Best puppy foods for sensitive stomach 2022 – guide and reviews

If you’re one of the people who wants to know the answer right away, I’ll tell you:

Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Diet is the best puppy food for sensitive stomach, in my opinion.

Nevertheless, I suggest you read the full article. It contains some useful tips and information on the subject.

If you have had puppies before, you know for sure that they have quite common digestive problems. Digestion issues, sensitive stomach, or allergies. These are just a few examples. If your puppy also suffers from these, then this article is for you. In my writing, I have collected the best products on the market. I will discuss possible symptoms, causes, and solutions. 

Read on if you are interested!

Product table for the best puppy foods for sensitive stomach

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What are the signs of a sensitive stomach in puppies?

As with humans, dogs are individually different. However, a sensitive stomach has signs that are usually the same in all puppies. Let’s see these:

• Vomiting
  
• Nausea
  
• Lack of appetite
  
• Diarrhea
  
• Gas
  
• Bad breath

Of course, if only one or two of these occur in your puppy, and only for a short time, you don’t necessarily have to worry. But if you notice more of the above signs for an extended period of time, you may want to take action.

What can cause a sensitive stomach in puppies?

Let’s look at the causes after the possible symptoms. Of course, in most cases, it is very difficult to determine with absolute certainty what is causing the sensitive stomach. But let’s look at the possible reasons:

Intolerance or allergy

This is one of the most common causes of stomach tenderness. Many puppies may be intolerant or allergic to various proteins or grains. These are easy enough to eliminate from the diet. After all, pet food manufacturers usually indicate the ingredients used.

Some change in diet

This is a reason that is noticeable quickly and easily. If you suddenly switch to new food and your puppy has symptoms, you can be sure that the new product was causing the problem. I will write more about the switch later.

Eating things that shouldn’t be eaten

Dogs love to chew on everything and sometimes they even eat these things. If your dog eats spoiled food, garbage, or various poisonous plants, the symptoms discussed earlier may occur in him.

Parasites

There are worms and parasites that cause weight loss or diarrhea. Be sure to consult a veterinarian with this problem.

Stress or anxiety

This is less common in puppies, but it does occur sometimes. Separation anxiety or stress can lead to stomach aches, nausea, and diarrhea.

What are the best puppy foods for a sensitive stomach?

I’ll write later about what you need to pay attention to when it comes to the diet of puppies with sensitive stomachs. But before that, I reveal which are the best puppy foods on the market. I picked the top five.

Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Diet

This recipe contains only a few ingredients. This is beneficial for dogs with sensitive stomachs or digestive problems.

Among the ingredients are Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal, Oatmeal, Peas, and Brown Rice.

In addition to the ingredients mentioned above, the manufacturer has also paid attention to the proper intake of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The recipe also includes blueberries and cranberries.

From a macronutrient point of view, the product is quite sympathetic. The protein source is turkey and there is no meat by-product. The carbohydrate source is also well-chosen and easy to digest. Pumpkin and peas also help with proper digestion.

The product contains fish oil and flaxseed. So, with this food, you can also provide your dog with omega-3 intake. Last but not least, this product does not contain artificial colors, preservatives, soy, corn, or any other ingredient that can cause allergic reactions.

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CANIDAE PURE Puppy Recipe

This recipe also consists of simple ingredients. The manufacturer used chicken and fish as a source of protein.

The carbohydrate sources are lentils and peas. In addition, they are excellent even as a fiber source.

Of course, vitamins, minerals, and even probiotics have been added to this product. This way, your pup’s immune system, and digestion will be healthy.

Fats are provided by chicken fat, fish oil, and flaxseed. These are essential for good brain health and the beauty of skin and coat. This food is also free of additives and artificial ingredients.

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Fromm Puppy Gold Dry Dog Food

This sensitive stomach food contains super quality ingredients. Although it contains several sources of protein, they are all excellent.

These are duck, chicken, fish, lamb, whole eggs, and real Wisconsin cheese.

The carbohydrate sources of the product are oatmeal, pearled barley, brown rice, and potatoes. Added vegetables, amino acids, minerals, and probiotics support the health of the puppy.

The source of fat comes mostly from chicken, but salmon oil is also found in this food. And as we are used to with these foods, there are no artificial ingredients in this product either.

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Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Dry Puppy Food

This recipe uses lamb and lamb meal as a source of protein.

The carbohydrate source is also limited, namely brown rice and rice flour. It also contains pea protein.

It also contains added vitamins and minerals, as well as canola oil, salmon oil, and flaxseed as a fat source. The latter help in brain development and skin and coat health.

As with other similar products, it does not contain additives or artificial ingredients.

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Nulo Puppy & Small Breed Limited Plus Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

This food also has everything you need for a good limited ingredient puppy food.

It is grain-free and contains a single source of protein (turkey). And the carbs are chickpeas and sweet potatoes.

Added probiotics, minerals, and vitamins help maintain health. The sources of fat are canola and salmon oil. The latter is a perfect source of Omega-3. 

You will also not find ingredients like eggs, corn, wheat, soy, or white potato in this product. These would only make digestion more difficult.

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My Pick

Of course, all the products listed here are great. I recommend all of them, and sometimes it might be worth experimenting as well. If I have to pick my favorite, it’s definitely the Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Diet. 

Although brown rice can sometimes cause bloating, it is not very common. The benefits of this product are much greater. This is because it consists of a few ingredients, and all of them are of premium quality. I think this is the best product you can buy for your sensitive stomach puppy.

Click here to get one for your pup.

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Which breeds are most prone to gastrointestinal disorders?

As I mentioned, every puppy is different. However, there are breeds that are much more prone to allergies and intolerances.

German Shepherds

Allergies are quite common in them. For this reason, it is worth avoiding corn, eggs, wheat, and dairy products. An inflammatory disease of the stomach called Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis is also common in this breed. This causes vomiting and diarrhea.

Small breeds

Small dogs are more prone to a disease called long-term gastritis (aka stomach inflammation). It causes vomiting. 

Irish Setters

This breed is genetically predisposed to gluten sensitivity. For this reason, it is best to buy grain-free dog food if you have such a dog.

Labrador Retrievers

In their case, too, it is better to avoid common allergenic foods. Plus, they really like to eat everything, so it’s especially worth paying attention to.

Shar-Peis

Due to a genetic disorder, the body of these dogs does not absorb vitamin B12 properly. Therefore, they are more prone to Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis and various allergies.

Tips to prevent sensitive stomach in your puppy

With a proper diet, the diseases mentioned above can be treated very well. Below are some tips on what to look for when choosing foods for a puppy with a sensitive stomach.

• Strive for the best quality food and avoid products that contain meat by-products.
  
  
• Make sure your puppies can’t get near the trash can.
  
  
• Don’t buy untested, cheap, Chinese, or uncontrolled dog food.
  
  
• Prefer limited ingredient dog food. Grain-free can also be advantageous in this situation.
  
  
• Pay attention to what and how much you give your dog off the table. Many human foods are a problem for dogs.
  
  
• Try lamb, duck, or fish instead of chicken.
  
  
• Probiotics can be very helpful in bowel diseases.
  
  
• If you want to switch to another dog food, be sure to do so gradually.
  
  
• Avoid high-fat dog food. The ideal fat content is around 15-20%.
  
  
• Good quality fiber sources are useful (e.g. inulin). However, avoid high-fiber dog food.

How to switch to another puppy food

For dogs with digestive problems, the transition should be even more gradual. A quick switch can only exacerbate the problems. Experts say you should start by mixing the old food with the new one. The amount of the old should be 80-90% and the new is 10-20%.

If there is no problem with this mixture, you can change the ratios by 10-20% each day. Thus, a complete transition can take place in about 4-8 days. 

In some cases, the new food does not cause digestive problems. In this case, you can safely move faster with the transition. Watch your puppy’s reactions. 

What else you can feed a dog with a sensitive stomach?

If for some reason the current food is not good for your puppy, you can make your own recipe. Simply, use good quality protein sources and good quality carbohydrate sources. One unit of the former, twice as much of the latter.

Highly digestible and high-quality protein sources:

• Chicken (only if your pup is not sensitive to it)
  
  
• Lamb
  
  
• Lean ground beef
  
  
• Turkey
  
  
• Fish

Best carbohydrate sources:

• Boiled rice
  
  
• Boiled potatoes

Other great ingredients:

• Pumpkin: it has an extremely good effect on digestion.
  
  
• Imodium: Be sure to consult your veterinarian about this. However, there are situations where Imodium is very helpful in treating diarrhea.
  
  
• Chicken broth: it softens the pup’s food and helps digestion.

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