If you freed grain free to a non-allergic dog

Emoore · 10-06-2011, 09:48 AM

If you spring for grain-free foods and your dog isn't allergic or intolerant to grains, I'd like to get some comments as to why you made that choice? I'm not trying to start a negative thread here where we all make comments about each other's choices; I'm going to be writing a blog post about grains vs. grain-free in dry dog foods and would like to get some opinions for the post. Also in your post, please let me know if I have permission to use your comment in my blog.

NewbieShepherdGirl · 10-06-2011, 09:50 AM

I feed a grain free food because I don't feel that grains are a natural part of a dog's diet. Kind of like if there was bunny food with chicken in it and bunny food without chicken in it; I would feed the without chicken because bunnies don't need chicken

NewbieShepherdGirl · 10-06-2011, 09:53 AM

I would also like to say that if I could afford it I would feed raw. Not necessarily because I think it's more like what they were originally supposed to eat, but more because I HATE preservatives. I hate them in human and pet food, so as soon as I can I will be raising my own animals to eat and my own vegetables/herbs.

jprice103 · 10-06-2011, 09:54 AM

I have Cheyenne on grain-free, and she isn't allergic to any grains that I know of. I just did a lot of research and like the idea that grains aren't a natural part of a canine's diet...so don't feel the need to have them added to her kibble. This doesn't mean that I wouldn't feed a kibble that has grain in it or that I'm against grains...just liked that she was getting something closer to what her natural diet would be in the wild and closer to a raw diet (which is my ultimate goal).

**Cassidy's Mom** · 10-06-2011, 10:00 AM

I made the switch because I don't totally trust grain products in dog food after the recalls several years ago where pets got sick and many died after eating food tainted with melamine.

kiya · 10-06-2011, 10:19 AM

I just picked up Natures Domain Salmon & Sweet Potato, grain free. It is the first time I have seen it at the Costco I go to. My dogs don't have any known allergy issues. It was about $10 more than the Kirkland brand dog food. I would like to think it is a good quality food. I was hoping my finicky eater would show some enthusiaum but he hasn't. I'll probably continue to use it if I see it at Costco again.

I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO · 10-06-2011, 10:22 AM

I feed grain free because I feel that grains are an unnecessary part of a dog's diet and my dog does very well on grain free foods. I also feed raw with the grain free kibble. Recalls of grains in food also steer me clear of them. Recalls have also led me to rotate between select companies that manufacture their own food in the US or Canada and obtain 100% of their ingredients from trusted countries/sources.

Emoore · 10-06-2011, 10:30 AM

Ok, so here's my next question-- again I'm not trying to get into what's right or wrong, I just want to know people's opinions.

I agree that in the wild you don't see wolves and coyotes eating rice off the stalk (although I had a coyote eat my leftover pizza once, but that's another story). But you don't see them eating potatoes, sweet potatoes, or peas either. And yet in order to make kibble you must have a starch binder. Every grain free kibble on the market uses sweet potato, potato, or peas in some combination. Those foods were domesticated about the same time grains were--- long after dogs were domesticated.

Why do you prefer to feed potato, sweet potato, and peas to grain?

kiya · 10-06-2011, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emoore

Why do you prefer to feed potato, sweet potato, and peas to grain?

In my own diet, I prefer potatos to rice & pasta. My husband is now becoming more aware of healty diets and he just heard some news story on tv that I guess was more convincing than my rants about eating a healty well rounded diet. It seems more people that I talk to with health issues have to have rice & pasta eliminated or cut down from thier diets.

BlackPuppy · 10-06-2011, 10:41 AM

3 dogs, 1 definitely has food allergies, 1 maybe has food allergies, 1 seems to have no health problems at all. I buy two different varieties of grain-free, because that's what seems to work best. So, they all get grain-free.

10-06-2011, 09:48 AM	#1 (permalink)
Emoore Crowned Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: North DFW, TX Posts: 9,214	If you freed grain free to a non-allergic dog If you spring for grain-free foods and your dog isn't allergic or intolerant to grains, I'd like to get some comments as to why you made that choice? I'm not trying to start a negative thread here where we all make comments about each other's choices; I'm going to be writing a blog post about grains vs. grain-free in dry dog foods and would like to get some opinions for the post. Also in your post, please let me know if I have permission to use your comment in my blog. __________________ Rocky vom Backyard- 10 years young Kopper vom Felssclucht Bach - 17 months At the Bridge: Cash van der Animal Shelter 2006-2010

10-06-2011, 09:50 AM	#2 (permalink)
NewbieShepherdGirl Elite Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Ames, Iowa Posts: 1,495	I feed a grain free food because I don't feel that grains are a natural part of a dog's diet. Kind of like if there was bunny food with chicken in it and bunny food without chicken in it; I would feed the without chicken because bunnies don't need chicken __________________ ~Sasha~{GSD}~ 3ish~Gotcha day January, 29, 2011 ~Monte~{Golden Retriever}~ (RIP)~ 1997-2009

10-06-2011, 09:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
NewbieShepherdGirl Elite Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Ames, Iowa Posts: 1,495	I would also like to say that if I could afford it I would feed raw. Not necessarily because I think it's more like what they were originally supposed to eat, but more because I HATE preservatives. I hate them in human and pet food, so as soon as I can I will be raising my own animals to eat and my own vegetables/herbs. __________________ ~Sasha~{GSD}~ 3ish~Gotcha day January, 29, 2011 ~Monte~{Golden Retriever}~ (RIP)~ 1997-2009

10-06-2011, 09:54 AM	#4 (permalink)
jprice103 Master Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Philadelphia Suburbs Posts: 955	I have Cheyenne on grain-free, and she isn't allergic to any grains that I know of. I just did a lot of research and like the idea that grains aren't a natural part of a canine's diet...so don't feel the need to have them added to her kibble. This doesn't mean that I wouldn't feed a kibble that has grain in it or that I'm against grains...just liked that she was getting something closer to what her natural diet would be in the wild and closer to a raw diet (which is my ultimate goal). __________________ -Jessica Cheyenne von der Price-Sable GSD-12/20/10-CGC Faegan vom Johnson-Haus "Panzer"-Black GSD-12/31/11-S.T.A.R. Puppy

10-06-2011, 10:00 AM	#5 (permalink)
Cassidy's Mom No Stinkin' Leashes Moderator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 24,948	I made the switch because I don't totally trust grain products in dog food after the recalls several years ago where pets got sick and many died after eating food tainted with melamine. __________________ -Debbie- Dena 9/12/04-10/4/08 Forever would have been too short Keefer 8/25/05 Halo 11/9/08 Cassidy 6/8/00-10/4/04

10-06-2011, 10:19 AM	#6 (permalink)
kiya Elite Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Long Island Posts: 1,909	I just picked up Natures Domain Salmon & Sweet Potato, grain free. It is the first time I have seen it at the Costco I go to. My dogs don't have any known allergy issues. It was about $10 more than the Kirkland brand dog food. I would like to think it is a good quality food. I was hoping my finicky eater would show some enthusiaum but he hasn't. I'll probably continue to use it if I see it at Costco again. __________________ Carolyn Apache - Shiloh Shepherd 12/15/02 Kiya - Shiloh Shepherd 5/15/04 Lakota - WGSD 1/13/10

10-06-2011, 10:22 AM	#7 (permalink)
I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO Knighted Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: FLORIDA Posts: 2,248	I feed grain free because I feel that grains are an unnecessary part of a dog's diet and my dog does very well on grain free foods. I also feed raw with the grain free kibble. Recalls of grains in food also steer me clear of them. Recalls have also led me to rotate between select companies that manufacture their own food in the US or Canada and obtain 100% of their ingredients from trusted countries/sources. __________________ Mikko GM, RM, AAD, ASA, SJ, SS, EAC, EJC, TN-E, TG-E, WV-O, OCC, HP-O, VerO, NAJ, CGC - 6 year old GSD

10-06-2011, 10:30 AM	#8 (permalink)
Emoore Crowned Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: North DFW, TX Posts: 9,214	Ok, so here's my next question-- again I'm not trying to get into what's right or wrong, I just want to know people's opinions. I agree that in the wild you don't see wolves and coyotes eating rice off the stalk (although I had a coyote eat my leftover pizza once, but that's another story). But you don't see them eating potatoes, sweet potatoes, or peas either. And yet in order to make kibble you must have a starch binder. Every grain free kibble on the market uses sweet potato, potato, or peas in some combination. Those foods were domesticated about the same time grains were--- long after dogs were domesticated. Why do you prefer to feed potato, sweet potato, and peas to grain? __________________ Rocky vom Backyard- 10 years young Kopper vom Felssclucht Bach - 17 months At the Bridge: Cash van der Animal Shelter 2006-2010

10-06-2011, 10:41 AM	#10 (permalink)
BlackPuppy Crowned Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 4,420	3 dogs, 1 definitely has food allergies, 1 maybe has food allergies, 1 seems to have no health problems at all. I buy two different varieties of grain-free, because that's what seems to work best. So, they all get grain-free.

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