Best Food For Dogs With Allergies

Taking care of dog with allergies can be challenging. We’ve a boxer in our family with more allergies than I’d know where to start listing, so I personally know how tough it can be to keep them happy. The last thing in the world you want is to see your baby suffering, but nailing the right anti-allergy diet isn’t easy. Even if you find a dog food that’s tried, tested and proven as effective, this doesn’t mean they won’t turn their nose up at it.

Especially the world’s pickiest boxer…!

That’s why I’ve pulled together a selection of the very best foods for dogs with allergies on the market right now. With the backing of not just vets but thousands of happy campers across the US, these are all the kinds of sure-fire bets you can’t go wrong with. A tip from me though – be sure to book a consultation with your vet before changing your dog’s diet, if his allergies are in any way severe.

Best Overall Food for Dogs with Allergies

PS For Dogs 100% Hypoallergenic Dog Food

Right at the top of the table comes PS For Dogs 100% Hypoallergenic Dog Food. This specialist dog food has been engineered from the ground up to help manage pet allergies and prevent flair-ups. It was devised and developed by a seasoned veteran in canine food allergies and has been clinically tested. From paw licking to redness to rashes and so on, PS For Dogs 100% Hypoallergenic Dog Food is designed to deal with the whole job-lot. It’s far from the cheapest food for dogs with allergies out there, but the results speak for themselves.

Pros

With a high-protein, grain-free formula, the biggest benefit of this food is that it works…period. It’s also a firm favorite among pet owners with ‘refined’ tastes who won’t usually touch specialist food. They wolf this stuff down, it’s packed with everything dogs of all ages need and it’s even sold with a full money-back guarantee. My top pick for one simple reason – there’s nothing to lose by trying it out.

Cons

On the downside, PS For Dogs 100% Hypoallergenic Dog Food is pretty pricey and so might prove expensive for larger dogs. Clearly, a 2lb bag isn’t going to go far at all with a large breed.

Best Premium-Brand Food for Dogs with Allergies

Hill’s Science Diet Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Hill’s  the number-one brand trusted by vets for their own pets. That’s a fact…and it’s why I personally buy Hill’s products for all the family’s pets. You’ll usually find a ton of Hill’s products on-sale at veterinary surgeries all over the world. While Hill’s Science Diet Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food isn’t labelled as a hypoallergenic dog food, it’s been designed to use minimal ingredients and focus on maximum nourishment. Prebiotics help nutrient absorption and digestive health, while vitamins and amino acids do the business for sensitive dogs from the inside-out.

Pros

You can’t help but trust a brand like Hill’s to deliver – no other manufacturer has the same reputation among professionals. What’s more, for an ultra-premium product like this, the price is surprisingly reasonable. Not cheap, but good dog food never is. There’s also a large-breed formula available, a range of complementary treats/product and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Cons

Not all dogs seem to get on with the flavor of Hill’s Science Diet Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food…ours took some coercing, I can tell you! But then again the same can be said for just about any pet food on Earth. The kibbles might also be a little on the small sized for a good medium-sized dog, but as mentioned there’s also a large-breed version available.

Best Premium Food for Choosy Dogs with Allergies

Wellness Simple Natural Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food

Pet owners with particularly picky allergy-prone pets in their life (that’s my hand raised!) could do with checking out Wellness Simple Natural Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food. As the name suggests, they’ve kept the list of ingredients to an absolute minimum and focused on one source of protein and easily digestible carbs. You’d be hard-pressed to find a dog that doesn’t gobble this stuff down like it’s more of a treat than a complete food. In terms of taste and managing common pet allergies, Wellness Simple Natural Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food scores top-marks all-round.

Pros

Wellness Simple Natural Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food has one of the smallest lists of ingredients of any hypoallergenic dog food. Which means that if other top-picks haven’t done the job, this probably will. The flavor seems to be an absolute winner with most dogs, while the kibbles have been kept small enough to suit most mouths.

Cons

It’s hard to pick fault with the formula, but this is definitely a pricey pet food. In addition, you might find that the kibbles are a little too small for medium to large-sized dogs to deal with comfortably.

Best Food for Dogs with Allergies of all Ages

Dogswell Nutrisca Dog Food, Lamb and Chickpea

While some hypoallergenic dog foods focus on specific sizes and age groups, Dogswell Nutrisca Dog Food, Lamb and Chickpea was designed to cover the whole spectrum. This super-premium food is made with no tapioca or potato, focusing instead on antioxidant-rich super-fruits, lamb, fish, peas and chickpeas. It covers the complete nutritional requirements of all dogs of all ages and has been clinically-proven as effective against allergies.

Pros

The best thing about an all-round hypoallergenic pet food like this is that once your baby’s used to it, you never have to worry about switching again. There’s also a salmon version available to add a little variety into things. The price may be high, but it’s reflected in the quality.

Cons

That said, if your dog is particularly huge and hungry, it’s not going to be cheap to keep topped-up on this stuff. Not that you can put a price on his health, of course. The ‘Made in USA’ badge recently disappeared from the bag too, which didn’t go down well with some folks but doesn’t really bother me too much.

Best Exotic Food for Dogs with Allergies

Wilderness Blue Buffalo High Protein Dry Adult Dog Food

What if your dog doesn’t do well with conventional meats in general? Or say perhaps you’d like to bring something a little more exotic into his life? The answer…Wilderness Blue Buffalo High Protein Dry Adult Dog Food. Available in a variety of interesting flavors, this alligator and catfish blend contains no poultry, wheat, corn, soy, colors, flavors or any of the kind of stuff that’s known for triggering allergies. Best of all, even the pickiest dogs take to it like a boat to a bayou!

Pros

Absolutely perfect for pets that either cannot or will not eat foods made with more traditional meats. Made with very limited ingredients with a focus on simple nutrition, Wilderness Blue Buffalo High Protein Dry Adult Dog Food also scores high in the management of common allergies. And it’s great for adding a little exotic variety to your dog’s diet.

Cons

One big pet peeve – some of the smaller bags don’t come with zip-locks to keep the stuff fresh! Other than this, the only slight con is the typical RRP, which even for premium food for dogs with allergies is a little on the high side.

Best Treats for Dogs with Allergies

Fitapet Allergy Relief for Itchy Dogs

Last up, a dog’s life with no treats involved is really no life at all. But it can be tricky to know what to hand out, if he struggles with food allergies. The usual bites, biscuits, bones and baked good cause nothing but chaos for our boxer.  Fitapet Allergy Relief for Itchy Dogs turned out to be a great find – designed to help reduce and manage scratching, hot spots, itchy skin, rash and paw licking. Turmeric is said to be the magic ingredient that makes that difference – we can’t vouch for that specifically, but we can tell you these things really are great!

Pros

It’s nice to be able to feed your dog chews he loves with total confidence. Speaking of which, there’s even a 100% money-back guarantee from the manufacturer. Wheat-free, a real hit with picky eaters and packed with all the good stuff your dog’s immune system needs.

Cons

If you had to pick a couple of minor faults, the flavor (as always) isn’t guaranteed to appeal to every dog and they’re far from the cheapest treats on the market.