Whether you are welcoming a new dog into your home or researching a new diet for an existing canine buddy, choosing the best food for your dog can be a bit confusing. With hundreds of dog foods on the market, we are here to help you explore Carnilove and what makes a good grain-free dog food.
What is Grain-Free Dog Food?
A grain-free diet is one that doesn’t contain any grain ingredients. For example, rice, oats and wheat which are commonly used in grain-inclusive dog foods.
The earliest recorded cohabitation between humans and dogs was around 12,000 BC, as this cohabitation evolved so did the diet of these wild dogs, and it began to align more closely to that of humans. Departing further from the dog’s anatomical need for a meat rich diet.
Being carnivorous dogs would naturally consume a diet mostly of prey, plus some fruits and vegetables. Yet many earlier dog foods were made with high grain content as these ingredients were easy to source and cheap!
Carnilove complete dog foods are made with careful consideration for the natural origin of dogs. Like their canine ancestors, our pet dogs cannot use the excess energy contained in grains and it is stored in the body as fat, often leading to obesity and related illnesses.
It is now known that dogs have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrates. Carnilove returns to the food that wild dogs would naturally eat. Which is why they have no grains or potatoes in any of their recipes.
Benefits of Grain-Free Diets for Dogs
Grain-free diets have increased in popularity over the last decade with owners having a better understanding of their dog’s needs and choosing to feed them food that reflects their ancestor’s diet.
But with grains still featuring in many dog foods, this leads many owners to consider what are the benefits of choosing a grain-free diet? Especially as some appear to be more expensive!
A diet high in meat content using quality proteins and highly digestible ingredients is more nutrient dense, which means you may feed less and the bag will last longer saving you money in the long-term.
To calculate the ‘daily cost’ simply divide the size of the bag (in grams) by the daily feeding amount, for example:
A 12kg bag of Carnilove Duck & Pheasant Dog Food has an SRP of £62.95. The feeding amount per day for a 15kg dog is 160g.
To work out how many days the bag will last:
12000g (12kg bag size) ÷ 160g daily feed = 75 days
You can then use this figure to work out the ‘daily cost’:
£62.95 cost per bag ÷ 75 days = 84p daily cost to feed per day
Instead of comparing the cost per bag, try our ‘daily cost’ calculation to see how they really compare.
Common Ingredients in Grain-Free Dog Food
A diet without grains or fillers means there is plenty of room for carefully chosen ingredients like novel meats, fruits and vegetables that provide your dog with essential nutrients.
Carnilove dog foods have up to 80% animal ingredients and smaller amounts of vegetables, forest fruits and herbs.
Meat is full of nutrient-rich proteins, essential for muscle development and overall growth. Animal fats and oils support healthy skin and the nervous system. Vegetables provide sources of fibre for healthy stools and fruits are full of antioxidants.
Carnilove grain-free and potato-free dog foods are made up of quality novel animal proteins like duck, pheasant, wild boar and reindeer. Each providing their own nutritional benefits.
Is Grain-Free Food Right for Every Dog?
We all want to ensure we are doing the best for our dogs, and choosing a diet to suit them is top of the list. Grain-free diets are considered closer to the ancestral diet of your dog, they can also be beneficial for some dogs with sensitive digestion or those with grain allergies.
So, this must be the best choice for your dog, right? Well, it’s true what they say not one size fits all. If you are in doubt if grain-free is the best choice for your dog, speak with your trusted veterinarian.
How to Choose a High-Quality Grain-Free Dog Food
While grain-free diets are considered premium foods this isn’t true for all grain-free foods. Some pet food manufacturers will simply swap grains for another low-quality ingredient that offers little nutritional value for your dog. We recommend paying careful attention to the ingredients list:
- Look for real, named meat and animal ingredients. Carnilove dog food is made with nutrient rich ingredients, a minimum of 60% animal ingredients like fresh turkey.
- Avoid unnecessary fillers like soy, potato, grains and wheat.
- Quality oils and fats like salmon oil and chicken fat provide beneficial nutrients to help maintain healthy skin, coat and brain function.
- Carnilove is made without any added chemicals, preservatives or colourants.
- Look for a diet that offers a variety of animal proteins
- A brand with plenty of choice. Carnilove has many options to choose from including dry, wet, freeze-dried toppers and a variety of treats.