The Best Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs

22 . August .2024Katy van suilchem0 Comments

Dogs often struggle with digestive issues, which can be triggered by genetics, allergies, intolerances, overeating, or even bacterial infections. Figuring out what’s causing your pup’s discomfort is the first step to finding a solution. Once you understand the problem, you can then find the best food and routine to improve their digestive health and take the stress out of mealtimes.

In this article, we’ll explore some telltale signs of digestive problems in dogs, offer some steps to address them, and highlight the best dog food for sensitive stomachs.

What are the signs of digestive problems in dogs?

Your dog’s digestive health is incredibly important. The digestive system is not only responsible for breaking down food and turning it into energy, but it also helps protect your pup from toxins and harmful bacteria.

Being able to spot the signs of a digestive problem in your dog quickly means you can make the necessary diet or lifestyle changes to ease the symptoms and get your pup back to their best.

Here are some of the most common signs to look out for:

Soft or poorly formed stools
Diarrhoea
Excessive flatulence
Vomiting
Loss of appetite
Abdominal pain

Steps to take

Now that we’ve gone over the signs of digestive problems in dogs, you might be wondering what your next steps are. First off, it’s worth noting that if you’re worried about your dog’s digestion, it’s always a good idea to check in with your vet. They can help figure out if there are any underlying issues, especially if the symptoms came on suddenly or are particularly severe.

But there are also some simple things you can try at home. You can start by identifying any food allergies, testing out some new types of food, and establishing a consistent feeding schedule to help your pup feel happier, healthier and more full of life.

We’ll go into more detail below:

Identify food allergies.

To identify your dog’s food allergies or intolerances, consider trying an elimination diet. This involves removing potential allergens from your pet’s diet and replacing them with gentler ingredients before slowly reintroducing ingredients one at a time to observe any flare-ups and pinpoint specific triggers.

How does an elimination diet work?

Start by putting your dog on a restricted diet with limited ingredients—typically one carbohydrate and one protein source that your dog hasn’t eaten before (a novel protein), like venison, rabbit, or duck. Stick with this diet for around 8 - 12 weeks, then slowly reintroduce other foods one at a time, waiting a few weeks between each new ingredient.

This method helps you to determine which ingredients are causing adverse reactions. Common allergens to consider eliminating from your dog’s diet include beef, chicken, dairy, wheat, soy, eggs, citrus and shellfish.

Gradually transition onto a new food.

Once you’ve figured out which foods are causing issues for your pup, it’s time to switch to a new dog food! We recommend mixing the new food with your dog’s current food over about 7 - 10 days, slowly increasing the proportion of the new food while decreasing the old. This gradual transition helps ease your dog onto the new foods and avoids further unnecessary stomach upset.

If you’re making the switch from traditional kibble to cold-pressed dog food, check out our helpful guide here: Cobbydog Cold-Pressed Dog Food Transitioning Guide.

Set a schedule.

Another key aspect to keep in mind is the importance of maintaining a consistent mealtime schedule. This can help prevent overeating, a common cause of stomach issues in dogs. The general rule of thumb is to feed two main meals a day - one in the morning and one in the evening. It’s perfectly fine to offer snacks between meals, provided this is done in moderation. Ideally, you should choose a natural and nutritious option, such as Cobbydog’s Cobby Crunch Venison & Lamb Training Treats.

If your dog tends to eat too quickly, you might want to try a slow feeder bowl or mat. These tools make your dog work for their food, helping them pace themselves and avoid gulping down too much food too fast, which can lead to abdominal pain and vomiting.

Best Dog Food for Dogs with Sensitive Stomachs

Let’s look at the best dog foods for dogs with sensitive stomachs. We’ll provide some recommendations and discuss which individual ingredients help with digestion and which ones to avoid if your dog struggles with symptoms like bloating, excessive gas, diarrhoea, or vomiting.

Cold Pressed Dog Food

First up is cold-pressed dog food. Cold-pressed dog food is great for digestion because it’s minimally processed and breaks down easily in your dog’s stomach. It’s also nutritionally dense, meaning you can feed your pup smaller portions and less often than traditional kibble. Plus, cold-pressing helps retain nutrients and cuts down on bacteria, making it a super healthy dog food overall.

View Cobbydog’s Cold Pressed Dog Food Range.

Gluten-Free Dog Food

Many dog foods contain gluten due to grains like wheat, rye or barley. Gluten is generally fine for more dogs, but just like humans, some dogs can be intolerant or even allergic to it. If you discover that your dog struggles with gluten, fear not, as there are lots of gluten-free alternatives out there.

Cobbydog offers a range of gluten-free dog food options, packed with nutrients and designed to meet your dog’s unique dietary needs. Check them out here.

Wet Dog Food

Is wet or dry food better for dogs with sensitive stomachs? The choice between the two is not always clear-cut. Wet food is often favoured because it’s easier to chew and has a higher moisture content. But ultimately, the choice comes down to your dog’s specific needs and preferences.

At Cobbydog, we ensure that all our dog food options, including our extruded kibble, cold-pressed and wet food options, are formulated to be gentle on sensitive stomachs. If you’ve already tried changing up the ingredients and ruling out common allergens without success, wet food could certainly be worth a try.

We offer a variety of gentle wet dog food options, including Salmon & Ocean Fish and Chicken & Vegetables. For dogs with sensitivities to common proteins like chicken or beef, we also provide alternatives with our duck and lamb wet food trays.

Cobbydog Recommends

All of our products have been designed with digestion in mind. Always 100% natural and packed with nutrients, Cobbydog has wholesome options for every pup, regardless of age, size, breed or unique dietary needs.

We’ve highlighted a few of our dog foods that are particularly well-suited for dogs with sensitive stomachs. However, we recognise that every dog is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to their nutritional needs. We recommend starting with a sample and gradually transitioning your dog onto our food to see how they get on.

Immunity Impact™ Duck Dinner Cold Pressed with Plasma

Immunity Impact™ Duck Dinner Cold Pressed with Plasma is a great choice for dogs with digestive issues. Dogs love the great taste of duck, and it’s extra gentle on sensitive tummies. It features plasma to boost immune function and is enriched with TurmerAid™, a unique blend containing turmeric to reduce inflammation and yucca to support healthy stomach microflora. Free from rice, gluten, chemical additives, artificial colours, flavourings, sugars, and preservatives, it’s perfect for dogs with intolerances, sensitive digestion, or grain allergies!

Why not try a sample of Immunity Impact™ Duck Dinner today?

Optimum Cold Pressed with added TurmerAid™

We've received incredible feedback from customers whose dogs have struggled with tummy problems for years, and our Optimum Cold Pressed has made a real difference. Made with chicken, which is often gentler on sensitive stomachs than red meats, Optimum is hypoallergenic while also being high in protein, making it a great choice for dogs with digestive sensitivities.

Take a look at Optimum Cold Pressed today, and be sure to check out its fantastic reviews!

Fish Supper Cold Pressed

Fish is highly digestible and packed with essential omega-3 and omega-6 oils, making our Fish Supper Cold Pressed a fantastic option for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Like many of our products, it’s gluten and rice-free, and enriched with TurmerAid™ to provide added support for overall health and digestion.

Discover Fish Supper Cold Pressed today and find the perfect match for your pup’s sensitive tummy!