Our Cage Free Chicken & Oats Formula uses humanely raised chicken as a single meat protein and two wholesome grains. The Grain Friendly™ category is free of corn, wheat, soy, potato and peas making it optimal for daily feeding or sensitivities.
Family Owned & Operated Since 1989
Complete production control
Potato and Pea Free
Cage-Free Chicken
Veterinarian Formulated
Valeri Hardin –
I’ve just ordered my first bag of the Cage Free Chicken Meal and Oats Formula from my favorite pet food store, it won’t be in until Tuesday, 5 days from now, in the mean time I want to let you know how much I appreciate that you use the better quality ingredients for the food, vitamins & minerals. So many companies, most in fact ( and I’m talking about the better quality pet food companies), cheap out and use lesser quality ingredients, vitamins and minerals. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH !
I have fed my pets grain free forever so I decided to go with grain for a bit of a change AND I LOVE that there are only 2 grains in this formula, again THANK YOU !!! I will give the Chicken and Blueberries grain free a try next time. I have been researching and reading about pet food ingredients for 20 plus years and you have no idea how much I appreciate you.
Krista –
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You for creating a gluten free but grain friendly product. I lost a dog in February to DCM. Since the FDA warning in July, I have been searching for a potato and legume free dog food that was also gluten free made with limited quality ingredients in an independent facility with quality control check points. You are the ONLY dog food manufacturer that meets these criteria. That you also produce a canned food that meets these criteria is gravy on top (pun intended). And, since one of your formulas (Fish) is also suitable for large breed puppies, my new puppy enjoys your food, too. Please don’t change or discontinue this formula (canned and dry) and you will have a loyal customer for life.
FirstMate –
Hello Krista,
We are very sorry to hear about your previous loss. It is wonderful to hear that you’ve recently learned of our products and that FirstMate will be an important part of your pups upbringing! We have no plans to make changes to our Grain Friendly products and are glad to hear that you’ve also been adding our canned products to meals. We take a great deal of pride in the safety, quality and performance of our diets and always appreciate feedback from our customers!
– FM
Vanessa Ward –
Started feeding FirstMate when the food we were using became unavailable. I will admit I was worried about changing but now I’m happy that this switch occurred. Our Kaa is a 10 yr old Chihuahua mix that eats this kibble along with homemade (chicken, rice and green beans). She’s our baby and we feel confident in this food at a time when so many are being recalled. Thank you for providing a quality food!
Tania Costa –
i just bought a bag of your chicken recipe in hopes my young dog will eat it. I have been feeding grain free for years, and recently (Jan 2019) my other dog was diagnosed with DCM from grain free food. Finding a grain friendly food is no easy task, and then add to it my young dog being a picky eater. I have 6 different brands i have tried, he won’t eat it! So tonight i try to see if he is interested in this food so i can ensure there is no DCM in my dogs..
Veronica Pina –
I have been trying to find a suitable kibble for my very food sensitive pitty, we tried your grain free and it was way to much for her, she had diarrhea and vomiting after I tried to feed it to her, LUCKILY, you have a grain friendly food and we are trying this instead with hopes it will be a better choice, Today is day 2 and her tummy is gurgling a bit but so far it is staying down. How long until her body adjusts? I hate seeing her like this. I know we have made a better choice and hope this will stop the hot spots and constant itching she was getting prior to starting your brand. Wish us luck.
Woof Mom –
My vet has recently suggested that his clients switch to dog food with grain. However, given that most manufacturers are currently selling “grain free” recipes WITH potatoes/peas/legumes, it’s not easy to find.
My local Pet Food Express actually recommended this particular brand – all three of my dogs love it. The fat content is on the low side, so people might consider adding some salmon oil for additional omega 3.
Renaye (verified owner) –
My dog likes it. It has limited ingredients compared to other foods and has oats. My dog does not need to be grain free, grains settle his tummy, but he needs limited ingredients due to allergies.
Bea –
We just switched from a grain-free food due to the FDA warning for large breed dogs and we chose to try this product since it was one of the few grain-friendly foods without pulses in the first 5 ingredients. We have a senior Great Pyrenees and an adult Husky mix. The husky loves it, but the Great Pyrenees is a picky eater and she needs it to be sprinkled with parmesan cheese to eat it (but it was the same with the former food we fed her).
Patricia Scarff –
In July, our vet advised us to look at a grain friendly food for our two dogs. After researching , we decided to try the Cage Free Chicken and Oats formula made by FirstMate. We weren’t sure how the change in food would go over as one of our dogs is a very picky eater and also tends to have a sensitive stomach. Well they both love this kibble and have done great on this food!
Melissa –
I switched to this when the controversy started over the grain free diet and the food I had my girl on was at the top of the list! She made a very easy transition and has done well on it? My only issue is that I can only find a large bag? Why don’t they come in smaller bags as well? All the other brands do?
Thanks
Melissa
hayley.salo (verified owner) –
We switched to this food when our dog became extremely lethargic on his other food; he went from being able to do a day hike to barely making it around the block, and he was only four at the time. We had unintentionally put him on a grain free diet a month or two before the lethargy started because his original food now had salmon in it, which gives him welts and rashes, and we had been more focused on the salmon issue than the grain. While I can’t be sure that the grain-free foods caused his lethargy, I Can be certain that he rebounded when we switched to this food. He’s been eating it for several years now with no issue. I also greatly appreciate the flexible, fast shipping. We used to be able to buy the food in a local pet supply store, but after moving, we needed to switch to online ordering. It’s been great and took so much headache out of moving and negotiating food!
woof (verified owner) –
At a routine health checkup my vet discover a grade 3 heart murmur in my then 6 year old Pudelpointer. Although he was symptom free, she put him on medication and recommended switching from the grain-free food he was eating (Acana) to one with grain. A year later, he is still symptom-free, but happily his murmur has been downgraded to a 1. The vet feels it is the combination of the GRAIN FRIENDLY food and meds that has improved his heart condition.
Genevieve –
My dog loves the tasse, but has super soft feces.
Matt Wilson –
Hello Genevieve,
Thank you for sharing your feedback.
We are sorry to hear that the formula does not agree with your pup. Soft stool can be a sign of overfeeding. FirstMate is often 10% – 30 % more nutrient-dense than many other options available. Typically, diets will range between 300 – 400 kcals/cup. Our Chicken & Oats formula is 490 kcals/cup. Can you let us know your dog’s ideal weight and how much you feed each day?
We look forward to hearing from you.
– FM Customer Service.
Max K –
We have been using this chicken protein, grain-friendly food for four years now with our husky and she loves it, and helps her keep a healthy coat and levels of energy. I appreciate the transparency and communication the team has made here in the comments.
Does FirstMate’s grain use pesticides, maintain restorative agricultural practices, and/or are pesticides tested for either in-house or by a third-party in its finished product? Thank you!
Matt Wilson –
Hello Max,
We are happy to hear that your Husky is thriving on our Chicken & Oats Formula.
Our team routinely screens for pesticides using third-party laboratories. Our last analysis of over 116 different pesticides showed a trace amount of only 1, which was over 30 times lower than human food guidelines.
We hope this information provides continued confidence.
Please do not hesitate to email us (customerservice@firstmate.com) with any additional questions.
– FM
Deborah S Lee-Ludwig –
Amazing. My super picky baby with super sensitive tummy was super satisfied and doing super well! Tried brands that costs much more yet, the hearty and clean dry food recommended by a specialist hit the spot. Very well priced!