# Is there a grain-free choice appropriate for 6 mos old?



## Caesars Mom (Feb 20, 2012)

Per my last post, I am looking to change dogfoods to find one that hopefully will allow Luna to put on weight and hopefully dispell her itchy bumps and boils. I would love to do a grain free as I believe that is what causes a lot of dog allergies, but I keep reading that there is really nothing, or at least a VERY limited availability of grain free that will still provide my almost 6 mo old GSD with what she needs to continue to grow. 

What do I need to look for and what do I need to avoid when looking for a food? I keep hearing rave reviews of Fromm, but the Gold label, which is not grain free. I love the Innova EVO brand and have heard stellar reviews of Orijen. It's so darn confusing. Rather than getting 100 different opinions recommending 100 different foods, I would love the consensus of what I should look for on a label and I will find one that I can buy in a store near me (don't want to hassle with having to order online, although pretty much every brand seems to be available somewhere within 15 miles of me which is good).

Thanks!


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

I wouldn't feed Evo. Too much calcium for a young puppy. The Orijen adult or large breed puppy is ok. Acana is fine too.

Check out the Earthborn holistic grain frees if you have them available in your area. I believe they're all appropriate for puppies except for the primitive natural, but the rest are fine.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

Don't discount the possiblity of environmental allergies. They're actually more common than food allergies, especially at such a young age. Especially this time of year, but I don't know when your problems began. (I didn't see your last post.)

My oldest has crazy, horrible reactions to a single flea bite.

I went with Natural Balance LID Venison for two of my dogs, for different reasons. One has been allergy prone all her life. The other has had digestive problems all of his short life. It has been a miracle food to both of them. Calcium and phosphorus minimums are low in comparison to many. They are minimums, though. (I hate that they list "minimums." I wish they'd list "maximums"!) Protein and fat are quite low, which may or may not be good in your case, but could be supplemented if too low?

Anyway, it has sure been a very good food for two of my four. Good luck, it is a frustrating thing!!!!!!


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## lzver (Feb 9, 2012)

We feed our 17 week old GSD Jake Acana Pacifica. They have 4 grain free varieties I believe.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

You should also consider meat allergies. Chicken being one of the more common ones. I would also have to ask what you are the signs that have led you to believe it is a food allergy?


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## Caesars Mom (Feb 20, 2012)

jocoyn said:


> You should also consider meat allergies. Chicken being one of the more common ones. I would also have to ask what you are the signs that have led you to believe it is a food allergy?


I am not saying it is a food allergy, but changing food is easier than getting rid of all my grass in case that is what she is allergic to. I figure since I was never in love with the food I was feeding her before, and she is so darn skinny, I might as well switch to something I can feel good about feeding and see if that doesn't seem to have any effect. If nothing changes after a month or so, we're going in for the scratch testing. I know it could be one of a hundred things so I'll just have to wait and see.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Ok the feeding our puppy section (this one) has a sticky note worth reading. Most grain frees you really have to watch for too much or unbalanced calcium and phosphorus, even some labeled "all life stages" are right on the edge of AAFCO acceptability for those components. So be aware of that and also the caloric content because a high calorie food can carry a bit higher weight percent of calcium because you wind up feeding less of it.

Hopefully the vet has taken a look and ruled out other issues? I hate the thought of identifying food allergies in one so young...I had one that developed pustules on her belly and it wound up being some kind of big bite that a round of antibiotics and antihistamine cleared up.


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## Kyad02 (Oct 21, 2011)

Innova Prime Salmon is grain free with Cacium at 1.4 and phosphorus at 1.0 , safe range for large breed puppies. Acana,Orijin,and the other Innova Prime varieties are much too high in calcium/phosporus.


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