[Jordan C]

Hi everyone!

I am looking to switch my Golden Retriever over to a grain-inclusive diet that also does NOT include chicken as he has proved to be VERY chicken intolerant in the past. He is currently on Fromm Heartland Gold LBP and does just fine on it. It’s time to switch him over from puppy to adult, and I’m taking my veterinarian’s recommendation to switch to a grain-inclusive food as long as it is high quality. I’m struggling to find something that is both grain-inclusive while being completely chicken free? Any suggestions?

Thank you!!

[anonymous]

https://www.gofromm.com/highlander-beef-oats-n-barley-recipe-dog-food

Why not stay with Fromm? They have grain-inclusive formulas.

PS: I don’t think a tiny bit of chicken fat will bother anything.

[Patricia A]

Stella and Chewy’s has grain inclusive Beef. https://www.stellaandchewys.com/dog-food/stellas-essentials-wholesome-grains/beef-and-ancient-grains-recipe
Product Benefits
#1 ingredient grass-fed beef
Wholesome grains including brown rice, pearled barley, oatmeal, quinoa and millet
Pea-free, lentil-free, potato-free & poultry-free
Made in the USA with no ingredients from China
Rich in Omegas for healthy skin & coat
Leading levels of glucosamine & chondroitin to help maintain hip & joint function
High quality proteins for lean muscle mass
No corn, wheat or soy protein
No by-product meal
Guaranteed taurine levels
Complete & balanced for all life stages except large breed puppies

Never The Other Stuff!

Ingredients
Beef, lamb meal, pearled barley, oatmeal, brown rice, pork meal, beef fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), natural vegetable flavor, beef liver, millet, quinoa, flaxseed, calcium carbonate, salt, potassium chloride, choline chloride, suncured alfalfa meal, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), inulin (from chicory root), pumpkin, blueberries, taurine, tocopherols (preservative), thyme, sage, dried kelp, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate, vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, rosemary extract.

Product Analysis:
Guaranteed Analysis:

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by Patricia A.

[anonymous]

“I’m taking my veterinarian’s recommendation to switch to a grain-inclusive food as long as it is high quality. I’m struggling to find something that is both grain-inclusive while being completely chicken free? Any suggestions”?

https://www.gofromm.com/fromm-four-star-nutritionals-whitefish-potato-formula-dog-food

This one has absolutely no chicken of any kind. Fromm is a quality dog food.

[anonymous]

BTW: The food you say your dog does fine on has chicken https://www.gofromm.com/fromm-family-large-breed-puppy-gold-food-for-dogs

So, wouldn’t it make sense to just go to the large breed adult formula?

[Jordan C]

The one he is on right now is the Heartland Gold one, not just the plain Gold – all beef no chicken! 🙂

I’m totally open to staying with Fromm I just wanted to explore some other possibilities! Thanks for the input!

[GSDsForever]

Hi Jordan.

Some additional options for grain inclusive, with NO chicken formulas include these brands:

Dr. Gary’s Best Breed, First Mate, Eagle Pack’s Holistic Select Line (see e.g. Adult Radiant Sardine, Anchovy, & Salmon), Sport Dog (e.g. Buffalo formulas), Inception, Purina Pro Plan (e.g. Salmon & Rice Sensitive Stomach & Skin), Petcurean Go!, Farmina, Annamaet, Canine Caviar, Verus, Instinct by Nature’s Variety Be Natural Salmon (includes peas #7), Nutrisource (e.g. Trout & Rice — not the large breed one), and (soon) Open Farm’s new grain inclusive line. One of the moderators here, PugMom Sandy, noted a sardine formula from Nature’s Logic also.

Purina, Hills, & Royal Canin have veterinary therapeutic formulas/prescription diets that exclude chicken as well.

The above is not an exhaustive list or a recommendation for any listed. And those are just U.S. available foods.

Your choices will depend upon what you are looking for preferentially in a formula and brand, things that you personally believe to be indicative of “high quality.”

From experience, I have known many dogs to do well on the Fromm Whitefish grain inclusive formula recommended by another poster above, especially dogs with sensitive digestive systems and needs for low residue, highly digestible. It has a nice mix of whole grains, sweet potatoes, and bland, highly digestible simple carbs.

I am currently feeding Annamaet’s Option formula (purple bag: Salmon based, w/lamb) and am very pleased with the company and the formula. To it, I daily add canned wild Alaskan salmon with bone, to bring the protein up from ~26-27% protein (dry matter, actual typical) to 30%+ (adjusted for our needs). Last month I added canned sardines.

Good luck! If you are interested in one of the above formulas/brands, I’d be happy to give you my thoughts on it.

[GSDsForever]

p.s. In addition to preferring grain inclusive/non-legume heavy formulas at this time, I’d recommend avoiding feeding exclusively or frequently lamb & rice formulas, particularly ones low in protein and high in ash, as well as those from a company less experienced and knowledgeable in safe formulating.

Ditto very high fiber formulas long term, absent a compelling medical need as advised by your vet.

Both have long been associated with higher risk for DCM, and showed up again in this most recent FDA compilation list of 560 dogs.

Watch that your dog is eating the expected calories to obtain the amino acids and nutrients needed, and if not (in order to keep lean body condition), look for a formula better suited in caloric & nutrient density for your particular dog.

[McKenzie S]

Hey there, I was wondering if you ended up choosing anything for your dog. I have a golden retriever and am facing the same issues. Chicken really bothers him but everything has chicken fat or something in it. What did you end up going with and how did it work out for you?

[Lea S]

I would like to say that from what I’ve studied, chicken fat is different than chicken meat. Just because a dog has issues with chicken, or a particular meat, they may not/probably won’t have a problem with fat. Our girl is one who can’t tolerate chicken or eggs, yet is doing well on a food with chicken fat.

[Marisa J]

If you are looking to switch over to a food without chicken and has grains I highly recommend Farmina or Inception. These foods are amazingly high in protein from animal meat and low in carb for a grain diet. I would highly advise you stay away from grains as the research I’ve done has shown that it is harder for their organs to digest, however, I understand with the fear of DCM. But the results are inconclusive, as I have read both 70 page articles on it. Its more so a kibble problem it looks like than a grain free vs with grains. Also, there are far more common diseases like pancreatitis, cancer, kidney disease, and liver disease.

If you want to switch over to grain diet watch for any symptoms of smelly ears, itching, or hot spots as your dog may have a grain allergy as well.

Fromm cannot tell you the amount of protein in their food from animal meat. Their bags are also high in carb as they use high glycemic index foods like potatoes. If you really want to add grains into the diet please look into Inception and Farmina Ancestral Grains.

[Cheryl B]

I find that my highly allergic to all things chicken dog has been able to handle chicken fat, as chicken fat does not contain the same allergen as chicken proteins (including eggs). I am a huge fan of Natures Logic. Hard to find in retail stores- I order from Chewy. It was recommended to me 3 years ago and has been a lifesaver.

[pugmomsandy]

Wellness Core Ocean with Wholesome Grains
American Natural Premium Legume free Duck and Legume free Turkey recipes

[patrocle]

Thinking about going with

Muenster Ancient Grains with Ocean Fish Dog Food

Since 1932, Located in Muenster, TX.
Never a recall ,
They DO NOT use any Chinese ingredients, they DO use locally sourced grains

So hopefully is really good choice.

[Alex C]

I have a Dane pup, going on 8 months, allergic to chicken. It’s been rough trying not to break the bank when it comes to a whole grain, chicken-free formula. I came across this forum to see what was here. I checked out the Muenster Ocean Fish one you thought about going with; the ingredients include chicken fat. That’s my issue. If a manufacturer goes to length to make a chicken-free formula, how can they have chicken fat in the ingredients? Why not use pork or beef fat?

The ones I have found (as far as I can see in the ingredients are chicken-free and chicken fat-free):
-Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Organic Turkey or Beef (comes in a 10 lb box and you rehydrate to make 40 lbs total)
-Stella & Chewy’s Stella’s Essentials Kibble Grass Fed Beef & Wholesome Grains Recipe
-Fromm Four-Star Whitefish & Potato Formula
-Zealambder™ Recipe Dog Food
-Fromm Four-Star Pork & Applesauce Formula (chicken-free, but contains egg)

Also not an exhaustive list, but hope this helps someone else reading as some of the recommendations here helped point me in the right direction.

[Author]

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