# Non-grain free dog foods



## JLla84 (Jan 11, 2018)

What can I expect from possibly changing over from a grain free formula to the same companies non grain free formula? As far as we know, Ghost doesn't have issues and has only been on heartland since we've had him.








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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

You can probably expect a lighter wallet, and not much else, if the dog doesn't have food allergies. Grain-free kibble is mostly marketing nonsense -- it evokes raw, prey model feeding in the minds of consumers while having nothing whatsoever in common with it.

Grain-free foods are still made with starch. You cannot make kibble without starch -- the extrusion process in the machine requires it! So they just sub out some other cheap starch for the grain: peas, tapioca, or potatoes, instead of rice and oats. That's not always a good substitution though: most dogs with no allergies digest rice and oats very easily, and possibly _better _than some of the "grain free" substitutes. So what have you really gained?

I'm all for a rotational diet for adult dogs though --- Fromm is a great company to do that with eventually. My kibble-fed dogs rotate through the Fromm Four Star foods, with grain and without, for the variety of the different protein and veg components in them. I don't think their GF foods are inherently "better" though -- they just offer some nutritional variety AFAIC. That's just marketing hype.

If your pup is doing well on it, I'd feed the regular Fromm large breed puppy food, and put the difference into a new chew toy or pack of bully sticks for your little one! 


ETA: I just looked at the ingredients out of curiosity. They're both 26% protein, and the calories are almost identical! The GF doesn't necessarily even have more meat -- it just has chickpeas and lentils high up in the ingredient list. Legumes are not highly digestible for dogs. In the same spot in the cheaper grain-in food, you have oatmeal, barley and rice -- highly digestible.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

My pups grew up on Fromm large breed gold formula. Then I switched them to four star grain free when adults. I noticed softer shiner coats. Both dogs have no allergies. Right now we are switching to Fromm grain food just to change things up. A very recent so I will see how they do. Max always had a kind of dry nose not sure if it’s the switch to grain food or the weather change or his nose is always in water now but seems to be moister.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

My puppy is on the Heartland Gold too, and doing very well. She was on a different grain free food when we got her a week and a half ago, so I thought it best to stay gf since we were already doing a hard switch from another brand. I didn't want to change too many things at once and I had no idea if she has any grain sensitivities since she'd never had grains before. But when I bought it, the guy at the store suggested I rotate between the two Fromm LBP varieties, and I may end up doing so. He made the same point that Magwart did - the grains used are good, highly digestible ones.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

I switched mine to Fromm 4 Star grain versions around 6-7 months. They also sell some grain free so I checked carefully before selecting flavors.


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## JLla84 (Jan 11, 2018)

Thanks for all the replies everyone. Im going to swing by the boutique and look at the options they have and discuss it further with the owner... she's very helpful also...

At the moment, im still 90% full on the heartland gold and still have half the promo bag of rancherosa fromm gave out to show off the new recipe... its helping to extend the heartland gold.


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## JLla84 (Jan 11, 2018)

So I decided to switch to the regular Large Breed Puppy Gold, (not heartland gold)

Today forward will be slowly implementing this food into the servings... out of two 1.5 cup servings, he will get 1.25 heartland gold, and .25 gold, and so on and so forth until he is transitioned...

I hope for no issues and look forward to using the cost savings for extra chews... right now he is crushing an antler!


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

You can save a lot on antlers by buying them on Ebay. There are folks who either hunt and sell pieces they don't want, or they go find shed antlers in the national forest as a hobby. The pricing is less than half what you pay in stores for them!

I also recommend Bestbullysticks.com -- not just for bully sticks, but also for trachea tubes, liver slices, etc. Lots of good stuff there!

Be sure and get on the Fromm customer email list on their website. A few times a year they send out great coupons by email -- things like "buy a bag, get a free pack of treats" or "buy a big bag, get a free small bag."

Also ask your store if they participate in Fromm's buy 12 get 1 free deal -- most stores do (some track it for you, some give you an envelop to save your UPC codes).


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## JLla84 (Jan 11, 2018)

Magwart said:


> You can save a lot on antlers by buying them on Ebay. There are folks who either hunt and sell pieces they don't want, or they go find shed antlers in the national forest as a hobby. The pricing is less than half what you pay in stores for them!
> 
> I also recommend Bestbullysticks.com -- not just for bully sticks, but also for trachea tubes, liver slices, etc. Lots of good stuff there!
> 
> ...


Done. I have 3 more to go to get to the 12th!

and Because of the boutique's help, im already 3 into the next set of 12 

Ive signed up for the emails... those antlers were no joke... i got a small split at like $10... the medium is $15, and a large is $26!!!!! although no more splits, ghost tore into it pretty well! hes a serious chewer.... must be that mix of gsd+husky...

ill check out bully sticks..


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## GSDchoice (Jul 26, 2016)

Well, I had heard that the grain-free food might cause heart issues (I read that on this forum? I checked, and his food did have a lot of peas/legumes in it) so I thought we should switch Rumo to "regular" kibble.

So we bought a bag of regular (brown rice is the main grain) but then we ran out of the grain-free within a day! 
There was no time to make the switch gently, and at about $57 a bag, I didn't feel like buying another bag of the grain-free...

We just fed him a bowl of the regular. 
Then I crossed my fingers and waited (please, please, not a week of diarrhea...)

This morning, the poop voted.
Best poop he's had in a long time!
I think the grain-free was giving him mushy poop.

Despite the horribly abrupt switch, he seems just fine. 
And yes, that means more chewies can be purchased within the same budget!


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## JLla84 (Jan 11, 2018)

GSDchoice said:


> Well, I had heard that the grain-free food might cause heart issues (I read that on this forum? I checked, and his food did have a lot of peas/legumes in it) so I thought we should switch Rumo to "regular" kibble.
> 
> So we bought a bag of regular (brown rice is the main grain) but then we ran out of the grain-free within a day!
> There was no time to make the switch gently, and at about $57 a bag, I didn't feel like buying another bag of the grain-free...
> ...


Im hoping for this!!!

His first poo was great. no issue... the second was post antler he ate (he devoured a small one after only a few hours) so i think that softened his stool a bit... not diarrhea by any means but you know what i mean..

im crossing my fingers...

if all goes well, i hope to do 50/50 within 2 weeks until his grain free runs out then go regular gold from there until switching him in 3 months to the adult gold...


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## JLee (Jul 29, 2018)

Is grain free really to a dog's benefit?


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Grain free is a benefit to dogs with allergies Some dogs are allergic to food with grain. Grainfree gives them an option in feeding kibble. My dog has no allergies and with all all the recent warnings and investigating into grainfree regarding heart issues. I switched from grainfree to the Fromm gold large breed dog food . I do add -either eggs, dehydrated beef patties, fresh meat, goats milk, or yogurt to mix it up and now I like the fact they are getting more protein this way.


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## JLee (Jul 29, 2018)

My wifes new 12 week old Std Poodle devours Victor Select Nutra Pro for adults and puppy. We've had him for a 1-1/2 weeks and everything good so far.


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