Grain-free dog options have become a popular choice for dog owners. High-quality grain-free products often contain more protein, healthy animal fats, and are easy to digest for dogs. This comes with the added benefit of fewer carbs too, so your dog stays looking trim.
For dog owners that are taking a holistic approach to their pet’s health, the grain-free dog treats are the best replacement for standard dog treats. In this post, we take a look at some of the best grain free dog treats and discuss why they are so popular.
General Thoughts on Wheat Free Dog Treats
Though dogs are considered omnivorous today, they were thought to evolve from wolves nearly 15,000 years ago somewhere in the region of Central Asia. Of course, these wolves were carnivores. By that ancestral pedigree dogs could also be considered carnivores.
I don’t know about you, but my dog loves meat. While experts may classify them as omnivores, they sure still have a high carnivorous bias when it comes to food. Shifting to grain-free dog food is like shifting a dog back to something more similar to their ancestral diet.
Wolves’ diet consisted of about 60% protein and 15% carbs whereas most dry dog foods today contain around 20% protein and 60% carbs. The remainder of these diets consists of about 10-25% fat. The pet food industry realized dogs will eat just about anything, and carbs are cheaper to provide than proteins of course. The ideal dog food would contain higher meat-based protein, low carbs, high natural fats and oils, and free of artificial flavoring, coloring, or preservatives. Grain free dog treats get a lot closer to this ideal composition.
Comparison Chart: Best Grain Free Dog Treats in 2021
Here is the list of the top grain-free dog treats available. These are healthy dog treats that do not contain artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
| Image | Name | Flavors | Type | Cost | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Merrick Power Bites | Turducken, Pot Pie, Applewood Bacon | Soft Buscuits |  |  |
 | Triumph Dog Turkey, Pea, & Berry Grain Free Jerky, 24-Ounce | Turkey/Pea/Berry, Duck | Jerky | | |
 | Shameless Pets | Banana & Bacon, Egg, Lobster, Apple, & More | Soft Buscuits | | |
 | Sojos Simply Raw Freeze Dried Dog Treats | Beef, Lamb, Turkey | Freeze Dried | | |
 | Blue Buffalo Wilderness Trail Treats | Turkey, Salmon, Chicken, etc. | Biscuits, Jerky | | |
 | Pet Craft Dehydrated Dog Treats | Salmon | Dehydrated | | |
 | Fromm Four-Parmesan Cheese Dog Treats | Cheese, Lamb, Chicken | Biscuits | | |
 | Wellness Pure Rewards Natural Grain Free Dog Treats | Beef, Chicken, Turkey, Venison | Jerky | | |
 | Grain Free NutriDent Dog Treat Dental Bones by Nylabone | Chicken | Dental Chew | | |
 | Cloud Star Wag More Bark Less Dog Treats | Peanut Butter, Apples, Chicken | Biscuits | | |
Closer Look: Best Grain Free Dog Treats in 2021
Now that we’ve had an overview of the best grain free dog treats, let’s take a closer look at the benefits of each choice. Read on to see the best grain-free dog treat reviews.
1. Merrick Grain Free Power Bites
Power Bites by Merrick are a great way to feed your dog all-natural and wholesome treats. With a variety of flavor choices, the grain-free ingredients are handcrafted to form delicious treats that your dog will simply adore. Oven-baked and ready to go for training or just ’cause, Power Bites are perfect for home, on the go, and everywhere your favorite companion travels with you!
2. Triumph Dog Turkey, Pea, & Berry Grain Free Jerky
Triumph’s grain-free jerky recipe is a holistic and incredibly healthy treat for your dog. A special recipe of turkey, peas, and berries, the grain-free jerky is a nutritional powerhouse that has been tested extensively for the perfect flavor! Coming in at such an incredible price, these Triumph Treats are a real joy for both your pocketbook and your pup. Perfect for training and travel, the 24 oz container should last for months!
3. Shameless Pets: Soft Baked Treats
Treats should be special- not just kibble in a different shape. These soft-baked grain free treats feature inventive flavors that will keep tails wagging. The ingredients do more than just flavor, they nourish! Plus, some of them are upcycled as way to help reduce food waste in the US. New to our list this year, we expect these treats to become your household favorite.
4. Sojos Simply Raw Freeze Dried TreatsSojos Natural Freeze-dried treats are a wonderful addition to your puppy’s favorite stash! The only ingredient is 100% raw freeze-dried meat for a delicious punch of protein that will have your dog coming round for more. Made in small batches in the USA from totally natural and wholesome ingredients. Give your dog all the enzymes, vitamins, and minerals they’ll need in this healthy treat powerhouse!
5. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Trail Treats Grain-Free Biscuits
Blue Buffalo makes extremely high-quality dog treats. These grain-free turkey biscuits are no exception. They are all-natural crunchy dog treats. Wilderness Trail uses duck, salmon, turkey, potatoes, and flaxseed to manufacture their biscuits. Because they are hard treats, they will also help with dental hygiene. The textured treats are great for strengthening gums and removing tartar and plaque buildup. These treats are wheat-free dog treats that do not contain any glutens.
6. Pet Craft Dehydrated Treats
Pet Craft makes premium dehydrated dog treats up in Canada. These treats are suitable for all dogs and are made with healthy and wholesome ingredients. Our favorite choice from them is their Wild Pacific Salmon. These pure treats have no additives in them.
7. Fromm Four Parmesan-Cheese Dog Treats
Fromm Four Parmesan-Cheese Dog Treats are delicious grain-free and oven-roasted treat that will leave your dog’s mouth-watering! Made in the USA out of premium and all-natural ingredients, these are the creme de la creme for your favorite pup! Each bite contains a wonderful blend of veggies, fruit, and premium cuts of meat for a healthy 12 calorie snack that your dog will roll over for!
8. Wellness Pure Rewards Natural Grain Free Dog Treats
If your dog is into jerky (and what dog isn’t!), Wellness Natural Pet Food makes this amazing venison jerky bits dog treats. These are a smaller 6-ounce bag. The treats themselves are chewy, soft, and tender wit ha natural venison flavor. These treats do not contain any grain, wheat, cor, or soy. These treats contain at least 28% protein and 21% crude fat which is an excellent composition for a treat. The treats are made with 90% high-quality poultry or salmon meat. Training or treating, these are a great option.
9. Grain Free NutriDent Dog Treat Dental BonesIf your dog has had gum or teeth issues in the past, NutriDent makes a great natural dental chew. These are grain-free dental chews that are textured for maximum scrubbing and flossing. They will reduce tartar and strengthen gums. The added benefit is that it will freshen your dog’s stinky breath. You get 20 bones for about $20 bucks for Large Dogs which isn’t bad. These bones are peanut butter flavored which most dogs are on board with all the way.
10. Cloud Star Wag More Bark Less Grain-Free Dog Treats
These dog treats are 100% grain-free, no gluten, no corn, wheat, soy, or eggs. Plus, they come in a variety of sweet flavors for maximum scarfing. They are soft enough to break into pieces if you have a smaller dog or if you are just looking to give your dog half a treat. They are about 1 inch in size and are okay for all dogs over about 6 months without breaking them into chunks. Also, they look like little gingerbread men, you just don’t see that in dog treats! These are wonderful grain-free dog biscuits most dogs will love.
Wheat Based Dog Food: Grain Allergies and Issues Digesting Grain in Dogs
Two of the top reasons many dog owners have turned to grain-free food is because some dogs suffer from grain allergies and other dogs have issues digesting grains such as corn. Furthermore, some pet treats are filled with soy, wheat, sugars, and other chemicals. Dr. White from the Veterinary Medicine School at the University of California states that the most common allergens in dogs are milk, eggs, corn, wheat, soy, and chicken/beef for some dogs. Grains can be difficult for dogs to digest because they lack a natural digestive enzyme called amylase. Amylase helps break down starchy carbs into digestible sugars before they enter the stomach.
It is for these reasons that I put together this list of the best organic and healthy dog treats. A raw food diet with grain-free dog treats is one of the best things you can do for your dog. If your dog has issues with barfing or bad gas, switching to a new diet could prevent many of those problems. If it doesn’t, it’s not like you can’t switch back to their old food- most dogs aren’t too picky!
Things to Look for in Dog Treats:
- Quality of Ingredients
- Price
- Types of Meat Content
- Flavor
- Owner Reviews
- Size of Treat
- Safe for Puppies
Homemade Grain-Free Dog Treats Recipes
Some people are interested in making their own grain-free homemade dog treats. I can see why, as some of the treats you buy from stores and online can get costly over time. With a few simple ingredients, you can mass produce these babies and have plenty of healthy dog treats for a month or so. If your dog loves them, you scored a goldmine and don’t need to buy spendy treats anymore. Here I’ll link to some of the best homemade grain-free dogs treats recipes I’ve found online that are worth a try.
At acozykitchen.com, our friend Adrianna shares her grain-free dog treat recipe she discovered her little Corgi loves. The main ingredients are peanut butter, egg, garbanzo bean flour, rolled oats, and banana.
At primallyinspired.com, Kelley details her grain-free dog treat recipe she invented when making grain-free crust for pizza. Her dog Bentley is a picky eater, but he loves these treats! The main ingredients are beef broth, oil of your choice, tapioca flour, coconut flour, sea salt, brewers yeast, and flaxseed meal. Yum!
