nutrition

Grain-free vs grain-inclusive dog food

3 min readLast reviewed Jun 28, 2026 by petsupplies.co editorial

The options

Grain-free

Formulas that exclude rice, wheat, corn, oats, and barley, typically replacing them with peas, lentils, chickpeas, or potatoes.

Best for, Dogs with a vet-confirmed grain allergy (rare). Marketed broadly, but not a default for the general dog population.

Pros

Useful in the rare case of vet-diagnosed grain sensitivity

Cons

A subset of grain-free, legume-heavy formulas has been linked by the FDA to non-hereditary DCM
Often more expensive without clinical justification for healthy dogs

Grain-inclusive

Formulas with whole grains (rice, oats, barley) as part of the carbohydrate source, alongside meat-based proteins.

Best for, Most healthy dogs, all life stages, when paired with a full AAFCO statement.

Pros

Not implicated in the FDA DCM investigation
Wide selection across price points
Decades of feeding-trial history

Cons

Inappropriate for the small minority of dogs with confirmed grain allergy

Side by side

Highlighted cell marks the lower-risk / better-supported choice for that criterion. Suitability still depends on the individual animal.
Criterion	Grain-free	Grain-inclusive
Link to non-hereditary DCM in FDA reports	Yes (legume-heavy formulas)	No
Appropriate for dogs with confirmed grain allergy	Yes	No
Default recommendation for healthy adult dogs	No	Yes

What the FDA actually found

Between 2014 and 2019 the FDA received hundreds of reports of DCM in dogs eating diets that did not match the breeds typically affected by inherited DCM. The common factor: grain-free formulas using peas, lentils, chickpeas, or potatoes as primary ingredients. The mechanism is not fully understood and not every grain-free food is implicated, but the agency publicly named brands and continues to track cases.

True grain allergies in dogs are rare; most food sensitivities are to specific proteins such as beef, chicken, or dairy, not to grains.

How to decide

If your dog has no diagnosed grain allergy, choose a grain-inclusive food with a complete AAFCO statement and meat as the primary protein.
If your dog is currently on a grain-free or legume-heavy diet and is asymptomatic, talk to your vet before switching, and consider a taurine and echocardiogram baseline for at-risk breeds.
Ignore marketing claims that exclude a category to imply premium, the AAFCO statement is the line that actually matters.

Sources

US FDA, FDA Q&A: potential causes of non-hereditary DCM · verified 2026-06-28
US FDA, FDA investigation: diet and canine DCM · verified 2026-06-28
AAFCO, Reading pet food labels · verified 2026-06-28