Grain-Free Dry Dog Food: How to Choose the Best One for Your Dog
Choosing a new food for your dog can be difficult when every bag makes different claims. If you are comparing grain free dry dog food options, the most useful place to start is the label.
A good recipe should be complete and balanced, clearly show its animal ingredients, suit your dog’s age and activity level, and provide practical feeding guidance. Grain-free food is not automatically the right choice for every dog, but it can suit dogs that do better without particular grains or with a higher-meat recipe.
This guide explains what to look for, how to change foods safely and how to compare the Riker’s Recipe Superfood 65 range.
What is grain-free dry dog food?
Grain-free dry dog food is made without cereals such as wheat, maize, barley, oats or rice. These ingredients are usually replaced with carbohydrate and fibre sources such as:
- Sweet potato
- Beans or peas
- Beet pulp
- Vegetables
- Other carefully selected plant ingredients
Grain-free does not mean carbohydrate-free. Some grain-free foods can still contain a significant amount of carbohydrate, so it is important to read the complete ingredient list rather than relying on the front of the bag.
The best grain free dog food UK owners choose should also be labelled complete. This means it is designed to provide the nutrients your dog needs when fed as directed.
Who might benefit from a grain-free recipe?
Some dogs do well on grain-free food, particularly when their owner and vet are trying to avoid a specific ingredient or choose a recipe with more animal ingredients.
It may be worth considering for dogs that:
- Have a sensitive stomach or inconsistent stools
- Seem to react poorly to a particular grain
- Have recurring skin or coat concerns
- Prefer a meat-rich recipe
- Do better on a diet with fewer carbohydrate sources
- Need a palatable dry food with a clearly named protein
However, grain-free food is not automatically hypoallergenic. A dog can react to an animal protein, dairy ingredient or another part of the recipe. Skin problems can also have causes unrelated to food, including parasites and environmental allergies.
If your dog has ongoing vomiting, diarrhoea, itching, ear problems, weight loss or other symptoms, speak to your vet before making a major dietary change. A controlled diet trial may be more appropriate than simply switching to any grain-free recipe. The Rover UK guide to grain-free dog food also provides useful general background, but individual advice should come from your veterinary practice.
How to read a grain-free dog food label
1. Check that it is complete
Look for complete dry dog food on the packaging. A complementary food is not intended to provide all the nutrients your dog needs as its main diet.
Also check:
- The recommended life stage
- The feeding guide
- The animal protein used
- The best-before date
- The analytical constituents
- Any ingredients your dog needs to avoid
2. Look for named animal ingredients
A transparent label should identify the animal ingredients clearly. For example, chicken, beef or salmon gives you more useful information than a general term such as “meat” or “animal derivatives”.
Dried meat and meat meal are not necessarily poor-quality ingredients. They are concentrated sources of animal protein, but the animal should be named so you know what you are feeding.
3. Check both meat content and crude protein
The meat percentage and crude protein percentage tell you different things.
- Meat content describes the proportion of the recipe made from animal ingredients.
- Crude protein describes the amount of protein in the finished food. This protein can come from meat and plant ingredients.
A food can have a high crude protein figure without all of that protein coming from meat. For this reason, check both numbers.
What does “65% meat” actually mean?
The phrase 65% meat should be read alongside the composition section of the label.
It generally refers to the total animal content in the recipe. This may include a combination of:
- Freshly prepared meat
- Dried meat
- Animal fat
- Gravy or other animal-derived ingredients
It does not mean that 65% of the food is crude protein. Nor does it mean that every piece of kibble contains exactly 65% fresh meat after cooking.
For example, Riker’s Recipe Superfood 65 British Free Range Chicken lists 65% chicken in total, including freshly prepared British free-range chicken, dried chicken, chicken fat and chicken gravy. The recipe also lists 32% crude protein.
This is a useful example of why the full composition and analytical constituents should be read together. A clear label gives you a better understanding of what the headline percentage means.
Riker’s Recipe Superfood 65 grain-free range
Riker’s Recipe Superfood 65 is a range of complete, grain-free dry dog foods made with 65% total meat or animal ingredients. Each recipe uses a different named protein, making it easier to choose according to your dog’s preference and feeding requirements.
British Free Range Chicken
- 65% chicken
- British free-range chicken recipe
- Available in 2kg and 12kg bags
- £14.99 for 2kg and £69.99 for 12kg at the time of writing
View Riker’s Recipe Superfood 65 British Free Range Chicken
Angus Beef
- 65% beef
- Angus beef recipe
- Available in a 12kg bag
- £69.99 for 12kg at the time of writing
View Riker’s Recipe Superfood 65 Angus Beef
Scottish Salmon
- 65% animal ingredients
- Scottish salmon recipe
- Available in 2kg and 12kg bags
- £14.99 for 2kg and £69.99 for 12kg at the time of writing
View Riker’s Recipe Superfood 65 Scottish Salmon
Prices and availability can change, so check the product page before ordering.
How much grain-free dry food should you feed?
The correct portion depends on your dog’s weight, age, activity, body condition and the energy content of the food. Use the guide on the bag as your starting point rather than feeding the same amount to every dog of a similar size.
For Riker’s Recipe Superfood 65 Chicken, the daily guide is:
| Dog’s weight | Suggested daily amount |
|---|---|
| 1–5kg | 25–85g |
| 5–10kg | 85–140g |
| 10–20kg | 140–240g |
| 20–30kg | 240–325g |
| 30–40kg | 325–400g |
| 40kg+ | 400g+ |
These amounts are a guide and may need adjusting. Reduce the portion slightly if your dog is gaining weight, or seek advice if your dog is losing weight despite eating normally. Treats should also be included in the overall daily food allowance.
Always provide fresh drinking water.
How to change your dog’s food safely
A gradual transition helps reduce the risk of digestive upset. Change over 7–10 days, taking longer if your dog has a sensitive stomach.
- Days 1–2: 25% new food and 75% current food
- Days 3–4: 50% new food and 50% current food
- Days 5–7: 75% new food and 25% current food
- Days 8–10: 100% new food
For some dogs, particularly those with a history of loose stools, a two-week transition may be more suitable.
Monitor:
- Stool consistency
- Appetite
- Energy levels
- Vomiting or nausea
- Itching or other signs of sensitivity
If digestive upset continues, return to the previous ratio and contact your vet for advice.
Storage advice for dry dog food
Store dry food carefully so it stays fresh and palatable.
- Keep the bag in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
- Reseal the original packaging after each use.
- Use a clean, dry scoop.
- Keep food away from damp floors and heat sources.
- Avoid mixing a new bag into old food.
- Follow the best-before date and feeding instructions.
- Wash food bowls regularly.
An airtight container can be useful, but keep the original bag or label available so you can check the batch and ingredient information if needed.
Delivery from Riker’s Pet Food
We are an independent, family-run pet food business based near the New Forest. Our about us page explains more about our experience and our approach to straightforward, personal service.
🚚 Free local delivery with no minimum order is available to:
- Ringwood
- Fordingbridge
- Verwood
- Alderholt
- Three Legged Cross
We also offer free 48-hour delivery on orders over £54.99 across England and Wales, excluding horse and farm feeds.
You can browse the full dry dog food range or contact us if you need help choosing a recipe or bag size.
Grain-free dry dog food FAQs
Is grain-free dog food better for every dog?
No. Grain-free food can suit some dogs, but it is not automatically better for every dog. Choose a complete recipe that suits your dog’s individual needs and speak to your vet about ongoing health concerns.
Is grain-free food suitable for dogs with sensitive stomachs?
It may suit some dogs, but sensitivity can be caused by many different ingredients. Introduce any new food gradually and monitor your dog’s stools, appetite and general condition.
Is 65% meat the same as 65% protein?
No. The 65% figure refers to the total animal ingredients in the recipe. Crude protein is a separate figure shown in the analytical constituents.
Can grain-free food help with itchy skin?
It may help if your dog reacts to a specific ingredient, but itching has many possible causes. Ask your vet before using food as the only treatment.
Which Riker’s Recipe Superfood 65 flavour should I choose?
Choose a protein your dog enjoys and already tolerates well. The range includes British Free Range Chicken, Angus Beef and Scottish Salmon, with 2kg and 12kg options depending on the recipe.