Grain Free Dog Food

Grain free diets have become a popular food trend with humans, known to help ease digestive issues and reduce inflammation in the gut. Just like their owners, many dogs are now swapping over to grain free food as it is believed to be closer to a dog's natural diet.

But what is grain?

Grain (sometimes called cereal) is a natural ingredient found in many different foods. They are small, hard seeds that contain carbohydrates and are a good source of energy and fibre. Some common types of grain include rice, wheat, barley, and corn (maize).

What are the benefits of grain free?

Here are some reasons why owners are switching to grain free:

• More natural– Many owners believe that a grain free diet is much closer and more compatible to a dog’s ‘natural’ diet, e.g. what a dog would find for itself to eat if it were not domesticated.
• Better Stools –It has been noted that stools from dogs that eat grain free diets are more compact and they go to the toilet less frequently too. The grains in standard dog food contains a lot of fibre which dogs can’t fully digest, with grain free food more is absorbed within the body.
• Better breath – Dog’s will always have dog breath, but it can be improved by changing their diet. Food that contains grains often leaves a film over the teeth, meaning a lot more bacteria that can smell. With grain free food there is no film to get left on teeth, so your dog’s breath won’t be as bad.
• More energy - Grain free food allows your dog to burn energy over a longer period of time. This is because it contains no white carbs there is no sudden spike in energy that can be followed by a crash.

Is grain free food better for dogs with allergies?

Lots of dogs can eat almost anything and there are many healthy and complete pet foods out there that include grains in their recipes. However, there are some pooches that have health problems such as celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease which can require them to follow a special grain free diet to avoid irritating their condition.

There are also some dogs that have specific allergies to grain or just have trouble digesting it which can also lead to owners eliminating the ingredient. If you have any concerns regarding allergies or changing your dog’s diet you should always discussed this with a vet.

Barking Heads Grain Free Range

Barking Heads, we offer a range of super-yummy (if we say so ourselves!) selection of grain free products. We like to use tasty sweet potato as an alternative to rice that is found in our normal recipes. See below our top picks: