A pack of African Hunting Dogs, setting out at dusk on their business, would be a good advertisement for grain free dog food. Lean and mean with baleful eyes their flanks shimmer with good health. They have never seen the inside of a vet's surgery or tasted a mouthful of nutritionally balanced, gold label, top of the range product but they seem frighteningly fit.

Like other dogs these creatures are omnivorous rather than carnivorous. Before they tear another animal to pieces they will forage in the bush. Beetles, eggs, insects and a good deal of herbivore dung will be consumed.

When the kill is done they will gorge on the contents of their prey's stomach contents which will be largely vegetable matter. Raw meat will be mixed with hair and bone. After the feeding frenzy water will follow, and some mouthfuls of fleshy grass growing in the damp soil near the water.

In the profusion of dietary items available in the wild there will be relatively few grains. The main item on the menu will be raw meat. Pure protein will outweigh everything else in a successful pack of hunters.

Some cans of dog food contain too much water and maize or wheat meal. The few scraps of meat or flavoring in the can will encourage the pooch to eat enthusiastically. He will prefer the canned food to dry food but it will not necessarily do him much good.

Scientifically formulated foods may aim to be complete nutritional packages containing all that an animal needs. Salt may be used to moderate intake so that an animal on this diet will not grow fat. However, the scenario is undeniably similar to a human person who may be faced with eating a ration of exactly the same diet every day. The regime does not leave much room for the canine emotions so often associated with food.

Because carbohydrate rich foods are cheaper to manufacture than grain free foods they cost a pet owner less. The cost of feed has risen to the extent that it now represents quite a big proportion of the average budget. Despite this, vets may recommend a switch to a grain free diet especially as a pet gets older.

The cost of foods without meal will be higher because carbohydrate is much cheaper than protein. However, it is argued that less of the more expensive feed will be needed, so setting off quality against quantity. A good brand will include dietary supplements and vitamins to satisfy the need for diversity that is so abundant in the wild state.

Potatoes, tomatoes, peas and canola oil may be included as supplements, depending on availability. These will supply vitamins and trace elements that would occur naturally in a scavenger's diet. In fact, due to scientific formulations there could be a good chance that the commercial brand would be better than the completely natural diet.

One consideration to be taken into account when switching to a grain free dog food is the amount of fat in the composition. Lower grade meat may be fatty and this could be unhealthy. Possibly a fish based protein would be better than chicken or beef.