When I found out that CANIDAE offered a grain free line of pet food, it piqued my curiosity. Until then the only reference I had concerning grain free food was when I had gone to a small feed store to pick up a bag of dog food. Limited funds at the time had me inquiring about the least expensive brand they had, so I could get through a few weeks and go back to my regular dog food.
The man at the feed store told me what the price was and mentioned that my dogs might appear to love it more than what I usually fed them, but that would be because they needed to eat more to be full or gain energy since it was mostly grain and rice. I had never given any real thought to what dog food was made of; I always assumed every brand was rich in protein and contained meat. My dogs did eat the inexpensive food as if they were ravenous, and an amount of food that normally would last three weeks was gone in about two weeks. I went back to my regular dog food and didn’t give it another thought.
While interviewing Bryce of Bryce Mann’s Gun Dogs and Guide Service, I found out a great deal more about grain free pet food. Bryce had problems with one of his dogs several years ago before he became part of the CANIDAE Special Achiever program, and was told by his vet that the dog needed a lot of high protein foods. Foods such as eggs and potatoes were recommended to supplement the food his dog was eating at the time. Now, instead of cooking for his dogs while he’s on the road, they eat the CANIDAE Grain Free pureELEMENTS™ food.
The benefit of grain free pet food really depends on the dog. Grain free food provides lots of energy and nutrition for your dog, but if you have a house dog, an older dog, or one with limited mobility, grain free food might cause your dog to gain weight. Grain free food is recommended for active dogs that need to draw on that excess energy. Your veterinarian can help you decide which type of dog food is ideal for your pet, but it is definitely worth looking into grain free food if you have a working dog of any kind.
Another reason some dogs may need grain free food is if they suffer from grain intolerance. This can often result in bloating, vomiting and other forms of stomach distress for your dog. CANIDAE Grain Free Pet Food contains no grain, and includes meat, vegetable and fruit proteins to be easy to digest. Grain free food that is rich in real meat products and protein can improve the skin and coat of your dog while providing energy and well balanced nutrition with vitamins and minerals.
Grain free food is often recommended for pregnant dogs and lactating dogs, to provide the energy the dam needs to produce healthy puppies and provide them with nutrients as well. If you’ve looked into grain free dog food and have decided with your veterinarian that it would be a good choice for your dog, it’s important that you follow some basic guidelines to transition your dog to this type of food.
A dog’s sensitive digestive tract requires gradual changes in diet that allows their system to acclimate to the changes. The easiest way to introduce a new diet to your dog is to begin adding the new food to your dog’s old food over the course of a week. For the first two days, add 25% of the new food to the old food. For the third and fourth days serve your dog a 50/50 mixture. Continue on the fifth and sixth days by serving 75% of the new food and only 25% of the old. On day seven you can feed your dog the new food only. If you notice any stomach upset or reactions from your dog, stick with the mixed products for a few more days to allow him to acclimate.
The CANIDAE line includes four holistic Grain Free pure formulas for dogs, and two for cats. Right now, for a limited time, you can save up to $5 on the grain free dog food and up to $4 on the grain free cat food. Simply visit the CANIDAE website to request a coupon. (Offer limited to the U.S. and Canada).
Grain free pet food is an excellent choice for many dogs and cats, but it’s not necessarily perfect for every pet. It is up to you as a responsible pet owner to do your homework or consult with your veterinarian concerning your animal’s individual needs. You can also call CANIDAE Natural Pet Food Company at (800) 398-1600. Their customer service reps are very knowledgeable, and happy to discuss the benefits of grain free pet food with you.
Read more articles by Suzanne Alicie
This was an interesting article. I always hear about grain free food being ideal for cats, but I've never known why. Since my cat is an indoor cat, gran free probably is not a necessity for him.
ReplyDeleteGrain free is far more important for cats than dogs. Cats require a much larger percentage of protein in their diets than dogs do. Kitty kibble (chock full of grains) is a huge reason for health problems in kitties (especially diabetes.) Do a little research ;)
DeleteGreat post. Very interesting fact about the grain free food. I think it is probably really good for the animals. After all, out in the wild they don't eat grains, just meat.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this great post! It has given me the information that I've been looking for lately.
ReplyDeleteReally nice one...i didn't know so much about it. I'll keep remember this things ...
ReplyDeleteKind of wondering, why would grain-free have to be higher energy? Grains contain a lot of calories ...? And grain free can have a bunch of vegetables ... and the nutritional value can and should add up the same?
ReplyDeleteAccording to veterinarians, grain free diets pose health benefits that extend beyond allergic reactions. Dogs are afforded complete nutrition that aids with the following:
ReplyDeleteLess chance of developing diabetes
Healthier digestive system
Increased levels of energy
Improved appearance of coat and eyes
Strong muscle development
Weight management
The reality is that dogs cannot properly digest foods like corn and cereal. First and foremost, canines have a much shorter intestinal tract than humans
thanks for sharing this. i never knew that grain food is as well good for dog as it is for cats. thanks for sharing
ReplyDelete