Dog Foods: Grain Free Dog Food Benefits - Grain Or Grain Free Dog Food?

What Is Grain Free Diet?

Without doubt, the latest trend in dog food is grain free diet. Grain free dog food, in simple word, does not contain ingredients such as corn, oats, wheat, and rice, instead are made of with meat based ingredients like beef, lamb, chicken, etc.

Actually dogs are designed primarily to eat meat. In nature, the ancestors and present day cousin of our domestic dogs, consume meat as the majority of their diet.

In fact, the natural diet for dogs includes high levels of protein, fats and water, and very little carbohydrate. But most of our domestic dogs diets are low in protein, fat, and with almost no water, high in carbohydrate. Which is completely opposite of the natural diet.

Did you ever see a dog or wolf grazing a corn field? Dogs are carnivorous mammals. They need a diet that is high in meat protein.

Too often, many people make the mistake of thinking that their dog is able to eat whatever they, themselves, are able to consume.

But the digestive system of a dog, however, is completely different than humans or other omnivorous mammals.

See all 2 photos Source: By Heather Paul, CC-BY, via flickr

Do Dogs Need Grain Free Food?

For example, if one was feed their dog a can of tuna with each meal, the dog perhaps will die in mercury poison, because their digestive system will not be able to process the mercury that is contained in tuna.

It is this difference in digestive system that makes grains difficult for a dog to process.

In most recommended dry dog foods, most manufacturers use cereal fillers such as wheat and corn with minute quantities of chicken, beef, and lamb, to add bulk to the dog food. This way, they can keep their making cost low and retail at a sound price.

On the other hand, grain free dog food, contains much more high levels of protein. It is more pure, and does not contain any cereal fillers found in typical cheap dry dog foods.

So despite being higher cost, grain free dog food remains an agreeable option for owners. This is because most often a dog food contains cereal fillers will give dogs an allergic reaction.

And owners spent countless dollars on shampoos and skin remedies in a misguided attempt to treat their dogs scratching. But a dog health begins from within, and that means feeding the dog a healthy diet that is rich in what nature intended them to consume.

See all 2 photos Source: By Gregoryallen, CC-BY, via flickr

A veterinarian explaining protein requirements of dogs

What Are The Signs Of Grain Dog Food Or Gluten Intolerance In Dogs?

In simple word, gluten is a generic term that generally used to describe the proteins found in wheat and other cereal grains.

And consumptions of gluten rich grain food in sensitive dogs, can lead to:

Chronic GI upset - Constipation including mucusy stools. In more severe cases vomiting also may occur.

Dermatitis - Usual signs of food intolerance are hair loss, chronic dry and flaky skin, rashes, redness, and constant scratching.

Chronic ear infections - Smelly waxy debris in the ears, head shaking and scratching, is the most usual symptoms of over consumption of grain, because that lead to build up excess sugar in the system.

There are so many other problems that may be related with grain food intolerance such as allergic and inflammatory reactions, epilepsy, abnormal behavior, arthritis, and more.

Though, of course, all these problems are not directly related to grain consumption, but the overload of grain in dog food which completely opposite of what nature intended for them, perhaps could leave them more vulnerable to these problem occurring.

Do you think grain free diet would be a great choice for your dog?

See results without voting

Grain Free Dog Food Benefits

On the other hand, there are several benefits of grain free food diet for your dog. As a carnivorous animal this grain free diet which is high in meat protein and lower carbohydrate, is more natural to them.

Some of the benefits of grain free diet are:

Fewer allergies and better health
Better breath
Healthier coats
More energy
Less poop
And the grain free dog food helps with gas

Feeding Grain Free Dog Food

In fact, grain free dog food often recommended for pregnant and lactating dogs, to provide the energy and required nutrients to produce healthy puppies. High protein is not bad for dog. It is what they are designed to eat. And this will not damage their liver or kidney.

But the real danger is eating dehydrated foods. Because to process protein lots of water is needed. And dogs are really not very good at knowing how much water to drink since they are designed to eat high moisture food.

So it is recommended to add water into dry dog food. This will keep their organs hydrated.

However, if you have looked into grain free dog food and decided with your veterinarian that it would be a great choice for your dog, it is important to follow some basic rules to transition of your dog to this new diet.

The easiest way to introduce a new diet is to begin adding the new food to your dogs old diet gradually over a period of week. Their sensitive digestive system needs some time to get adjusted with the new diet. For example, start with adding 25% of the new food with the old food for first two days. Then the next two days serve them a 50/50 mixture.

If you notice any stomach upset and reaction then continue with the mixed food for few more days. Then again for next 2 days serve 75/25 new and old food mixture. And then finally shift your dog to this new grain free diet.

Of course, the best diet for a dog is almost always a fresh, raw meat, bone or home prepared dog food that is high in meat protein and less in grain or no grain.

But if youre using the readily available dry grain free dog food, make sure you add ample water to it before you serve.

Click here to see the selection of best grain free dog food on Amazon.

The Dog Food Project - Grain Free Dog Foods
www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=grain_free
Organic Dog Food Grain Free Dog Food Vegetarian & Vegan ... This page provides an overview of truly grain free (non-prescription) dog kibbles, ... Diamond Pet Foods ...
Grain-Free Dog Food - Vetinfo.com
www.vetinfo.com/grain-free-dog-food.html
Many dog owners are going to grain free dog food and having great results. They claim skin problems, allergies and frequently impacted anal glands are improved by a ...
What are the advantages and disadvantages of grain free dog food ...
answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081229232822AAOK1xeResolved 4 total answers Published 12/30/2008
12/30/2008 Best Answer: Grain free is better. Mine used to pass gas quite a bit when the other stuff was given to them. They don't require more of grainless foods, it ...
Best Grain Free Dog Foods - Dog Food Advisor
www.dogfoodadvisor.com/best-dog-foods/best-grain-free-dog-foods
Grain free dog foods have become a favorite for those wishing to more closely mimic a dogs natural ancestral diet and to lessen the risk of food allergies.
Benefits of a Grain Free Dog Food - EzineArticles.com
ezinearticles.com/?Benefits-of-a-Grain-Free-Dog-Food&id=2120852
3/19/2009 In the past, wild prey provided all the necessary energy and nutrients a canine animal needed. They held all the amounts of protein and fats they required.
The Benefits Of Grain Free Dog Food Hypoallergenic Dog Food
www.hypoallergenic-dog-food.org/the-benefits-of-grain-free-dog-food
The Benefits Of Grain Free Dog Food. Learn all about grain free dog food today. Find out why other owners are feeding their dogs this type of food. Decide if you want ...
Benefits of Grain Free Dog Food PetFoodDirect.com
www.petfooddirect.com/.../benefits-of-grain-free-dog-food
In recent years, the hot trend in pet foods has been grain free dog food and cat food. Grain free pet foods can have many health benefits for our pets. Here, well ...
Best Dry Grain Free Dog Foods - Dog Food Advisor
www.dogfoodadvisor.com/best-dog-foods/best-grain-free-dog-foods/...
A list of suggested dry grain free dog foods prepared by the editors of The Dog Food Advisor
Grain Free Dog Food - an Examination
www.grain-free-dog-food.com
The grain free dog food trend has gathered significant attention within the pet industry. This is good in that it means people are trying to be more discerning.
Grain Free Dog Food - Pet Care
petcareeducation.com/dogfoodreviews/grain-free-dog-foodRating: 7.9/10 17 ratings
Grain free dog food formulas have been rapidly increasing in popularity. More and more dog owners are now attributing health benefits to feeding a grain-free diet to ...
The Benefits of Grain Free Dog Food - EzineArticles.com
ezinearticles.com/?The-Benefits-of-Grain-Free-Dog-Food&id=5340052
11/7/2010 This is a brief guide to the benefits of grain free dog food and why some dog and puppy owners choose this type of product over a meat based product. Many ...
Benefits of Grain Free Dog Food
grain-freedogfood.com/grainfreedogfood
The benefits of feeding your dog a grain free diet.
Grain-Free Dog Food - LoveToKnow: Advice you can trust
dogs.lovetoknow.com/dog-nutrition/grain-free-dog-food
A grain-free diet is becoming a popular alternative to mainstream dog food. Proponents of a grain-free dog food consider it hypoallergenic and closer to a dog's ...
Grain Free Pet Food Read this! PetFlow Blog
blog.petflow.com/2011/11/grain-free-pet-food
A growing trend among pet owners is to switch their cats or dogs to a completely grain-free food formula. This has been rapidly increasing in popularity, as more pet ...
Learn about Grain-Free Dog Food - YouTube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHjLFmzY6S8By PetFoodDirect 4 min 16,969 views Added 7/26/2010
In recent years, the hot trend in pet foods has been grain-free dog and cat food. Grain-free pet foods can have many health benefits for our pets. We'll ...
Grain Free Dog Food Benefits - Discovery Healthy Dog Food Before ...
bluebuffalodogfoodrecall.tripod.com/grain-free-dog-food-benefits.html
Grain Free Dog Food Benefits Fellow Dog Owner, The Deadly Dog Food Industry Spends Millions To Make Sure You Never Find Out!
Natural Dog Food, Grain-Free Dog Food, Dogs with Skin Problems ...
www.naturalpetmarket.com/category_detail.cfm?categoryid=176&...
ANP Grain Free Duck & Pork Recipe Dry Dog Food: In the wild your dog's diet would consist of primarily meat based proteins, and the occasional fruit and vegetable.
Grain Free Dog Food Best Dry Foods with Healthy Ingredients for Dogs
dry-dog-food.findthebest.com/d/d/Grain-Free
Are you looking for Grain Free Dry Dog Food for your dog? Visit FindTheBest to compare Grain Free Dry Dog Foods based on price, ingredients, dog size, protein source ...
No Grain Dog Foods eHow - eHow How to Videos, Articles & More ...
www.ehow.com/info_8160379_grain-dog-foods.html
No Grain Dog Foods. The food you give your dog should resemble its ancestors' original diet in the wild as closely as possible. Experts believe this means reducing ...
Grain Free Dog Food - Pet Care
petcareeducation.com/dog/grain-free-dog-food
A growing trend among pet dog owners is to switch their dog to a completely grain-free dog food formula. This has been rapidly increasing in popularity, as more pet ...