When looking for dog food, you might be surprised at how many manufacturers include chicken within the formula. It seems that everywhere you turn, you’ll find chicken or chicken by-products.
There is a simple reason for this – chicken is a great source of lean protein that offers your dog plenty of nutrients and energy. Plus, it’s relatively inexpensive and therefore lowers the costs.
However, a lot of people also don’t know that chicken is one of the most common ingredients that dogs can be allergic to. Poultry allergies mostly affect your dog’s skin, leaving them with itching and potentially painful skin. You also may notice your dog licking their paws.
No one likes to see their dog in distress which is why we have taken the time to research the best dog foods without chicken on the market.
Make sure to check our buyer’s guide to ensure you’re choosing the best food for your furry friend.
In a hurry? Here are the top picks!
Best Dog Food Without Chicken Reviewed
If you don’t have time to read our entire guide right now and just want to know the best dog food without chicken to buy to keep your dog happy and healthy, we have fast tracked you to the answer.
Our favorite option on the market is the Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Natural Adult Dry Dog Food.
Blue Buffalo is very popular and has created a large fan base of their foods and kibbles. Here are a few reasons why you and your dog will love this kibble:
- There is no chicken or by-products used within the formula.
- Zero fillers have been used.
- Your dog will be eating a balanced diet in every meal.
- There are several other meat options including fish
- Pros
- Two protein sources to choose from.
- A balanced meal in every serving.
- No chicken by-products or meal.
- Zero filler ingredients added.
- Cons
- High price point.
Blue Buffalo is an incredibly popular manufacturer of dog kibble, which makes it unsurprising that it is at the top of our list. Blue Buffalo offers their kibble in Fish, Chicken, and Lamb. Make sure that you don’t choose the dog food with chicken.
The protein source is always the first ingredient within the formula meaning that your dog will be getting enough protein and energy to burn off after every meal. The formula also includes enough essential fats and carbohydrates to leave your dog with a balanced meal.
There are zero chicken by-products or chicken meal within Blue Buffalo’s fish or lamb dogfood, either, so you can rest assured that this is safe for your dog. The high level of antioxidants keeps your dog on top form with their health and immune system.
Additionally, there are zero filler ingredients in this dog food, such as corn, soy, or wheat and there are zero artificial flavorings or preservatives.
- Pros
- Helps dogs with sensitive stomachs.
- Zero fillers, artificial flavors or colors, or poultry by-products.
- Promotes a healthy and shiny coat.
- Cons
- A few customers found bugs within the bags of food.
Next up, Purina Pro Plan Focus is another kibble that features salmon as the main protein source rather than chicken. This food is also for dogs who suffer from a sensitive stomach, so you can manage two issues with one kibble.
Prebiotic fiber within the formula ensures that your puppies digestive health is looked after to prevent them from feeling uncomfortable or in pain. Along with the zero filler ingredients added, this dog food without chicken is extremely calming on the stomach and shouldn’t leave you with any issues.
Omega fatty acids are also featured within the ingredient list, along with zinc, to promote a healthy coat for your dog. Many pet parents have noticed that their dog looks happier and healthier after switching to Purina Pro Plan Focus.
- Pros
- No fillers added to the recipe.
- Only premium ingredients are used.
- Offers a shiny coat and healthy digestive system.
- Cons
- One customer found that the smell was overpowering.
Diamond Naturals also uses salmon as their main ingredient for their Skin and Coat dog food, along with the promise that there are no grains or fillers added to the ingredients list. Added amino acids promote strong and lean muscles.
Only the best for your puppy, right? Diamond Naturals uses premium ingredients with as many vitamins and minerals, superfoods for antioxidants, and fatty acids that your dog needs to remain in optimal health.
Not only does this dog food offer a healthy, shiny coat for your dog, but it also is rich in highly digestible probiotics that can survive in the GI tract for healthier bowel movements and a more energetic dog.
- Pros
- Responsibly sourced ingredients from around the world.
- Made by professionals in different fields.
- Choice of grain-free or ancient grains.
- Cons
- Might give your dog fishy breath.
Yet another salmon recipe, Taste of the Wild offers a premium kibble with real fish as the first ingredient. This promotes strong and healthy muscles for your dog along with the other sustainably sourced ingredients from around the world.
Rich in nutrients, this dog food without chicken or beef has been researched by a team with experience in veterinary medicine, pet food nutrition, food science, pet food nutrition, and food production. You can rest assured that this dog food has been made by professionals who know what they’re talking about.
Taste of the Wild offers this kibble with different formulas, either containing ancient grains, or grain free for both adults and puppies. Grain-free has plenty of advantages, but ancient grains are healthy and different from filler ingredients.
- Pros
- Salmon is the first and second ingredient.
- Avoids any foods that are considered triggers for sensitivities.
- Raw foods are used for all of their benefits.
- Cons
- Less value for money than other options on our list.
Last but not least, the Instinct Be Natural dog food also uses salmon as the number one and two ingredients. There are also whole grains, omega fatty acids, and fruits and veg added to the dog kibble without chicken formula.
There are no chicken, beef, or poultry by-products within this food, as well as no ingredients that are known to trigger sensitivities for dogs. Raw ingredients are used to minimize the processing power of the food, keeping as many nutrients as possible.
Raw ingredients are said to be natural, protein-packed, minimally processed, and from whole-food ingredients. You can be sure that your dog is only getting the best food that they can with Instinct Be Natural.
Best Dog Food Without Chicken Buyers Guide
Now let’s move onto our buyers guide where we have compiled a list of the most important considerations to think about before purchasing a type of dog food without chicken. Make sure to consider these features so that you’re not wasting money on food that is completely wrong for your puppy.
Main Ingredient
The main ingredient of almost every dog kibble is a source of protein, such as chicken, fish, or turkey. As we have already mentioned, chicken is very popular because it is loved by most dog’s taste buds, inexpensive, and easy to source.
However, there are also plenty of other main sources of protein that can be found in dog food as well. Below is a list of the best protein sources instead of using chicken:
- Duck
- Lamb
- Pork
- Salmon
- Venison
- Mackerel
- Buffalo
- Kangaroo
- Rabbit
- Turkey
We have added turkey at the bottom of our list, but it’s worth considering whether or not you should be using turkey if your dog has a chicken allergy. If you choose to try your dog on turkey, you should watch them carefully to see if they have an adverse reaction.
If they do, it could be down to the fact that they have an allergy to poultry rather than just chicken.
Don’t Forget The By-Products!
There are plenty of foods on the market that have other main ingredients than just chicken, so you might think that choosing dog food without chicken is simple. However, from our research, we can tell you that it is actually much more difficult than it first sounds.
This is down to the fact that whilst chicken might not be the main ingredient and source of protein, chicken meal and by-products are commonly used as filler ingredients. These are further down the ingredients list and therefore more difficult to spot.
Some dog foods declare that they have no chicken by-products or meals in them, like a few of the dog foods that we listed in our top five. However, some are more ambiguous than others and won’t tell you which meal has been used within the formula.
Be wary of these so that you’re not accidentally feeding your pup food that includes ingredients that they are allergic to, no matter how small the quantity.
Antioxidants and Nutrients
We’ve been talking so much about the chicken within dog food, but what about the other ingredients?
Dogs need to get sufficient nutrients from their food so that they can remain healthy. Antioxidants come from fruits and vegetables, and nutrients can come from lots of different ingredients.
More dry dog foods without chicken are now becoming fortified with vitamins and minerals now to ensure that your dog is getting everything they need from one meal. However, some foods take this more seriously than others so make sure to find a food that offers as many nutrients to your dog as possible.
Value For Money
Dog food can get expensive, so checking the price is going to be one of the first things that you do when you are perusing the market. However, the price doesn’t always tell you the full story.
A bag of kibble could be very inexpensive compared to the market average, yet when you receive it you find that it holds one or two meals. To find the value for money you need to compare the price to the weight of the kibble.
A large bag might be rather expensive, but the price per meal will actually be lower as you’re bulk buying. This will save you money in the long run and prevent you from having to repurchase too quickly.
Availability
There is no point in choosing a food that your dog loves, only for it to be gone once you need to reorder. Thus, you should look for a dry dog food without chicken that is popular enough to indicate that it is going to be sold for a long period of time.
A good way to see whether your dog food will be available or not is to look at whether Amazon has a Subscribe and Save option for the food. This allows you to save a portion of money on the price when you reorder it regularly and ensures that will have it in stock for a long period of time in the future.
Conclusion for Best Dog Food Without Chicken
Many dogs have some type of chicken allergy which causes them to itch themselves or lick their paws. One way to test is to purchase an allergy test and identify which foods your dog is allergic to. We hope your dog is less itchy and tastes some good food!
Other articles you will like:
- Chicken Allergy in Dogs – Everything you need to know!
- Best Dog Food for Bad Breathe
- Best Dog Food for Less Poop
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you know if your dog is allergic to chicken?
First thing’s first, if you’re unsure whether your dog is allergic to something or not you should stop using it immediately to see if the problem becomes better. If it does, your dog is likely allergic to the thing that you stopped giving them.
If your dog has a severe allergic reaction take them to the vet to be seen by a professional. You can take them to a veterinarian anyway to see whether they’re allergic to anything or not without a reaction so that you know more about your dog.
Below is a common list of symptoms that may arise if your dog has a chicken allergy. If you notice these, stop feeding them chicken and see if it gets better. If your dog is in distress or pain; however, take them to a vet.
- Chronic ear infections
- Chronic gas
- Chronically inflamed feet
- Bald patches
- Hives
- Diarrhea
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Vomiting
- Paw biting
- Pawing at face
- Obsessive licking
- Shaking of the head
- Poor growth in puppies
- Skin infections
- Skin rashes
Garrett loves animals and is a huge advocate for all Doodle dog breeds. He owns his own Goldendoodle named Kona. In addition, he volunteers at the Humane Society of Silicon Valley, where he fosters dogs and helps animals. Garrett enjoys writing about Doodles and believes that dogs can teach humans more about how to live than humans can teach a dog.
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At We Love Doodles, we’re a team of writers, veterinarians, and puppy trainers that love dogs. Our team of qualified experts researches and provides reliable information on a wide range of dog topics. Our reviews are based on customer feedback, hands-on testing, and in-depth analysis. We are fully transparent and honest to our community of dog owners and future owners.