There is some speculation that feeding your dog potatoes is a bad thing. There is some truth to the notion, and some false allegations as well.
The truth is, potatoes can provide certain nutrients to a dog’s diet that they may otherwise miss. However, they aren’t crucial to the overall health of most dogs, and in certain cases where they are, can be added in other ways.
The fact remains that some dogs just won’t eat a potato. Often when potatoes were included in the food, they may be eaten around and left in the bowl for you to clean out.
Other instances may be that you just don’t want to take a chance on the health concerns with potatoes. Whatever the case, we have you covered with the best potato free dog food.
There isn’t a simple answer for how bad a potato is for dogs. There are concerns, of course, as well as rumors, and facts. Let’s look at those now.
Potato Free Dog Food Brands
Following is the list of the best potato free dog food options. You should note that if you go by brand alone, you will need to double check the ingredient lists. Some flavors will contain potato or potato derivatives while other flavors by the same brand will not.
1. Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Lamb + Brown Rice Recipe
First 5 ingredients:
Deboned Lamb, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Barley, Oat Meal
Merrick's Classic recipes offer a range of options, with some varieties including ingredients like potato or potato starch. However, this recipe stands out as one that does not contain these ingredients.
This kibble is formulated with a high crude protein content, around 26%, primarily derived from lamb and lamb meal. The recipe is also enriched with a variety of added vitamins and minerals, specifically designed to support healthy bone, joint, and muscle development in dogs.
Additionally, all Merrick products, including this one, are proudly made in the USA, ensuring high-quality standards and local sourcing of ingredients.
What Customers Like
No potato or potato derivatives.
Natural lamb and lamb meal proved great flavor and high meat protein.
Contains over 20 vitamins and minerals.
Common Complaints
Kibble can be tougher on small teeth and may not be suitable for toy breeds.
Doesn’t mix well with water if making a gravy as it has a high moisture content and tends to fall apart.
This kibble is potato free and lacking in any potato derivatives. Like most other brands, there are American Journey recipes that do contain potatoes. If you are going to look for an alternate recipe, double check the ingredient list.
The Salmon recipe uses sweet potato and beet pulp for the start that holds the kibble shape, as well as adding flavors to the meal. You will find a very high crude protein amount (32 percent) that carries with it a natural crude fat amount (15 percent).
If your dog is prone to weight gain or overeating, you will need to ration the portions carefully.
What Customers Like
Easily digested and flavorful kibble for most adult dogs.
Mixes well with water for gravy or wet food as a topper.
Zero potato or derivatives in the ingredients.
Common Complaints
Picky eaters may not like the flavors of some of the recipes.
Ollie makes human-grade premium dog food by the order. They use only all-natural ingredients and each batch is hand crafted for quality and flavor.
When selecting a super-premium dog food, you will need to pay special attention to the ingredients in each recipe. As an example, Ollie only has one recipe that does not contain potato: Healthy Turkey Feast.
If you don’t mind feeding the same flavors day in and day out, the Healthy Turkey feast is a great option for a potato free food.
What Customers Like
Human-grade food for all dogs and all life stages.
Portion control is easy and the food leaves little to zero waste.
Added vitamins and minerals to support healthy growth and digestion.
Common Complaints
Portion control can take a bit to get used to.
Buying in bulk is difficult while maintaining freshness.
4. American Journey Lamb and Sweet Potato
First 5 ingredients:
Deboned Lamb, Chicken Meal (a source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate), Turkey Meal, Peas, Chickpeas
This dry food recipe is created with deboned lamb to provide protein and sweet potatoes to provide fiber. This formula provides a rich, aromatic flavor your pup will devour!
The rich protein is supplied to encourage the maintenance of lean muscle mass that assist with keeping your pup fit and at a proper weight for his size.
This recipe adds salmon oil and flaxseed to provide your small pup with the omega fatty acids that will feed his skin and coat for optimal health.
Added veggies and fruits provide the vitamins and minerals and even antioxidants that support overall health and specifically, immune support.
This dry kibble uses sweet potato as the main starch for binding the kibble together. It also comes with high crude protein, fats and fiber (30%, 12% and 5%, respectively).
What Customers Like
Easy to chew and digest kibble, even for smaller breed teeth and mouths.
High in crude protein to promote growth and nutrition.
Mixes well with a wet food topper for added nutrition.
Common Complaints
Can break down if mixed with water for gravy.
Not all puppy recipes are potato free.
5. Nutro Puppy Tender Beef, Pea & Carrot Recipe Bites In Gravy
Nutro Puppy isn’t known for being potato free, but they do make a few options. The most popular and well received of which is the beef, pea and carrot flavor.
This uses tapioca and egg for the added minerals and vitamins. You will also get a relatively high crude protein content from the beef, though it isn’t as high as some other recipes.
The wet food is designed for all breed types and sizes, though you will be feeding a lot less to smaller breeds and younger pups. Portion control is crucial, especially in breeds known for overeating and weight gain.
What Customers Like
Mixes well with dry food as a topper.
Has a lot of vitamins and minerals without relying on grain proteins.
Keeps puppies active and healthy.
Common Complaints
Contains higher crude fat than some brands.
Easily overeaten, leading to possible weight gain is not watched closely.
Nutro also makes a formula that is potato free for senior dogs as well. The formula is limited in ingredients compared to most other dry senior brands and has more vitamins and minerals from natural sources (and added separately).
You will find that most senior dogs don’t have any problems eating or digesting the recipe as it is designed to break down easily for better nutrient absorption.
You will have to be cautious when selecting a recipe as Nutro, while a great option, isn’t known for their potato free varieties, and there aren’t many to choose from.
What Customers Like
High crude protein and vitamins for healthy late stage productivity.
Easily digested formula for older stomachs and digestive tracts.
Keeps the dogs alert, active and healthy.
Common Complaints
High in crude fats, which is good, but can lead to late-life obesity if not monitored.
Blue Buffalo has one of the widest ranges of recipes and flavors for all life stages when it comes to premium brands. Their senior formulas are no different.
However, you will need to double check the ingredients for potatoes, as not all their senior formulas are potato free. Some will have potato starch, which still counts as white potato, so read the label carefully.
The Freedom recipe for senior dogs is packed with vitamins, minerals as well as vegetables, fruits and berries. Most dog breeds will love the tastes and enjoy it as a treat mixed with dry food.
What Customers Like
Easily digested and full of digestive tract health-promoting vitamins.
Works well when used as a topper for dry foods.
A great combination of crude protein to crude fat ratio.
Common Complaints
Some smaller breeds may find the moisture too stew-like in consistency.
Can easily lead to weight gain if not watched closely.
Reasons Potatoes are Good for Dogs
Potatoes bring a lot of vitamins and minerals to the table (or the dog bowl, as it were). Eating a potato will give your dog vitamins C, B6, calcium, iron, magnesium, and protein. They also include low sugar and about two grams of dietary fiber per potato.
These are all things your dogs need in their diet. However, potatoes may not be the best source for these nutrients. Proteins, for example, are better served through meats. Dogs are designed to process meat proteins much better and more thoroughly than grain and vegetable proteins.
The vitamins and minerals can also be found in meats and other vegetables, fruits or grains. Generally, though, you won’t find all of them in the quantities a potato offers in any other individual ingredient.
Reasons Potatoes are Bad for Dogs
Potatoes can be bad for dogs for some reasons, most of those reasons, though, can be avoided. When you hear tell of not feeding potatoes to dogs, it is primarily because of solanine.
Solanine is a poison that is present in raw potatoes and other edible plants of the nightshade family. Tomatoes, for example, also share this quality. When a potato is cooked (baked or boiled) the levels of solanine drop dramatically.
It is because of this poison that potatoes and dogs don’t work well together. As long as the potato is cooked thoroughly and has nothing added (salt, spices, butter, etc.) the potato is perfectly harmless to the canine and his or her digestive tract.
Cooking also reduces the other vitamins and minerals as well, though not as drastically. Since raw food diets are common and raw potatoes are not advised, it is easy to see why so many people have reason to leave them out altogether.
Identifying Potatoes on the Label
Potatoes can be found on the ingredient labels in three major forms. However, before we cover that you should be aware that sweet potatoes are not the same thing.
Sweet potatoes are added to dog food all the time, without the solanine dangers. Seeing a sweet potato listed on your dog’s food is nothing to worry about at all.
The first thing you want to look for when avoiding potatoes in your dog's food is the actual potato. Any time a white potato is used in part or whole, it will be listed as such.
Next, you will want to look for the starch. Potato starch is generally used in a lot of grain free kibble. Grains tend to be used to hold the kibble together in their little shapes. Without the grains, starches are used, and the most common binding agent is potato starch.
The last option is the protein. Potato protein on the label shows that there is less meat protein available in the kibble. It also is unclear how well dogs can digest starches and starch proteins. This is one major reason for people wanting to avoid potatoes at all.
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An individual with a profound affection for animals, who was brought up in an environment surrounded by dogs, cats, and chickens. A self-taught enthusiast in the realm of pet care. At present, the proud caretaker of two rescued felines and two lovely mixed-breed canines.
