Lowest carb dog food: how to actually tell
There's no single official carbohydrate percentage printed on a UK dog food label, so working out which foods are genuinely lower in carbohydrate means reading between the numbers that are on there: protein, fat, fibre, ash and moisture, and doing a rough calculation yourself rather than trusting a marketing claim alone.
Why carbs aren't on the label
UK and EU pet food labelling rules require a food to declare its protein, fat, fibre, ash and moisture content, but there's no requirement to state a carbohydrate figure directly. That's simply a gap in what's legally required, not a sign that carbohydrate doesn't matter.
To get a rough estimate, add up the protein, fat, fibre, ash and moisture percentages and subtract that total from 100. What's left over is a reasonable approximation of the carbohydrate content, even though it isn't printed anywhere directly, and it's worth doing this on a couple of foods side by side to see the difference for yourself.
What actually varies between foods
Dry kibble generally carries more carbohydrate than wet, raw or freeze-dried food, largely because some starch is needed to bind and shape the biscuit during manufacturing. That's a structural feature of how kibble is made, not a flaw in any particular brand.
Grain-free doesn't automatically mean low carb either. Many grain-free recipes replace grain with potato, pea or other starches to do the same binding job, and those ingredients still contribute carbohydrate even though there's no grain listed on the pack.
Is lower carb better for every dog?
Not necessarily. Some dogs, particularly those being managed for weight or with a condition their vet is treating, may do better on a lower-carbohydrate diet as part of that management. That's a specific, vet-led situation rather than a general rule.
There's no universal evidence that every healthy dog benefits from minimising carbohydrate, and dogs can digest and use it as an energy source without issue. If you're considering a significant diet change for a health reason, that's worth discussing with your vet rather than deciding from a ranking list alone.
What to look for on the shelf
Our dry food, grain-free and raw and frozen ranges each sit at a different point on this spectrum, generally in that order from more to less carbohydrate, though it's still worth checking the actual figures on an individual pack rather than assuming the category name tells you everything.
Comparing the protein, fat and fibre percentages side by side on a couple of packs is a more reliable way to judge this than trusting whichever bag uses the word low-carb on the front, since that phrase has no fixed legal meaning.
Our picks, and why
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Forthglade Cold Pressed Natural Turkey
Cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs from 2 months, soft enough to mix with water for young pups
£45.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Salmon
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for dogs, built on fresh and dried salmon
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Duck
Cold-pressed grain-free duck food with fruit and botanicals, in two bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Chicken
Cold-pressed grain-free chicken food with fruit and botanicals, in three bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Turkey
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% turkey, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Chicken
A grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, lightly baked and built on 50% chicken
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Small Dog Turkey
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for small dogs and puppies, built on turkey
£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Lamb
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% lamb, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Turkey
Grain-free cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs, gentle on sensitive stomachs
£69.69
Harringtons Puppy Turkey & Rice
Complete turkey puppy food with 30% protein and feeding bands by adult weight
£6.49
Harringtons Adult Dog Turkey Veg
Complete dry food for adult dogs with turkey, chicken and salmon oil, 21% protein
From£3.39
Harringtons Adult Dog Salmon & Potato
Complete salmon and potato dry dog food with 21% protein in a 1.7KG bag
£6.25
Common questions
- Is grain-free dog food automatically low carb?
- No. Many grain-free recipes replace grain with potato or pea starch to do the same job in the recipe, and those ingredients still contribute carbohydrate even without any grain listed.
- Is raw dog food lower in carbs than kibble?
- Generally yes. Raw and wet foods typically carry less carbohydrate than dry kibble, which needs some starch content to hold its shape during the extrusion process that makes it into biscuit form.
- Do dogs need carbohydrate in their diet?
- Dogs can digest and use carbohydrate as an energy source without issue, and it isn't inherently harmful. Whether to minimise it is usually about an individual dog's specific needs rather than a blanket rule for every dog.
- How do I calculate the carb content of a dog food?
- Add together the protein, fat, fibre, ash and moisture percentages listed on the label, then subtract that total from 100. The remainder is a rough estimate of the carbohydrate content, since it isn't printed directly.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.