Why grain free?

[Jennett Pulley]

I truly don't know and all the food recommendations are making my head spin.  Anyone want to give me the short and simple?

What the advantages? 

Thank you!

[Jennett Pulley]

That's so sweet!  Our schedule is so weird, Lolli would go crazy. 

[BG and Gavin]

The image of Luna as a big ball rolling around the house made me lol!

What I meant by my comment that grain free is good for a dog that is not a chow hound was that Gavin is a very light eater so I am glad to get something into him that packs the biggest punch (calories and nutrients).

[kristine & Auggie]

I haven't even gotten my puppy yet and I am am already confussed.  I am thinking grain free.  I was thinking raw but the thought of always messing with raw seem like a messy proposition.  I have read that you don't want to do raw and grain together but how about grain free and raw chicken or meat ?  Can you mix those two ?  I checked out some great grain free dried food at the Pet Mart, it sure isn't inexpensive but the ingredients sounded good.

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I would not mix raw chicken or meat with kibble of any kind. Part of the reason that dogs on raw diets don't get sick from the bacteria is that the food passes through their digestive tracts rapidly. Kibble takes longer to digest than frsh foods, so feeding kibble with raw meat increases the chances of a dog becoming ill from the bacteria in the raw meat. Plus there would be no point in doing that, as any of the supposed benefits of the raw diet would be negated by feeding it with processed kibble. People who follow a prey model raw diet do not believe in feeding any carbohydrates at all, either.

When looking at prices of kibble, you also have to look at the feeding amounts. In many cases, you feed less of the better grain free foods, and they can actually end up costing less because you have to buy three bags of the "less expensive" food for every two bags of the "more expensive" food.

Be sure to check our list of recommended brands, too.

[kristine & Auggie]

Thank you.  I guess I have some desicions to make.  I will check the suggested list.

[Nelson, Rufus & KO]

We started on Grain free with our first doodle because he was getting ear infections. Within a few weeks, the infections cleared up and have never returned. It also makes their breath better. Neither of my doodles have dog breath. I attribute to this to better (more appropriate) breakdown of food in the digestive tract.

[kristine & Auggie]

Good to know.  What brand do you use?

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

Well, after reading all of this, I think I have decided to switch Daphne to Fromm (grain free) I cannot buy the puppy food locally though and am wondering if I really need puppy food? If so, I can order it. She is 7 1/2 months old and I believe she is full grown or very close to it. She weighs 17 lbs and has not grown in the last month and a half. We don't have any allergies or any kind of sensitivities. She just does not want to eat very much. Right now she is on Halo Spot's Stew an she really won't eat it unless I add something yummy to it. Doesn't really seem to matter what I add ( eggs, yogurt, baby food, Iams Savory sauce) just as long as I add something. I would like to try a food she will eat without my helping it along. So, do I really NEED a puppy food or can we switch to Dog food?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Assuming she's a mini, she's at or very close to full skeletal growth at this point, so you're fine with an adult formula.