It is very important for every dog owner to choose the best food for their dog, and this is especially true when selecting the best food for dachshunds, as there is a great deal of choice out there. The selection of foods available can be challenging. Dachshunds need plenty of vitamins, minerals, and protein as do all small dogs, but their calorie requirement is more than some other breeds. That's even without considering dietary requirements or allergy concerns. So what are the best foods for your dachshund with a grain allergy?
Winston has been with us for a year, and we've shared many exciting adventures together. But his first few days with us were quite worrying, as he became lethargic and started to lose fur. When we sought professional help, we learned that Winston was allergic to grains, which made things a little more complicated at first. We developed a new food regime and added a vitamin to his meals each day, soon enough he became an entirely new puppy. Slowly, but surely we continue learning about ingredients and identifying the common symptoms of his grain allergies.
It is important to seek professional advice if you believe your dog may have an allergy. If a food allergy is well managed, your dog can live a perfectly normal life. Left untreated, food allergies can have a serious effect on your dog’s health and quality of life. It can be pretty hard to pinpoint the exact allergy, but a professional will offer the best advice.
Dogs do love their food. They get so excited when their bowls are filled, and we enjoy keeping them happy with their nutritious meals. There are obvious foods that dogs can’t eat like chocolate, grapes and onions, but some dogs are allergic to random foods or even certain dog foods. Even though it can be worrying, there are many allergy-friendly dog foods available, and your veterinarian can provide recommendations for treatment. To help you make the right choice when shopping for the best dog food for dachshunds with grain intolerances, here are some of the most popular and highly rated on the market right now (that we have tried ourselves).
James Wellbeloved
James Wellbeloved pride themselves on producing naturally healthy, complete and hypoallergenic pet food. Using the finest ingredients and no artificial colours or preservatives, James Wellbeloved food is perfect for dogs who suffer from digestive intolerance or food allergies.
Besides natural ingredients, there is one source of animal protein in the wet food, along with vital vitamins and minerals. Winston liked the turkey in gravy the best and it is still something that we get for him every now and again. There is a whole range naturally hypoallergenic options that are less likely to cause an adverse food reaction and you will never see any added artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
Scrumbles
Scrumbles may be a good option if your dog loves dry food and if you don't really want to switch over to dry or a combination of the two. They provide hypoallergenic dog food that is formulated using limited ingredients that are easy to digest. Winston loved Scrumbles Salmon Dry Food and we liked that it was specially tailored to sensitive dogs with added MSM, glucosamine and chondroitin to promote healthy joints. It is always a concern as he gets older.
Broadreach Nature
Natural foods are nutritious and full of goodness. That's why when we want to try and different food for Winston we like to make sure that its a complete dog food to help support and maintain a healthy digestion. One of his favourite flavours is salmon. It is well known for being full of omega 3 fatty acids, which are great for brain health. In fact, salmon is among the best foods that you can give to a dog, as the fatty acids will help with development. This Trout and Salmon Complete Dry Food will be a good option if your dog loves Salmon and needs that something extra in their diet.
It is a limited ingredient diet that provides the essential nutrients for a healthy lifestyle. Salmon contains the much-needed protein to support healthy, lean, and strong muscles. The food is enhanced with sweet potato, asparagus, flaxseed, MOS and FOS and is a highly digestible food that dogs love. A complete balanced food with added good fibre that is gentle on your dogs stomach.
Lily's Kitchen
Lily’s Kitchen offers a wide range of both dog food, and as it is one of the leading brands on the market. Lily’s Kitchen dog recipes are made from high quality, nutritious ingredients without any fillers, processed foods or artificial additives. This means that the meals are not only tasty and easy to digest, they include plenty of protein which is important for healthy muscle and tissue growth. Lily's Kitchen Chicken and Salmon Dry Food has fast become his favourite dry food, and we've tried a lot of different flavour combinations. But we always seem to go back to this particular flavour. I think Winston likes the size and shape of the dry food, we always have used these as a training treat due to their size.
Autarky
Again, there are hundreds of choices and brands when it comes to food. Autarky offers a good range of hypoallergenic and naturally balanced recipes that contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. The Delicious Chicken Puppy was our choice when he was tiny as it was packed with good ingredients providing high-quality protein and is balanced to supply moderate energy levels which encourage steady growth. It was really hard to find a puppy dry food that catered to his needs. In the end we sought advise from our veterinary who recommended a whole range of grain free options that we could ease into Winston's diet and he loved Autarky.
Wainwrights
For dogs with intolerances, Pets At Home offer a whole range of grain-free options. Wainwrights collection has a wide selection of recipes that provide your pet with nutritionally balanced food that's free of cereal. Wheat, barley, rye, oats, rice, and any other grains are not present, allowing dogs with intolerances to eat a balanced diet without experiencing any discomfort. If you suspect that your dog suffers from grain intolerance, try switching to one of these foods and see if symptoms improve. The ingredients in this yummy recipe are not only hypoallergenic but will also protect their weaker immune systems.
Harringtons
The grain-free hypoallergenic formula from Harrington's is ideal for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Natural, free from soy, dairy, egg, beef, pork and wheat. It is a simple choice of freshly prepared chicken, turkey, or salmon, no mixed meat is included. Sweet potato and potato offer slow-release energy that is easily digested. Again, like with the other brands that I have mentioned in this post offer a whole range of dry, wet and treats that are all grain free. Obviously some grain free product can be more expensive that some cereal based one, but at least you know that the food that you're feeding your dog is full of goodness. I have found the Chicken and Liver Training Treats to be very effective when we head outside for training and recall.
Always Keep in Mind
It is important to seek professional advice if you believe your dog may have an allergy. If a food allergy is well managed, your dog will be able to get all they nutrition they need to thrive. Slowly, but surely we are learning about ingredients and identifying the common symptoms of his grain allergies.
Every dog is different. Dachshunds are renowned for being picky and stubborn about most aspects of being a dog, but they can especially be difficult when it comes to choosing food. When we learned Winston had a grain allergy, we knew we would have to take some time get the basics. We've tried a lot of different brands, but found a few we like (and Winston does too). The market offers a wide selection of dry, wet, and treat options for dogs with special dietary requirements or allergies. So don't be afraid to try some of these brands.
**In collaboration with Broadreach Nature but as always my words and opinions are my own. Images are subject to copyright, please seek permission before using.**
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