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- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
Because it’s an affordable and readily available grain, corn is one of the most common dog food ingredients on the market. While dogs can certainly eat it (it’s not toxic to them), it’s not necessarily highly nutritive either—which is one reason some pet parents have started prioritizing corn-free dog foods.
To help you find the best dog food without corn for your pup, we’ve rounded up corn-free formulas in a range of styles. We’ve included only options that meet AAFCO guidelines, and we’ve calculated nutrition details on a dry matter basis, so you can compare nutrients across all food types, no matter their moisture content.
Not sure where to start? Hop down to our explainer on the nutritive value of corn, or learn about how to spot corn as an ingredient on a dog food label when you’re shopping.
Best Canned: Wellness 95% Chicken Recipe Canned Dog Food
In addition to being packed with premium animal protein from real chicken, this canned food from Wellness is made without any corn or other grains. In fact, it’s made with very few ingredients overall, with chicken and water being two out of the five. At around $.30/oz, it’s one of the more expensive canned foods on the market, but those limited ingredients makes it a good choice for many pups with food intolerances or allergies.
Canned dog food tends to be higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates than the average dry food. The 95% chicken recipe from Wellness is no exception. On a dry matter basis, each can holds 36% protein and 27% fat. If that’s too much protein for your pup, you might seek other alternatives, or you could use the canned pâté as a topper over kibble for a more balanced meal appropriate to your pup’s needs.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 521 kcal ME/can
- Protein: 36% min
- Fat: 27% min
- Fiber: 5% max
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Best Fresh: JustFoodforDogs Human-Grade Fresh Dog Food (Verified Review)
Packed with fresh chicken, rice, and nutrient-rich fruits and veggies, this fresh dog food formula is completely free of corn, wheat, and soy. Each recipe in the JustFoodForDogs lineup is made with fresh ingredients and shipped frozen to your door. Our Rover review team gave the food top marks, while noting that the higher price point (a little over $.60/oz—twice as much as the canned food above) may be out of range for some pet parents. Fresh food also involves a bit more work than canned or kibble.
If those two concerns aren’t a problem, JustFoodForDogs is available both by subscription and from some traditional pet retailers. Their fresh dog food options come in six varieties, each focused on a different protein source (beef, chicken, fish, lamb, turkey, and venison). All but the turkey recipe are indicated as corn-free.
They range from super-high-protein and low fat to more moderate quantities suitable for the average pup. The chicken recipe featured here has just 29% protein and 11% fat on a dry matter basis, while the venison option includes 50% protein and 11% fat.
Nutrition Facts:
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Calories: 43 kcal ME/oz
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Protein: 29% min
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Fat: 11% min
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Fiber: 4% max
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Best Kibble: Blue Buffalo Life Protection Adult Recipe Dry Food
This chicken and brown rice recipe leads with protein and digestible whole grains like brown rice and oatmeal. It also contains Blue Buffalo’s LifeSource Bits, which provide a rich blend of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, including both omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids as well as glucosamine. At just $.14/oz, that’s a lot of value baked into this dry food.
At 27% protein and 16% fat, this kibble falls nicely into AAFCO’s recommendations for most adult dogs. Pups with liver or kidney concerns, however, should be aware that the phosphorous content is a little higher than recommended for their diet, at 0.8%.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 379 kcals/cup
- Protein: 27% min
- Fat: 16% min
- Fiber: 6% max
- Calcium: 1% min
- Phosphorous: .8% min
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids: .6% min
- Omega 6 Fatty Acids: 3% min
- Glucosamine: 400 mg/kg min
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Best Freeze-Dried Raw (Blend): Instinct Raw Boost Chicken Recipe Dry Food
For protein-packed nutrition, this Instinct Raw Boost Recipe blends traditional kibble with freeze-dried pieces of raw chicken. This unique composition makes it a bit more expensive than most traditional kibbles at around $.23/oz (more than most canned foods). However, the grainless formula contains no corn. It is completely free from by-products, artificial additives, potatoes, wheat, soy, and other grains as well.
Freeze-drying is sometimes said to preserve more of the nutrients and flavor in a dog food than traditional cooking, while also making the food shelf-stable. Freeze-dried dog foods often come as meal-toppers, but this combined recipe takes the guesswork—and the work—out of mixing your pup’s foods at mealtime.
As a bonus, the food is fortified with probiotics, antioxidants, and fatty acids. However, with 41% protein and 23% fat content on a dry matter basis, this food is best for active, working dogs or other pups on a veterinarian-approved high-protein, high-fat diet.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 508 kcal/cup
- Protein: 41% min
- Fat: 23% min
- Fiber: 4% max
- Zinc: 120 mg/kg min
- Selenium: 0.6 mg/kg min
- Vitamin A 18,000 IU/kg min
- Vitamin E: 120 IU/kg min
- Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C): 100 mg/kg min
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: 0.4% min
- Omega-6 Fatty Acids: 3.5% min
- Bacillus Coagulants: 60,000,000 CFU/lb min
- Taurine: 0.1% min
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Best Grain-Free Dog Food: Nulo Grain-Free Adult All-Natural Dry Food
For pet parents looking to eliminate more than just corn in their pup’s diet, a fully grain-free recipe may be appealing. This all-natural dry food formula from Nulo not only is completely free of grains, but also excludes white potatoes, tapioca, eggs, and chicken protein as well—although it does use chicken fat, so it’s not completely chicken-free. It’s on the pricey end for a traditional kibble at just over $.20/oz, but the formula includes several vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, include omega-6 and omega-3 to support your pup’s overall well-being.
Lamb, turkey meal, and salmon meal are the top three ingredients in this Lamb & Chickpea recipe, with lamb meal as a supplemental source of animal protein. At 34% protein and 17% fat content on a dry matter basis, it falls into the high-protein category, but at a more moderate level than the Instinct food above. It’s also a little high on phosphorous content for any pups with health concerns related to their liver or kidneys. In either case, it’s best to check with your vet before switching.
Nutritional Facts:
- Calories: 426 kcal/cup
- Protein: 34% min
- Fat: 19% min
- Fiber: 5% max
- Calcium: 1% min
- Phosphorous: 1% min
- Iron: 100 mg/kg min
- Zinc: 140 mg/kg min
- Vitamin E: 300 IU/kg min
- Omega-6 Fatty Acids: 3% min
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: .6% min
- Ascorbic Acid: 65 mg/kg min
- Bacillus Coagulants: 80,000,000 CFU/lb min
Best Subscription: Ollie Chicken Dish with Carrots Fresh Dog Food (Verified Review)
Gently cooked, flash-frozen, and shipped right to your door, Ollie’s fresh dog food is packed with protein and essential nutrients. Even better, the Ollie team offers a customized meal plan for every pup, asking key questions to learn about your dog’s eating habits and dietary requirements before you order. When our Rover reviewer tried the service, they described the portions as similar in form to human food, with recognizable ingredients mixed into the pâté.
The chicken recipe shown here features a simple formula of fresh chicken and chicken liver mixed with fruits and veggies like carrots, peas, and spinach. Ollie Fresh Foods come in five different recipes, each with a different protein source. All are made without corn and all are high in protein, ranging from 31% (chicken) to 38% (lamb) on a dry-matter basis. Fat content similarly ranges from 12% (chicken) to 27% (lamb). The higher-protein recipes may be best for active and working breeds, as well as some overweight or senior pups, with vet approval.
Fresh food will always be more expensive than shelf-stable options, and Ollie is no exception. Our reviewer noted that the subscription service starts around $2/day. Most pet parents spend between $9 and $42 per week on their pet’s food.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 1298 kcal ME/kg
- Protein: 31% min
- Fat: 12% min
- Fiber: 8% max
Best High-Protein: Merrick Grain-Free Real Texas Beef Dinner Canned Dog Food
In addition to no corn, there’s no wheat, soy, or chicken in this Real Texas Beef Dinner from Merrick, making it safe for many dogs with common dog food allergies. Like the Wellness canned food noted above, it’s on the pricier end of canned foods at $.30/oz. However, that can is packed with real meat. Beef is not only the primary ingredient, but beef components make up the first three ingredients in the high-protein recipe.
At 41% protein content on a dry matter basis, this canned food offers one of the highest protein recipes on the market. Most dogs won’t need quite that much protein in their diet, and even active pups should confirm their diet with their vets. In addition, the Real Texas Beef Dinner can be used as a standalone meal or as a topper to add flavor to dry food.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 393 kcal/13.2 oz can
- Protein: 41% min
- Fat: 23% min
- Fiber: 6% max
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Best Meal Topper: Jinx Beef & Sweet Potato Topper
Finding a corn-free base for your dog’s meals is one thing, but what about treats and toppers? These beef crumbles from Jinx are dehydrated to lock in the taste and nutrients of beef and sweet potatoes, improving palatability for picky eaters. The corn-free, minimal recipe features beef, pea flower, and sweet potato while excluding any artificial additives or flavors. It offers 23% protein and 9% fat on a dry matter basis, making it both low-protein and low-fat.
Per-ounce, the Jinx topper is quite expensive compared to the other foods on our list—roughly $1.50/oz. Subscribing comes with a bit of a discount to bring that price down. Plus, as a meal topper, the recommended serving size is just 1/2 teaspoon, making even a 4-ounce bag last for several meals.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 90 kcal/oz
- Protein: 23% min
- Fat: 9% min
- Fiber: 2% max
Best Transparent Ingredient Sourcing: Orijen Original Recipe Dry Food
Origen is known for offering transparency about how their ingredients are sourced, stored, and processed. Made with 85% animal ingredients, this dry food formula features a protein-rich blend of free-run chicken and turkey, wild-caught fish, and cage-free eggs with no corn or other grains.
This quality does come at a price, costing nearly $0.27/oz for the largest-size bag. However, the first eight ingredients are, as promised, fresh or dehydrated meat, ensuring that your dog is getting high-quality protein in every bite. And there’s certainly a lot of protein—43% on a dry-matter basis. With its high protein, high fat, and fatty acids, plus glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health, this food may go above and beyond the needs of most dogs. Active and working dogs are most likely to benefit from the protein-rich formula, with a veterinarian’s approval.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 473 kcal/cup
- Protein: 43% min
- Fat: 20% min
- Fiber: 5% max
- Dietary Starch: 20% max
- Sugars: 1.5% max
- DHA (docosahexaenoic acid): 0.2% min
- EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid): 0.2% min
- Calcium: 1.6% min
- Phosphorus: 1% min
- Omega-6 fatty acids: 3% min
- Omega-3 fatty acids: 0.9% min
- Glucosamine: 600 mg/kg min
- Chondroitin sulfate: 600 mg/kg min
- Total Microorganisms: 1 Million CFU/lb
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Best Dog Food Without Corn for Puppies: Jinx Jr. Whole Grain Chicken Recipe Puppy Food
Specially formulated to meet the needs of growing puppies, this chicken, brown rice, and sweet potato kibble from Jinx has no corn, no wheat, no soy, and no artificial preservatives in its recipe. What it does offer is a protein-rich formula with DHA—good for your pup’s brain development—probiotics, and a number of “superfoods” to support their health and growth.
For a 4-pound bag, Jinx Jr. priced around $0.20/oz, a bit more expensive than most puppy foods. But at 33% protein and 16% fat content on a dry matter basis, the food is right on target to meet the nutritional recommendations that AAFCO has set for puppies, who generally need more protein than adults.
For large breed puppies, however, this food is just under the maximum recommendations for calcium intake of 1.5%. Pet parents who choose this food for their big babies should be cautious, and high-calcium treats and supplements should be avoided to ensure that they’re not exceeding those recommendations.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 377 kcal/cup
- Protein: 33 % min
- Fat: 16% min
- Fiber: 6% max
- Calcium: 1.3% min
- Zinc: 120 mg/kg min
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: 0.9% min
- Omega-6 Fatty Acids: 1.4% min
- Ascorbic Acid: 60 mg/kg min
- Bacillus Coagulans: 20,000,000 CFU/lb min
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Best for Small Breeds: Wellness CORE Grain-Free Mini Meals for Small Breeds Chicken Pate
Per-ounce, this small breed dog food is the most expensive meal on our list, coming in at nearly $0.65/oz. Part of that cost is convenience; each serving comes in a handy pouch for easy feeding and storage.
With chicken as the primary ingredient, the pâté is made without corn, wheat, soy, peas, and other grains. Compared with some of the fresh and canned foods on our list, you won’t find fresh fruits and vegetables listed in the ingredients. The recipe does include a number of vitamins and minerals good for your little dog’s overall health.
At 36% protein content on a dry matter basis, this is a high-protein food, which may be well-suited for particularly active little pups. However, as with all high-protein diets, it’s best to discuss your pup’s needs with your vet before you commit.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 74 kcal ME/cup
- Protein: 36% min
- Fat: 18% min
- Fiber: 5% max
- Carbohydrates: est. 41%
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Best for Large Breeds: Nutro Limited Ingredient Diet Sensitive Support with Real Lamb & Sweet Potato
While the budget for a little dog’s food might allow for a packet or two of wet food at every meal, it would be hard to keep up with the appetite of a big breed that way. This limited ingredient kibble from Nutro is pricey for kibble—more than $0.25/oz—but specially crafted to meet the needs of a big pup without corn, wheat, soy, dairy protein, beef, or chicken. It promises a full meal with 10 ingredients or less (just don’t start counting the vitamins and minerals).
With lamb as the number one ingredient and protein source, this dry dog food offers 24% protein content on a dry matter basis, one of the more moderate protein levels on our entire list. It also has 14% fat content on a dry matter basis.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 428 kcal ME/cup
- Protein: 24% min
- Fat: 14% min
- Fiber: 4% max
- Carbohydrates: est. 56%
- Linoleic Acid: 4% min
- Zinc: 250 mg/kg
- Niacin: 250 mg/kg
- Biotin: 2.5 mg/kg
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Best Dog Food Without Corn on a Budget: Nature’s Recipe Grain-Free Lamb, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Dry Dog Food
At less than $0.15/oz, this grain-free kibble is the most affordable option on our list. That low price doesn’t mean they’ve skimped on quality, though—real lamb is the number one ingredient. The dry food also includes chicken meal as a supplementary protein source, as well as sweet potatoes, pumpkin, peas, and a wide range of vitamins and minerals.
At 28% protein and 13% fat on a dry-matter basis, this budget dog food falls well within the key AAFCO standards for the average adult dog. The only thing to note is the phosphorous level. At 0.9%, it’s slightly over the line of concern for dogs with kidney or liver disease, who may need may need a low-phosphorous diet (under 0.5%).
Nutrition Facts:
- 339 kcal/cup
- Protein: 28% min
- Fat: 13% min
- Fiber: 6% max
- Linoleic Acid 1.4% min
- Calcium 1.1% min
- Phosphorus 0.9% min
- Selenium 0.35 mg/kg min
- Vitamin E 75 IU/kg min
- Taurine 0.3% min
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids 0.18% min
- Omega-6 Fatty Acids 1.8% min
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Why Some Pet Parents Are Avoiding Corn in Their Dog’s Food
For most dogs, it’s perfectly fine to eat some corn—but where it starts to be a nutritional problem is when it begins to account for a significant portion of a dog’s daily diet. Corn is frequently used most heavily in lower-quality dog foods, usually to round out a recipe, but might even be used as a protein source, which isn’t ideal for your dog’s nutrition.
As a whole plant food, corn is difficult for dogs to digest. Because it’s usually refined into a flour or meal in pet kibble, it increases the “glycemic index” of the food. This, in turn, runs the risk of raising your dog’s blood sugar more than other grains. Plus, it has low biological (usable or “bioavailable”) value compared to animal proteins like eggs and meat.
Should you strike corn from a dog’s diet altogether? That depends.
For some dogs, a dog food with some corn may be just fine, especially if it leads with a good, meat-based protein. For those with specific nutritional concerns—allergies, food intolerances, or the need for a high-protein diet—it may be best to avoid corn altogether.
How to Find Dog Food Without Corn
Corn-free dog foods can be pricier than the alternative—but you don’t necessarily need to spend a fortune every month to avoid corn. There are a wide range of good options available, and as long as the food you choose follows AAFCO nutrition recommendations and suits your dog’s specific needs, you really can’t go wrong.
Many high-quality brands make a point of stating on the label that the product is free from corn. You can also take a quick look at the ingredients list on the back of the bag. You’re most likely to see corn products within the first 10 to 12 ingredients, as it’s commonly used as a filler by inexpensive pet food brands.
Before switching to a dog food without corn, however, it’s a good idea to check with your veterinarian. When you’re ready, make sure you have enough of your dog’s old food on hand to transition them onto the new diet over the course of 5 to 7 days. Changing your dog’s diet too suddenly can cause digestive upset—and no one wants that!
How We Chose
The products featured here were chosen based on a combination of our own hands-on testing, a comprehensive look at customer reviews across a wide variety of retail platforms, and interviews with veterinary experts. For this article, we relied heavily on the advice of Rover’s The Dog People Panel as well as AAFCO guidelines and product reviews. We’re also guided by the experience of living and playing alongside our own much-loved and strongly opinionated pets, who are never stingy with their feedback.