While our puppies grow, they must consume quality and nutritious food. However, not all puppies transition into solid food easily. Their immune and digestive systems, in addition to their gut bacteria, are developing and getting used to the new food source.

It is common for puppies to face challenges during this time. Some puppies are more sensitive than others and have digestive issues. Luckily, there are puppy foods explicitly designed for these sensitive dogs. Take a look at our reviews below for the best puppy food for sensitive stomachs. You should find something for just about every puppy.

A Glance at Our Favorite Picks in 2024

The 9 Best Puppy Foods for Sensitive Stomachs

1. Ollie Lamb Fresh Dog Food Subscription – Best Overall

If your puppy has a sensitive stomach, we highly recommend the Ollie Lamb Fresh Recipe. It’s minimally processed and made with fresh ingredients, and it’s our pick for the best overall puppy food for sensitive stomachs. Therefore, it’s easier on your puppy’s stomach. Furthermore, because the food is fresh, it’s tastier. If your puppy is a picky eater, Ollie’s lamb recipe is ideal.

The first ingredient is lamb, which isn’t a common allergen and is often very gentle on dogs’ stomachs. Furthermore, the organ meat from lambs is also included. It’s extremely high in nutrients, which adds to the quality of this food.

Cranberries, squash, chickpeas, and kale are also included. Rice provides extra carbohydrates, as well as potatoes. Overall, Ollie’s recipe has all the nutrients your canine needs to thrive and is high in protein. The moisture content isn’t as high as other fresh dog foods, but it’s designed for dogs of any age and breed. Therefore, you can start your puppy on Ollie’s recipe and not worry about switching them to adult food later.

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2. Natural Balance L.I.D. Salmon & Brown Rice Puppy Formula – Budget Buy

Compared to other dog foods, Natural Balance L.I.D. Salmon & Brown Rice Puppy Formula is relatively inexpensive. It’s cheaper than most, even “budget” brands like Purina. However, it is still made with quality ingredients and may be exactly what a puppy with sensitive digestion needs.

This formula is made in the United States using premium ingredients like salmon and fish meal. It’s designed for dogs with sensitive digestion and allergies and includes very few ingredients. Natural Balance is also chicken-free, making it an excellent option for those sensitive to chicken.

The salmon ensures that your puppy consumes the correct number of amino acids and omega fatty acids, like DHA, which are all essential for eye and brain development. Whole-grain brown rice is also included, which helps increase the fiber content of the food and further improves your puppy’s digestive health.

Of course, all the vitamins and minerals your canine needs are also included. With so many benefits, Natural Balance is easily the best puppy food for the money.

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3. ORIJEN Puppy Grain-Free Dry Puppy Food

If you can spend more money on your puppy’s food, you may want to look at ORIJEN Puppy Grain-Free Dry Puppy Food. The formula is made with some of the top ingredients around. For instance, chicken and turkey are the first two ingredients, but after that comes a wide range of other proteins, including flounder and eggs. Even organ meats are included in this dog food.

Although Orijen’s formula is one of the best premium dog foods, it is also expensive, primarily because of the high-quality ingredients included. You’re getting what you pay for, but it is still a high price tag. The kibble is also coated in freeze-dried meat to boost the flavor and hopefully entice picky dogs into eating.

However, the multiple proteins can make it inappropriate for some sensitive canines.

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4. Blue Buffalo Basics Turkey & Potato Puppy Food

With only turkey as the main protein, Blue Buffalo Basics Turkey & Potato Puppy Food is a good option for puppies that don’t do well on multiple-protein foods. It includes DHA, which is necessary for proper brain development. It also contains several ingredients your puppy needs, such as calcium and taurine. These ingredients go a long way to ensuring your puppy develops properly. Antioxidants are also added to support immune health and prevent oxidative stress, which has been linked to many diseases.

Because this is a limited-ingredient formula, it is the perfect option for those with food sensitivities. There isn’t much in Blue Buffalo’s Basics, so there is less for your dog to react to. Furthermore, it also contains no corn, wheat, and soy.

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5. ACANA Puppy Recipe Grain-Free Dry Puppy Food

ACANA Puppy Recipe Grain-Free Dry Puppy Food is also a good puppy food for sensitive canines. It includes quality meat products as the first three ingredients to ensure your puppy receives the proper protein and fat to thrive and grow properly. The turkey and chicken meal accounts for 60% of this formula.

The other 40% includes veggies like peas, lentils, pumpkin, and some fruits like apples, pears, and berries. While this food includes many ingredients, most of them are natural and help increase the nutritional value of the food. Of course, it also contains added vitamins and minerals to round out your puppy’s meal.

Probiotics are included to support your puppy’s digestive system. This formula is also grain-free and made without corn, soy, or wheat. The kibble is coated with freeze-dried chicken and turkey to help improve its overall flavor.

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6. Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Grain-Free Dry Puppy Food

The Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Puppy Recipe is grain-free and includes salmon and ocean fish meal as the first two ingredients. Many canines with sensitive stomachs do great on fish-based dog food. The salmon ensures a high omega fatty acid content, further helping your puppy develop.

Taste of the Wild is particularly proud that it gets all its vitamins and minerals from real foods, unlike the artificial sources used by several brands. This formula also includes many probiotics, which may help the digestive system and improve the immune system. Antioxidants are also included, which prevent oxidative stress.

This formula is made in the USA., and the brand is family-owned. Taste of the Wild only uses ingredients from top-quality sources, plus it is made without corn, wheat, or artificial ingredients.

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7. Purina Pro Plan Puppy Sensitive Skin & Stomach

Purina is a household name as far as pets are concerned. It’s one of the biggest pet food producers in the world, so it only makes sense that we would include its Purina Pro Plan Puppy Sensitive Skin & Stomach on this list.

While Purina formulas are often pretty cheap, the Pro Plan is a bit more expensive than most on our list. It also doesn’t include the best ingredients. Salmon is included as the first ingredient, which is a quality option that is high in DHA. However, rice and barley are also included high on the ingredient list, which although they’re nutritious, they’re too prominent in the recipe.

Based on this information, this formula found its way closer to the bottom of the list. However, rice is one of the easiest ingredients on a dog’s stomach. Therefore, if your puppy is having difficulty eating anything, you may want to consider this formula.

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8. Nutro Ultra Puppy Dry Dog Food

The Nutro Ultra Puppy Dry Dog Food claims to be a mix of superfoods that will help your puppy thrive. However, based on the ingredient list, it is mostly chicken with grains. Some “superfoods” are mentioned near the bottom of the list, but they are included in very low amounts. In fact, there are 15 superfoods that your dog might benefit from, but they are all much lower on the list.

Chicken and chicken meal are the first two ingredients, but many dogs are also sensitive to chicken. On a good note, this formula doesn’t include preservatives, flavors, colors, or chicken by-product meal. All the grains utilized are whole grains and include quite a bit of fiber, which may be precisely what your sensitive puppy needs.

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9. Solid Gold Mighty Mini Toy Breed Puppy Food

Solid Gold Mighty Mini Toy Breed Puppy Food is designed for smaller puppies who have difficulty eating other foods. However, it is expensive and not nearly high-quality enough to make the price worth it.

Beef is included as the first ingredient, followed by ocean fish meal. Both ingredients are high in protein, and most dogs love beef and fish. However, the rest of the formula includes ingredients like lentils and pea protein, which might be linked with heart problems. While this formula is high in protein, much is from the concentrated pea protein—not a meat-based source.

Solid Gold Mighty Mini is free from grains and gluten, which can sometimes upset a sensitive dog’s stomach. It also includes probiotics, which are always helpful for sensitive dogs.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Puppy Foods for Sensitive Stomachs

Choosing the correct puppy food is vital for your dog’s health. Not only does the puppy food keep your dog in tip-top shape now, but it also ensures that your puppy grows into a healthy adult. If you choose low-quality puppy food, your puppy may not develop properly.

If your puppy has a sensitive stomach, you have fewer options for puppy food. Not only do you have to choose high-quality food, but it also needs to be something your puppy can eat. In this section, we’ll help you navigate the sea of information surrounding puppy foods and figure out just the right food for your canine.

Go Simple

If your dog has a sensitive stomach, several causes exist. In many cases, your dog may be unable to digest certain ingredients, which causes the upset. In other cases, multiple ingredients combined may cause the problem.

Either way, the answer in both cases is to simplify and choose a limited-ingredient formula. Fewer ingredients are typically easier on your dog’s stomach, and it makes it easier to avoid problematic ingredients.

Many brands make “limited ingredient diets” that are perfect for these dogs. They only include the bare necessity ingredients—usually meat and grains. If you’re having a hard time choosing puppy food, we recommend one of these options.

Single Proteins

Despite what some companies tell you, dogs are typically sensitive to proteins rather than grains. In fact, chicken is one of the most common allergens and most popular ingredients in dog food. Even brands that don’t mention chicken on the front of the bag often mention chicken on the ingredient list. (So always be sure to check.)

Choosing formulas with only one protein source makes it easier to avoid ingredients that your dog is sensitive to. Furthermore, some dogs are sensitive to multiple proteins at a time. Therefore, if you limit it to one protein, you may find that your dog digests their food just fine.

Luckily, many brands we discussed in our reviews only include one protein.

Go Easy on the Carbs

Many dog foods include a wide variety of carbohydrates, such as grains and veggies. While some dogs can handle carbohydrates just fine, others have problems digesting large amounts. Therefore, we recommend choosing formulas that include few carbohydrates and only a couple of types. Some pet owners avoid formulas with peas, lentils, and potatoes since they are potentially linked to health problems.

Animal Fats

Many companies with lower-quality foods add plant-based ingredients to their foods to make them taste better. They are cheaper than animal fats and have a similar effect. However, many dogs have trouble digesting them, especially when they are included in high amounts.

Therefore, look for brands that feature animal fats in their ingredients. Salmon oil and chicken fat are both fine ingredients. However, you should avoid ingredients like canola oil. It isn’t that these are entirely void of nutrition. They are just harsher on a dog’s stomach than other oils from fish.

Fiber

When buying food for your sensitive puppy, you should be looking for high-fiber formulas. Fiber is vital for a dog’s digestive system, so it is essential that they have a share of it. Many dogs that are experiencing digestive problems simply don’t consume enough fiber.

 

Conclusion

For most puppies with sensitive stomachs, we recommend the Ollie Lamb Fresh Dog Food. This high-quality fresh food is grain-free and includes meats as the first few ingredients. Plus, the unusual lamb protein is unlikely to upset your puppy’s delicate stomach.

If you’re on a budget, you may want to consider Natural Balance L.I.D. Salmon & Brown Rice Puppy Formula. It uses fish as the primary protein and contains very few carbohydrates. It is also high in protein and inexpensive. We hope our in-depth reviews have helped you find the best puppy food for your pup with a sensitive stomach.

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