Earthborn Dog Food: Should You Choose Grain-Free or Grain-Inclusive?
Quick answer: Earthborn dog food comes in both grain-free (Primitive Natural, Great Plains Feast) and grain-inclusive (Meadow Feast, Coastal Catch) formulas. If your dog has no history of heart issues and isn’t a breed predisposed to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), either line can work — but current FDA data makes grain-inclusive the safer default unless your vet says otherwise.
That short answer covers the headline, but it skips the part that actually matters: which specific Earthborn dog food formula fits your dog, and how to monitor for problems if you go grain-free anyway. Let’s get into it.
Recommended Products
Best Dog Food in 2026
Why This Decision Is Harder Than It Looks
Most articles about Earthborn dog food treat the grain-free question as a footnote. It shouldn’t be. In 2018, the FDA opened an investigation into a possible link between grain-free diets — particularly those heavy in peas, lentils, and other legumes — and non-hereditary cases of DCM in dogs. Earthborn’s grain-free lines use pea protein and pea starch as primary ingredients, which puts them squarely in the category the FDA flagged for further scrutiny.
That doesn’t mean Earthborn dog food is dangerous. The FDA’s own updates have stopped short of establishing direct causation, and plenty of dogs eat grain-free diets their whole lives without incident. But it does mean the decision to feed Earthborn dog food from the grain-free side of the lineup deserves more thought than picking based on protein source or price alone.
What’s Actually Different Between Earthborn’s Grain-Free and Grain-Inclusive Lines
Earthborn dog food is manufactured by Midwestern Pet Foods, and the company offers both formula types under the same brand umbrella, which confuses a lot of shoppers standing in the aisle.
Grain-free Earthborn dog food formulas (Primitive Natural, Great Plains Feast, Coastal Catch) typically use peas, pea protein, and pea starch as carbohydrate and binding sources instead of rice or oats. They’re formulated for owners specifically trying to avoid grain, often because of a suspected — not confirmed — grain sensitivity.
Grain-inclusive Earthborn dog food formulas (Meadow Feast, Unrefined) use whole grains like brown rice, oats, or barley alongside the same quality animal proteins. These formulas still avoid corn, wheat, and soy fillers, which is part of why Earthborn built its reputation as a “holistic” brand in the first place.
Here’s a comparison of four representative Earthborn dog food formulas so you can see how the macros and grain status actually break down:
| Earthborn Dog Food Formula | Grain Status | Protein % | Fat % | Primary Carb Source | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primitive Natural | Grain-free | 34% | 17% | Peas, pea starch | Dogs with confirmed grain allergy, low DCM risk breeds |
| Great Plains Feast | Grain-free | 32% | 16% | Peas, pea protein | Bison/lamb protein preference, active adult dogs |
| Meadow Feast | Grain-inclusive | 28% | 15% | Brown rice, barley | General maintenance, budget-conscious owners |
| Coastal Catch | Grain-free | 32% | 15% | Peas, pea starch | Fish-based protein for skin/coat support |
Is Earthborn Dog Food Actually Linked to DCM Cases?
Earthborn appears on some versions of the FDA’s list of brands reported in DCM cases, but appearing on that list isn’t the same as being proven to cause the condition. The FDA has been clear that the list reflects reported cases where a dog was eating a given brand, not a confirmed causal link, and many listed brands are simply popular ones with large market share.
Here’s the honest limitation nobody likes to admit: switching a dog off grain-free Earthborn dog food to the grain-inclusive line doesn’t guarantee anything if the dog already has taurine deficiency or an underlying heart condition. I’ve seen owners treat a formula switch as a fix-all, then skip the vet visit and echocardiogram their dog actually needed. Changing the food is a reasonable precaution — it’s not a substitute for diagnostics if your dog is already showing symptoms like coughing, lethargy, or exercise intolerance.
Which Breeds Should Be More Cautious With Grain-Free Earthborn Dog Food
Large and giant breeds — Golden Retrievers, Doberman Pinschers, Great Danes, and Cocker Spaniels — show up disproportionately in the DCM reports the FDA has reviewed. If you own one of these breeds, grain-inclusive Earthborn dog food (Meadow Feast, in particular) is the more conservative starting point, and most veterinary cardiologists would agree with that framing even without a confirmed mechanism.
Small breeds and dogs with no cardiac history aren’t off the hook automatically, but the reported case concentration is lower. If your Chihuahua or Shih Tzu has been thriving on grain-free Earthborn dog food for years with no symptoms, that’s meaningfully different from starting a Golden Retriever puppy on the same formula today.
What About Dogs With Actual Grain Sensitivities?
True grain allergies in dogs are less common than marketing around “grain-free” would suggest — most food sensitivities in dogs trace back to a specific protein (chicken and beef top the list), not grain itself. If your dog has never had a diagnosed grain allergy, there’s a decent chance you don’t need the grain-free side of the Earthborn dog food lineup at all.
If your vet has confirmed a grain sensitivity through an elimination diet, then grain-free Earthborn dog food remains a legitimate option — just pair it with periodic taurine level checks if your dog is a breed with elevated DCM risk. That’s the actual trade-off: solving one problem (digestive sensitivity) while accepting a monitoring responsibility for another (cardiac risk factors).
How Earthborn Dog Food Sources Its Ingredients
Midwestern Pet Foods, which makes Earthborn dog food, sources most of its proteins domestically and manufactures in its own U.S. facilities rather than outsourcing to third-party co-packers, which is worth something from a quality-control standpoint. The company publishes AAFCO nutrient adequacy statements for each formula, meaning every Earthborn dog food recipe is formulated to meet or exceed the minimum nutrient profiles AAFCO sets for either growth, maintenance, or all life stages.
That said, “made in the USA” doesn’t mean recall-free. Midwestern Pet Foods has had recalls in its broader product lineup in past years, including aflatoxin-related recalls affecting some of its brands. Before committing to any Earthborn dog food formula, it’s worth a two-minute check of the FDA’s recall database for the specific lot and formula you’re considering, not just the brand name generally.
A Realistic Transition Plan If You’re Switching Formulas
If you’ve decided to move your dog from a grain-free Earthborn dog food formula to a grain-inclusive one (or the reverse), don’t do it overnight. A gradual transition over seven to ten days — mixing increasing ratios of new to old food — reduces the odds of loose stool or vomiting, especially in dogs with sensitive digestion.
Watch for these signals in the first two weeks: stool consistency, energy levels, and coat condition. If your dog does worse on the grain-inclusive Earthborn dog food formula than the grain-free one, that’s useful information for your vet, not a sign you made the wrong call — some dogs genuinely process rice and barley less efficiently than others.
When Earthborn Dog Food Might Not Be the Right Fit
Not every dog does well on Earthborn dog food, and it’s worth saying plainly. Dogs with confirmed protein allergies to fish, bison, or lamb won’t do well on formulas built around those proteins even if the grain status is otherwise ideal. Dogs already diagnosed with diet-related DCM should be transitioned under direct veterinary supervision onto a therapeutic cardiac diet, not just moved to another over-the-counter brand, Earthborn included.
Budget is a real factor too. Earthborn dog food sits in the mid-range price tier — not as expensive as boutique fresh-food brands, but noticeably pricier than mass-market kibble. If cost is the binding constraint, a grain-inclusive Earthborn dog food formula generally offers a lower price point than the grain-free lines, since legume-based grain-free formulas tend to cost more to produce.
How This Information Was Evaluated
This comparison draws on AAFCO nutrient adequacy statements published for each Earthborn dog food formula, the FDA’s public reporting on grain-free diets and DCM (including the agency’s list of reported brands), and Midwestern Pet Foods’ public recall history as documented on the FDA’s recall database. Where the science isn’t settled — like the exact mechanism linking legumes to DCM — that uncertainty is stated directly rather than resolved into a false certainty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Earthborn dog food good for dogs with sensitive stomachs? It can be, particularly the limited-ingredient formulas, but “sensitive stomach” covers a lot of different causes. Start with a slow transition and watch stool quality for the first two weeks before deciding if the formula itself is the issue.
Does Earthborn dog food cause DCM? No direct causal link has been established. Earthborn’s grain-free formulas share ingredient patterns (high legume content) that the FDA has flagged for further study, which is different from a confirmed cause.
What’s the difference between Earthborn Holistic and Earthborn Primitive Natural? Earthborn Holistic is the grain-inclusive product family, while Primitive Natural is a specific grain-free formula within the broader Earthborn dog food lineup, built around bison and turkey with pea-based carbohydrates.
Is Earthborn dog food made in the USA? Yes, Midwestern Pet Foods manufactures Earthborn dog food in its own U.S. facilities and sources the majority of its proteins domestically.
How do I know if I should switch my dog off grain-free Earthborn dog food? If your dog is a breed with elevated DCM risk, has any cardiac symptoms, or your vet recommends it as a precaution, switching to a grain-inclusive Earthborn dog food formula is a reasonable step — paired with a vet visit if symptoms already exist.
How Much Earthborn Dog Food Should You Actually Feed?
Feeding guides on the bag are a starting point, not gospel, and this is one of the more common mistakes I see with this brand specifically. The calorie density varies noticeably between formulas — Great Plains Feast runs higher in fat than Meadow Feast — so using the same cup measurement across two different recipes can leave one dog underfed and another creeping toward overweight.
A better approach: calculate your dog’s daily caloric need based on weight and activity level, then check the calorie-per-cup figure printed on the specific bag you’re feeding, since it differs formula to formula. Weigh your dog every four weeks for the first two months on a new Earthborn dog food recipe and adjust the portion by roughly 10% if you see steady weight change in either direction. This matters more for grain-free formulas, since the higher fat content in lines like Primitive Natural means a “normal-looking” cup portion can run hotter on calories than owners expect.
Puppy and Senior Considerations With Earthborn Dog Food
Not every formula in the lineup is appropriate for every life stage, and this is where the AAFCO adequacy statement on the bag actually matters. Formulas labeled for “all life stages” meet the higher nutrient minimums puppies need for growth, while some maintenance-only recipes don’t. Large-breed puppies specifically need controlled calcium and phosphorus ratios to avoid developmental orthopedic issues, so check that any Earthborn dog food you’re considering for a growing large-breed puppy is formulated (or supplemented) with that in mind, rather than assuming any “all life stages” label covers it identically.
Senior dogs present the opposite problem: many do better on a lower-fat, lower-calorie Earthborn dog food formula like Meadow Feast than on the richer grain-free options, particularly if they’re less active or managing joint issues. If your senior dog has any diagnosed heart condition, this is also the life stage where the grain-free-and-DCM conversation becomes least optional — talk to your vet before continuing any legume-heavy Earthborn dog food formula.
Wet, Dry, and Treats: Does the Format Change the Grain-Free Calculus?
Earthborn isn’t limited to dry kibble. The brand also makes canned wet food and treats, and the same grain-free ingredient logic applies across formats — a grain-free wet food will typically lean on the same pea-based thickeners as the dry version. If you’re feeding a partial-topper of wet Earthborn dog food alongside a grain-inclusive kibble to manage a DCM risk factor, check that the wet food itself isn’t quietly reintroducing a high legume content that undoes the point of the switch.
Treats matter less nutritionally by volume, but they add up over a year for smaller dogs, especially toy breeds. If you’re being strict about a grain-inclusive-only strategy for a high-risk breed, that consistency should extend to the treats too, not just the primary bag in the pantry.
Comparing Earthborn Dog Food’s Price Per Pound to the Category
A 25-pound bag of a grain-inclusive Earthborn dog food formula generally lands in the $45–$55 range, while a comparable grain-free bag runs closer to $55–$65, reflecting the higher cost of pea protein and pea starch relative to whole grains. That puts Earthborn solidly in the mid-tier of the holistic kibble category — above mass-market brands sold in grocery stores, but below boutique fresh or freeze-dried competitors that can run two to three times as much per pound.
For a 60-pound dog eating roughly 3 cups a day, that price difference between grain-free and grain-inclusive lines adds up to real money over a year — often $150–$200 more for the grain-free line. If the DCM risk factors above don’t apply strongly to your dog (small breed, no cardiac history, confirmed grain sensitivity), that cost gap is a legitimate part of the decision, not just a health one.
What to Check on the Bag Before You Buy
Two bags sitting side by side on a shelf can look nearly identical and still be meaningfully different once you read past the front label. Start with the guaranteed analysis panel: protein, fat, fiber, and moisture percentages tell you more about how a formula will actually perform than the marketing copy above it. A formula running 34% protein and 17% fat behaves very differently in a dog’s body than one at 24% protein and 10% fat, even if both bags use similar language about “holistic” nutrition.
Next, check the ingredient list for where the carbohydrate source sits. If peas, pea protein, and pea starch appear in the first five ingredients, you’re looking at a grain-free recipe with a legume-heavy profile — the exact pattern the FDA has asked pet food companies to help study. If you see brown rice, oats, or barley instead, you’re in grain-inclusive territory. This single check takes fifteen seconds and tells you more than most review sites bother to explain.
Finally, look at the AAFCO statement in small print near the bottom of the ingredient panel. It will say the formula is intended “for maintenance,” “for growth,” or “for all life stages,” based on feeding trials or nutrient profile calculations. This isn’t marketing language — it’s a regulatory requirement, and it’s the fastest way to confirm a formula is appropriate for your dog’s actual life stage rather than just assuming based on the picture on the front of the bag.
A Note on Recalls and Ongoing Monitoring
No pet food brand is immune to recalls, and treating any single brand as permanently “safe” is a mistake regardless of how good its formulation looks on paper. Midwestern Pet Foods, the manufacturer, has had recalls tied to aflatoxin contamination and Salmonella in parts of its broader product lineup over the years — not exclusively in every line, but enough that a periodic check is worth the two minutes it takes.
The FDA maintains a public recall database searchable by brand and date, and it’s worth bookmarking if you’re feeding this brand long-term, especially if you have a household with young children, elderly family members, or immunocompromised individuals who might be more exposed to bacterial contamination through pet food handling. This isn’t specific to any one formula — it’s just good practice regardless of which quality kibble you land on.
What Owners Get Wrong Most Often
The single biggest mistake isn’t picking grain-free or grain-inclusive — it’s switching formulas repeatedly without giving any single one enough time to show its actual effect. Digestive systems take one to two weeks to fully adjust to a new recipe, and coat or energy changes can take six to eight weeks to show up clearly. Bouncing between formulas every time a dog has one loose stool means you never actually learn anything about what works.
The second mistake is assuming price correlates with safety. A more expensive grain-free formula isn’t automatically lower-risk than a cheaper grain-inclusive one — the ingredient pattern matters far more than the price tag. Read the guaranteed analysis and ingredient order before assuming a higher shelf price buys you out of the DCM conversation entirely.
The Bottom Line
Earthborn dog food isn’t a single product — it’s a lineup that spans grain-free and grain-inclusive formulas built on the same quality-ingredient philosophy. The right choice depends on your dog’s breed risk profile, any confirmed sensitivities, and your comfort level monitoring for cardiac symptoms if you do go grain-free. When in doubt, grain-inclusive Earthborn dog food is the more conservative starting point, and you can always revisit grain-free options with your vet’s input down the line.