Top 10 Best Dog Food for French Bulldog with skin Allergies
French Bulldogs may be one of the most common dog breeds in America, largely because of their small size and adorable demeanor. However, these dogs are prone to many health problems, including allergies. Therefore, it isn’t uncommon to need allergy-friendly food.
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However, this is where things get a bit complicated. Different dogs have different allergies. Therefore, there isn’t an allergy-friendly food that is good for all dogs.
Below, we reviewed ten of the best foods for French Bulldog allergies. Not every formula will work for every dog, as it will depend on their exact allergies.
The 10 Best Dog Foods for French Bulldogs With Allergies
Taste of the Wild Ancient Stream Smoke — Best Value
| Main ingredients: | Salmon, salmon meal, ocean fish meal, grain sorghum, and millet |
| Protein content: | 30% |
| Fat content: | 15% |
| Calories: | 3,640 kcal/kg |
If you’re on a tight budget, Taste of the Wild Ancient Stream Smoke is the way to go. While Taste of the Wild has plenty of recipes, this fish-based recipe earns our nod as the best dog food for French Bulldogs with allergies for the money.
The salmon and ocean fish meal formula is great for dogs with allergies, and it’s a nutritionally complete diet so you don’t need to feed your dog anything else. Of course, if your pup doesn’t like this recipe or has problems with it, Taste of the Wild has other recipe options for you to pick from.
Even better, there are many different bag sizes, so you don’t need to purchase extra when you’re just trying to find something that works for your dog.
- Contains multiple meal products
- Salmon is great for food allergies
- Multiple Taste of the Wild recipes are available
- Affordably priced
- Multiple size options
- Nutritionally complete diet
Ollie Fresh Lamb Recipe — Best Overall
| Main ingredients: | Lamb, butternut squash, lamb liver, kale, and rice |
| Protein content: | 10% |
| Fat content: | 7% |
| Calories: | 1,804 kcal/kg |
If you’re looking for the best overall dog food for French Bulldogs with allergies, you’re not going to beat what Ollie fresh lamb recipe offers. It’s a bit more expensive than dry kibble, but you’re giving them a much higher-quality food that won’t aggravate their allergies.
Another perk with Ollie is that you get to input any allergies that your dog has, and it builds a meal plan around what your dog needs. All the meals are pre-portioned before they are shipped out, so you know that your dog is getting exactly what they need each day.
Ollie only uses the highest-quality ingredients, and it’s easy to order the meals and feed your dog. You also don’t have to worry about reordering because you are put on a regular schedule. Your dog deserves the best, and you’re not going to find anything better than Ollie.
- Expensive
- Lamb recipe is great for allergies
- High-quality meals
- Pre-portioned meals
- Easy to order and feed
JustFoodForDogs Venison & Squash Recipe — Premium Choice
| Main ingredients: | Venison, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, and cranberries |
| Protein content: | 9% |
| Fat content: | 2% |
| Calories: | 872 kcal/kg |
JustFoodForDogs is a fresh dog food recipe that uses a novel protein that’s great for dogs with food allergies or sensitivities.
You are sent fresh food, which you need to refrigerate and freeze to store, and you can set up auto-reordering through Chewy. However, the meals aren’t prepackaged, and you need to consider your dog’s allergies yourself when looking at this food.
Still, there’s no doubt that this is a great dog food if your pup has allergies, and you can order multiple sizes to get the exact amount that you need for your dog.
- Expensive
- Not pre-portioned
- Great for dogs with allergies
- Novel protein for allergies
- High-quality ingredients
- Multiple size options
Merrick Healthy Grains Adult — Vet’s Choice
| Main ingredients: | Deboned salmon, chicken meal, brown rice, barley, and oatmeal |
| Protein content: | 25% |
| Fat content: | 16% |
| Calories: | 3,739 kcal/kg |
If you’re looking for great dog food for your French Bulldog, why not go with something that a vet recommends? One of our vet’s favorites is the Merrick Healthy Grains Real Salmon & Brown Rice recipe.
The salmon recipe is great for dogs with allergies to other proteins, and it’s a more affordably priced choice, so you don’t need to break the bank to get it! Additionally, multiple size options are available, so you can try it out in a small bag before ordering a large amount of food that you might not be able to use.
It uses chicken meal, which might be a problem because many dogs with food allergies struggle with chicken. Still, it’s vet recommended, so if your pup can handle it, you know that it’s a great choice.
- Contains chicken
- Multiple size options
- Salmon is great for allergies
- Vet recommended
- Affordably priced
Diamond Naturals Puppy Formula — Best for Puppies
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, chicken meal, ground white rice, chicken fat, and cracked pearled barley |
| Protein content: | 32% |
| Fat content: | 22% |
| Calories: | 3,995 kcal/kg |
While it might be more common for older dogs to deal with food allergies and sensitivities, a puppy can have these problems too. Still, it can be challenging to find a food that caters to puppies with food allergies.
That’s exactly what Diamond Naturals Puppy Formula is. It’s a limited-ingredient recipe that helps you control your puppy’s food allergies, although we do wish that it used a different protein than chicken.
The good news is that there are multiple size options available, so you can purchase a small bag and see if it helps your puppy before purchasing in bulk. It also contains meal products, which aren’t always ideal, but they help increase the overall protein content, which your puppy needs to grow.
- Chicken isn’t the best protein choice for allergies
- Contains meal products
- Multiple recipe options
- Puppy-specific formula
- Multiple size options
- Affordably priced
Blue Buffalo Basics Skin & Stomach Care
| Main ingredients: | Deboned salmon, peas, potatoes, pea starch, and salmon meal |
| Protein content: | 20% |
| Fat content: | 12% |
| Calories: | 3,436 kcal/kg |
Blue Buffalo Basics Skin & Stomach Care is a grain-free recipe. While Blue Buffalo and many other dog food manufacturers market this as a good thing, the truth is that grains are a beneficial part of most dogs’ diets. Always check with your vet before switching your dog to a grain-free diet, as they usually only recommend it if your dog has an allergy to grains.
Still, if you do need a grain-free recipe, it’s hard to top this one. Blue Buffalo only uses high-quality ingredients, and the choice of salmon as the protein further helps dogs with food allergies and sensitivities.
It’s a skin- and stomach-sensitive recipe, but the protein content is on the lower side of things. It’s not a huge deal for less-active dogs, but if your dog is constantly on the move, this might not be the best choice for them.
- Low protein content
- Outstanding mix of price and quality
- Salmon is great for allergies
- Only high-quality ingredients
- Skin- and stomach-specific formula
Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Dry Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, chicken meal, yellow peas, cracked pearled barley, and brown rice |
| Protein content: | 20% |
| Fat content: | 13% |
| Calories: | 3,467 kcal/kg |
Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Dry Dog Food is a great food for dogs with food allergies and sensitivities. This is the dry version of Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Wet Dog Food, which means it’s more affordable but is still a recipe for dogs with sensitive skin and stomachs.
Hill’s makes the recipe in the United States, so you know exactly what you’re getting with each batch. Still, while there’s much to like with this recipe, its main protein ingredient is chicken.
It’s not a terrible choice on its own, but the cause of many dogs’ food allergies is chicken, and if that’s the case for your French Bulldog, this dog food won’t work for them.
- Chicken isn’t always the best for allergies
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Affordable option
- Plenty of size options
- Skin- and stomach-specific recipe
Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Wet Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken broth, turkey, carrots, pork liver, and rice |
| Protein content: | 2.8% |
| Fat content: | 1.9% |
| Calories: | 253 kcal/can |
Sometimes your dog has skin allergies, and dry dog foods just won’t do the trick. Whether medical issues are keeping them from eating dry foods or you just want something a bit better for them, Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Wet Dog Food might be just what you need.
Wet dog food can help with your French Bulldog’s allergies and weight, which are two common problems with this breed. Even better, Hill’s Science Diet only uses high-quality ingredients, giving you food that you can feel good about giving your dog.
You can also order in bulk to help drive down the price, and that’s a good thing because wet dog foods tend to be more expensive than dry foods. It’s not quite as expensive as fresh food, though, so it’s a great in-between option for your dog.
- Expensive
- Has chicken, turkey, and pork
- You can order in bulk
- Wet food can be great for allergies
- Helps with weight control
- Only high-quality ingredients
Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Sensitive Stomach
| Main ingredients: | Lamb, oat meal, barley, fish meal, and canola meal |
| Protein content: | 26% |
| Fat content: | 16% |
| Calories: | 3,969 kcal/kg |
While Purina makes many different recipes, if you’re looking for a choice that’s great for dogs with food allergies and sensitivities from Purina, you should go with its Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach recipe.
The good news is that compared to many other options on this list, it’s on the more affordable side of things, and it’s specifically for dogs with skin and stomach sensitivities and allergies. This recipe uses lamb and fish meal as the protein sources.
But if you don’t like those proteins or if your dog is allergic to them, Purina offers many other recipe options that should work. It also has plenty of size options available, so you can find one that works for your dog.
- Also has fish and beef
- Low fiber content
- Multiple size options
- Plenty of recipe options
- Affordably priced
- Skin- and stomach-specific formula
- novel protein for allergies
Orijen Amazing Grains Six Fish Recipe
| Main ingredients: | Whole mackerel, whole herring, salmon, whole pilchard, flounder, and monkfish |
| Protein content: | 38% |
| Fat content: | 18% |
| Calories: | 3,900 kcal/kg |
The top four ingredients in Orijen Amazing Grains Six Fish Recipe is the six fish mentioned in the name. All these fish are great for dogs with allergies, making this an almost-foolproof way to get allergies under control.
But the first issue is the price. It’s by far the most expensive dry dog food on this list. Also, the 38% protein content is simply way too much for most dogs.
Unless you have an extremely active dog, a protein content this high can easily lead to other health issues, like weight gain. It might get their allergies under control, but it also might bring in new problems that you will need to try and figure out.
- Expensive dry dog food
- Protein content is too high for most dogs
- Only high-quality ingredients
- Multiple size options
- Fish is great for allergies
- 90% animal ingredients
Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Dog Food for French Bulldogs with Allergies
It can be challenging to find food for your dog. If your dog has allergies, it can be even more difficult, especially if they are allergic to a common protein like chicken or beef. Luckily, though, dog food companies know that many dogs have allergies, so most brands have an allergy-friendly line to accommodate these dogs.
However, allergies can be troublesome even with these options.
What Are Dog Allergies?
- Dog allergies occur when a dog’s immune system reacts unnecessarily to an allergen. Usually, these allergens are proteins, which can be found in foods, plants, animals, and insects. Because just about everything has proteins, dogs can be allergic to just about everything.
- Usually, allergies occur after the dog has been exposed repeatedly over many months or years. Dogs will often become allergic to their food after being fed it for an extended period, which often confuses dog owners. Dog allergies and human allergies are not the same in this regard. Dogs aren’t usually born with their allergies.
- Immune responses to allergies are quite complex, which can make them difficult to manage. Usually, the best way to prevent allergy symptoms is to avoid your dog’s allergens.
Dog Allergy Symptoms
- Dog allergy symptoms are not typically what you would expect. Usually, dogs get itchiness, which can be localized or throughout their whole body. Common “itchy” locations include the paws, legs, and tail. However, it can technically be anywhere.
- Sometimes, respiratory symptoms can also develop like those we commonly encounter as humans. Coughing, sneezing, and wheezing can occur. Sometimes, this can be serious, though this is rare. Dog allergies are rarely deadly.
- Sadly, allergies can occur in all breeds. However, they usually appear in older pets, not puppies. Dogs usually start out not allergic to anything and then develop allergies later, usually to whatever they are commonly fed or exposed to. Most affected dogs are over the age of 2. It takes a bit for these allergies to develop.
Why Are Frenchies Prone to Allergies?
- There is absolutely a genetic component to allergies in Frenchies. While genetics aren’t completely to blame, most Frenchies do have a genetic predisposition to allergies. Furthermore, this isn’t a matter of simple inheritance. In other words, there isn’t a single gene that makes these dogs prone to allergies. Therefore, this inheritance is extremely difficult to “breed out.”
- With that said, just because your Frenchie likely developed the possibility of food allergies doesn’t mean that they will end up with food allergies. Continuous exposure to the same proteins is more likely to cause an allergy to develop over time. However, if you switch proteins too often, you may not be able to find one that your dog isn’t allergic to.
- We don’t know exactly why Frenchies are allergic to foods more often than other breeds. However, it is likely because of a trait they inherited long ago. Most Bulldogs are prone to food allergies, so it seems to be a very old trait.
How Are Food Allergies Treated?
- Food allergy treatment is largely treated through dietary means. Usually, dogs become allergic to a single protein or carbohydrate component of a food. However, dogs can become allergic to many different proteins and carbs until there is very little left for them to eat.
- If your dog has multiple allergies, it can be challenging to determine the root cause. Usually, an elimination diet is recommended. If your dog is currently eating chicken-based food, for instance, then it is typically recommended to switch to chicken-free food. If this clears up the symptoms, then the dog is assumed to be allergic to chicken, and that protein is avoided in the future.
- Food allergies are notoriously difficult to treat via other means. While you can use antihistamines and similar treatments, these usually aren’t very effective. Therefore, diet is usually the best option for treatment.
- In cases where dogs are allergic to many different proteins, a veterinary diet is necessary. These diets include hydrolyzed protein, which “shatters” the proteins and makes them unrecognizable to the immune system. Therefore, these proteins do not cause immune responses—even if dogs are allergic to the base protein.
- With that said, this process makes the food very expensive. Therefore, it is usually only used as a last resort. It also requires a prescription, which means that your dog has to have a definite diagnosis of food allergies.
Final Thoughts
- Finding food for your dog with allergies can be challenging. Often, you want high-quality food and everything that you would usually look for in dog food on top of the absence of certain proteins. We hope our reviews helped you out so that you can find the perfect food for your canine.
- Our favorite food that should work for most Frenchies with allergies is Ollie Fresh Lamb. As the name suggests, this protein only utilizes lamb, which is not a common allergen. Therefore, it should work well for most canines. Ollie is also a first-class brand, making completely fresh food with real ingredients and no fillers.
- For those on a budget, we recommend trying Dr. Pol High-Energy Chicken Recipe. This food does contain chicken, but that is the only meat source. Therefore, if your dog isn’t allergic to chicken, it may work fine. Plus, it is much cheaper than other options out there.
