When it comes to feeding our dogs, there’s been a lot of debate over what’s truly best. Grain-free diets have come under scrutiny in recent years due to concerns about a potential link to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).     

Here’s the truth: dogs do not need grains to be healthy—and with the right approach, DCM isn’t a legitimate concern for most pets on a balanced, grain-free diet.      

Dogs Are Not Built for Grains

Dogs are facultative carnivores, which means that while they can digest some plant material, they thrive on diets rich in animal protein and fat. Their short digestive tracts and low amylase production (an enzyme that breaks down starch) show that they are not biologically designed to process large amounts of carbohydrates or grains (Axelsson et al.).     

Despite some adaptation over time due to domestication, dogs do not require grains like wheat, corn, or soy to meet their nutritional needs. In fact, many of these grains serve primarily as cheap fillers in commercial kibble, offering bulk rather than meaningful nutrition. These ingredients can contribute to inflammation, food sensitivities, and poor digestive health.     

DCM: A Real Condition, Misplaced Blame

In 2018, the FDA began investigating a potential connection between grain-free diets and a rise in DCM cases in dogs. The public reaction was swift—suddenly, grain-free was being equated with danger. But several years and studies later, the story is far more nuanced.     

Experts now suggest that the problem is not a lack of grains, but rather a formulation issue—specifically, the overuse of legumes like peas, lentils, and chickpeas as primary ingredients in some grain-free kibbles (Freeman et al.). These ingredients may affect taurine levels, an amino acid essential for heart function, but the connection is still not definitive.     

Moreover, breeds with a genetic predisposition to DCM—like Dobermans and Great Danes—can develop the condition regardless of diet. And recent reviews have found no consistent link between grain-free diets and widespread DCM in the general dog population (Adin et al.).     

As Dr. Karen Becker and Rodney Habib note in The Forever Dog, the issue is less about whether a food contains grains, and more about whether it contains real, whole ingredients that a dog can properly digest and utilize (Becker and Habib 162).     

Why a Grain-Free, Raw Diet Works

A biologically appropriate raw food (BARF) diet skips the questionable fillers and focuses on what dogs are meant to eat: meat, bones, organs, and a small amount of vegetables or fruit. Raw diets are naturally rich in bioavailable nutrients, including taurine and other heart-healthy amino acids—without the need for grain-based additives.     

Benefits of a balanced raw diet include:     

  • Improved digestion     

  • Healthier skin and coat     

  • Cleaner teeth and gums     

  • Stable energy and weight     

  • Reduced inflammation and allergy symptoms     

Because raw diets contain fresh, unprocessed ingredients, the risk of nutrient deficiencies—when formulated properly—is low, and there’s no reliance on synthetic vitamins to make up for lost nutrients during cooking.     

Grains are not essential for dogs, and eliminating them from the diet does not automatically increase the risk of DCM. What matters most is the quality and balance of the food you’re feeding. A well-formulated grain-free or raw diet, rich in animal-based proteins and nutrients, supports heart health, digestion, and overall vitality—without the unnecessary carbs.     

The best way to protect your dog from health issues isn’t to blindly follow trends, but to feed them real, whole food that aligns with their evolutionary biology.     

     

ryder@marlinsrawsuperfood.com    

https://marlinsrawsuperfood.com/    

Citations 

Adin, Darcy, et al. “Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Dogs: A Review of Risk Factors and Nutritional Considerations.” Journal of Animal Science, vol. 98, no. 6, 2020, skaa155. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa155.     

Axelsson, Erik, et al. “The Genomic Signature of Dog Domestication Reveals Adaptation to a Starch-Rich Diet.” Nature, vol. 495, no. 7441, 2013, pp. 360–364. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11837.     

Becker, Karen, and Rodney Habib. The Forever Dog: Surprising New Science to Help Your Canine Companion Live Younger, Healthier, and Longer. Harper Wave, 2021.     

Freeman, Lisa M., et al. “Diet-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Dogs: What Do We Know?” Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, vol. 254, no. 9, 2019, pp. 1041–1044. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.254.9.1041.