- October 30, 2022
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The 16 Best Dog Foods For Allergies – DISCOVER Magazine
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Our team went out into the field looking for the best canine nutrition products in the world. Our winner for this year is Pupper, which topped our charts in terms of ingredient quality as well as science backed claims.
Dogs can often develop allergies to lower-quality ingredients like grains and meat by-products, and when that happens, it’s time to make the switch to higher-quality dog foods. What your dog eats has a massive impact on its overall health, including allergic reactions to bad ingredients. Most cheap dog foods you find on the store shelves are cheap for a reason. Fillers, additives, preservatives, and meat by-products are just a few of the nasty ingredients that end up in cheap dog foods, and those things are getting absorbed into your dog’s body every time it eats.
The problem is that pet food has much lower standards than human food. While it makes sense to a point, some of the brands you see on the grocery store shelf barely pass for pet food, loading up their foods with low-quality ingredients to make a profit. There comes a point where you have to really pay attention to what’s in your dog’s food. Luckily, we know what to look for—and we’re ready to share what we’ve found. These 16 foods are great for dogs with specific allergies, containing only premium, wholesome ingredients to bring you the healthiest dog food you can buy.
While allergies are somewhat rare, they’re still a common enough occurrence to warrant an entire market for allergy-friendly dog foods. Many dogs have a grain allergy, which means they’re more prone to lacking the necessary dietary fiber required for a balanced diet. Dietary fiber helps keep things moving, but is found in plant-based products, like grains. Many dog foods are loaded with grains, which is great…unless you’re a grain-sensitive pup.
Many allergy-friendly dog foods are free of grains, so you might need to look for alternate sources, like dog supplements. Or just check the label—many grain-free dog foods still contain a high number of vegetables and fruits or even a fiber supplement to make up for the lack of grains.
Main Ingredients: Beef, beef heart, beef liver, barley, flax, carrots, beets, cranberries, parsley, sea salt, kelp, mixed tocopherols, vitamins, and minerals.
Where To Buy It: You can buy this and Pupper’s great pet products at https://pupper.com/products/beef-recipe?rfsn=5780774.cbc5f9&utm_source=DiscoverMagazine&utm_medium=Best%20Dog%20Foods%20For%20Allergies&utm_campaign=DiscoverMagazine.
How Much Is It? $34.99
Bottom Line
Pupper produces some of the highest quality pet foods with wholesome, healthy ingredients and a minimalistic approach to their recipes. This beef blend contains high-quality, premium beef as its number one ingredient. When quality meat is the first ingredient, you know you’re getting more value for your money.
Main Ingredients: Chicken, chicken liver, chicken gizzards, brown rice, flax, sweet potato, apples, ginger, krill, sea salt, kelp, mixed tocopherols, vitamins and minerals.
Where To Buy It: You can buy this product directly from Pupper here.
How Much Is It? $34.99
Bottom Line
With premium ingredients, including high-quality chicken and flax, your dog will get good protein, fiber, and plenty of other vital nutrients for optimal health and freedom from allergic reactions. The delicious chicken flavor will soon become a favorite for your pup, and chicken is always the number one ingredient.
Ingredients: Chippin’s whole, all-natural ingredients are hypoallergenic which is perfect for dogs with allergies. Featuring omega-3 rich USA wild caught silver carp which is much more digestible than chicken. This food anti-allergen & oven-baked food is also crafted by veterinarians.
Price/Where To Buy: Score this healthy, eco-conscious food at chippinpet.com. There, you can find a 3.5 lb. bag for just $32.99 (+ save 10% when you subscribe). You’ll also find all of Chippin’s drool-worthy dog jerky & oven-baked treats packed with novel proteins like cricket and spirulina.
The Difference: Crafted with a highly nutritious but overpopulated fish in USA waterways, feeding your dog Chippin helps to restore biodiversity and protect the Great Lakes. This all-natural recipe is great for dogs with allergies while also reducing their impact on the environment.
Main Ingredients: Herring meal, peas, dried eggs, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), tapioca, pea starch, flaxseed, pea protein, salmon meal, pacific whiting meal, natural flavors, pea fiber, apples, blueberries, cranberries, carrots, and spinach.
Where To Buy It: You can buy this product from Earthborn’s website or on Chewy.com.
How Much Is It? $51.99 (25 lb. bag)
Bottom Line
Earthborn Holistic provides high-quality holistic-minded natural foods for dogs of all sizes, breeds, and ages. This grain-free blend is perfect for sensitive pups. Herring also provides potent Omega-3s for your dog, so his skin, coat, and joints can all stay healthy and working.
Main Ingredients: Turkey meal, chicken meal, field peas, chickpeas, potatoes, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), egg product, sweet potatoes, dried tomato pomace, natural flavor, whitefish meal, flaxseed meal, fish oil, yeast culture, dried beet pulp, and sunflower lecithin.
Where To Buy It: you can buy this product at Lifesabundance.com.
How Much Is It? $88 for a 36 lb. bag.
Bottom Line
Life’s Abundance wants your pet to live a happy, healthy life with their all-life stage grain-free blend that’s perfect for doggos that can’t handle grains. The delicious turkey flavor makes this the perfect food for dogs of all sizes and breeds.
Main Ingredients: Deboned salmon, chicken meal, turkey meal, peas, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, pea protein, chicken fat, dried plain beet pulp, natural flavor, flaxseed, menhaden fish meal, blueberries, carrots, salt, and salmon oil.
Where To Buy It: This product is available on Chewy.com.
How Much Is It? $42.99 (24 lb. bag).
Bottom Line
American Journey has been with your pup from the beginning, and provides some of the best blends on the market. Try this delicious, grain-free sweet potato and salmon recipe for improved overall health with potent Omega-3s.
Main Ingredients: Salmon, salmon meal, lentils, pea flour, chickpeas, peas, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), tomato pomace, sweet potatoes, flaxseed, natural flavor, salmon oil, salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, and yucca schidigera extract.
Where To Buy It: Available from PetCo.
How Much Is It? $52.99 for a 40 lb. bag.
Bottom Line
WholeHearted grain-free blend offers delicious salmon for protein and Omega-3s and lentils, pea flour, and chickpeas to ensure your pup gets fiber without exposure to grains. WholeHearted is a brand that takes a serious approach to pet food, working hard to minimalize low-quality ingredients, use no fillers, and source meat from ethical, sustainable sources.
Main Ingredients: Dried yeast, chickpeas, oats, peas, pea protein, potato protein, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), sweet potato, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation product, flaxseed meal, sunflower oil.
Where To Buy It: Available from Wildearth.com.
How Much Is It? $70 (18 lb. bag).
Bottom Line
Wild Earth brings clean plant-based protein for dogs of all sizes and breeds. With chickpeas, oats, and potato protein, your dog is getting potent plant-based proteins and plenty of dietary fiber and other nutrients for optimal health. This is a different approach to pet food and isn’t for everyone, but dogs still love its delicious flavors and we humans love the benefits of plant-based proteins.
Main Ingredients: Lamb meal, dried whole eggs, turkey meal, cassava/tapioca, pea flour, pea starch, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), chicken liver dried, pumpkin, ground flaxseed, alfalfa, and carrots.
Where To Buy It: Available from Chewy.com.
How Much Is It? $92 (25 lb. bag).
Bottom Line
This complete lamb meal contains only high-quality lamb and egg proteins, along with no grains to help your pup avoid those unpleasant allergy symptoms. Lamb is the first ingredient, so you’re getting a blend that tastes great and provides all of the important nutrients your doggo needs to maximize health.
Main Ingredients: Potatoes, egg product, potato protein, dried beet pulp, chicken fat, flaxseed, natural flavor, menhaden fish oil, dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, psyllium seed husk, and ginger root powder.
Where To Buy It: Available on Amazon and Chewy.com.
How Much Is It? $42 (25 lb. bag).
Bottom Line
This easy digestion blend from WholeHearted helps your doggo get important nutrients without the heavy, allergen-inducing effects of grains.
Main Ingredients: Lamb meal, brown rice, rice, canola oil, olive oil, natural flavor potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, vitamin e supplement, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin b-12 supplement, vitamin a acetate, vitamin d-3 supplement.
Where To Buy It: Available from Chewy.com.
How Much Is It? $72 (28 lb. bag)
Bottom Line
Tuscan natural offers this simply pure lamb recipe with limited ingredients for doggos with sensitivities or allergies. It’s delicious, easy to digest, and provides the nutrients your pup needs.
Main Ingredients: Salmon meal, oatmeal, potatoes, whole oats, de-boned salmon, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), apples, carrots, cranberries, monocalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, natural flavor, and flaxseed.
Where To Buy It: This product is available on petcurean.com and Chewy.com.
How Much Is It? $54.99 (25 lb. bag).
Bottom Line
This skin and coat care blend contains potent salmon meal, rich in Omega-3s and only oats for a healthy source of fiber.
Main Ingredients: Venison meal, whole eggs dried, turkey meal, pea starch, cassava/tapioca, peas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), chicken liver dried, pumpkin, ground flaxseed, alfalfa, and carrots.
Where To Buy It: Available from Chewy.com.
How Much Is It? About $30 (25 lb. bag).
Bottom Line
Brothers takes another spot on our list with this grain-free allergy care blend with fresh venison as the number one ingredient. With delicious venison, whole eggs, and turkey meal, your dog will love the flavor of this awesome allergy-friendly blend.
Main Ingredients: Lamb meal, oatmeal, brown rice, chicken fat, tomato pomace brewer's yeast, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, minerals, (zinc proteinate iron proteinate calcium carbonate manganese proteinate copper proteinate selenium yeast calcium iodate), vitamins.
Where To Buy It: Available from Chewy.com.
How Much Is It? $45.99 (25 lb. bag).
Bottom Line
FirstMate takes pride in its high-quality foods, and with this awesome free-range lamb and oats formula, your dog will get all of his necessary nutrients in an allergy-friendly blend.
Main Ingredients: Brown rice, eggs, deboned turkey, oat groats, pearled barley, turkey meal, millet, sunflower oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), quinoa, natural flavor, dicalcium phosphate, salmon oil, calcium carbonate, choline chloride, and vitamins.
Where To Buy It: Available from Freelypets and Chewy.com.
How Much Is It? $59.99 (21 lb.).
Bottom Line
This flexitarian limited ingredient blend takes a more minimalistic approach to dog food, with wholesome ingredients that won’t take up the entire label.
Main Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, venison, pea protein, potato protein, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), brewers dried yeast, natural flavor, dicalcium phosphate, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), flaxseed, dried potato products, calcium carbonate, salt, dl-methionine, choline chloride, minerals (zinc proteinate, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, iron proteinate, copper sulfate.
Where To Buy It: Available from Chewy.com.
How Much Is It? $69.99 (26-lb bag).
Bottom Line
This limited ingredient blend is designed to bring your dog optimal nutrition without the added weight of extra fillers and additives.
Main Ingredients: Beef tripe, bison tripe, turkey, peas, turkey meal, pea protein, chicken meal, pea starch, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), lentils, flaxseed, natural flavor, quinoa, pumpkin, spinach, carrot, broccoli, cranberry, apple, blueberry, banana, dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), chicory root, and vitamins.
Where To Buy It: Available from Chewy.com.
How Much Is It? $81.99 (25 lb. bag).
Bottom Line
Green tripe is a part of animal stomachs that offers incredible health benefits for dogs. Loaded with protein, vitamins and minerals, and plenty of other nutrients, this potent ingredient puts PetKind bison dry dog food on our list for its quality and potency. Made with lentils and flax, your dog will get dietary fiber along with quality proteins.
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