The 12 Best Hypoallergenic Dog Foods for Pups with Food Allergies

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• Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.

Dog food allergies can be tricky to nail down since many commercial dog foods contain long lists of ingredients. But once you’ve identified your dog’s allergen, you can switch to a hypoallergenic dog food free from that ingredient.

Keep in mind, though, that there are no definitive “allergy diets.” Since different dogs are allergic to different things, no single food can remove allergens for all dogs. Instead, hypoallergenic foods often offer limited ingredients or novel protein (a less common meat like venison or lamb), since allergies to animal proteins are more common in dogs than allergies to plant products. Your veterinarian can help you determine your dog’s allergens and monitor symptoms as you try new diets. 

We’ve reviewed the best hypoallergenic dog foods in different categories to help you find the right nutritional fit for your pup.

Best Wet: Hound & Gatos 98% Beef Grain-Free Canned Dog Food

No two hypoallergenic dog foods are the same, so you’ll want to get used to reading dog food labels to filter out potential allergens. Wet dog food frequently contains fewer ingredients than dry food—which is a win for pet parents trying to identify allergens.

Hound & Gatos offers an array of single-protein wet dog food formulas rich in protein and healthy fats. This beef recipe contains 45.5% protein and 36.4% fat, measured as dry matter. (We’ve converted all recipes on our list to dry matter to compare each type better.) Beef muscle meat is the main ingredient, and while sunflower oil is listed first, salmon oil provides a biologically appropriate source of omega-3 fatty acids. 

If your dog is allergic to beef, Hound & Gatos wet food comes in several other single-protein recipes, including chicken, duck, lamb, and turkey. All are grain-free and made with 98% animal ingredients. 

Key Nutrients: 

• 1,231 kcal/kg
• Protein: 45.5%
• Fat: 36.4%
• Fiber: 6.8%
• Moisture: 78%

Best Dry: Acana Singles Limited Ingredient Duck & Pear Grain-Free Dog Food

If your allergy-prone dog prefers the crunch of dry food, the Acana Singles lineup may have something to offer. This line includes four single-protein, limited-ingredient dry dog foods in the following flavors: duck and pear, lamb and apple, pork and squash, and beef and pumpkin. 

This duck and pear recipe features a single source of animal protein. The top three ingredients are all duck-based, and duck fat is the primary source of fatty acids. Since duck is a novel protein for many dogs, it may be a suitable choice if you and your vet have determined your dog is allergic to common dog food proteins like beef and chicken.

Measured as dry matter, this recipe contains 35.2% protein and 19.3% fat. It provides about 97 calories per ounce.

Key Nutrients: 

• 3,408 kcal/kg
• Protein: 35.2%
• Fat: 19.3%
• Fiber: 5.7%
• Moisture: 12%

Best Dehydrated: Addiction Outback Kangaroo Feast Raw Dehydrated Dog Food

Addiction offers numerous single-protein dehydrated dog foods and is one of the few brands with exotic proteins like kangaroo and brushtail. Their dehydrated formulas are nutritionally complete for adult dogs, made with a blend of animal protein and wholesome fruits and veggies. 

This Outback Kangaroo Feast recipe contains 25% protein and 13.6% fat and is free from grains and legumes. Potatoes are the main carbohydrate, and though less nutritionally valuable than whole grains, they’re easily digestible for many dogs. 

Addiction’s dehydrated dog foods provide a convenient alternative to fresh or frozen raw dog food. However, they may be more expensive—prices range from about $11 to over $16 per pound ($0.69 to $1.00 per ounce). Like freeze-dried food, these formulas should be rehydrated before you give them to your dog.

Key Nutrients: 

• 3,500 kcal/kg
• Protein: 25%
• Fat: 13.6%
• Fiber: 50%
• Moisture: 12%

Best Novel Protein: Primal Rabbit Formula Nuggets Grain-Free Raw Freeze-Dried Dog Food 

If the previous pick is out of your price range or you’re simply looking for different flavor options, consider Primal’s freeze-dried raw dog food. In addition to common proteins like chicken, beef, and pork, this brand offers novel proteins like rabbit, duck, lamb, and venison.

The rabbit formula comprises 85% rabbit meat, organs, and bone and contains over 63% protein, making it a viable choice for dogs who require a high-protein diet. Along with the rabbit ingredients, it contains a handful of organic fruits, vegetables, and botanicals, plus omega-3-rich fish and cod liver oils.

All Primal’s freeze-dried dog foods come in small, compressed patties the brand calls nuggets. Add water directly to the nuggets, or crush them first to speed up the rehydration process.

Key Nutrients: 

• 4,056 kcal/kg
• Protein: 63.3%
• Fat: 21.1%
• Fiber: 3.3%
• Moisture: 10%

Best for Transparent Ingredient Sourcing: Open Farm Wild-Caught Salmon Rustic Stew Wet Dog Food

When your dog has food allergies, avoiding their allergen is essential. But it’s also worth considering the quality of the ingredients in the food to limit the risk of sensitivity further. Open Farm offers transparent ingredient sourcing for pet parents who are concerned about quality ingredients. In particular, our testers appreciated this brand’s commitment to sourcing all its ingredients humanely and sustainably.

This Wild-Caught Salmon Rustic Stew is one of several single-protein wet dog foods from Open Farm. It’s higher in moisture than the average canned food, so it has an almost gravy-like consistency. It’s also a tasty option for dogs allergic to other proteins like chicken, lamb, or beef. 

For dogs who are allergic to fish, Open Farm’s chicken, beef, or turkey stews may work.

Key Nutrients: 

• 790 kcal/kg
• Protein: 44.4%
• Fat: 33.3%
• Fiber: 11.1%
• Moisture: 82%

Best Subscription: Ollie Fresh Dog Food (Verified Review)

Fresh dog foods generally contain limited ingredients, which is helpful for dogs with allergies. Many also come with convenient subscription plans to ensure you always have your dog’s hypoallergenic food on hand.

Ollie offers fresh dog food that’s rich in hydrating moisture and packed with biologically valuable animal protein. Choose from the following five flavors: beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, or pork. Our reviewers found the pâté texture easy to serve and store. They also appreciated the customized portion size, with each package equaling a day’s food.

Ollie’s turkey and blueberries recipe contains 35.7% protein and 25% fat. At 72%, the moisture content is slightly lower than that of the average wet dog food, but the finely ground texture still makes the food easy to chew.

Key Nutrients (for Turkey with Blueberries Recipe): 

• 1,540 kcal/kg
• Protein: 35.7%
• Fat: 25%
• Fiber: 7.1%
• Moisture: 72%

Best Without Red Meat: Merrick Limited Ingredient Diet with Healthy Grains Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe

Beef is one of the most common dog food allergens, but other red meats have the potential to trigger reactions as well. If you’re looking for a hypoallergenic option that doesn’t include red meat, consider Merrick’s Limited Ingredient grain-inclusive dog food in either chicken or turkey. 

The chicken and brown rice formula contains 23.6% protein. The top two ingredients are deboned chicken and chicken meal, so the majority of the food’s protein is likely animal-sourced. The next three ingredients are nutrient-rich whole grains, which may supply some protein as well.

Key Nutrients: 

• 3,803 kcal/kg
• Protein: 26.3%
• Fat: 15.7%
• Fiber: 5.1%
• Moisture: 11%

Best Poultry-Free: Ziwi Peak Lamb Recipe Grain-Free Air-Dried Dog Food 

Some dogs who are allergic to chicken can tolerate turkey. But if your dog needs to avoid all poultry, Ziwi Peak may be an appropriate choice. This air-dried dog food comes in novel protein flavors like lamb and venison.

The lamb recipe is a high-protein choice with 44.2% protein, making it a solid option for active or working dogs. The food comprises 96% lamb, organs, and New Zealand green mussels. In addition to providing supplemental protein and omega-3 fatty acids, mussels are a natural source of joint-supporting glucosamine.

Though Ziwi Peak’s air-dried food has a dry, crunchy texture, it’s still technically raw. Always follow safe food handling practices and store the product properly.

Key Nutrients: 

• 4,950 kcal/kg
• Protein: 44.2%
• Fat: 34.9%
• Fiber: 3.5%
• Moisture: 14%

Best Without Fish: The Honest Kitchen Whole Grain Turkey Dehydrated Recipe 

While fish protein is more likely to trigger allergies than fat, dogs with fish allergies may need to avoid fish ingredients entirely. Unfortunately, it’s common for dog foods made with novel proteins to include fish oil as an added fat. This whole-grain turkey recipe from The Honest Kitchen is an exception.

This dehydrated dog food features turkey muscle meat as the main ingredient and sole source of animal protein. It relies on organic flaxseed to supply healthy fats rather than animal- or plant-derived oil. Measured as dry matter, this recipe contains 24% protein and 16.4% fat. 

Because this dehydrated recipe has a limited list of whole-food ingredients, it’s easily digestible for most dogs. It’s also fairly high in fiber, which could benefit dogs struggling with digestive issues. 

Key Nutrients: 

• 4,140 kcal/kg
• Protein: 24%
• Fat: 16.4%
• Fiber: 5.5%
• Moisture: 8.6%

Best Hydrolyzed Protein: Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet HF Hydrolyzed Grain-Free Wet Dog Food 

If your dog’s allergy symptoms persist even after you’ve discovered their trigger, your veterinarian might recommend a hydrolyzed protein diet. Hydrolyzed protein molecules chemically break down into small enough pieces that are unlikely to trigger an allergic reaction and are easier to digest.

Blue Buffalo’s Natural Veterinary Diet HF features hydrolyzed salmon protein and contains 36.4% protein from this single animal source. It’s free from other potential food allergens, including poultry, beef, and grains. 

While this hydrolyzed protein recipe may be easier for dogs with severe food allergies to digest, it’s not perfect. It relies on plant-sourced fats and is thickened with potato starch, which offers limited nutritional value. It also contains cane molasses, likely as a flavor enhancer, improving the food’s palatability without contributing valuable nutrients.

Key Nutrients: 

• 1,035 kcal/kg
• Protein: 36.4%
• Fat: 9.1%
• Fiber: 13.6%
• Moisture: 78%

Best Grain-Free: Weruva Steak Frites Grain-Free Canned Dog Food

While animal proteins are a more common trigger for food allergies, some dogs develop allergies to grains. If your veterinarian recommends grain-free dog food, this beef-flavored wet food may be a good choice. It’s rich in hydrating moisture and digestible animal-sourced protein. 

Beef muscle meat is the main ingredient with supplemental protein from nutrient-dense beef organs. Low-glycemic pumpkin and sweet potato also give the recipe some bulk and contribute essential nutrients.

This formula contains over 46% protein and around 15% fat. For dogs allergic to beef, Weruva offers an array of other recipes—including single-protein formulas like Hot Dayum with lamb and Marbella Paella with mackerel. 

Key Nutrients: 

• 580 kcal/kg
• Protein: 46.2%
• Fat: 15.4%
• Fiber: 7.7%
• Moisture: 87%

Best Pea-Free: Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food 

Many grain-free pet foods include peas and legumes. Though these ingredients contain protein and other valuable nutrients, plant-sourced proteins are less biologically valuable than animal-sourced proteins. If you’re looking for a pea-free diet that doesn’t contain grains—or simply a limited-ingredient single-protein formula—try Vital Essentials. 

This freeze-dried raw dog food offers five proteins: beef, chicken, duck, rabbit, and turkey. All five recipes feature a biologically appropriate blend of muscle meat and organs with herring oil providing animal-sourced omega-3 fatty acids. These foods are available in bite-sized nibs and mini patties, all priced under $3.00 per ounce. 

Key Nutrients: 

• 4,448 kcal/kg
• Protein: 52.2%
• Fat: 18.5%
• Fiber: 5.4%
• Moisture: 8%

Figuring Out Your Dog’s Allergies

Before you shop for hypoallergenic dog food, you’ll need to identify the ingredient(s) triggering your dog’s allergies. The gold standard method is a veterinarian-conducted skin or blood allergy test. While these tests can be life-changing for pups with severe cases, they also tend to be pricey. At-home dog allergy test kits offer an affordable alternative, but the results may be less reliable.

Another option is to put your dog on an elimination diet. This is simply a diet that doesn’t contain any of the ingredients you suspect your dog may be allergic to. Most pet parents choose to start with a single protein since that’s statistically more likely to be the culprit.

For example, if your dog’s current diet includes chicken, you’ll switch to hypoallergenic dog food that does not have chicken and relies instead on another protein, like salmon or duck. If your dog’s current food contains multiple proteins, you may need to eliminate all of them—either all at once or one at a time.

Once your dog has fully transitioned to the elimination diet, they’ll need to stick to it for at least six to eight weeks. During the trial period, make sure your dog only eats the hypoallergenic diet—no treats or snacks that contain potential allergens.

If your dog’s symptoms go away during the food trial, it’s a good bet that food allergies were to blame. In cases where multiple allergens are suspected, your veterinarian may recommend reintroducing potential allergens one at a time to see if they trigger a reaction. It’s a time-consuming process, but it may be necessary to confirm a food allergy.

Your vet can be a huge help in identifying the steps and making sure you have the right approach so you can trust the results.

How to choose the best diet for your dog with allergies

Once you’ve determined your dog’s allergens, the next step is to choose a healthy diet free from problem ingredients. There are several routes to follow.

• Buy a veterinarian-prescribed food. Prescription diets for dog food allergies are typically made with limited ingredients and either hydrolyzed or novel protein sources.
• Make your own dog food from scratch. If your pup has numerous sensitivities that make it difficult to find commercial options, a homemade diet may enable you to control the ingredients your dog consumes. Always use a recipe formulated by a veterinarian or animal nutritionist to ensure your dog gets the right balance of nutrients.
• Purchase a hypoallergenic commercial dog food formulated with limited ingredients. Many of these products are made with single sources of animal protein—often novel proteins—or hydrolyzed proteins.

How We Chose

The products featured here were selected based on a combination of our own hands-on testing, comprehensive analysis of customer reviews across a wide variety of retail platforms, and interviews with veterinary experts. We chose dog food formulated according to AAFCO’s nutrient profiles for dogs, prioritizing recipes made with single or novel protein sources and limited lists of easily digestible ingredients. Our picks are also influenced by the experience of living and playing alongside our own much-loved and strongly opinionated pets, who are never stingy with their feedback.

Further Reading

• The Best Dog Treats for Sensitive Stomachs
• We Tried a Top-Ranked At-Home Dog Allergy Testing—Should You?
• The Best Grain-Free Dog Foods
• True Story: My Dog Has Food Allergies. Getting Him Tested Changed Everything.