth discussing with your vet if your dog has health concerns. We’re not here to push you in one direction or another.
What we can say is this: if you’re looking for a high-quality, non-kibble dog food made with transparent ingredients, Nextrition is a great place to start. We’ve built every recipe to support better digestion and long-term wellness, with a focus on ingredient integrity and nutritional balance. Our cold-pressed recipes use carefully selected grains as a portion of our diets to contribute necessary nutrition that will benefit your pup.
Want to see what’s inside? Our product pages list everything you need to know—no guesswork required.
