Why We Don't Use Chicken in Our Recipes

We've worked with doodles for over 15 years and have explored many different recipes to see which one our dogs love the most. We initially used chicken, in our puppy and adult options, but quickly discovered that many of our dogs were sensitive to it. 

We changed to duck to see if it was the chicken that was the problem and there were still some symptoms showing. When we looked into the recipe, we realised that even though the main protein source was duck, the fat used was from chicken. 

Now, in our grain-free recipes, we make sure that there are no chicken ingredients at any stage. By eliminating this protein and replacing it with equally, if not more, healthy alternatives like turkey, fish or venison, we've made food that tastes and feels great. 

Usually, most dog foods do contain chicken, either as the main protein source or as an extra ingredient. However, there are plenty of alternatives available. To minimise the likelihood of an allergy, I recommend choosing a novel protein, one that your dog has never eaten before. 

Alternatives include:

  • Duck
  • Lamb
  • Pork
  • Turkey
  • Venison
  • Salmon
  • Trout
  • Tuna
  • Haddock

Not only should you choose a recipe with a high-quality animal protein, make sure the other ingredients are natural.