5 Best Grain-Free Dog Food for Skin Allergies (2024)

A common problem among dog parents is allergic diseases, especially food allergy. Did you know that there’s a simple solution?

All you need is to switch your dog’s food to a grain-free diet. Healthy food choices for allergic dogs don’t contain additives, preservatives, or fillers.

Instead, they’re packed with real beef or chicken, vegetables, fruits, minerals, and essential vitamins for a healthy lifestyle.

The only problem is that the market is currently flooded with the so-called grain-free dog food. This makes it even harder for a pet parent to distinguish between junk and the real thing.

No need to worry because we have done the research for you, and we found five genuine products that will help your allergic pooch.

Here’s our complete roundup.

Top 5 Best Grain Free Dog Food for Skin Allergies

#1. Supreme Source Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Introducing the Supreme Source Grain-Free Dry Dog Food. A meal made to meet all the nutritional requirements of your sensitive pooch.

Key Ingredients:

• Turkey Meal
• Sweet Potatoes
• Peas and Chickpeas
• Fruits and Vegetables

The turkey meal is an amazing source of healthy protein for your pooch because it consists of less fresh turkey and more protein.

The sweet potatoes give your pal sufficient amounts of fiber, vitamin A, and gluten-free complex carbs. They help improve your dog’s health as well as longevity.

Your pooch gets essential nutrients (linoleic acid), high-quality carbohydrates, and natural fiber from the included peas.

The chickpeas in the food are a good source of vitamin A and E, protein, manganese, and dietary fiber. Manganese supports brain function and bone health.

The diet also features a blend of pomegranates, spinach, cranberries, blueberries, and carrots, which are a natural source of minerals, vitamins, fiber, and potassium.

USDA organic seaweed is an incredible source of nutrients. It contains powerful prebiotics that supports intestinal health, boost the immune system, and maintain healthy digestion.

What We Like

• Suitable for a pooch with food and skin allergies
• Supports digestive sensitivity
• Boosts the overall immune system
• Maintains healthy digestion and intestinal health
• Natural antioxidants improve overall health and longevity

What We Don’t Like

• Guaranteed analysis only states the amounts of crude nutrients

#2. Simply Perfection Super Premium Grain Free Food

If you are looking for a dog meal that contains no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors, you should look no further than the Simply Perfection Super Premium Grain Free Food.

Key Ingredients:

• Beef and Lamp Meal
• Dried Peas and Chickpeas
• Pea Protein and Fiber
• Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids
• Minerals and Vitamins

With Simply Perfection, the recipe is grain-free, which means you will not find rice, corn, wheat, or any other added grains.

Beef and lamp meal are abundant sources of high-quality protein. Beef also supplies your pooch with bio-appropriate amino acids and healthy fats.

Chickpeas maintain a good balance of insoluble fiber and protein. The insoluble fiber feeds the intestinal walls of your dog, promoting good gut health.

Pea protein supplies your pooch with lots of amino acids for a super healthy body function. Pea protein also contains lysine and iron for a healthy immune system and muscle growth.

Both omega 3 and 6 fatty acids boost the immune system, enhance skin health, and promote cell growth. This ensures your dog has a healthy, shiny coat.

Minerals and vitamins supplied by the ingredients help with skin health, cell growth, and immune boosting, bone and teeth strength.

What We Like

• Grain free and doesn’t contain food additives
• Contains natural mineral, vitamins, and trace nutrients sources
• Omega 3 and 6 boost skin health and shiny coats
• Carefully formulated for maximum nutrition and taste
• Easy to feed your pooch and allows for gradual transition

What We Don’t Like

• Transition may take a little bit longer

#3. Wellness Simple Natural Grain Free Dog Food

You can effectively control food allergies and ingredients intolerance with the Wellness Simple Natural Grain Free Dog Food.

Key Ingredients:

• Salmon and Salmon Meal
• Potatoes, Peas, and Dried Ground Potatoes
• Ground Flaxseed
• Tomato Pomace
• Canola Oil
• Vitamin E Supplements

What makes this food special is the fact that it is a single protein, limited ingredients diet. It contains single novel protein, meat as the main ingredient, and probiotics.

It doesn’t contain fillers, artificial colors, flavors, additives, or preservatives that may be allergic to your dog’s skin.

Salmon is the main ingredient in this food, providing your pooch with essential proteins, minerals, and vitamins.

Salmon also contains omega 3, which decreases inflammation, boosts the immune system, and ensures your dog’s coat is healthy and shiny.

Potatoes supply your furred friend with approximately 75 percent protein, which not only boosts the immune system but also supports strong muscles.

Vitamin E supplements feature anti-inflammatory properties, which promote healthy skin and improve the luster and health of your pooch’s coat.

What We Like

• Contains no food color, preservatives, or additives
• Salmon is a health novel protein that boosts the immune system
• Easily digestible formula that supports healthy digestion
• Omega 3 sources nourishes the skin and coat
• Suitable for food sensitivities and skin allergies

What We Don’t Like

• Your pooch may stop easting the food

#4. Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain Free Dog Food

Blue Buffalo Freedom is formulated with quality natural foodstuffs and enhanced with minerals, vitamins and supplements.

Key Ingredients:

• Deboned Beef
• Flaxseed
• Blueberries
• Alfalfa
• Sweet Potatoes
• Cranberries and Blueberries

Free of artificial preservatives, glutens and grains. The food contains real beef and not by-products of chicken. Deboned beef supplies your pooch with sufficient protein.

It contains antioxidant-rich life source bits, which include blueberries, parsley, cranberries, alfalfa, and flaxseed.

Flaxseed ensures your canine friend is super healthy. This ingredient is a superb source of omega 3 fatty acids, manganese, protein, and dietary fiber.

Alfalfa is a good source of B vitamins, vitamin K, beta-carotene, potassium, calcium among other trace minerals.

Blueberries are an amazing low-calorie treat for your canine friend. They contain vitamin K and C, fiber and antioxidants, which improve the immune system and overall health.

Cranberries help fight canine urinary tract infections by lowering the pH of the urine, making it more acidic. This ensures pH sensitive bacteria fend off

Sweet potatoes are natural, healthy, and safe treats for your furred pal. They are a rich source of essential vitamins and dietary fiber.

What We Like

• Essential vitamins support a healthy immune system
• Real deboned meat promote muscle development
• Promotes strong teeth and bones
• Omega 3 and 6 boost a healthy skin and shiny coat
• Helps boost joint function as well as mobility

What We Don’t Like

• May not be suitable for some dog breeds

#5. Nulo Adult Grain Free Dog Food

Nulo Adult Grain Free Dog Food provides natural premium nutrition with carefully sourced quality ingredients.

Key Ingredients

• Deboned Salmon
• Turkey Meal
• Sweet Potatoes
• Lentils
• Chickpeas
• Dried Blueberries
• Dried Apples, Tomatoes, and Carrots

These quality kibbles are made of low glycerin, low carb sources like chickpeas, lentils and sweet potatoes. The kibbles are also packed with the ideal amounts of minerals and vitamins.

Patented probiotics support your pooch’s digestive and immune system. All to provide the energy and vitality to fill her inner athlete.

Real salmon ensures your dog gets adequate omega 3 fatty acids for nourishing her beautiful skin and promote a shiny, healthy coat.

Animal-based protein, such as turkey and salmon contains many amino acids for supporting a healthy heart and lean muscle mass.

Chickpeas are full of minerals, vitamins, fiber, and protein. They are also high in potassium and low in sodium for a pooch with heart issues.

Sweet potatoes are great sources of dietary fiber for digestive health. They are rich in manganese, vitamin C, and vitamin B6.

Dried blueberries have low-calorie content and they are rich in vitamin K, vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants. All these nutrients help boost the immune system.

What We Like

• A protein rich diet that’s free of grains and food additives
• No by-products included only real ingredients
• Low in carbs, but rich of necessary nutrients for longevity
• Promotes leans muscles and a healthy coat
• Wholesome vegetables and fruits boost the immune system
• Suitable for smaller as well as larger breeds

What We Don’t like

• Transition may not be smooth for all dog breeds

Buying Guide

Managing dog food allergy doesn’t have to be a difficult proposition. You just need to be extremely selective when shopping for your dog’s nourishment.

Here’re a few important things that we took into consideration.

Read the Ingredients

Minimum pet food safety standards require manufacturers to have labels on their products. One of the most important labels is the ingredients list.

It is a mine of information, which will tell you what exactly the food is made of, and whether or not it will be safe and reliable nutrition for your canine friend.

You should concentrate most on the first few ingredients on the list. We use this criterion because the ingredients are listed by weight.

For example, the first three ingredients will give you a pretty good idea of what nutrition can do for your canine friend.

The first ingredient is always meat (beef, poultry lamb, or fish). You must ensure that the first ingredient is made up of real meat and not by-products.

Real meat, such as real lamb or real chicken are good sources of protein, necessary for lean muscle mass and overall health.

In most foods, the second ingredient will be a meat meal (remnants that are not eaten by humans), such as a chicken meal.

The third ingredient may be vegetables or fruits, which are healthy sources of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and fibers.

Guaranteed Analysis

The next important label that you should pay attention to is the Guaranteed Analysis, which informs you of the ingredients in the food.

It is important you note that a guaranteed analysis panel only gives you the max limits (%) of crude fiber and moisture; and min limits (%) of crude protein, crude fat, minerals, vitamins, and omega 3 & 6.

What a guaranteed analysis panel doesn’t do is give you a precise measure of what is in the food. To know the true value of the diet, you will have to go through the ingredient list.

Transition Chart

You can’t just blindly switch your dog’s food. She might not transition smoothly. You need a transition chart for guidance.

The goal of a transition chart is to help your pooch get used to the food in a given time span without interfering with her eating style or upsetting her stomach.

A successful transition may take up to 10 days or more. It depends with how fast and effective your dog’s digestive system accepts the food.

A basic transition chart may look like this:

Look for foods with a transition chart that factors in other considerations, such as pregnancy, health concerns, and transition between wet and dry foods.

What goes hand-in-hand with the transition chart is the daily feeding guideline, make sure you follow it in order to supply your dog with all her daily nutrient intake.

Brand Popularity

This is very easy to know. Just check out what pet parents are saying about the brand in the pet community or forums.

Apart from their high-quality grain free foods, the best brands are well-known for their great packaging and customer support.

It is wise to avoid brands that pet parents complain too much about. For example, some brands tend to have poorly sealed bags that may contain pantry moths.

FAQs

Q1. What Does Grain Free Mean?

This means the food doesn’t contain rice, corn, wheat or any other grain. But these types of foods may use peas and potatoes to supply your dog with carbs for energy.

Q2. Are Food Labels on Dog Food Bags Important?

They’re extremely important for matching your pooch’s nutritional requirements with the no-grain food.

You also get to know all the ingredients included in the diet. This allows you to single out any nutrients that may be allergic to your dog.

Q3. What is the Importance of a Transition Chart?

It guides you on how to feed your canine friend one day at a time to allow for a smooth transition. This is so, since it takes time for the digestive system of your dog to keep up with the switch.

Q4. Are Meat By-Products Safe for Dogs?

According to experts, meat by-products are exceptional sources of healthy proteins. In fact, organ meat, such as heart, spleen, and liver are good sources of protein, minerals, and vitamins.

Q5. What are the Benefits of Grain Free Nutrition?

The food is:

• Not allergic to most dog breeds
• Contains active nutrients and antioxidants
• Promotes healthy digestion
• Improves skin health and supports a shiny coat
• Supports strong bones, teeth and muscles

Final Words

Our best overall no-grain dog food for skin allergies is Supreme Source Grain Free Dry Dog Food. It contains no soy, wheat, or corn.

Every ingredient that goes into this food is safe, healthy, and just what your pooch needs to avoid skin allergies and promote healthy skin and coat.

Making the switch from an ordinary food to this diet requires roughly ten days, and your dog will love the texture and test of every bite.

This is a complete nutrition that will help maintain your dog’s healthy lifestyle and longevity. Not to mention that the brand has gained popularity on the market.