Corn-Free Dog Food: What to Look For

At a glance

• Corn-free (maize-free) dog food contains no corn or maize in any form
• Corn is a cereal grain used widely as a cheap carbohydrate and bulking ingredient
• Because corn is a grain, any grain-free food is also corn-free
• Every Marleybones meal is grain-free, so all four recipes are naturally corn-free

Corn-free dog food, also called maize-free, contains no corn or maize in any form. Corn is a cereal grain used in many dog foods as a cheap source of carbohydrate and bulk, and it's one of the ingredients owners often look to avoid, either for a sensitivity or because they'd prefer a more meat-forward recipe. Because corn is a grain, any grain-free food is corn-free, and every Marleybones meal is grain-free.

What is corn-free dog food?

Corn-free dog food contains no corn or maize in any of its forms. That means no whole corn, no corn or maize meal, and no maize gluten, the concentrated corn protein used in some foods as a cheap protein source.

Corn and maize are two names for the same cereal grain, so "corn-free" and "maize-free" mean the same thing. As corn is a grain, a grain-free food is corn-free by definition, though a corn-free food could still contain other grains such as wheat or rice. Corn provides carbohydrate and energy, and it is also used, in its maize gluten form, to raise the protein figure on a label, so removing it changes both what the food is bulked with and where some of its protein comes from.

Why do owners choose corn-free food?

The most common reasons are filler and sensitivity. Corn is often used as inexpensive bulk, so a corn-free recipe can be a sign of a food that leans on meat rather than cheap grain. Some dogs are also sensitive to corn, though as with other grains this is less common than a reaction to animal protein, and worth confirming with a vet rather than assuming.

Corn isn't harmful to most dogs, and it's digestible once cooked, so it isn't a red flag in the way an artificial additive is. But if your dog is sensitive to it, or you'd rather avoid grain used as filler, corn-free is a reasonable choice.

Where does corn show up in dog food?

Corn is most common in dry food, where maize is often one of the main carbohydrate sources and helps form the kibble. It also appears as maize gluten, a concentrated corn protein used to lift the protein figure cheaply, and in some biscuit-style treats. Because corn is inexpensive and versatile, a food that relies on it tends to use it in fairly large amounts, which is why it often sits high on the ingredient list, where ingredients are ordered by weight. A corn-free food, along with corn-free treats, removes it from the diet entirely.

How do you find a genuinely corn-free dog food?

Read the composition list. Corn may be named as maize or maize gluten, but it can also sit inside the category term "cereals", so the absence of the word doesn't always prove a food is corn-free. A recipe that names every ingredient is the easiest to check, and any grain-free food will be corn-free too.

Is Marleybones corn-free?

Yes. Every Marleybones meal is grain-free, so there's no corn or maize in any of the four recipes. They're built around named meat like chicken, real vegetables and superfoods rather than grain bulk, and every ingredient is listed in full.

To match your dog to the right recipe, build their personalised Marleybones plan based on their age, size and needs.

FAQs

Is corn bad for dogs?

Corn isn't harmful to most dogs and is digestible once cooked. The reasons to avoid it are a corn sensitivity, which some dogs have, or a preference for a recipe that doesn't use grain as cheap bulk.

Is maize the same as corn?

Yes. Maize is simply another name for corn, more commonly used on UK labels. Corn-free and maize-free mean the same thing.

Is grain-free the same as corn-free?

All grain-free food is corn-free, because corn is a grain. A corn-free food isn't always grain-free, though, since it could still contain other grains like wheat or rice.

Is Marleybones corn-free?

Yes. All four Marleybones meals are grain-free and contain no corn or maize.