The best grain free dog foods typically contain more protein than their grain-based counterparts.
Unfortunately…
Many are made with ingredients that can negatively affect the nutrient balance of the finished food.
Why Some Grain-Free Brands
Are Better Than Others
The 2 most common ingredients used to replace the corn, rice and other cereal grains found in conventional dog foods include…
- Potatoes (white or sweet)
- Legumes (peas, chickpeas, lentils, soybeans, etc.)
Although both are acceptable grain substitutes…
Legumes provide an extra benefit…
They’re naturally rich in protein.
But…
Unlike animal protein…
Plant-based protein ingredients (like legumes) tend to be deficient in some essential amino acids.
Which can upset the delicate nutrient balance of any dog food.
And…
Why we recommend grain-free dog foods that contain a sensible amount of plant-based protein…
And where meat remains the dominant source of protein in their recipes.
Best Grain-Free Dog Foods
June 2019
Here are The Dog Food Advisor’s top 20 best grain-free dog food brands for June 2019:
Earthborn Holistic Grain-Free Dog Food
- Example: Earthborn Holistic Grain-Free Great Plains Formula
- First 5 ingredients: Bison meal, peas, pea protein, tapioca, dried egg
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 36%, a fat level of 20% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 36%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Highly recommended.
Nulo Freestyle Grain-Free Dog Food
- Example: Nulo Freestyle Salmon and Peas Recipe
- First 5 ingredients: Deboned salmon, turkey meal, menhaden fish meal, whole peas, sweet potato
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 33%, a fat level of 18% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 41%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Highly recommended.
Merrick Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
- Example: Merrick Grain-Free Real Duck and Sweet Potato
- First 5 ingredients: Deboned duck, turkey meal, salmon meal, sweet potatoes, peas
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 43%, a fat level of 19% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 30%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Highly recommended.
I and Love and You Nude Super Food
- Example: I and Love and You Nude Super Food Red Meat Medley
- First 5 ingredients: Pork, lamb meal, herring meal, dried yellow peas, garbanzo beans
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 38%, a fat level of 17% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 38%.
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Highly recommended.
Weruva Grain-Free Wet Dog Food
- Example: Weruva Bed and Breakfast with Chicken, Egg, and Pumpkin
- First 5 ingredients: Chicken, water sufficient for processing, egg, pumpkin, sweet potato
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 60%, a fat level of 12% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 20%.
Above-average protein. Below-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical wet dog food.
Highly recommended.
Taste of the Wild Dog Food
- Example: Taste of the Wild Southwest Canyon
- First 5 ingredients: Beef, peas, garbanzo beans, lamb meal, canola oil
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 32%, a fat level of 17% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 43%.
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Highly recommended.
Wellness Core Dog Food
- Example: Wellness Core Large Breed Formula
- First 5 ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, potatoes, peas
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 38%, a fat level of 13% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 41%.
Above-average protein. Below-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Highly recommended.
Zignature Grain-Free Dog Food
- Example: Zignature Trout and Salmon Meal Formula
- First 5 ingredients: Trout, salmon meal, peas, chickpeas, pea flour
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 33%, a fat level of 16% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 43%.
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Highly recommended.
Instinct Original Dry Dog Food
- Example: Instinct Original with Real Duck
- First 5 ingredients: Duck, turkey meal, chicken meal, peas, chicken eggs
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 42%, a fat level of 22% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 29%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Highly recommended.
Farmina Natural and Delicious Grain-Free Dog Food
- Example: Farmina Natural and Delicious Grain-Free Chicken Formula
- First 5 ingredients: Fresh free range boneless chicken, dehydrated chicken, potato, chicken fat, dried whole eggs
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 41%, a fat level of 20% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 32%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Highly recommended.
Holistic Select Grain-Free Dog Food
- Example: Holistic Select Grain-Free Turkey and Lentils
- First 5 ingredients: Deboned turkey, turkey meal, peas, lentils, chickpeas
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 36%, a fat level of 16% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 41%.
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Highly recommended.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Dry Dog Food
- Example: Blue Buffalo Wilderness Large Breed Salmon
- First 5 ingredients: Deboned salmon, chicken meal, pea protein, peas, tapioca starch
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 36%, a fat level of 16% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 41%.
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Highly recommended.
Annamaet Grain-Free Dog Food
- Example: Annamaet Grain-free Manitok Red Meat Formula
- First 5 ingredients: Deboned lamb, lamb meal, lentils, field peas, herring meal
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 33%, a fat level of 18% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 41%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Highly recommended.
Canidae Grain-Free Pure Fields Dog Food
- Example: Canidae Grain-Free Pure Fields Small Breed Adult
- First 5 ingredients: Chicken, menhaden fish meal, peas, lentils, potatoes
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 33%, a fat level of 13% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 45%.
Above-average protein. Below-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Highly recommended.
Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Wet Dog Food
- Example: Whole Earth Farms Chicken and Turkey
- First 5 ingredients: Chicken, chicken broth, turkey, chicken liver, peas
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 43%, a fat level of 27% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 22%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical wet dog food.
Highly recommended.
Victor Grain-Free Dog Food
- Example: Victor Grain-Free Active Dog and Puppy
- First 5 ingredients: Beef meal, sweet potato, chicken meal, peas, chicken fat
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 36%, a fat level of 18% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 38%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Highly recommended.
Orijen Grain-Free Dog Food
- Example: Orijen Original Recipe
- First 5 ingredients: Deboned chicken, deboned turkey, atlantic flounder, whole eggs, whole Atlantic mackerel
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 43%, a fat level of 21% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 28%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Highly recommended.
Wild Frontier Dog Food
- Example: Wild Frontier with Beef and Wild Boar
- First 5 ingredients: Beef, split peas, pork meal, chicken meal, dried potatoes
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 36%, a fat level of 18% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 39%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Highly recommended.
The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Dehydrated Dog food
- Example: The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Dehydrated Turkey Recipe
- First 5 ingredients: Turkey, organic flaxseed, potatoes, spinach, carrots
- Note: See all available recipes
Label analysis of our example recipe reveals a dry matter protein content of 32%, a fat level of 20% and an estimated carbohydrate share of about 41%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Highly recommended.
Important FDA Alert
The FDA has announced it is investigating a potential connection between grain-free recipes and dilated cardiomyopathy. Click here for details.
A Final Word
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