Grain free dry food recommendations for lab?

[KronkeyCroc]

My lab is almost 1 and seems to have a grain allergy. She’s been doing well on wainwrights Grain free puppy but the big bags are always out of stock and it’s too expensive to buy the small ones. They seem to be triple the price per kg!

Any good grain free options that are easy to get. Ideally from a pet store as I’m rubbish at remembering to buy online and worry she will be left without food as I don’t order in time. Thanks.

Markus Mühle NaturNah from Zooplus

Oops just read your post properly 🤦‍♀️

I think Harringtons is grain free, its in Morrisons

James well beloved grain free from pets at home is great

Canagan. Not the easiest to get hold of (Pets Corner deliver though). It’s good quality and grain free.

TBH I think the best grain free are online only. The likes of fish4dogs or Millie’s wolfheart. We buy 2 12kg bags at a time so we don’t have to keep remembering to order more

Have you tried a hypoallergenic diet rather than grain free? Has the dog been allergy tested?

There’s a strong link between grain free diets and non hereditary DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy) so personally in a large breed I would avoid a grain free diet unless I had no other option.

We've swapped from Lily's kitchen to Harrington's grain free and DDog loves it.

No not had her tested. But she has horrible wind and soft/runny stools if she’s not on grain free. She was on MW but wasn’t thriving and has actually improved massively since switching to the wainwrights. Not sure what that was all about as MW is meant to be great.

If you’re worried about forgetting to order in time lots of pet food online retailers will do a subscribe and save scheme so you don’t have to remember to order each month. We’re using Canagan for our foster Lab atm. Much ‘nicer’ poos and emissions

Are you sure it’s grain and not poultry?

Harringtons do a grain-free option and you can set up a subscription on their website and save money too.

@Maneandfeathers that's legume and potato based foods they're investigating.

Go for something like Eden: grain free but sweet potato based.

Two dry recipes are also chicken free, as are both the semi moist and all the wet foods. Gives a lovely range. Our dog is a bit funny with chicken and it means he can move between flavours.

We use Jurassic Bark online and delivered next day

I’ll check out Canagan thanks. Well I did think it might be poultry but she has a little wet food mixed in (as she is a fussy princess, very unusual for her breed) and never has trouble with the chicken ones. The non grain food she’s had in the past was also chicken free but she had those issues so it made me think grain or perhaps wheat.

Anyone tried the AVA brand in pets at home? That has good a good nutrition rating on the all about dog food site and is a similar price point to James WB and MW.

Gaaa so much choice! Thanks for the recommendations all.

The Eden looks expensive but portions are small as it's very nutritious. So my 16kg dog gets 150gm a day plus a bit of wet on dinner. So a 12kg bag lasts 3 months

Our greyhound likes Wellbeloved and Harringtons. He eats Arden Grange but isn’t keen.

Canagan or Eden are the best out there
(we own a holistic pet shop that was founded by a holistic vet)

You could try Yora which is an insect based dog food. It does contain Oats but you'd know for certain after trying it whether the runny stools are caused by a sensitivity to grains or certain animal proteins as it only contains insect protein. It's sold at Pets Corner and if it doesn't suit, they'll give you your money back even if you're halfway through the bag.

Alternatively, as previous posters have mentioned, Canagan is a good shout. With a large breed you'll want to have a pet food containing lots of added joint care. A brand called Tribal (grain free) is also worth having a think about.
Try the Pet Food Expert website. You can search a range of foods rated on things like joint care/protein source/grain content and also figure out cost per day based on your pets breed and activity levels.

I have my 2 spaniels on Forthglade dried, it's not cheap but you don't use much as it's good quality. I just get it on subscription direct and that way you never run out.

I don't have any recommendations but allaboutdogfood.com is a useful site. Mine isn't allergic but goes a bit bonkers with too many carbs..nary a fart has passed her rear end though except for the rare times she has has too much beef.

Arden Grange? I buy it for my cats from Amazon, using subscribe and save, so I don't have to think about ordering it, it just turns up every two weeks.

@Goawayangryman oof yes! The arse of doom from beef here too, maybe it's a spaniel thing?!!!

We use Millie's Wolfheart

Mine is a golden retriever but maybe the working dogs like spaniels and retrievers share a similar antipathy towards beef...

I think some dogs do dislike straight kibble and can't say I blame them. Their natural diet will involve lots of wet food and leftovers/scavenged stuff..and I've found mine is not actually very fussy but just gets bored quickly of the same old thing. Again, don't blame her.