Best Grain Free Dog Foods

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…

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
April 2019

Here are The Dog Food Advisor’s top 20 best grain-free dog food brands for April 2019:

Earthborn Holistic Grain-Free Dog Food

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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

Rating:

• 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.