Many times in the past I have made recommendations on certain types of dog food. As more varieties distribute I will continue to try them out. I like for my dogs to have a variety and not eat the same thing for their entire life. For humans eating salad every day isn’t necessarily the most optimal food to eat. Variety is also essential. In the past couple years more research has been done on Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy. This has made me rethink everything about our choice in dog food.

Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Golden retrievers have a common occurrence of Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy. DCM is a case where the heart ventricle wall becomes dilated and thin. The heart is unable to fully supply blood flow to the rest of the body, often resulting in sudden death. Recent research suggests that the cause of DCM is related to grain substitutes like legumes (lentils and peas). For years we were told by academics to use a grain free food and as a result many golden retrievers died of a preventable heart disease. Recently I was told by my dog’s cardiologist, while having my stud get his advanced heart certification, to switch to a dog food without legumes. So I researched for days looking for new foods that had grains, but in minimal form.

As mentioned in previous posts my dogs’ food must meet certain criteria before I feed it to them. My reasons are subjective. The first ingredient must be a meat and not a meat byproduct. 2nd the first 3 ingredients need to be a form of meat. The majority of your dog food is made of the first 3 ingredients. 3rd the food must have ingredients that address omega-3’s. 4th it must have no corn and preferentially no chicken. I’ve seen too many dogs with allergies with both ingredients. Taurine is another big ingredient often missing in dog food and should be addressed. As a preference a price of less than $50 is beneficial. Also I check my food on dog food advisor for relevant issues. I use foods that are rated 4.5 – 5 stars. As a final search, I look at places like Amazon and Chewy.com to read first hand reviews by pet parents that have actually used the food. Only one company at this point meets my criteria.

Taste of the Wild Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food

I have added these varieties to my rotations. I will still be using my other dog foods mentioned in previous posts, but just in less moderation. Evidence based evidence factually shows legumes causing a problem, I still personally believe it is because of quantity. Too much of something is never good. Once I find more varieties I will eventually remove past dog foods out of my rotation.

I am not affiliated by Taste of the Wild nor given money by them to promote them. While researching a food for our Golden Retrievers, this is the first one to address DCM. There are affiliate links on this page that helps me to continue to make more content. Let me know your thoughts.