FAQ

Often, yes. Recurring ear infections are one of the most common signs of a food sensitivity, and one of the most commonly missed. 43% of dogs in our customer survey had a history of ear infections, and 37% had both itchy skin and ear problems together.

The pattern to look for is infections that clear with treatment and then return within weeks. That cycle usually means the underlying cause hasn't been addressed. If your vet has treated the same ear repeatedly over a year, a diet trial is a reasonable next conversation to have with them.

Ear infections need veterinary treatment in their own right — a diet change supports the underlying cause, it doesn't treat an active infection.

Timing is the clearest clue. Environmental allergies (pollen, dust mites, storage mites) usually flare seasonally or after a change of environment. Food sensitivities tend to be constant, year-round, and don't improve when the seasons turn.

Dogs can have both, which is why elimination diets are done properly rather than casually: one food, nothing else, for at least eight weeks. Treats, chews, table scraps and flavoured medications all break the trial.

Blood and saliva allergy tests are widely sold but poorly correlated with genuine food reactions. Most veterinary dermatologists still regard a controlled elimination diet as the only dependable method.

No. This is one of the most widely repeated myths in dog nutrition, and it comes from confusing two completely different organisms.

The yeast that causes skin and ear problems in dogs is Malassezia, most commonly Malassezia pachydermatis. It lives on the skin and mucosal surfaces, not in the gut, and it feeds on fats, not sugars. Every Malassezia species lacks the gene for fatty acid synthase, which means it cannot make its own fats and must take them from the skin's surface. It has also lost much of its carbohydrate-metabolising machinery: in laboratory testing, no strain of M. pachydermatis was able to use glucose as its sole carbon source.

So the carbohydrate content of a dog's food should neither cause a yeast infection nor make an existing one worse.

The confusion comes from Candida - a different yeast, which in humans lives in the gut and does feed on sugars. Cutting carbohydrates genuinely helps people with Candida overgrowth. Dogs with yeasty skin have a different organism in a different place with different nutritional requirements.

Where carbohydrates can matter for a dog's skin is if that individual dog has a specific allergy to a specific carbohydrate. That's an allergy question, not a yeast one.

There is one indirect mechanism worth being honest about: sugar can disrupt the microbiome and raise systemic inflammation, which could in principle create conditions for opportunistic Malassezia to take hold. That is biologically plausible but not supported by strong evidence, and we won't claim more than that.

Yeast overgrowth on paws and in ears is usually secondary to an underlying allergy, so treating the allergy is where progress actually comes from, which is what an elimination diet is for.

This is more common than most owners realise, and it's exactly the position Grub Club was designed for. In our survey of 1,000+ owners, 36% reported their dog reacting to three or more proteins, and 24% reacted to chicken, beef and lamb together.

The individual figures: chicken 55%, grains 41%, beef 34%, lamb 28%, dairy 22%, fish 17%.

Once a dog has reacted to the common meats, the usual options are a hydrolysed prescription diet or a genuinely novel protein. Insect protein is novel for almost every dog in the UK, which is why it works as an elimination diet base without needing a prescription.

They solve the same problem differently. Hydrolysed diets break proteins into fragments small enough that the immune system doesn't recognise them. A novel protein diet instead uses a protein the immune system has never met.

Both are legitimate approaches to an elimination trial. Practical differences: hydrolysed diets typically need a veterinary prescription, are usually more expensive per day, and some dogs find them unpalatable. A novel protein diet doesn't require a prescription and uses whole, recognisable ingredients.

If your dog is currently on a prescription diet that's working, we always recommend discussing any changes with your vet.

Many of our customers arrive while their dog is on Apoquel, Cytopoint or steroids. These control the itch; they don't address what's causing it.

A diet trial can run alongside medication, but there's a catch worth knowing: if the medication is suppressing symptoms, it becomes harder to judge whether the food is working. Some vets prefer to taper medication during a trial so the result is readable. That decision belongs with your vet, not with us.

Never stop prescribed medication to start a food trial without veterinary advice.

French Bulldogs are our single largest breed group and they're over-represented for a reason. In our survey, 85% of Frenchies had itchy skin against 60% of other breeds, 48% had significant wind against 17%, and 71% reacted to chicken against 51%.

The same applies to English and American Bulldogs.

Digestive symptoms are the second-largest group we see: 44% of our customers' dogs have a gut symptom, and 12.5% have gut problems with no skin involvement at all.

Two things in the recipe work on this directly: the prebiotic blend (MOS at 0.2% and FOS at 0.1%) feeds beneficial gut bacteria, and crude fibre at 4% supports regular, formed stools. Insect protein is also highly digestible, which matters when the gut is already irritated.

Expect the transition itself to be bumpy before it's better. See Section C, because this is the single thing customers most often misread as the food not working.

Our food recipes are formulated for adult dogs of all breeds. The transition from puppy to adult depends on a few factors including your dog's breed and size but usually, once your dog has completed its major growth phase, it should be ok to transition to adult food - for small breeds this could be around 9 months and for larger breeds it could be around 15 months. If you're unsure, we always advise checking with your vet before making any dietary changes.

Our food recipes all include meaningful levels of glucosamine (chondroitin and MSM), which supports joints as dogs age, and the protein levels support muscle maintenance. If you're unsure, please check with your vet or get in touch with us and our vet team would be happy to answer any questions.

All-Day Buffet contains 10-11% fat, which sits at the lower end of the 10–15% range generally advised for dogs with pancreatitis. For more severe cases a vet may advise under 10%, in which case this wouldn't be suitable.

Every case differs and there are several risk factors involved, so discuss any dietary change with your vet, and introduce a new diet slowly over 10–14 days.

There have been recent studies looking into the effect of hypoallergenic diets on the management of epilepsy. Although these studies are mostly focused on humans currently, small scale veterinary studies have had similar results, which suggests that a hypoallergenic diet may be beneficial in reducing the frequency of seizures. This is thought to be linked to decreased inflammation. As always, we recommend discussing any dietary changes with your vet and it’s important to emphasise that diet is a consideration alongside (not instead of) regular veterinary check-ups and prescription medication where required.

Yes! As a novel source of protein, insect protein is hypoallergenic, which is great news for itchy skin and sensitive tummies. Food allergies are estimated to account for approximately 10-15% of allergic skin disease in dogs. Dogs who have skin allergies can show the following signs:

• Itchy skin
• Ear infections
• Watery eyes
• Anal gland issues

To find out whether your dog has a food allergy or intolerance, the most effective approach is to undertake an elimination diet trial (EDT) - this is where Grub Club can come in. An EDT means feeding a novel (new) protein source to your dog, and our key ingredient of black soldier fly larvae is ideal as most dogs will have not eaten this before so it is naturally hypoallergenic. Although you’re likely to see results sooner, it’s really important to continue the diet trial for at least 8 weeks to determine whether the dietary change has had an effect on your dog’s skin allergies. You must also only feed one type of food/diet during the trial period, as introducing other snacks/treats/diets will introduce other ingredients that they could potentially react to.

For more information on elimination diets, check out our blog article on this topic here: https://mygrubclub.com/blogs/pet-welfare/the-ultimate-guide-to-elimination-diets-for-dogs-finding-relief-for-food-allergies

Usually yes, and it's one of the practical advantages of a single hypoallergenic diet — multi-dog households find separate regimes almost impossible to maintain in practice.

The exceptions are dogs with a diagnosed condition needing a specific therapeutic diet, and puppies if the lifestage answer above says otherwise. Portion sizes will differ by weight even when the food doesn't.

Yes! Insect Protein is one of the most digestible and nutritious forms of protein and the British Veterinary Association (BVA) recognises the potential contribution of insect protein in addressing the rising need for sustainable human food and animal feed. Rich in iron and low in fat, insects are naturally hypoallergenic and great for pets with any meat-related food allergies or intolerances. Unlike other petfoods that use chicken meal or fishmeal, insect-protein is high in antioxidants which help to prevent disease by keeping cells nice and healthy. We follow the strict guidance of the PFMA and achieve the nutritional guidelines set out by FEDIAF for dogs. This ensures all the essential nutrients, including amino acids, fatty acids and minerals are at the recommended levels.

We use the larvae from the Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens). As one of nature’s most efficient up-cyclers, these grubs are a much-needed sustainable protein source for an ever-expanding human population as well as all our furry friends.

We feed our grubs on organic plant-based matter. UK and EU legislation permits the inclusion of insect protein in pet diets and the British Veterinary Association (BVA) recognises the potential contribution of insect protein in addressing the rising need for sustainable human food and animal feed.

Yes. Black soldier fly larvae contain all ten amino acids essential for dogs, and all of our complete food recipes meet FEDIAF nutritional guidelines, meaning every essential nutrient — amino acids, fatty acids and minerals — is present at recommended levels.

Our insects come from the great folks over at Innovafeed [https://innovafeed.com/en/]. They have world-leading insect farming facilities in France and are leading the global charge to reduce the impact livestock farming has on climate change and animal welfare.

Yes. Chitin is the fibrous material in the larvae's outer layer, and in dogs it behaves as a prebiotic fibre — it feeds beneficial gut bacteria rather than being digested as a nutrient itself. It is one of the reasons insect protein tends to support the gut rather than irritate it.

For more information, check out our blog post on chitin

The British Veterinary Association recognises insect protein's contribution to animal feed, and our recipes were developed with internal and external vets and animal nutritionists.

Dr Anna Cherry BSc (Hons) BVSc CertFVH Nut MRCVS heads up our vet team at Grub Club. Dr Anna is a qualified vet and pet nutritionist with almost 20 years experience working in small animal practice. Dr Anna was inspired to specialize in nutrition after seeing first hand the power of nutrition in treating her gorgeous golden boy, Chester, who was diagnosed with numerous digestive issues including, pancreatitis, acid reflux, IBS, and food intolerances.

Not at all. Our treats are hexagonal biscuits that are baked in wood-fired, carbon neutral ovens. The insect protein that goes into our treat recipes is powdered, so you won’t see anything remotely insect-like. Our dental sticks look like every other dental stick you’ve seen out there – just yummier and chewier! The same goes for our dry and wet food – nothing remotely insect-looking.

Malty and nutty. Our founder Hugh describes it as a mix between a “mushroomy, nutty, Horlicksy” aroma and taste.

Most dogs take to it readily, and some don't — that's true of any new food, particularly with dogs who've become selective after a long run of diet changes. If yours is hesitant, Section G covers what to do about it.

The insect industry is still pretty new but they can play an incredible role in reducing the environmental impact of our global supply chains and food systems. Check out more about our impact here.

More frequent, well-formed stools are expected and usually a good sign. Loose or watery stools are not, and mean you should slow the transition down.

Grub Club contains 4% crude fibre, considerably more than a raw diet and more than many kibbles. Fibre draws water into the bowel and adds bulk, so output increases. Regular, formed bowel movements indicate a gut that's working.

What's normal: one to two extra movements a day, formed, settling within two to three weeks.

What isn't: watery stools, straining, blood or mucus, or increased frequency still present after a month. Slow the transition, and speak to your vet if it persists.

Over 7–10 days for most dogs, and 2–3 weeks for sensitive ones. Start at 20–25% Grub Club mixed with the current food and increase gradually.

If your dog has a history of digestive trouble, take the slower route from the start rather than switching and then backing off. Customers with sensitive dogs consistently report an extended transition is easier on everyone.

One thing that matters if you're running an elimination trial: once fully transitioned, feed nothing else. No treats, chews, table scraps or flavoured medication. A single chicken-flavoured worming tablet can invalidate eight weeks of work.

Some change is normal, because calorie density differs between foods. A dog eating the same volume of a less calorie-dense food will lose weight without anyone intending it.

For example, All-Day Buffet is 354 kcal per 100g. Compare that against your previous food's figure — if it's lower, you'll need to feed more grams for the same calories. All of our product detail pages contain information regarding the calorie content but if you need more help, please contact us anytime.

Worth acting on: loss of more than about 5% of body weight, loss that continues past the transition, or weight loss alongside lethargy or appetite loss. Speak to your vet, and ask our team too, we can sense-check the amount you're feeding.

Yes, temporarily. The gut microbiome adjusts to new fibre types and new proteins, and wind is a common by-product of that adjustment. It typically settles within two to three weeks.

If it persists beyond a few weeks or is severe, slow the transition down or get in touch.

Almost certainly not, but it's an unnerving thing to see and it makes people quit early.

During a transition your dog is still eating some of the old food, so whatever was causing the reaction is still present. Environmental allergens don't pause either — pollen counts, a new bed, a different walking route can all flare things independently.

The eight-week timeline exists precisely because the first fortnight tells you very little. Judge at eight weeks, not at two.

If the itching is severe or the skin is broken or infected, that needs a vet regardless of diet.

Allow at least eight weeks, though many owners notice change sooner.

A rough sequence of what customers report: digestion settles in two to three weeks; coat and stool quality shift around four to six; skin and itching take the longest, often six to eight weeks or more, because inflamed skin needs time to heal once the trigger is removed.

Our Head Vet, Dr Anna, puts results for allergy cases at "within a couple of months".

The trial only counts if it's clean — one food, nothing else, for the full eight weeks.

When changing diets, it is relatively common to see a change in bowel habits, water intake and flatulence. However, introducing the new diet gradually can help to reduce these symptoms. Raw food diets tend to have a much higher water content (60-80%) than kibble based (usually approximately 10%). As a result, it is normal and expected that your dog will drink more water to compensate for the reduced intake in the food. However, if you feel that your dog is drinking excessively or is showing other signs of being unwell, then this may be a sign that they are unwell so please discuss this with your vet.

Try these before giving up, in order:

• Slow down. Drop back to 25% Grub Club and hold there for several days rather than pushing on.
• Add warm water. It softens the kibble and releases the aroma, which matters more to dogs than taste.
• Top with a spoon of our wet food or the All-in-One topper rather than something from outside the diet.
• Take the bowl up after 15 minutes and don't free-feed between meals.
• Check you're not overfeeding — a dog on too many calories isn't hungry.

If none of that works, contact us. We'd rather help you make it work than have you give up on it.

Yes, and many customers do. Both are hypoallergenic and insect-based, so mixing doesn't compromise an elimination trial.

Check out our feeding calculator or get in touch with our team if you need any help calculating the right amounts.

Yes! We’ve partnered with some of the UK’s leading vets and animal nutritionists to test over 30 different recipes and ensure that our food is nutritionally complete and tasty. Our food contains everything your dog needs to be happy and healthy. It’s got all the protein, healthy fats, nutrients, and minerals your dog needs to thrive, and nothing else!Please check out our feeding guide on the website or back of pack as a guide to how much Grub Club your dog needs each day.

If your dog has experienced weight loss or gain since switching to Grub Club, this may be because they were consuming more or less calories on their previous diet. This could be due to differences in the amount/volume of food they are consuming, or alternatively that their previous diet was more or less calorie-dense. Depending on your dog’s body condition, weight changes may or may not be an outcome you wish to achieve. We would recommend asking your vet to assess your dog’s body condition, and they will be able to advise on whether weight loss or gain would be beneficial. If you find that your dog is losing weight unintentionally on Grub Club, please consult your vet for advice. It may be the case that the quantity of food needs to be increased but it’s also important to rule out other causes of weight loss if that’s something you’ve noticed in your dog. If you’d like to chat to our vet or nutrition team as a first point of call, please get in touch.

You can check out our interactive feeding guide on any of our food product pages for more info.

Yes. Even though we’ve seen great nutritional value in ingredients like oats, we’ve chosen to stick to grain free to make sure as many of our furry friends can enjoy Grub Club without any upset tummies. 

Grub Club is grain free, meaning that it does not contain wheat, oats, barley or rice. Instead, the carbohydrate source we use is largely based on sweet potato and lentils. Our reasoning for this is that these types of carbohydrates seem to be more easily digestible for dogs and provide more nutritional value in terms of their fibre content.

DCM (Dilated Cardiomyopathy) is a condition where the chambers of the heart become enlarged and its muscular walls become thinner and weaker. There has been research into  a potential link between grain free diets and DCM, which is something that we have been taking seriously as a company and evaluating all available evidence. As it stands, the FDA has stated that there is not sufficient data to establish a causal relationship between grain free diets and DCM. Our veterinary team is constantly staying up to date with the latest research and developments, but we are confident that based on the evidence currently available that Grub Club is a nutritionally complete and safe diet for dogs.

Our dry food recipes are currently designed to be suitable for as many breeds as possible. We've therefore aimed for a kibble size of around 1cm in diameter but in reality, pieces can vary between 0.8cm and 1.2cm in diameter.

Before opening, our wet food can be kept in the cupboard or at room temperature until it's best by date printed on pack. Once opened, we recommend storing in an air-tight container, in the refrigerator, for 2-3 days. We've not run specific tests on freezing the product.

Please check the best before date printed on the back of your dry food pack for more information. Once opened, we recommend closing the bag tightly or using an airtight container to preserve freshness and crunch.

Our dry food is steamed under pressure at 120 degrees Celsius for 1-2 minutes. Thereafter, it is cooked at 130 degrees for 20 minutes. Despite what’s commonly referred to as “extreme temperatures that destroy nutrients,” these temperatures are much lower than what we, humans, typically cook our own food at in our ovens or on our stoves. Our wet food is steam cooked at a maximum of 120 degrees and then gently cooled to room temperature where it can be stored.

Grub Club treats and food are made in the UK. This ensures we have full transparency over the supply chain, high quality assurances, and of course, a limit on the amount of emissions from transportation. Our dental sticks are made in The Republic of Ireland.

1. Digestibility

Various clinical studies and scientific trials have been carried out in relation to the digestibility of insect based pet food, with overwhelmingly positive results. In general, it appears that insect based pet food is well tolerated and digested by the majority of dogs. As black soldier fly larve are rich in fatty acids, protein and minerals, they offer a balanced nutritional profile. Additionally, the fibre content of Grub Club is supportive of good digestive health and helps to support a healthy gut microbiome.

2. Antimicrobial Peptides

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are an interesting developing area of research. Black soldier fly larvae have been shown to contain high levels of AMPs, which have naturally antibacterial properties and may help to promote a healthy microbiome by reducing levels of harmful bacteria.

Yes! All of our packaging is 100% recyclable. Please check with your local council for how to best recycle your Grub Club packaging. Please get in touch with us if you're unsure.

YES! You can find Grub Club in Pets at Home, Planet Organic, Daylesford Organic, Gladwell’s Country & Pet Stores, Abel & Cole, and a range of independent stores across the UK.

It varies by product, which the current single answer doesn't capture:

• Poop Perfector, Canine Shine, Superfood Snacks, Joint Booster — up to 10 a day
• Chill Chomps — up to 5 a day
• Peanut Paws — half a bar for small dogs, one for medium, one to two for large

Treats should be counted within the day's total calories, not on top of them. Hold off entirely during an elimination trial.

Just like us humans, dogs love different tastes, smells, and textures. Therefore, we decided to develop a soft-baked treat that’s slightly wetter and chewier than your average dog biscuit. We’ve included some yummy ingredients like banana, blueberries, kale, and spirulina to make sure they’re not only deliciously chewy but also super nutritious – a real reward for good boys and girls!

Log in to your account, go to your account page, and select Manage my subscription. From there you can change delivery dates or cancel. No fees, no notice period, no need to contact us first.

If the cancel button doesn't appear to work, or you're told there's no subscription linked to your email, email hello@mygrubclub.com and we'll do it for you the same working day.

Same place —Manage my subscription. You can skip a single delivery, push the next date back, or pause indefinitely. If you have any trouble, you can get in touch with us via email, WhatsApp, SMS, or phone - check out our Contact Us page for details.

Yes, in Manage my subscription. If you're consistently running out early or stockpiling, this is the setting to change rather than cancelling and re-subscribing.
If you have any trouble, you can get in touch with us via email, WhatsApp, SMS, or phone - check out our Contact Us page for details.

Of course, our subscriptions are 100% flexible to suit your needs. We'd love to help ensure you're getting the most out of our service so please get in touch so we can help recommend a delivery schedule that is most economical for you.

Cancel it in Manage my subscription, and email us if an order has already gone out and we can work to find the best solution.

It's the date your order is processed and dispatched, not the date it arrives. Allow 2–4 working days on top for delivery.

Keep a few days' buffer of food when setting your date, so a delay never leaves you short.

Subscription purchases will follow our standard shipping policy and should be delivered within 3-4 days of the subscription payment. Please keep this in mind when scheduling your subscription orders as the date you schedule your subscription for is the date your order is processed and dispatched by our warehouse team.

This nearly always means an account was never created, or the subscription is under a different email. Create an account using the exact email on your order confirmation, and your subscription will appear.

If it still doesn't, email hello@mygrubclub.com with your order number and we'll link it for you.

Yes, this can be done in our subscription portal. If you have any trouble, you can get in touch with us via email, WhatsApp, SMS, or phone - check out our Contact Us page for details.

Yes — change the delivery address in Manage my subscription before your order processes, then change it back. Holidays and dogs staying with friends are the usual reasons.

Yes. Our subscriptions all come with a lifetime discount of 10% on every order. We often also run promotions for the first subscription order too so look out for those. Subscribers also earn double the amount of loyalty points for every pound spent on site. Our subscriptions are 100% flexible so you can pause, change, or cancel at any time with no fees so you get all the flexibility of ordering when you like with the added benefit of lifetime discounts and double loyalty points.

Yes they do! Once you redeem a reward in our Loyalty portal, please ensure you apply the discount code to your subscription so that the discount is applied to your next order - it won't apply automatically. If you have any trouble, you can get in touch with us via email, WhatsApp, SMS, or phone - check out our Contact Us page for details.

Shipping is free for any order above £49. Shipping rates are £3.99 for 2-4 day tracked delivery, Monday to Saturday until 9pm. There may be surcharges if consignments are out of gauge, require re-delivery, or are in hard to reach areas (e.g. Scottish Highlands, off-shore UK, etc.)

For more details, please check out our Shipping Policy.

Yes! You’ll get an email 4 days before any subscription order is processed to ensure you have enough time to make any changes that you might need. We’d also highly recommend signing up to our SMS reminder service where you receive a text message 4 days before your subscription is processed, which also allows you manage your subscription via text. You can sign up to SMS reminders here:

At the moment, we don't offer any small sample/trial packs. We do offer a Money Back Guarantee on our wet food and dry food products (excl. 12kg) to help you try our products risk free. You can find more information about our Money Back Guarantee here.

Please refer to our Refund Policy on site for more information.

Yes. Our team includes vets and animal nutritionists, and a good number of the enquiries we get are owners describing their dog's symptoms and asking whether this is worth trying. Email hello@mygrubclub.com.

We have a vet handbook and the research behind our recipes on the Knowledge Hub, and our veterinary team is happy to answer technical questions directly.