If you’re considering putting your dog on a grain-free diet, please speak to your vet first. But if your vet has sent you on a quest to find grain-free food for your senior dog, you’ve come to the right place. While grains tend to be lower on the scale of allergens, if your older dog needs to have a diet change, there are many products to choose from.
Here are reviews of the 10 best grain-free dog foods formulated for senior dogs. We hope that this helps you settle on the right dog food for your best friend.
A Glance at Our Winners in 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Dry Dog Food
Main ingredient is deboned chicken
LifesSource Bits include a blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
Immune system and joint support
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Best Value
Blue Buffalo Freedom Senior Dry Dog Food
Affordable
Deboned chicken is the main ingredient
Includes LifeSource Bits as a source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
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Premium Choice
Orijen Senior Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
First five ingredients are raw or fresh animal protein
85% of the ingredients are animal protein
Supports healthy weight with nutrient-rich organs
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Vet’s Choice
Castor & Pollux ORGANIX Organic Senior Dry Food
Uses organic products and free-run chicken
Superfoods such as blueberries, flaxseed, and sweet potatoes
Chondroitin and glucosamine for healthy hips and joints
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Now Fresh Small Breed Weight Management Dry Food
Has over 20 superfoods
L-carnitine for a healthy heart
Natural source of chondroitin for healthy joints and hips
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The 10 Best Grain-Free Senior Dog Foods
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Dry Dog Food is the overall best grain-free senior dog food. It’s high in protein and has deboned chicken as the main ingredient, giving your older dog extra energy. It has a blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in the form of LifeSource Bits, which are small, dark crunchy bits of kibble. This blend gives senior dogs a boost to their immune systems, and it also includes ingredients for your dog’s joints and for maintaining a healthy weight. It doesn’t have fillers or artificial ingredients.
Main ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, peas
Protein content: 30%
Fat content: 12%
Calories: 387 kcal/cup
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However, this food is expensive, and the kibble is fairly small. It should be fine for small dogs but not so great for large ones.
Pros
Main ingredient is deboned chicken
LifesSource Bits include a blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
Immune system and joint support
Helps with maintaining a healthy weight
No artificial ingredients
Cons
Expensive
Kibble is small
The best grain-free senior dog food for the money is Blue Buffalo Freedom Senior Dry Dog Food. It’s well-priced, particularly for premium dog food. Deboned chicken is the main ingredient, giving your dog high-quality protein, and has added omega-3 and -6 for healthy skin and silky coat. Like all Blue Buffalo products, it features LifeSource Bits, a small crunchy kibble containing a blend of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Added chondroitin and glucosamine for joint health and taurine for a healthy heart all work together to keep your senior dog in overall good health. It doesn’t contain any fillers or artificial ingredients.
Main ingredient is deboned chicken
LifesSource Bits include a blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
Immune system and joint support
Helps with maintaining a healthy weight
No artificial ingredients
- Main ingredient is deboned chicken
- LifesSource Bits include a blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
- Immune system and joint support
- Helps with maintaining a healthy weight
- No artificial ingredients
Expensive
Kibble is small
- Expensive
- Kibble is small
Main ingredients: Deboned chicken, potatoes, peas
Protein content: 18%
Fat content: 10%
Calories: 380 kcal/cup
However, some dogs might not like it.
Pros
Affordable
Deboned chicken is the main ingredient
Includes LifeSource Bits as a source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
Added glucosamine, chondroitin, and taurine
No fillers or artificial ingredients
Cons
Some dogs might not like it
Orijen Senior Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is our premium choice pick. While it is expensive, it is a high-quality recipe, with the first five ingredients being raw or fresh whole animal protein. In fact, 85% of the recipe consists of animal ingredients, including fish and poultry that are free run and wild caught. It works to maintain a healthy weight and supports lean muscles with added nutrient-rich bone and organs. It doesn’t contain fillers or artificial ingredients, and it has a freeze-dried coating for a burst of flavor.
Affordable
Deboned chicken is the main ingredient
Includes LifeSource Bits as a source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
Added glucosamine, chondroitin, and taurine
No fillers or artificial ingredients
- Affordable
- Deboned chicken is the main ingredient
- Includes LifeSource Bits as a source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
- Added glucosamine, chondroitin, and taurine
- No fillers or artificial ingredients
Some dogs might not like it
- Some dogs might not like it
Main ingredients: Chicken, turkey, flounder
Protein content: 38%
Fat content: 15%
Calories: 417 kcal/cup
It’s pricey and the kibble size is quite large, which might not work for small dogs.
Pros
First five ingredients are raw or fresh animal protein
85% of the ingredients are animal protein
Supports healthy weight with nutrient-rich organs
No fillers or artificial ingredients
Extra flavor with freeze-dried coating
Cons
Expensive
Large kibble size
Our vet chose Castor & Pollux ORGANIX Organic Senior Dry Dog Food for its use of organic products and free-run chicken. The ingredients are USDA-certified organic, with chicken that’s only fed produce grown without pesticides. It also contains superfoods like flaxseed, blueberries, and sweet potatoes, all organic. There’s added chondroitin and glucosamine to keep your older dog’s joints and hips healthy. There are no GMOs or artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
First five ingredients are raw or fresh animal protein
85% of the ingredients are animal protein
Supports healthy weight with nutrient-rich organs
No fillers or artificial ingredients
Extra flavor with freeze-dried coating
- First five ingredients are raw or fresh animal protein
- 85% of the ingredients are animal protein
- Supports healthy weight with nutrient-rich organs
- No fillers or artificial ingredients
- Extra flavor with freeze-dried coating
Expensive
Large kibble size
- Expensive
- Large kibble size
Main ingredients: Organic chicken, organic chicken meal, organic sweet potatoes
Protein content: 26%
Fat content: 13%
Calories: 377 kcal/cup
Unfortunately, it is quite pricey, and the kibble is fairly small, so large breeds might not want to eat it.
Pros
Uses organic products and free-run chicken
Superfoods such as blueberries, flaxseed, and sweet potatoes
Chondroitin and glucosamine for healthy hips and joints
No GMOs or artificial ingredients
Cons
Expensive
Small kibble size
Now Fresh Small Breed Weight Management Dry Dog Food contains over 20 superfoods, including blueberries for the antioxidants and pumpkin for fiber and healthy digestion. It includes L-carnitine to keep your senior dog’s heart healthy and has a natural source of chondroitin from New Zealand green mussels to support the hips and joints. All fresh ingredients are cooked only once at low temperatures to preserve the nutrients and freshness, and there are no artificial ingredients. The kibble is also small in size for small breeds.
Uses organic products and free-run chicken
Superfoods such as blueberries, flaxseed, and sweet potatoes
Chondroitin and glucosamine for healthy hips and joints
No GMOs or artificial ingredients
- Uses organic products and free-run chicken
- Superfoods such as blueberries, flaxseed, and sweet potatoes
- Chondroitin and glucosamine for healthy hips and joints
- No GMOs or artificial ingredients
Expensive
Small kibble size
- Expensive
- Small kibble size
Main ingredients: Deboned turkey, potatoes, peas
Protein content: 24%
Fat content: 12%
Calories: 375 kcal/cup
The cons are that it’s expensive and that picky dogs might not like it.
Pros
Has over 20 superfoods
L-carnitine for a healthy heart
Natural source of chondroitin for healthy joints and hips
All ingredients are cooked only once to preserve nutrients
No artificial ingredients
Cons
Expensive
Picky dogs might not like it
Nulo Freestyle Trout & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food is quite protein-rich, with 82% of the protein coming from animal sources. It has the beneficial glucosamine and chondroitin for a senior dog’s joints and hips and L-carnitine to help older dogs metabolize fats. There are also probiotics for digestion and phosphorus and calcium to maintain teeth and bones.
Has over 20 superfoods
L-carnitine for a healthy heart
Natural source of chondroitin for healthy joints and hips
All ingredients are cooked only once to preserve nutrients
No artificial ingredients
- Has over 20 superfoods
- L-carnitine for a healthy heart
- Natural source of chondroitin for healthy joints and hips
- All ingredients are cooked only once to preserve nutrients
- No artificial ingredients
Expensive
Picky dogs might not like it
- Expensive
- Picky dogs might not like it
Main ingredients: Deboned trout, turkey meal, salmon meal
Protein content: 30%
Fat content: 12%
Calories: 396 kcal/cup
But this dog food is expensive, and while Nulo states that there’s no chicken in the food, there actually is. It contains turkey meal and chicken fat, so if your dog has allergies to poultry, you’ll need to find another food.
Pros
Protein rich, with 82% of the protein from animal sources
Included glucosamine and chondroitin for healthy hips and joints
Probiotics for digestion and L-carnitine for metabolizing fat
Phosphorus and calcium for strong teeth and bones
Cons
Expensive
Contains poultry ingredients
Canidae Pure Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food only has nine ingredients — if you don’t include the added vitamins and minerals. It contains high-quality proteins and a blend of antioxidants, probiotics, and omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. There are added veggies for extra vitamins and minerals for overall health, and it doesn’t have any artificial ingredients or fillers.
Protein rich, with 82% of the protein from animal sources
Included glucosamine and chondroitin for healthy hips and joints
Probiotics for digestion and L-carnitine for metabolizing fat
Phosphorus and calcium for strong teeth and bones
- Protein rich, with 82% of the protein from animal sources
- Included glucosamine and chondroitin for healthy hips and joints
- Probiotics for digestion and L-carnitine for metabolizing fat
- Phosphorus and calcium for strong teeth and bones
Expensive
Contains poultry ingredients
- Expensive
- Contains poultry ingredients
Main ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal
Protein content: 28%
Fat content: 10%
Calories: 409 kcal/cup
The problem with this food is that it’s expensive, and in some bags, there seems to be a great deal of residue or “food dust.” While it is a limited-ingredient dog food, poultry is included, which tends to be high on the list of food allergens for dogs.
Pros
Only nine ingredients
Blend of antioxidants, prebiotics, and omega-3 and -6
Added veggies for vitamins and minerals
No artificial ingredients or fillers
Cons
Expensive
Contains poultry
Too much residue
Merrick Chicken & Sweet Potato Dry Dog Food features 77% of protein from animal sources, but it is also low in calories and fat to help promote a healthy weight. Deboned chicken is the main ingredient and as the ideal portions of fat and proteins, as well as supporting fiber, minerals, and vitamins. It also has glucosamine and chondroitin for hips and joints and omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat.
Only nine ingredients
Blend of antioxidants, prebiotics, and omega-3 and -6
Added veggies for vitamins and minerals
No artificial ingredients or fillers
- Only nine ingredients
- Blend of antioxidants, prebiotics, and omega-3 and -6
- Added veggies for vitamins and minerals
- No artificial ingredients or fillers
Expensive
Contains poultry
Too much residue
- Expensive
- Contains poultry
- Too much residue
Main ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, sweet potatoes
Protein content: 30%
Fat content: 12%
Calories: 370 kcal/cup
However, this is an expensive dog food, and the kibble is large, so small dogs might have more difficulty with it.
Pros
77% of protein from animal sources
Less fat and calories to maintain a healthy weight
Deboned chicken is the main ingredient
Right balance of fat and proteins
No artificial ingredients
Cons
Expensive
Large kibble
Instinct Raw Boost Dry Dog Food is high in protein and has kibble mixed with freeze-dried raw bites. It has a natural source of DHA for eye and brain health and natural sources of chondroitin and glucosamine for the hips and joints. There are no added fillers or artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
77% of protein from animal sources
Less fat and calories to maintain a healthy weight
Deboned chicken is the main ingredient
Right balance of fat and proteins
No artificial ingredients
- 77% of protein from animal sources
- Less fat and calories to maintain a healthy weight
- Deboned chicken is the main ingredient
- Right balance of fat and proteins
- No artificial ingredients
Expensive
Large kibble
- Expensive
- Large kibble
Main ingredients: Chicken meal, salmon meal, chicken
Protein content: 36%
Fat content: 16%
Calories: 478 kcal/cup
It’s expensive, though, and many dogs tend to only eat the freeze-dried bits, which some bags arrive with very few of.
Pros
High in protein
Kibble mixed with raw, freeze-dried bites
Natural source of DHA for eye and brain health
Natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin for hips and joints
No artificial ingredients or fillers
Cons
Expensive
Some dogs only eat the freeze-dried bits
Some bags don’t have many freeze-dried bits
Wellness CORE Deboned Turkey Dry Dog Food starts with deboned turkey and contains prebiotics, probiotics, antioxidants, and taurine. Your dog can have a shiny coat and healthy skin with the omega fatty acids, and the included vitamins and minerals are for overall immune system support. It doesn’t contain any fillers or artificial ingredients.
High in protein
Kibble mixed with raw, freeze-dried bites
Natural source of DHA for eye and brain health
Natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin for hips and joints
No artificial ingredients or fillers
- High in protein
- Kibble mixed with raw, freeze-dried bites
- Natural source of DHA for eye and brain health
- Natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin for hips and joints
- No artificial ingredients or fillers
Expensive
Some dogs only eat the freeze-dried bits
Some bags don’t have many freeze-dried bits
- Expensive
- Some dogs only eat the freeze-dried bits
- Some bags don’t have many freeze-dried bits
Main ingredients: Deboned turkey, chicken meal, lentils
Protein content: 32%
Fat content: 12%
Calories: 359 kcal/cup
However, picky dogs might not like it, and it might cause stomach upset in other dogs. Additionally, the kibble is large and quite hard, so it might prove too difficult to eat for senior dogs with teeth issues.
Pros
Deboned turkey is the main ingredient
Contains taurine, prebiotics, probiotics, and antioxidants
Omega fatty acids for a shiny coat and healthy skin
No fillers or artificial ingredients
Cons
Kibble is large and tough to chew
Pickier dogs might not like it
Might cause stomach upset
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Grain-Free Senior Dog Food
Here are a few points for you to consider when shopping for a new food for a senior dog.
Deboned turkey is the main ingredient
Contains taurine, prebiotics, probiotics, and antioxidants
Omega fatty acids for a shiny coat and healthy skin
No fillers or artificial ingredients
- Deboned turkey is the main ingredient
- Contains taurine, prebiotics, probiotics, and antioxidants
- Omega fatty acids for a shiny coat and healthy skin
- No fillers or artificial ingredients
Kibble is large and tough to chew
Pickier dogs might not like it
Might cause stomach upset
- Kibble is large and tough to chew
- Pickier dogs might not like it
- Might cause stomach upset
Grain Free
You should only give grain-free food to your dog if your vet has told you that this is a necessary diet change. When a dog food leaves out grains, legumes are typically substituted, which are suspected to potentially cause dilated cardiomyopathy. Without grains, your dog also misses out on protein, fatty acids, and fiber. Speak to your vet before changing your dog’s food.
Price
When you start getting into specialized diets, such as grain-free food for senior dogs, you’re looking into a market that tends to feature high-quality ingredients, so you can expect to pay more.
Ingredients
Animal meal is essentially a meat concentrate that includes many different parts of the animal. It’s also a high-protein source, so it’s not a filler ingredient. When purchasing premium dog food, you typically won’t be getting any fillers or artificial ingredients.
Calories
Some senior dog foods are low in calories to ensure that your less-active dog won’t start packing on the pounds. But others might be high in calories because some senior dogs have trouble keeping the weight on as they get older. This situation requires a visit to your vet, who can advise you on how many calories your dog needs.
Protein
Many senior dog food brands include extra protein, which helps older dogs maintain their muscle mass; senior dogs tend to lose muscle as they get older. However, some senior dogs might have a health condition that requires a low-protein diet. This necessitates a conversation with your vet.
Speak to Your Vet
Before switching your dog’s food, always speak to your vet. They can advise you on the right food for your dog and give you their own recommendations. It’s also crucial that you slowly transition your dog to the new food, and your vet can also advise you on the best way to do this.
Final Thoughts
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Dry Dog Food is our favorite grain-free food for senior dogs. It boosts the immune systems and includes ingredients for your dog’s joints and for maintaining a healthy weight. Blue Buffalo Freedom Senior Dry Dog Food is an affordable premium dog food with the high-quality protein of deboned chicken as the primary ingredient.
Our premium choice pick is Orijen’s Senior Grain-Free Dry Dog Food. About 85% of the recipe consists of animal protein, including free-run and wild-caught fish and poultry. Our vet’s choice goes to Castor & Pollux ORGANIX Organic Senior Dry Dog Food for using USDA-certified organic products, including free-run chicken and superfoods like flaxseed, blueberries, and sweet potatoes.
We hope that these reviews have helped you learn more about your senior dog’s dietary requirements. Hopefully, you’ll find your best friend something that they enjoy and helps them stay with you for longer.
Featured Image Credit: Wallula, Pixabay
