Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
Find out what exactly a grain-free diet is and why it is important to consult veterinarian to select your dog’s diet if you think he has food sensitivities.
Updated on October 23rd, 2025
Get insights into natural dog food ingredients and learn how they support your pup’s overall health and well-being.
Updated on June 19th, 2026
Limited ingredient diets come with one major benefit - pet parents are able to identify exactly what goes into their dog's body and avoid any specific ingredients. While a suitable diet for many dogs, LID diets can also be great for dogs with food sensitivities.
Updated on June 19th, 2026
Discover how to choose the right dog food based on your dog’s breed and size to support their unique nutritional needs and health.
Updated on October 23rd, 2025
Some dogs prefer dry dog food to wet, and vice versa. Learn how dry, wet, and other food forms can enhance your dog’s nutrition during mealtime.
Updated on August 7th, 2025
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
I think Blue Buffalo is a decent brand of dog food but I see many dogs who end up with diarrhea issues on it. Nutro is a good one that can offer some more holistic dog food. Natural Balance is another one that most dogs seem to do very well on. Take a look at either one of these brands. Lastly, by-products are not bad. By-products are the parts of the carcass that humans don’t generally eat like the internal organs. The internal organs tend to contain most of the vitamins and minerals within the body so in the wild, these are sought out by predators. That’s why I never get too excited about by-products in a meal. I do like to see though that two out of the top three ingredients within a diet are meat-based. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions!
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
I personally do not like Blue Buffalo at all. They have had serious quality control problems which they have admitted due to the fact that they don't own their own factories. They therefore give the recipe to someone to make, and have no control over whether or not the recipe is followed exactly. Plus many colleagues have reported an increase in gas with this food. I would not recommend Blue Buffalo for Fiffy. As for the other two foods, between the two of them I would recommend the Nutro Max. It's a better quality food in my opinion. Just so you are aware, grains are beneficial to dogs and I do not recommend feeding a dog a grain free food unless they have a proven grain allergy, which isn't very common at all in dogs. Food allergies are the least common type of allergies in dogs, and when they do have a food allergy, it is most commonly related to protein not grain. There are very few dogs who have true grain allergies. It is beneficial for Fiffy's health to feed her grains, and brands that I would recommend include Royal Canin, Hill's Science diet, Purina ProPlan, and Iams. I hope this all helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025