Grain-free dog food: The solution?

Grain-free dog food or dog food with grains? Or do you prefer barfing ? In this article, I will explain to you why I think grain-free dog food is a good, species-appropriate diet and what the advantages and disadvantages of this diet are.

Grain-free dog food – what exactly does that mean?

Just like us humans, the dog should also be fed appropriately. This means that a species-appropriate diet is important for the dog’s digestion and immune system. The dog is descended from the wolf and therefore a high proportion of meat is important for the dog. Grain-free dog food mostly has a high meat content.

Dogs have a hard time digesting grain in their intestines. It thus laboriously transports the grain through its body and excretes it again. Grain-free dog food is mostly based on a high meat content, which contains proteins and important nutrients. The meat is supplemented with vegetables and herbs to absorb other important minerals.

Feeding Grain Free Dog Food Because Dogs Are Only Carnivores?

Of course, dogs can also eat and digest other things. The dog doesn’t just fall over or get sick from eating grain-based foods. This is more about the long-term diet. As with humans, nutrition is important for long-term health.

Grain-free dog food is therefore good for the dog, as many dog food products contain not only grain but also leftovers. These leftovers are used to reduce manufacturing costs and because they cannot be reused in the food industry. This means that the production of the feed is cheaper and so is the end product for the consumer. Certain leftovers and raw ash, etc. are difficult for the dog to use and excrete them again. The more feces the dog excretes, the less well it could digest the food it ate.

Grain-free dog food as a solution?

Grain-free dog food is not a panacea. However, it is a great way to feed my darling in a way that is appropriate to the species and with less effort (such as with BARF). But I would like to emphasize that a distinction should also be made between whether the dog eats dry food or wet food. Grain-free dog food is now also being produced as dry food. Wet food is a lot healthier for the dog than dry food. The dog should drink 8 cups per cup of dry food. However, most dogs cannot catch up with this considerable amount of water. That’s why I’m only talking about wet food here.

I would also like to point out that there are different manufacturers of grain-free dog food and therefore different ingredients. It is therefore important to pay attention to the declaration . The list of ingredients, also known as the declaration, states which contents have been mixed into the feed. Unfortunately, an open declaration is not mandatory and the controls are not as strict as in the food industry of us humans. The more detailed a dog food company is in its ingredient list, the better and more reputable it is. Grain-free dog food should therefore contain no grain and also as little as possible raw ash, leftovers or anything else. The more natural and clear the ingredients are, the better. But please make sure that the feed is declared as a complete feed. Because complete feed offers all the important ingredients that the dog needs. With the „Barfen“ feeding variant, the owner must ensure that he mixes in the important minerals and nutrients in addition to the meat, so that the dog gets everything he needs. However, some dog owners don’t delve that deeply into the subject, which puts the dog at risk of not getting everything it needs. But that’s only marginally. 😉

What are the benefits of grain-free dog food?

Grain-free wet dog food is the best option for me. Because this complete feed contains all the ingredients that my dog needs to get all the important nutrients. Therefore, I would also like to go into the advantages that I have researched and compiled.

Grain-free dog food is high in meat, and meat is an important source of healthy fats and proteins. Not only is digestion better for the dog, but it also serves as an important source of energy. Dog food with grain contains the active substance glucose, which reduces good digestion. Another advantage is that the food is well tolerated. The high meat content offers a species-appropriate diet and the dog’s stomach is designed for a high meat content. Many dogs that have allergies or have a sensitive stomach can tolerate and use grain-free dog food very well (note the change in food after about 6-8 weeks).

Another advantage of grain-free dog food is the weight of the dog. Most dogs can utilize the food so well that the dog does not become overweight and thus does not accumulate excess fat. Of course, it always depends on what treats the dog gets in addition to his food. 🙂

Grain-free dog food: All advantages at a glance:

• Best suited for stomach sensitive and sensitive dog stomachs
• Dog’s weight can be maintained better
• Less inflammation and joint problems
• High meat content = good proteins and healthy fats
• Cardiovascular system well supplied by the proteins
• Better satiety from the meat
• Fewer tumors and other diseases
• Spread of parasites can be avoided
• fur shines more
• Less tartar and bad breath
• Less stool due to better digestion

All in all, grain-free dog food is just a win for the dog. Experts are increasingly making sure that high-quality ingredients are used. However, you should pay attention to the list of ingredients, as it is usually easy to see how a food is made up and whether it is an enrichment for the dog or not.

Grain-free dog food: My story as an experience

Since my dog was wrongly treated due to an illness, my Lucie now has a chronic lung disease. Due to the illness, I have dealt much more with the topic of dog health. Unfortunately, I have to admit that before I paid more attention to the price or the types of food and not to the list of ingredients. In 2019 I changed the feed. Grain-free dog food with a high meat content and an exact list of ingredients has now been the best choice for my Lucie. Lucie was getting better and better as a result of the change in feed. It was a real eye-opener for me that species-appropriate nutrition plays an important role in dogs, just as it does in us humans.

Today Lucie is really agile again. She has energy and is playing again, which was unfortunately suppressed by the illness and the pills. She also loves grain-free dog food and doesn’t touch anything with grain anymore.

I would therefore like to use my blog: www.getreidefreie-hunde-futter.de to provide information and also refer to suitable manufacturers so that you don’t have to search for a long time yourself.