🔑 Key Takeaways: 10 Things Every Dog Owner Needs to Know
The Farmer’s Dog offers both grain-free and grain-inclusive recipes. As of early 2026, the lineup includes three grain-inclusive recipes (Chicken & Grain, Beef & Grain, and Turkey & Grain) alongside four grain-free options (Turkey, Chicken, Pork, and Beef).
The original core recipes are all grain-free. Every one of the original four core recipes contains legumes like chickpeas and lentils — the exact ingredient categories the FDA flagged during its DCM investigation.
The FDA never established a causal link between grain-free diets and Dcm. The FDA stated that the reports received did not supply sufficient data to establish a causal relationship with the reported products.
But the science hasn’t stopped. A November 2025 peer-reviewed narrative review found that many apparently healthy dogs eating grain-free diets show early-stage heart modifications, indicating a possible causal effect.
The Farmer’s Dog adds taurine to every recipe. Their proprietary nutrient blend includes taurine, which is important for heart, liver, and brain health.
Grain-free recipes cost more. Because grain-free recipes have higher protein content, they are slightly more expensive than the grain-inclusive options.
Over 1,382 dogs with Dcm were reported to the Fda. More than 90% of the diets in those reports were grain-free, and 93% contained peas or lentils.
Many affected dogs recovered after switching diets. In one study, 23 of 24 dogs with DCM and taurine deficiency displayed marked improvement following a diet change combined with taurine supplementation.
Grain-inclusive recipes use oats as the grain source. The Chicken & Grain recipe includes oats — a healthy whole grain rich in fiber and slow-digesting carbohydrates.
Your vet should be your first call, not your last. Breed, age, genetic predisposition, and existing health conditions all matter far more than blanket grain-free vs. grain-inclusive debates.
🥩 Yes, The Farmer’s Dog Sells Grain-Free Food — but Now You Have a Choice
Let’s clear up the confusion right away. The Farmer’s Dog offers gently cooked formulas with and without grains. This is a relatively recent development — for most of the company’s existence, every recipe was exclusively grain-free.
Here’s exactly what’s available as of early 2026:
| 🍖 Recipe | 🌾 Grain Status | 🥕 Key Carb/Fiber Sources | 💰 Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef | Grain-free | Sweet potatoes, lentils | Higher |
| Turkey | Grain-free | Chickpeas, parsnip | Higher |
| Chicken | Grain-free | Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts | Higher |
| Pork | Grain-free | Sweet potatoes, cauliflower, green beans | Higher |
| Chicken & Grain | Grain-inclusive | Oats, collard greens, carrots | Lower |
| Beef & Grain | Grain-inclusive | Oats (varies by formulation) | Lower |
| Turkey & Grain | Grain-inclusive | Oats (varies by formulation) | Lower |
The grain-free beef recipe lists beef, sweet potato, lentils, carrot, and beef liver as its first five ingredients. The turkey recipe includes turkey, chickpeas, carrot, broccoli, and spinach. Meanwhile, the Chicken & Grain recipe includes chicken, chicken broth, oats, chicken liver, and collard greens.
💡 Expert tip: Notice that the grain-free recipes rely heavily on legumes (lentils, chickpeas) as their carbohydrate and fiber sources — these are the exact ingredients at the center of the FDA’s DCM investigation. The grain-inclusive recipes swap those legumes for oats, which have never been flagged in any cardiac health concern.
❤️ The Dcm Question: Should You Actually Be Worried About Grain-Free Dog Food?
This is where things get genuinely complex, and where most articles either downplay the risk entirely or lean into fearmongering. Neither serves you well. Here’s what the science actually says as of late 2025.
What the Fda found (and didn’t find):
In July 2018, the FDA announced that its Center for Veterinary Medicine had begun investigating reports of DCM in dogs eating certain pet foods, many labeled as grain-free, which contained a high proportion of peas, lentils, other legume seeds or pulses, and potatoes as main ingredients.
By the time the investigation wound down, the FDA had received 1,382 reports of DCM in dogs. It found 16 dog food companies with ten or more associated cases. More than 90% of the diets were grain-free, and 93% contained peas or lentils.
But here’s the critical nuance: By June 2019, the agency concluded that the potential association between diet and DCM was a complex scientific issue likely involving multiple factors. Scientists were also looking more closely at pulse ingredients, rather than simply the presence or absence of grains.
Ultimately, the FDA stated that the reports did not provide sufficient data to establish causation, and indicated it would not release further updates unless meaningful new scientific information emerged.
But the research hasn’t stopped:
A peer-reviewed narrative review published in November 2025 found a strong link between diet and DCM, particularly regarding legumes. Dogs of various breeds showed larger left ventricular diameters, reduced systolic function, and increased premature ventricular complexes when fed grain-free, legume-rich diets compared to those on traditional, low-legume diets.
As one veterinary nutritionist put it bluntly: non-hereditary DCM linked to grain-free and boutique diets is still a problem, and it was never a case closed.
| 📊 Dcm Factor | 🔬 What Research Shows | ⚠️ Risk Level |
|---|---|---|
| 🫘 Legumes (peas, lentils, chickpeas) | 93% of FDA-reported DCM diets contained these | Moderate concern — especially in high proportions |
| 🥔 Potatoes/sweet potatoes | 42% of reported diets contained these | Lower concern than legumes |
| 🌾 Absence of grains | Correlated but not proven causal | Context-dependent |
| 🧬 Breed predisposition | Golden retrievers, labs, Great Danes overrepresented | High for genetically predisposed breeds |
| 💊 Taurine deficiency | Strongly associated with reversible DCM | Supplementation may mitigate risk |
🧬 Why Legumes Matter More Than the Word “Grain-Free”
Here’s what gets lost in the grain-free debate: it was never really about the absence of grains. It was about what replaced them.
Scientists were looking more closely at pulse ingredients — peas, lentils, chickpeas — rather than simply the absence of grains in canine diets.
A controlled feeding study published in PubMed Central found that after just 28 days on a wrinkled pea diet, dogs showed impaired stroke volume and cardiac output, increased end-systolic ventricular diameter, and elevated cardiac biomarkers — all sub-clinical indicators of early DCM-like changes — in a breed not known to be susceptible.
This matters directly for The Farmer’s Dog because their recipes include fiber-rich foods like chickpeas, sweet potatoes, and lentils. These aren’t minor additions — in the grain-free beef recipe, lentils appear as the third listed ingredient. In the turkey recipe, chickpeas sit in the second position.
Now, The Farmer’s Dog isn’t a grain-free kibble — and that distinction matters. The food is gently cooked at lower temperatures designed to kill pathogens without destroying nutritional integrity the way high-heat extrusion processing does with kibble. Most of the DCM cases reported to the FDA involved highly processed grain-free kibble, not fresh-cooked food. The bioavailability of nutrients in a gently cooked format is fundamentally different.
But the legume question remains an open one that deserves your attention.
| 🫘 Legume in Farmer’s Dog | 📍 Found In | 🧪 Dcm-Related Concern | 💡 What to Know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lentils | Beef (grain-free) — 3rd ingredient | Contained in 93% of FDA-flagged diets | High in plant protein; may affect taurine metabolism |
| Chickpeas | Turkey (grain-free) — 2nd ingredient | Classified as a pulse/legume | Fiber-rich but shares concerns with other pulses |
| Sweet potatoes | Beef, Pork (grain-free) | Found in 42% of FDA-flagged diets | Lower concern than peas/lentils |
| Oats | Grain-inclusive recipes | Not flagged in any DCM investigation | Traditional grain; considered safe for heart health |
💡 Expert tip: If your dog is a Golden Retriever, Labrador, Great Dane, Doberman, Cocker Spaniel, or any breed with a known predisposition to heart disease, the grain-inclusive recipes are the significantly safer choice. This isn’t fearmongering — it’s risk management based on the best available evidence.
💊 The Farmer’s Dog Adds Taurine — but Is That Enough?
One genuinely reassuring detail: every recipe at The Farmer’s Dog contains their proprietary Nutrient Blend, which includes taurine. This is significant because taurine deficiency is one of the strongest hypothesized mechanisms connecting grain-free diets to DCM.
In a UC Davis study, 23 of 24 golden retrievers with DCM and taurine deficiency displayed marked improvement in cardiac function following a diet change combined with taurine supplementation.
At a 2019 Petfood Forum panel, experts unanimously recommended that grain-free pet food formulations should include supplemental taurine as a preventive measure.
But there’s a caveat: some cases of diet-associated DCM have been linked to grain-free diets high in legumes regardless of blood taurine concentration. This suggests that the mechanism may not be limited to simple taurine deficiency — other metabolic pathways involving legume consumption could be at play.
| 💊 Taurine Detail | ✅ Good News | ⚠️ Remaining Concern |
|---|---|---|
| 🧪 Present in every recipe | Proactive supplementation; exceeds many competitors | Exact dosage per serving isn’t publicly disclosed |
| 🐕 DCM reversal documented | Many dogs recover with taurine + diet change | Not all DCM cases respond to taurine alone |
| 🫘 Legume interaction unknown | Fresh-cooked format may improve bioavailability | Legumes may affect taurine metabolism through bile acid pathways |
| 🧬 Breed-specific risk remains | Supplementation helps genetically predisposed breeds | Doesn’t eliminate risk for the most vulnerable dogs |
💡 Expert tip: Blood concentrations of taurine can be measured by a laboratory to determine whether deficiency is likely. If your dog eats any grain-free diet long-term, ask your vet about baseline taurine testing — especially for at-risk breeds. It typically costs around $160–$200 and provides genuine peace of mind.
🌾 Grain-Inclusive vs. Grain-Free at The Farmer’s Dog: a Head-to-Head Breakdown
Now that The Farmer’s Dog offers both options, which one should you actually pick? Here’s how they stack up:
| 📋 Factor | 🌾 Grain-Inclusive | 🫘 Grain-Free | 🏆 Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 💰 Price | Lower per serving | Slightly more expensive due to higher protein content | 🌾 Grain-inclusive |
| 🫀 Heart health concern | No flagged ingredients | Contains legumes linked to DCM investigation | 🌾 Grain-inclusive |
| 💪 Protein content | Moderate | Higher | 🫘 Grain-free |
| 🥣 Carb source | Oats (traditional, well-studied) | Lentils, chickpeas, sweet potatoes | 🌾 Grain-inclusive |
| 🐕 Allergies/sensitivities | Contains oats (gluten concern for rare dogs) | Good for dogs with true grain allergies | 🫘 Grain-free (if allergic) |
| 🔬 Research backing | Decades of safety data on grains in dog food | Ongoing research; concerns not fully resolved | 🌾 Grain-inclusive |
| 🧪 Taurine included | Yes | Yes | Tie |
The bottom line on choosing: Unless your dog has a veterinarian-confirmed grain allergy or intolerance — which is far less common than marketing would have you believe — the grain-inclusive recipes offer the same fresh, human-grade quality with substantially less nutritional uncertainty.
🤔 “My Dog Has a Grain Allergy” — Does Your Dog Actually Need Grain-Free Food?
This is one of the most misunderstood topics in pet nutrition. The grain-free trend exploded in the early 2010s, largely driven by marketing that borrowed from human dietary fads. But the veterinary evidence tells a very different story.
True grain allergies in dogs are remarkably uncommon. The most common food allergens in dogs are actually animal proteins — beef, dairy, and chicken — not grains. When dogs do react to grain-containing foods, it’s often the protein source or other ingredients causing the issue, not the wheat, rice, or oats.
The FDA’s investigation noted that DCM cases reported involved a wide range of dog breeds, ages, and weights, suggesting the problem wasn’t limited to genetically predisposed animals.
| 🐶 Scenario | 🌾 Best Choice | 💡 Why |
|---|---|---|
| Healthy dog, no allergies | Grain-inclusive | Lower cost, zero DCM-related concerns, decades of safety data |
| Vet-confirmed grain allergy | Grain-free | Necessary medical accommodation; discuss taurine monitoring with vet |
| Suspected food sensitivity (unconfirmed) | Grain-inclusive first | Rule out protein allergies before eliminating grains |
| At-risk breed (Golden, Lab, Dane, Doberman) | Grain-inclusive strongly recommended | Minimizes exposure to legume-heavy formulations flagged in DCM research |
| Senior dog | Grain-inclusive | More conservative approach for aging hearts |
| Puppy | Either (vet guidance essential) | All recipes are formulated to be complete and balanced according to AAFCO standards for all life stages |
📊 The Carbohydrate Question Nobody Asks About
Beyond the grain-free debate, there’s another nutritional detail that deserves scrutiny. Independent analysis indicates that carbohydrate content across The Farmer’s Dog recipes averages approximately 27% on a calculated dry-matter basis. Dogs have zero biological requirement for dietary carbohydrates.
Now, that doesn’t mean carbohydrates are inherently harmful. They provide energy, and the sources used (sweet potatoes, oats, lentils) are vastly superior to the corn and wheat fillers in cheap kibble. But for a product positioned as the ultimate in canine nutrition, the carbohydrate load — particularly from legume sources in the grain-free recipes — is worth understanding.
The turkey recipe, for example, breaks down to approximately 33.9% protein, 19.6% fat, and 36.4% carbohydrates on a dry-matter basis. The beef recipe shows roughly 39.1% protein, 28.1% fat, and 24.1% carbs.
| 🍖 Recipe | 🥩 Protein (Dry Matter) | 🧈 Fat (Dry Matter) | 🥕 Carbs (Dry Matter) | 🫘 Legume Load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef (grain-free) | ~39% | ~28% | ~24% | Lentils (3rd ingredient) |
| Turkey (grain-free) | ~34% | ~20% | ~36% | Chickpeas (2nd ingredient) |
| Chicken (grain-free) | ~45% | ~25% | ~20% | Minimal — no legumes listed |
| Chicken & Grain | Moderate | Lower | Moderate | None — oats instead |
💡 Expert tip: If you want The Farmer’s Dog but want to minimize both legume exposure and carbohydrate load simultaneously, the Chicken (grain-free) recipe is uniquely interesting — it boasts the highest protein content of any product in the line with zero legumes. It’s the one grain-free option that sidesteps the primary DCM-related ingredient concern entirely.
🤔 Frequently Asked Questions
Is every Farmer’s Dog recipe grain-free?
No — not anymore. The company offers recipes that include grain-free and grain-inclusive options. The grain-inclusive line uses oats as the grain source. However, the original and most widely promoted recipes remain grain-free.
Should I switch my dog from the grain-free to grain-inclusive Farmer’s Dog recipe?
If your dog has no confirmed grain allergy and you want to eliminate any lingering concern about the legume-DCM connection, switching to a grain-inclusive option is the more conservative and evidence-supported choice. Transition gradually over 7–10 days to avoid digestive upset.
Has the Fda recalled any Farmer’s Dog products over Dcm concerns?
No. No recalls have been noted for The Farmer’s Dog through February 2026. The FDA has never recalled any specific pet food brand solely based on the DCM investigation.
Does The Farmer’s Dog contain peas?
Based on the published ingredient lists, peas do not appear as a named ingredient in The Farmer’s Dog recipes. However, lentils and chickpeas — both members of the legume/pulse family — feature prominently in several grain-free formulas.
Is the Dcm scare overblown?
It depends on who you ask. The FDA acknowledged that emerging science indicates non-hereditary DCM occurs as a complex medical condition that may be affected by multiple factors including genetics, underlying medical conditions, and diet. The risk is not zero, but it’s also not the epidemic some headlines suggest. However, recent peer-reviewed research continues to find evidence suggesting a strong link, particularly regarding legumes, with many affected dogs improving after switching to more traditional diets.
Can I mix grain-free and grain-inclusive Farmer’s Dog recipes?
Absolutely. Many dog owners rotate proteins and recipe types. Mixing grain-free and grain-inclusive recipes reduces your dog’s overall legume exposure while still offering dietary variety. This is a practical middle-ground strategy.
My dog has been on grain-free Farmer’s Dog for years with no problems. Should I worry?
Don’t panic — but don’t ignore it either. The fact that the FDA stopped reporting on DCM doesn’t mean the disease has disappeared. If your dog is thriving, that’s wonderful. Consider asking your vet for a baseline cardiac exam and taurine blood test for peace of mind, particularly if your dog belongs to an at-risk breed.
📌 The Bottom Line: Make an Informed Choice, Not a Fearful One
The Farmer’s Dog deserves credit for expanding their lineup to include grain-inclusive recipes — it shows they’re responding to legitimate scientific concerns rather than pretending they don’t exist. Their on-staff board-certified veterinary nutritionists carefully formulate each recipe to be complete and balanced according to AAFCO standards. Every recipe includes supplemental taurine. And although there have been concerns about a potential link between grain-free dog food and DCM, the FDA has not found a direct connection.
But “not proven causal” is different from “proven safe.” The peer-reviewed research published through late 2025 continues to find concerning cardiac markers in dogs eating high-legume, grain-free diets. The safest path forward — particularly for genetically predisposed breeds, senior dogs, and cautious owners — is to choose the grain-inclusive options or, at minimum, rotate between grain-free and grain-inclusive recipes to minimize long-term legume exposure.
Your dog doesn’t read marketing copy. Your dog’s heart doesn’t care about food trends. Feed based on science, not sentiment.
This article reflects independent analysis conducted in February 2026 using data from the FDA, AAFCO, AVMA, peer-reviewed studies published in PubMed Central, and veterinary cardiology research from UC Davis, Tufts University, and Kansas State University. We have no financial relationship with The Farmer’s Dog or any competitor.