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I understand. I should have clarified. It is probably not the kibble so much as the canned food. If I remember correctly you also give that? If so, just cut that out completely or give only a tiny amount (like 1 -2 teaspoons per day). You can stick with Blue Buffalo if you'd like. They have an adult weight management diet that is grain free. ( https://bluebuffalo.com/natural-dog-food/grain-free-blue-freedom/dry-food/freedom-adult-healthy-weight-chicken-recipe/ )
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Most pets do not have grain allergies. More commonly it's the protein source that causes allergies. For most dogs, grain free is not recommended. For general food, I recommend the brand Royal Canin. It is low residue and highly digestible and this results in great stool quality, minimal quantity and low odor. I also like Nutro and Purina Pro Plan. If you want to rule out a food allergy, the fastest way is a proper food trial using a hydrolyzed protein diet. I hope this helps.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Great question! In my opinion, grain free diets are a current fad. There is actually no scientific evidence that grain free diets are beneficial to dogs at all. Grains are fine for dogs, they provide a source of fiber which helps fill them up and keeps them satisfied. It sounds like Koda is letting you know he likes grains if he's picking the Royal Canin over Blue. Also in my opinion, Blue is a terrible food and you will find many, many veterinarians agree with that opinion. It is not a well regarded food in the veterinary community. Many vets have seen terrible cases of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis in dogs in Blue, as well as a lot of gas. In addition, they have been caught a number of times lying about what goes into their product, false advertising, and no quality control over how their food is made (they don't own their own factories, they send the recipe out to be made). Royal Canin is an excellent brand of food, and the best part of it is that they have veterinary nutritionists on staff. Blue, as far as I'm aware, does not. I would think a veterinary nutritionist would be best to know what a dog does and doesn't need in a diet. If Koda likes the Royal Canin, I recommend feeding that to him. Just be sure to switch his food over slowly so that he doesn't get GI upset from a quick change. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is not known at this time if grain free diets are actually better than diets with grain. I usually recommend feeding a high quality diet. Purina is an excellent diet but if you do not have access to this diet, there are others that you could consider that are also excellent such as Hill's Science Diet, Royal canin and Iams foods. Grain does not necessarily make dogs gain weight so I would be more focused on the quality and balance of the diet per se. Good luck and have a great day!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Hello. Grain free labeling is more of a marketing to rather than an indication of a good food. I encourage brands that have passed the AAFCO food standards (it would say that on the bag usually by the nutritional information). These brands include Purina, Science Diet, Pedigree, Eukanuba, Blue Buffalo- In changing diets remember that sudden changes can be hard on the GI tract so gradually mixing in the new food is best.
Updated on September 24th, 2025