In my experience there is somewhat of a schism in the pet food world about foods with grains vs. the grain-free foods. Most raw foods (and certainly all of the ones that Zig has been eating) are grain free. But is grain-free better? If we were talking about cats, then definitely. Cats lack the enzymes necessary to break down and digest grains. They are perfect candidates for the Atkins diet: high protein, little to no carbs. The starches in dry cat food is responsible for a large part of the increase in rates of diabetes, kidney failure, and obesity that we’re seeing in our companion feline population. But not so for dogs. Dogs are more omnivorous than cats and can process some grains. Personally, I don’t feel that grain-free is necessarily better for dogs. Here’s why. In their natural environment, dogs would indeed eat some grains whether it be from stomach content of their kill or in bird droppings, etc, etc. However, no answer is the right answer for every single dog. For instance, small dogs, like your toy breeds, have small digestive tracts and need higher levels of protein to keep from getting peaks and dips in their blood sugar levels throughout the day. They should also, ideally, be fed three to four times a day instead of just once or twice, which is sufficient for larger dogs. For small dogs with little stomachs and little intestines grain-free is probably better than foods with grain because of their higher protein content.
Grain-free is not necessarily better for dogs and tends to be more expensive. That being said, take stock of your own pup and their individual needs.
Ziggy is not a dog that needs to be fed grain-free, though she certainly enjoys it. Then again, she tends to enjoy most foods. She continues to drop in minute increments for the most part. We’ll have the final verdict at the end of this month!
- Mag & Ziggy
