Best Grain-Free Dog Kibble in Canada

Grain-free dog food has become one of the most misunderstood categories in pet nutrition. Some pet parents choose it to avoid fillers or food sensitivities, while others hesitate due to ongoing fears around diet-related heart disease. Unfortunately, most online rankings add to the confusion by relying on opinions, sponsorships, or vague “vet-recommended” claims.

To cut through the noise, we reviewed over 50 dog food brands and 90 kibble formulations sold across Canada and the United States. This article focuses exclusively on grain-free dry dog food and evaluates each formulation based on ingredient integrity, processing methods, protein digestibility, and manufacturing transparency, not marketing language.

This guide is part of our broader Best Dog Kibble in Canada review, where we compare grain-free, grain-inclusive, and specialty diets side by side.

What Defines a High-Quality Grain-Free Dog Kibble?

Removing grains does not automatically make a dog food healthier. In fact, many grain-free dog kibble simply replace grains with equally problematic starches such as peas, lentils, or potatoes. The best grain-free foods distinguish themselves not by what they exclude, but by what they prioritize: meat-based protein, whole-food nutrition, and minimal reliance on synthetic vitamin premixes.

In our evaluation, grain-free dog kibble scored highest when they were formulated with identifiable animal proteins, moderate carbohydrate levels, and processing methods that preserved nutrients. Brands that relied heavily on ingredient splitting, plant-based protein boosters, or vague meat sources scored significantly lower.

The Best Grain-Free Dog Kibble Brands in Canada

Across the grain-free category, a consistent pattern emerged. Smaller and mid-sized manufacturers generally used higher-quality ingredients than multinational pet food conglomerates. Brands such as Orijen and Acana rank near the top due to their high meat inclusion and comparatively lower carbohydrate loads.

Bixbi Rawbble and Nulo were among the more surprising high performers. Both brands scored well due to better protein digestibility and more thoughtful formulation choices than most extruded kibble. Open Farm and Sunday Pets also performed strongly, particularly in ingredient transparency and sourcing practices.

While no grain-free dog kibble is perfect, these brands consistently outperformed competitors that relied on aggressive marketing rather than measurable nutritional quality.

Grain-Free Does Not Mean Low Carbohydrate

One of the biggest misconceptions among pet parents is assuming grain-free foods are naturally low in carbohydrates. Our data showed this is often not the case. Several grain-free formulas exceeded 35 percent carbohydrates on a dry matter basis, largely due to heavy use of legumes and potato.

Carbohydrates are cheaper to source, easier to store, and help manufacturers maintain profit margins. However, high carbohydrate loads reduce protein bioavailability and may contribute to digestive issues, weight gain, and inflammation over time. For this reason, we recommend choosing grain-free dog kibble that keep carbohydrate levels under 35 percent whenever possible.

Why Protein Digestibility Matters in Pet Food

Protein percentage on a dog food label does not reflect how much protein your dog actually absorbs. Digestibility determines how much of the listed protein is biologically available and usable by the body. A dog eating a highly digestible food will absorb more nutrients and produce smaller, firmer stools, while poor digestibility often results in large stool volume and nutrient loss.

Only four of the 96 kibble formulations we reviewed publicly disclosed protein digestibility data. This lack of transparency allows manufacturers to use crude protein, including plant proteins or inferior animal byproducts.

Grain-Free Dog Food and DCM: Separating Fact From Fear

Concerns about grain-free diets and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) continue to influence feeding decisions, despite the lack of definitive evidence. The FDA has acknowledged that it does not know what causes non-hereditary DCM, and grain-free diets alone have not been proven responsible.

More recent investigations have revealed financial ties between some vocal DCM advocates and manufacturers of grain-inclusive pet foods. While this does not invalidate all concerns, it underscores the importance of evaluating evidence critically rather than reacting to fear-based headlines.

From a nutritional perspective, dogs do not require grains to meet their dietary needs. What matters most is overall formulation quality, amino acid balance, and nutrient bioavailability. If you’re still unsure, we break down the pros and cons in our grain-inclusive dog food rankings.

Other Reasons to Avoid Grain in Kibble

Corn in Pet Food: Digestive Sensitivities, Aflatoxin Risk and Low Biological Value

• Although dogs are adaptable to carbohydrates, corn is just not a good biologically appropriate ingredient for dogs. As a pet food flavour manufacturer says “Cats and dogs are not grain eaters by choice.“
• Also, some dogs tend to have sensitivities to corn.
• Lastly, grains in general if not stored well which is more than possible in pet food manufacturing can lead to aflatoxins. See FDA warning here about aflatoxins.
  • The results can range from liver damage to death. If you think, it is not likely, here are examples from the FDA in 2020. “FDA notified the public about potentially fatal levels of aflatoxins in multiple recalled varieties of Sportmix pet food manufactured by Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc. As of December 30, 2020, FDA is aware of at least 28 deaths and 8 illnesses in dogs that ate the recalled product.” Also “In September 2020, Sunshine Mills announced a recall of certain pet food products …. Shortly after, FDA determined that additional products made with the same corn may contain unsafe levels of aflatoxins and in October, Sunshine Mills expanded its recall to include additional products.”

Gluten in Kibble: Label Protein Inflation and Allergy Risk

• Similar to the bullet above, gluten is not a natural food for dogs or cats. It is a protein naturally found in grains including wheat and barley.
• The reason why pet food manufacturers add this to pet food is a low cost way to increase the protein value on the ingredient label. If anything, you should be very worried as the Melamine case which poisoned pets was due to this ingredient.
• In addition, some dogs have allergies/ food sensitivities to the gluten or grains with gluten. It can lead to digestive issues as well as itching, hot spots and chronic ear infections.
• Lastly, grains in general if not stored well which is more than possible in pet food manufacturing can lead to aflatoxins. See FDA warning in Corn bullet about aflatoxins.

Brewer’s Rice in Kibble: Low-Value Filler With Heavy Metal Concerns

• We call Brewers’ Rice basically leftover rice. After the milling process, the small fragmented pieces left are used in pet food.
• Although there is nothing wrong with the brewers’ rice quality and it is commendable that there is no food left to waste, rice is not a biologically appropriate or natural food for dogs.
• Pet food manufacturers add this as a cheap source of protein, carbohydrate and trace minerals.
• Rice also naturally contains arsenic so if your dog is eating food that has brewers’ rice high in the ingredient panel, your pet is accumulating arsenic toxins.
• Rice like corn and wheat is susceptible to aflatoxins and can poison your pet.

Common Pitfalls in Grain-Free Kibble Formulation

Many grain-free dog kibble lost points in our scoring system due to questionable formulation practices. Ingredient splitting was one of the most common issues, where peas, lentils, and pea protein are separated on the label to disguise their cumulative dominance. Excessive reliance on potato and plant-based protein sources also negatively affected rankings.

Legumes remain controversial. While not conclusively linked to disease, they are far from ideal when used as primary protein contributors. Grain-free foods that derived more than half of their protein from plant sources performed poorly overall.

Best Grain-Free Dog Kibble (2025)

Choosing a grain-free dog kibble isn’t about removing grains alone. In our research, the strongest grain-free options consistently relied on better ingredients as the nutritional foundation, used less carbohydrates as a binder, and avoided unnecessary synthetic additives. The following brands stood out not because of marketing claims, but because of good nutrition.

Note that to control for the variety of proteins, we settled on mostly the chicken based formulations of these pet foods. The kibble had to be adult or all life-stage formulations. The following were the chicken based but the whole line will work for you.

1. Orijen Grain Free – #1 for All Dog Kibble

Orijen grain-free remains one of the most biologically aligned grain-free kibbles available in Canada. Its recipes are built around fresh and raw animal ingredients. For 3 years in a row, this has been ranked as #1 in terms of dog kibble in Canada and the USA.

Within this line, you will find the Orijen Original which is great for dogs without allergies, Orijen Six Fish which is perfect for dogs with dry skin issues and allergies to poultry. There is also the Orijen Regional Red which features red meat proteins and Orijen Tundra.

This is the line of dry dog food that we often recommend for active dogs or those transitioning off lower-quality kibble.

2. Sunday Pets Dog Food

Sunday Pets stands out for how it’s made. Instead of high-heat extrusion, the food is gently baked, helping preserve nutrients that are often lost during processing. This brand snuck out of New Zealand to take the 3rd spot in the overall dog kibble out of the blue.

The ingredient panels read more like a pantry list than a formula sheet, making this a strong option for dogs. It’s especially well-suited to dogs with sensitive digestion as they use tripe in some of the formulations.

3. Bixbi Rawbble

We have used Bixbi RAWBBLE freeze-dried but had not really considered their dry dog food before. However, stacked against over 90 other formulations, we were pleasantly surprised. They were one of the 4 brands that provided protein digestibility information upon deeper dive. While it still uses legumes like most grain-free kibble, the overall formulation is far more thoughtful than many competitors in this category.

4. Acana Grain Free Highest Protein Formulation

Acana Wild Prairie offers a more approachable grain-free option for pet parents upgrading other brands. It includes multiple animal protein sources and avoids many of the low-value fillers common in mass-market food. As a sister brand to Orijen, it delivers many of the same formulation principles at a more approachable price point.

Within this range, Acana Wild Prairie suits dogs without known food sensitivities, while Acana Pacifica is ideal for dogs with dry skin or poultry sensitivities that benefit from a fish-based diet. Acana Ranchlands focuses on red meat proteins, and Acana Grasslands offers a broader mix for dogs that tolerate multiple protein sources.

In addition, Acana has the Limited Ingredient formulations for dogs with known food sensitivities. These formulations go even further by having only a single ingredient protein such as the Acana Singles, Duck with Pear Recipe or the Acana Singles, Pork with Squash Recipe.

5. Open Farm Grain-Free Dog Kibble

Open Farm appeals to pet parents who care not only about what’s in the bowl, but where it comes from. The grain-free recipe uses responsibly sourced animal proteins and clear ingredient traceability, paired with a balanced macronutrient profile. It’s a solid choice for households prioritizing ethical sourcing.

6. Nulo MedalSeries

Nulo’s MedalSeries grain-free formulas were an interesting one for us. We would normally have assessed it as top mid-tier of the pack kibble looking at the ingredient panel. While peas are used as a starch source, they ranked higher because they used less carbohydrates, more proteins, low glycemic ingredients and provided digestibility information.

7 & 8. PetKind Tripe Dry

PetKind takes a different approach by centering its recipes around green tripe, a naturally nutrient-dense and highly digestible ingredient.

PetKind took the 7th and 8th spot due to their formulas for Single Animal, Poultry Free Protein and their Classic Series Tripe mixed line.

Dogs with food sensitivities or picky appetites often do exceptionally well on these formulas. The strong smell is typical of tripe-based diets, but for many dogs, that’s exactly what makes it appealing.

9. Bixbi Liberty

Bixbi Liberty formulas do well in our ranking due to less carbohydrates and like the Bixbi Rawbble line keep ingredient lists relatively simple.

10. Spring Naturals Grain-Free Dog Kibble

Spring Naturals dry dog food rounds out our top grain-free picks by offering a more budget-friendly formula that still avoids many common fillers. Although they use sweet potatoes, alfalfa seems to feature as a binder.

Pair that with the use of proteinates and herbs such as dandelion greens and Spring Naturals is a surprising addition to our top 10 grain grain-free dog kibble.

We have to note that there is some amount of marketing deception here because the amount of whole fruits and vegetables they feature on their bag are after salt, which means less than 0.3% of the total formula are these ingredients. See our Salt Divider Rule for more explanation.

Improving Your Dog’s Diet on Grain-Free Kibble

Even the best grain-free dog kibble benefits from thoughtful supplementation.

• Adding omega-3 fatty acids from fish or krill oil supports heart, skin, and joint health.
• Lightly soaking kibble with water or bone broth improves hydration and digestion.
• Probiotics or fermented goat milk can further enhance gut health, while rotating protein sources reduces the risk of sensitivities over time.

These practices help mitigate the inherent limitations of dry food while preserving its convenience.

Is Grain-Free Dog Kibble a Good Choice?

Grain-free dog kibble can be an excellent option when it is meat-rich, thoughtfully formulated, and minimally processed.

The healthiest grain-free dog foods prioritize animal protein, whole-food nutrients, and transparency — not fear-based marketing or filler ingredients.

For pet parents who want a complete dog kibble rankings or comparison of grain-free, grain-inclusive, and specialty kibbles, we recommend reading our full Best Dog Kibble in Canada review, where over 50 brands and over 90 formulations are evaluated side by side.