Top 10 Dog Foods With Grain And Why They Are A Healthy Choice

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We all know that, just like with ourselves, the best way to ensure our dogs are happy and healthy is to feed them the right diet.

There is a lot of conflicting advice out there regarding what we should and should not be feeding our canine friends. As a result, it is difficult to know what exactly constitutes a healthy diet for a dog.

One of the hottest trends in dog diet advice at the moment is to go grain-free. It is justified by the fact that, in the wild, our pet pooch’s closest cousin, the wolf, doesn’t eat grain.

The idea is also reinforced by the human diet trend away from grains.

But dogs are neither men nor wolves, and they have their own unique dietary needs.

In reality, grains won’t do your dog any harm, and the right type of grains can play an important role in getting the right carbohydrate-protein balance in your dog’s diet.

But let’s take a closer look at the health benefits and risks of grains to dogs, as well as the role that grains can play in a dog’s healthy diet.

We will also go through exactly what types of grains are good for dogs, which should be avoided, and how you should go about feeding your dog grains.

First, we will share our list of the 10 best dry dog foods containing grains that can make a healthy addition to a dog’s diet.

QUICK RECOMMENDATION: We are researching different fresh foods so we can provide our dogs with a healthier diet. We are currently feeding our dogs fresh dog food from The Farmer’s Dog.

Spoiler Alert:

• In terms of high-quality but affordable dry dog foods with grains, IAMS and Purina both have good options.
• If high protein is your priority, then Blue Buffalo and Whole Earth Farms are great options.
• If you are willing to break your budget in order to get the best, then look at the food from The Honest Kitchen. All ingredients are dehydrated rather than cooked to maintain their maximum nutrient basis.

Quick Links For The Best Dog Food With Grain

1. IAMS Proactive Health Adult MiniChunks
2. Purina ONE SmartBlend Chicken & Rice Adult Formula
3. Holistic Select Adult Health Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Recipe
4. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe
5. Wellness Complete Health Adult Deboned Chicken & Oatmeal Recipe
6. The Honest Kitchen Whole Grain Chicken Recipe
7. Diamond Naturals Light Formula
8. Whole Earth Farms Adult Recipe
9. Nutro Max Adult Natural Beef Meal & Rice Recipe
10. Simply Nourish Lamb & Oatmeal Recipe Adult

Top 10 Dry Dog Foods With Grains

1. IAMS Proactive Health Adult MiniChunks

Good quality dog food often means a hefty price-tag, but that’s not the case with this nutritious kibble with grain. While this definitely is not a cheap line, it is one of the most affordable on this list and excellent value for the quality.

The first ingredient in this recipe is chicken, and it is great to see a named meat as the first ingredient in a dry kibble. The meat content of this dish is then topped up with chicken fat, which is a healthy additive, as dogs need about 10 percent of their daily calories from fats, and also some chicken by-product meal, which is not great to see, but acceptable considering the quality of the other meat ingredients.

For grains, this recipe uses whole grain corn and whole grain sorghum, both of which are nutritious and highly digestible for dogs.

It also contains dried beet pulp, which is also perfectly good for dogs, but combined, these ingredients do mean that we are looking at a pretty high carbohydrate content, at the top end of what is acceptable in quality dog foods.

This recipe is then topped up with a very comprehensive nutrient pack, which means that your dog should not be missing out on any of the important things they need with this as a diet staple.

Pros

• Affordable
• Named meat as the first ingredient
• Comprehensive nutrient pack

Cons

• Contains animal by-products
• Carbohydrate heavy

This recipe from IAMS is an affordable way to put healthy foods in your dog’s bowl, as it uses a named meat as its main protein source and highly digestible, healthy whole grains as the carbohydrate.

2. Purina ONE SmartBlend Chicken & Rice Adult Formula

Another highly affordable option, this is a very similar recipe to the IAMS option above, so it is similarly good quality and healthy for your pooch.

It starts with chicken as its first ingredient, so we know that the recipe starts with a good quality meat-based protein. The meat is topped up with beef fat, which is a great healthy addition, and chicken by-product meal, which is acceptable considering the other meat content of this dish, but not ideal.

For grains, we see rice flour, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, whole grain wheat, and soybean meal. So, again, this is a very carbohydrate-heavy recipe, and at the top end of what we like to see in food for dogs.

The corn gluten meal might be a red flag for some dog owners who are familiar with the issues associated with gluten, but most dogs don’t have a problem with gluten. I would be more worried about the soybean meal, which can cause a little bit of flatulence. Smelly.

Again, this food has a very comprehensive nutrient pack, which is like a multivitamin for your dog and contains pretty much all the good stuff they need. The one ingredient I didn’t like to see pretty high up on the list is salt. Excessive sodium can be toxic to dogs, so it is not great to see a lot of it in their food.

Pros

• Affordable
• Chicken as the first meat ingredient
• Good nutrient pack

Cons

• Contains animal by-products
• Contains added salt
• High in carbohydrates

Another affordable recipe that ticks the boxes in terms of combining high-quality meats and digestible grains into a healthy and nutritious meal.

3. Holistic Select Adult Health Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Recipe

While this recipe may start with chicken meal as its first ingredient, this is quite common for dry kibbles, and it is reassuring to see that there are no animal by-products in this recipe. The animal-based protein in this bag comes from chicken meal, pork meal, and chicken fat.

For grain, we are looking at brown rice, rice, oatmeal, and oats. This is a combination of grains that I like because they are all foods that I understand and I am happy to put on my own plate. While dogs and humans don’t have the same dietary needs, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t any crossover, and in general, the grains that are good for me are also good for my dog.

As well as containing one of the most comprehensive nutrient packs I’ve seen, there are a few other standout ingredients. The recipe contains some fresh fruits and vegetables, such as cranberries and papayas, which are superfoods for dogs as well as humans.

There is also a nice dollop of salmon oil, which is a great source of both fats and Omega 3 fatty acids, which means a healthy and shiny coat among other things. It also contains added microorganisms to help with digestion, especially of protein.

The big problem with this dry kibble is that it is expensive. It costs twice as much as the previous two foods on this list. This recipe is also high in calories at around 4,000 per kilogram, so should be fed to your dog in moderation.

Pros

• No animal by-products
• Comprehensive nutrient pack
• Added microorganisms to aid digestion

Cons

• Expensive
• High in calories

If you are looking for the best quality food for your dog that ensures that they are getting all the vitamins and minerals they need to thrive, and more, this kibble from Holistic Select is a great place to start.

4. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe

Blue Buffalo is one of the most trusted dog food brands on the market, and this recipe reminds us why.

It starts with deboned chicken as its first ingredient, topping up the protein content of the recipe with chicken meal as its second ingredient, and also added chicken fat. No animal by-products are used by this company.

For grains, we see brown rice, barley and oatmeal, all of which are recognizable ingredients that we would be happy to see on our own plates. This is a good indication that they are the right kinds of grain to be feeding our canine friends. The balance of grains to proteins in this recipe result in a high-protein recipe that is ideal for dogs.

The nutrient pack is again very comprehensive and includes added probiotics to aid digestion. The only red flags here really are again a relatively high amount of added salt and the price tag. Not as expensive as the previous food, but still pretty heavy on the wallet.

Pros

• Good protein to carbohydrate balance
• Meat is named as the first ingredient
• No animal by-products
• Comprehensive nutrient pack

Cons

• Expensive
• Added salt

This is a great quality dog food from a trusted brand, and it has the ideal balance of protein and carbohydrates for dogs to thrive.

5. Wellness Complete Health Adult Deboned Chicken & Oatmeal Recipe

Wellness Complete offers another fantastic recipe that mixes high-quality meats with highly digestible grains.

Deboned chicken is the first ingredient in this recipe, followed immediately by chicken meal, and then added chicken fat. The result is a food that is high in the rich animal-based protein that dogs need as their primary source of energy.

For grains, we see oatmeal, ground barley, peas, and brown rice. All of these ingredients should be full of the nutrients that dogs should be getting from grains and should be easy for them to digest. The fiber should also mean that they have no problem digesting the proteins in this recipe.

The recipe then adds a selection of fruits and vegetables, as well as a nice nutrient pack, to ensure that your dog is getting all the nutrients that they need to thrive with every bowl.

The big red flag on this ingredient list is garlic powder. Garlic is part of the onion family, and onions and garlic are toxic to dogs. There is probably not enough garlic here to be overly concerned, but there is just no reason that it should be added to a dog food recipe.

The other concern with this kibble is the price, being one of the more expensive options on this list. But isn’t your canine best friend worth it?

Pros

• Deboned chicken as the first ingredient
• No animal by-products
• A good selection of fruits and veggies

Cons

• Expensive
• Contains garlic powder

If your main concern is ensuring that your dog gets the best quality animal-based protein within a healthy and balanced recipe, then this kibble from Wellness is worth the investment.

6. The Honest Kitchen Whole Grain Chicken Recipe

Another very expensive recipe, this food offers something a little bit different. The ingredients in this recipe are dehydrated rather than cooked. This means that they don’t lose any of their nutrients to the cooking process, so this recipe contains even more of the goodness that your dog needs.

This food starts with dehydrated food as its first and only animal-based protein. It is coupled with organic barley and oats, dehydrated potatoes, and peas as its source of carbohydrates. While the recipe then also utilizes a nutrient pack, it also contains a range of dehydrated fruits and vegetables, ensuring that your dog gets most of their vitamins and minerals delivered directly in the way that nature intended.

This recipe is one of the most nutritious things that you can feed your dog; however, it is by far the most expensive food on this list. It is an investment in your dog’s health. The food is also very high in calories, at around 4,300 calories per kilogram. But that’s OK, the price-tag means that you will want to feed it to your dog in moderation.

Pros

• Ingredients dehydrated to retain nutrients
• Named meat as first ingredient
• No animal by-products

Cons

• Expensive
• High in calories

If you are looking for the best and healthiest possible dry food to fill your dog’s bowl, you can’t beat this dehydrated recipe from The Honest Kitchen.

7. Diamond Naturals Light Formula

Finally, another affordable option, Diamond Naturals manages to keep prices down by including more affordable grains than expensive meats, which means it is at the high range of what you would want in terms of protein and carbohydrate balance.

The recipe starts with lamb meal as its first ingredient, with the protein in the recipe is topped up with chicken fat. We then see a range of healthy grains including whole grain brown rice, oatmeal, cracked pearled barley, and grain sorghum among other things. These are all healthy whole grains that are good for your dog to eat, but there is just a little bit too much of it in the recipe.

The nutrient pack for this recipe is comprehensive, and it also uses a wide range of fresh fruits and vegetables, including spinach cranberries, papaya, and coconut, as natural sources of many of the vitamins and minerals that dogs need. The recipe also contains a healthy dose of probiotics to aid digestion.

Pros

• Affordable
• Comprehensive nutrient pack and fresh fruit and vegetables
• Added probiotics

Cons

• Animal meal as first ingredient
• High in carbohydrates

If you are looking for a quality kibble to complement a high-protein wet food diet, then Diamond Naturals contains a good amount of the right kinds of grains.

8. Whole Earth Farms Adult Recipe

This is one of the highest protein recipes on this list, which makes it ideal for growing dogs and dogs needing an energy boost.

The recipe starts with chicken meal and turkey meal as its first two ingredients to form a strong protein base, but it improves the quality of this protein by adding named chicken meat, chicken fat, and also whitefish, salmon oil, and sunflower oil as additional sources of fat and protein.

For grains, we are getting brown rice, oatmeal, and barley, all recognizable ingredients that are easy for your dog to digest. They also don’t take up too much space in this recipe, meaning that it is not too heavy in carbohydrates. Again, this is rounded out with a great nutrient pack, with added probiotics to help deal with the fact that this recipe is high in protein and relatively low in natural fiber. The only red flag ingredient on the list is added salt.

While this recipe is not as affordable as some of the others on this list, it is still within a reasonable price range for most dog owners.

Pros

• High in protein
• Comprehensive nutrient pack
• Added probiotics

Cons

• Low in fiber
• Added salt

If you want a dry kibble for your dog that is high in protein, Whole Earth Farms is one of the best available products on the market.

9. Nutro Max Adult Natural Beef Meal & Rice Recipe

Another affordable option, this beef recipe actually starts with chicken meal as its first ingredient, and then added chicken fat. Beef is actually the sixth ingredient on the list, and then we also see lamb meal. The result is a high protein recipe, but to characterize it as a beef recipe seems ingenious.

For carbohydrates, we see whole grain sorghum, brewers rice, whole grain oatmeal, and whole brown rice. These are all nutritional and digestible, but despite there being quite a bit of it in the recipe, it is still pretty low in fiber, so some dogs may struggle with the high protein content.

The recipe uses a good quality nutrient pack with nothing artificial, which means that you can happily feed it to your dog, even if it isn’t really a beef recipe.

Pros

• High protein
• No animal by-products
• Comprehensive nutrient pack

Cons

• Low in fiber
• Disingenuous marketing

This kibble from Nutro Max is an affordable dry dog food that is very high in the animal-based protein that should be at the center of every dog’s diet.

10. Simply Nourish Lamb & Oatmeal Recipe Adult

If you are fed up with every kibble you give your dog being full of chicken, then try this option from Simply Nourish.

This recipe starts with deboned lamb as its first ingredient, and then uses turkey meal and lamb meal to boost the protein content. There is no chicken in this recipe, with additional fats found in canola oil and sunflower oil.

For carbohydrates, we have brown rice, oatmeal, and barley. There is enough of it to add a good level of fiber to this recipe, but not too much, so overall, the kibble is still very high in protein.

The nutrient pack used in this recipe is great, but it also contains things such as dried carrots, dried cranberries, and dried kale to ensure that your dog is also getting some of their vitamins and minerals in a natural way from fresh food. The resulting recipe is low calorie, but pretty high in cost.

Pros

• High protein
• Named meat as first ingredient
• Comprehensive nutrient pack

Cons

• Expensive

If you are looking to vary the types of meat your dog eats and reduce the amount of chicken in their daily diet, this quality kibble from Simply Nourish is worth a look.

Buying Guide

Should Dogs Eat Grains?

If you speak to a lot of people, they will tell you that your dog should not be eating grains.

They will usually justify this statement on the basis that dogs would never have eaten grains in the wild, and as such, they aren’t “designed” to digest them.

Need evidence? Look at wolves, the undomesticated cousins of our favorite pets. They eat a thoroughly carnivorous diet, sometimes with the occasional fruit and vegetable that they scavenge.

On the face of it, this advice seems to make sense, especially when we look at it through our human eyes and thinking about the dangers that grains pose to our own digestive systems.

Celiac disease has become well-known and has put many people, whether they suffer from it or not, off grains that contain gluten.

We also know that eating too many refined grains can be a major contributing factor to obesity and diabetes in humans.

So, all in all, the advice that dogs shouldn’t be eating grains makes sense, right?

While it sounds logical, it is simply not the case. Dogs are not wolves, as they have been domesticated by mankind for more than 15,000 years.

During that time, we have fed our dogs much the same foods as we ourselves ate, which means a diet rich in grains.

As such, our dogs have evolved to be able to eat them comfortably. Just like among humans, some dogs are allergic to grains, but it is a very small minority.

The problem that dogs have with grains is the same problems that humans have: eating too much of them and eating the wrong type.

How Much Grain?

Unlike cats and wolves, dogs are not consummate carnivores, and they can gain a lot of the nutrition that they need from grains, which contain a lot of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Problems emerge when dogs eat too many grains, because they are high in carbohydrates and low in protein.

For example, barley, a relatively high-protein grain, contains over 70 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams, and only 10 grams of protein.

This means that a diet full of grains may be deficient in the protein and fats that dogs need to thrive.

According to the National Research Council of the National Academies, dogs should be getting up to 50 percent of their daily calories from carbohydrates.

PetMD, suggests that they should then be getting at least 18 to 25 percent of their calories from proteins and 10 to 15 percent of their calories from fats.

Growing puppies should be getting even more protein, forming 40 to 50 percent of their diet.

So, the problem is not feeding your dog grains, it only when it forms too great a portion of their diet. But the reverse is also true. Dogs on very high protein diets can develop digestive issues as protein is hard to digest and they are not getting enough fiber.

So, what dogs really need is the right balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat, and grains can play an important role in gaining that balance.

What Type Of Grains?

But it is certainly true that some grains are better for dogs than others. Just like for us humans, dogs should be eating unprocessed, whole grains and avoid processed grains, GMOs and grain by-products.

This is because, while whole grains contain a lot of fiber and healthy nutrients, a lot of this is lost when grains are processed.

This means that while whole grains give your dog nutrients that they need and leave them feeling full, processed grains are largely empty calories, and leave them feeling hungry and wanting to eat more than they need.

This can quickly lead to weight issues and related problems. The same is true for grain products.

So, you need to be feeding your dog the right kinds of grains, whole grains such as wheat, rice, pats, barley, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and oatmeal.

Unfortunately, some dog foods use processed grains or grain by-products as a cheaper alternative, and these should be avoided.

Be wary when you see ingredients such as corn cobs, peanut hulls, soybean hulls, rice hulls, oat hills, almond shells, cottonseed hulls, powdered cellulose, grain fragments, wheat middlings, wheat mill run, and soy mill run.

Health Benefits Of Grains

Adding some healthy whole grains into your dog’s diet can actually have some health benefits.

In particular, grains are high in fiber, which is necessary to regulate your dog’s digestive system.

This is not only for your dog’s comfort, but also for their well-being, as a well regulated digestive system works to remove toxins from the body.

The soluble fiber found in grains also helps control cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar levels and enhance the absorption of nutrients.

And grains contain some vital nutrients that dogs need. They are rich in B vitamins, which nourish the metabolism and help dogs regulate their energy use, as well as iron, which transports oxygen to the muscles, magnesium, which ensures muscle strength, and selenium, which helps fight premature aging.

Grains are generally lower in calories than animal-based proteins, so grains also help reduce the calorie content of dog foods, while still leaving your dog feeling full and satisfied.

As already discussed, grains can help ensure that your dog’s diet is properly balanced and that they aren’t getting too much protein.

An excess of protein can lead to issues such as kidney disease, intestinal bowel disease, and pancreatitis.

Grain Allergies

While grain allergies are actually quite rare in dogs, they certainly do exist, and if your dog suffers from a grain allergy, you don’t want to be hurting them by feeding them grains.

You need to test your dog for a grain allergy by slowly introducing grains into their diet and watching them for symptoms of an allergic reaction.

Whenever you change your dog’s food, their stomachs can take a little while to adjust and their bowel movements might be different during the adjustment period.

So, in order to know whether you are dealing with an allergy, or just a normal response to a change in diet, you need to start by introducing just a little bit of the food containing grains into their existing food.

You should do this for about a week, observing if your dog is suffering from any adverse reactions. Symptoms of an allergy include skin irritation, swelling of the eyes, lips, or ears, and diarrhea and vomiting.

If this occurs, you should consult your vet, and they can recommend the best alternative diet for your dog.

What Makes A Good Dog Food With Grain

So, what you are really looking for in a good dog food is the right balance of proteins and grains, and high-quality whole grains rather than empty filler grains.

Of course, although this article is about grain, a good dog food actually starts with high-quality meat, and meat should always be listed as the first (and therefore, most plentiful) ingredient in any recipe.

We like to see named meats, which are normally muscle meats that are human-grade or close, as the first ingredient in dog food.

This is non-negotiable when it comes to wet food, but in kibble, often meal is used rather than a named meat.

Meat meal is made up from a variety of different tissues from the animal, so muscle meat, but also organs and skin.

While this might sound a bit disgusting, it is actually good for your dog to be eating these other parts of the animal.

The problem with meal is that you don’t know exactly what is in it, or the balance of what is in it, but it is certainly an acceptable ingredient to be included in dry dog food.

What is not an acceptable ingredient is animal by-products. Meal only contains tissue meat, while by-products also include blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, and stomach contents.

So, this is a poor quality animal product that you don’t want to be feeding your dog.

Good dog foods also include nutrient packs that contain all the vitamins and minerals that your dog needs to thrive.

They also don’t contain any questionable ingredients such as any artificial additives (including colors and flavors) or ingredients that are suspected of being carcinogenic, such as carrageenan.

The Verdict

So, what’s the verdict when it comes to including grain in your dog’s diet?

Unless your dog has a specific allergy to grains, they form a healthy part of a dog’s diet, as long as you are feeding them the right grains in the right amounts.

Just like humans, dogs thrive when they eat whole grains, rather than processed grains.

Also, carbohydrates, those found in grains and everything else your dog eats, should not form more than 50 percent of your dog’s dietary intake.

In addition, 20 to 25 percent of their calories should be coming from proteins.

A good dog food should start with high-quality animals based proteins; combine these with healthy whole grains in such a way that the food provides around 25 percent of calories from protein, 10 percent from fat, and 50 percent from carbohydrates.

All the recipes on our top 10 list do exactly that.

If you don’t have time to read the list, our top picks for affordable options are IAMS and Purina both have good options.

If you are willing to spend a bit more for a higher protein option, then both Blue Buffalo and Whole Earth Farms are great options.

What dog food are you feeding your pooch?

Tell us about your dog in the comment section below.

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Top Picks For Our Dogs

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   We Like: Calmeroos Puppy Toy w/ Heartbeat and Heat Packs - Perfect for new puppies. Helps ease anxiety in their new home.
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For a list of all the supplies we get for our new service dog puppies check out our New Puppy Checklist on the PuppyInTraining.com blog.