Wheat-Free Dog Food: What to Look For

At a glance

• Wheat-free dog food contains no wheat in any form, whether as grain, flour or wheat gluten
• Wheat is one of the more common ingredients dogs can develop a sensitivity to, and is often used as cheap bulk
• Wheat can hide under category terms like "cereals", so a food that names every ingredient is easiest to check
• Every Marleybones meal is grain-free, so all four recipes are naturally wheat-free

Wheat-free dog food is exactly what it sounds like: food made with no wheat in any form, whether as a grain, a flour or wheat gluten. Owners choose it most often because wheat is one of the more common ingredients dogs develop a sensitivity to, and because it's frequently used as cheap bulk rather than for what it adds nutritionally. Every Marleybones meal is grain-free, which means all four recipes are wheat-free.

What is wheat-free dog food?

Wheat-free dog food contains no wheat in any of its forms. That means no wheat grain, no wheat flour, and no wheat gluten, the concentrated wheat protein used in some foods as a binder and a cheap way to raise the protein figure.

Wheat is a cereal grain, so any food described as grain-free is wheat-free by definition. A food can also be wheat-free while still containing other grains, such as rice, so the two terms aren't identical.

Why do owners choose wheat-free food?

Two reasons come up most. The first is sensitivity: wheat is among the more common food sensitivities seen in dogs, though reactions to animal proteins are more common overall. A dog with a wheat sensitivity, showing signs like itchy skin or an unsettled stomach, may do better on a wheat-free diet, which is worth discussing with your vet.

The second is quality. Wheat is often used as inexpensive bulk, so a wheat-free recipe can be a sign of a more meat-forward food. Wheat isn't harmful to most dogs, but if yours is sensitive to it, or you'd simply rather avoid filler, wheat-free is a sensible choice.

Where does wheat show up in dog food?

Wheat is most common in dry food, where it works as a cheap carbohydrate and helps bind kibble into shape. It also appears in many biscuit-style treats, and as wheat gluten in some wet foods and shaped chunks, where it holds texture together and lifts the protein figure. Because it turns up across so many formats, a dog eating a mix of kibble and treats can be getting wheat from several sources at once. Switching to a wheat-free food, and checking treats as well, is the only way to remove it fully from the diet.

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

Read the composition list rather than the front of the pack. Wheat may be named directly, but it can also sit under a category term like "cereals", and wheat gluten can be folded into "derivatives of vegetable origin", so the absence of the word "wheat" doesn't always prove a food is wheat-free. A recipe that names every ingredient is the easiest to check, and any food labelled grain-free will be wheat-free too.

Is Marleybones wheat-free?

Yes. Every Marleybones meal is grain-free, so there's no wheat and no wheat gluten in any of the four recipes. The protein comes from named meat, whether that's chicken, beef, lamb or salmon, and every ingredient is listed in full so there's nothing hidden behind a category term.

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

FAQs

Is wheat bad for dogs?

Wheat isn't harmful to most dogs and is a digestible source of carbohydrate. The main reason to avoid it is a wheat sensitivity, which some dogs have, or a preference for a recipe that doesn't lean on grain for bulk.

Is grain-free the same as wheat-free?

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

Can wheat cause allergies in dogs?

Some dogs have a wheat sensitivity or intolerance and react to it, though true food allergies are more often to animal proteins. If you think wheat is affecting your dog, speak to your vet about a wheat-free diet.

Is Marleybones wheat-free?

Yes. All four Marleybones meals are grain-free and contain no wheat or wheat gluten. Protein comes from named meat rather than grain.