"Gluten-free" is a well-marketed trend that is becoming more and more common among people. While there is indeed a small percentage of gluten-intolerant people (about1%), the number of affected dogs is much lower. In fact, there are only a few exceptional cases among dogs that benefit from a gluten-free diet.
Like pretty much every food ingredient, gluten is neither particularly good nor particularly bad. Gluten is an excellent source of protein, unless you can't tolerate gluten and suffer from coeliac disease.
Dogs that are hypersensitive to certain foods are not necessarily gluten intolerant. In most cases in dogs, it is beef, dairy, eggs, lamb, soy, pork or fish that they cannot tolerate. None of these foods contain gluten.
A dog that has normal gastrointestinal functions would have its choices unnecessarily restricted by a gluten-free diet. Gluten intolerance manifests itself as chronic digestive disorders, coat loss or itching and often leads to malnutrition if the dog is not switched to a gluten-free diet. If the dog does not show any of these signs, there is little point in restricting its dietary variations and possibly having to administer vitamin supplements.
Gluten-free dog food is only recommended if a dog suffering from digestive disorders becomes symptom-free through the food. He does not necessarily have to be gluten intolerant, but can also suffer from other allergies that are solved by a gluten-free diet. In a healthy dog, the diet should be as varied as possible.
