Grains in dog food - good or bad for your dog?

Grains in Dog Food - Good or Bad?

A look at your furry friend's food reveals that a significant amount of grain can be found in it? The controversies surrounding grains in dog food are long-standing, as are the discussions about whether grains are actually not that harmful or if they are a cheap meat substitute that really threatens the →health of your beloved pet.

First of all: The benefits or harms of grains are debated not only by numerous dog owners, but veterinarians are not always in agreement either.

Fact Check: Why Grains in Dog Food?

Grains are a popular source of carbohydrates for us humans. Whether it's wheat rolls, spelt bread, or oat cookies - in our daily lives, we consume carbohydrates and thus gain energy for the day from starchy grain products.

Grains serve this same purpose in conventional dog food as a carbohydrate-rich component: It provides energy in addition to the meat content. Besides carbohydrates, grain products also contain protein, which, however, has a significantly lower quality compared to animal protein.

Saving Costs in Food Production

However, grains have another decisive advantage, though not for your furry friend: They are cheap to produce. Manufacturers of conventional dog food save costs in production by using a high proportion of grains in their food. According to the →species-appropriate and healthy nutrition for dogs, dogs also rely on carbohydrate sources. These can make up as much as 55%, but should in any case be of higher quality, more digestible, and above all, easily utilizable.

Assuming that a high-quality composition of dog food is also associated with higher costs, it is easy to explain why →premium food has its corresponding price.

Grains and Allergies in Dogs

The digestive system of our furry friends has changed over time. Due to their proximity to humans and thus also to human food, the digestive enzymes of dogs have adapted to a starchy diet - and thus differ significantly from the digestive tract of wolves.

This enzyme adaptation in favor of starchy products is not equally well developed in every dog. Differences are evident between different breeds, but also between individuals within a breed. Dachshund lady Lilly may be better equipped than Labrador male Max when it comes to digesting starch.

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It is the case that not only we, but also our four-legged friends →have allergies to certain food components. Protein components are primarily considered as allergy triggers. A German study (Becker, 2009) found that food allergies are 38% due to grains (including rice). Thus, grains take first place among the most common allergy triggers in dog food.

Grains, sugars, and artificial flavors or colorings? You won't find that at Pets Deli. Our short, transparent ingredient lists tell you at a glance what you are feeding your dog: Fresh meat, crunchy fruits and vegetables, rich oils, and fresh herbs!

Is There an Alternative to Grains in Dog Food?

In our mission, we have one main goal: to create food for dogs that is suitable for every breed, every age, every size, and every coat color. To achieve this, we avoid the food component that triggers the most allergies in dogs: grains.

To still ensure optimal carbohydrate supply, we use sweet potatoes, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat (no, it's not a grain), and potatoes in our food. Occasionally, we also use rice and millet - these contain, unlike wheat, spelt, and oats, only a few potentially allergenic substances. All these sources of starch in our dog food are considered hypoallergenic except for rice - they thus significantly less often trigger food allergies.

We are always striving to produce food that all our furry friends can tolerate as well as possible - and by avoiding grains, we are on the right track.