Published on: 06/13/2019, updated on: 10/15/2021

Best Dog Food for English Bulldogs that Give the Right Nourishment

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English Bulldogs are notoriously picky and famous for their tendency for food allergies. This is not a breed that you can just play trial-and-error with and hope to find the right food—that is unless you want a very sick dog.

Further complicating things, English Bulldogs are also prone to a range of health issues, including weight gain, bloat, hip dysplasia, cysts, and eye issues. The right food can mean the difference between a long healthy life and a long list of vet bills.

It took me months to thoroughly research the range of food options on the market, and it certainly would have helped if someone narrowed things down for me—so that's what I'm going to do for you—narrow it down to the top five best foods for English bulldogs in 2019.

While I think that the best dry dog food for English Bulldogs is going to vary by the dog, if I had to pick one food to start with, it would be Taste of the Wild Grain-Free High Prairie. This food is grain-free, contains no corn or fillers, and is going to be a good fit for most dogs.

Our Best Dog Food for English Bulldogs Reviews

1. Taste of The Wild Grain-Free High Prairie

Taste of The Wild Grain Free High Prairie 1

Taste of the Wild is one of the best-known dog food companies in the US, and for good reason. They offer a variety of flavors with meat as the number one ingredient and are devoted to producing grain-free products for sensitive breeds like the Bulldog.

Features

  • Zero corn, fillers, wheat, or artificial colors
  • Real meat is the first ingredient
  • Protein-rich (32 percent)
  • 18 percent fat
  • 370 kcal/cup

What I liked

The roasted meat in this formula provides your dog with good energy without the risk of allergic reactions, but it also includes fruits and vegetables too for complete nutrition. The fatty acid blended with probiotics also makes it easier to achieve a healthy body weight for your Bulldog.

What I didn’t like

Taste of the Wild is committed to quality, so they often update their formula trying to improve it. While that may seem like a positive point, when you're feeding an English Bulldog, it's a problem. Sudden—even minor—changes to their diet can cause a whole host of trouble.

Pros

  • Grain-free
  • Made with real meat
  • Antioxidants for a healthy immune system
  • Made in the USA

Cons

  • Frequent formula changes
  • Not GMO-free

A great grain-free, high protein option, Taste of the Wild Grain-Free High Prairie provides a well-rounded nutritional profile without anything extra to set off your Bulldog’s sensitive stomach.

Overall rating: 4.9/5

2. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Healthy Weight

Blue Buffalo Life Protection Healthy Weight 1

Aimed at breeds like the English Bulldog that have issues with weight gain, Blue Buffalo Life Protection is the perfect choice to keep your dog at a healthy weight. Low in calories, but nutrient dense, this formula has real chicken as its first ingredient.

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Features

  • Made with real chicken
  • High in fiber
  • 20 percent protein
  • 9 percent fat

What I liked

This food addresses one of the most significant issues Bulldogs face—weight gain—and it does it well with a fiber-rich formula helps your dog feel satisfied while eating less. This can also make feeding your dog a bit more affordable.

What I didn’t like

This formula, does, however, include grains (likely for the added fiber). Many Bulldogs have grains on their list of skin condition triggers. They often do better on a lower carb formula.

Additionally, Blue Buffalo has been the subject of much controversy in the dog food realm thanks to past litigation regarding deceptive product packaging and lead contamination.

Pros

  • Designed to maintain a healthy weight
  • Helps aid healthy digestion
  • Meat is the first ingredient

Cons

  • Not grain-free
  • Brand has some rep issues

If you know for sure your Bulldog can handle grains, Blue Buffalo might be an excellent choice, but keep in mind their questionable brand reputation.

Overall rating: 3/5

3. Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Bulldog Adult Dry Dog Food

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Bulldog Adult Dry Dog Food 1

Royal Canin will make your dog feel—like the name suggests—royalty. This breed-specific formula is designed for the unique needs of Bulldogs alone and comes from a brand internationally regarded as top-quality.

Features

  • Designed explicitly for Bulldogs
  • For dogs 12 months of age or older
  • Made with chicken and pork meal
  • 22 percent protein
  • 12 percent fat

What I liked

With how challenging finding the right food for Bulldogs is, it's fantastic to see a food formulated just for them.I also like that Royal Canin has a puppy version of this food that is possibly the best dog for English Bulldog puppies. This option allows you to transition from puppy food to adult without switching brands or with as dramatic of a formula switch—a huge positive.

What I didn’t like

The mixed-meat, grain-included nature of this food makes it pose a higher risk of ingredient reactions. When it comes to the best food for English bulldogs, it’s best to go as limited-ingredient as possible.

Pros

  • Helps promote healthy skin
  • Reduces bloat and gas
  • Great for joint health
  • Shape designed just for Bulldogs.

Cons

  • Not grain-free
  • Mixed meats

Royal Canin's Bulldog formula is a reliable choice if you are familiar with your dog's sensitivities and can quickly determine if the long and mixed ingredient list will cause issues.

Overall rating: 4.4/5

Royal Canin Bulldog Nutrition

4. Hill's Science Diet: Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin

Hills Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach Skin 1

Another product designed for dogs with sensitive stomachs and skin, Hill’s Science diet is well suited to control some of the issues English Bulldogs frequently have. This is also a well-regarded brand that’s frequently carried by veterinarian’s offices.

Features

  • Made with chicken and pork
  • Rich in Vitamin E
  • 26 percent protein
  • 19.6 percent fat

What I like

This formula focuses heavily on making the food easy to digest and ensure it won't upset your dog's stomach. It also contains a good percentage of Vitamin E to help promote healthier skin and coat in your dog. Bulldogs often have skin that's just as sensitive as their stomachs.

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What I didn’t like

Again, for a dog food aimed at dog's with diet sensitivities, this food has a lot of ingredients. The price of this food may also be prohibitive for some budgets, and while this is quality food, there are lots of other contenders for the best dog food for English Bulldogs that come at a better price.

Pros

  • Highly digestible formula to reduce bloating and gas
  • Prebiotic fiber
  • Designed for dogs with sensitive tummies
  • Top recommendation by veterinarians

Cons

  • Mixed meat
  • Not grain free
  • Expensive

If you’re not that concerned about price, Hill’s Science diet poses a great choice for dogs that can handle grains.

Overall rating: 4.3/5

5. IAMS Proactive Health Adult Bulldog dry food

IAMS Proactive Health Adult Bulldog dry food 1

 

Specially designed for the breed, this is one of the best dog foods for English Bulldogs. IAMS Dog Food is a trusted brand in the pet food market, and large enough they have the funding to create well-researched formulas for a variety of dog sizes, ages, and breeds.

Features

  • Made with real chicken
  • No soy, wheat, or fillers
  • 22 percent protein
  • 11 percent fat

What I liked

Nutrition wise, this food contains everything your Bulldog should need to stay healthy and dodge most of the major health concerns this breed faces. It's also easy to find in most stores and comes in at a relatively affordable price.

What I didn’t like

Corn is the number one ingredient in this food, and corn is a typical allergen for Bulldogs as well as being considered a filler in dry dog food with minimal dietary benefits. This brand also does not offer a puppy version of their bulldog formula. This is only designed for adult dogs.

Pros

  • Promotes good digestion
  • Aids in healthy bones, joints, skin, and coat
  • Designed for good metabolism to control weight gain

Cons

  • Ground whole corn is the first ingredient
  • For adult dogs only

In general, IAMS Proactive Health Adult Bulldog dry food is worthy nourishment for your English Bulldog assuming you have an adult dog who can handle corn products.

Overall rating: 3.6/5

IAMS Dog Food | Chewy

Bulldog Food Buyer’s Guide

As mentioned a few times in my English Bulldog food reviews above, this is a breed with distinct dietary needs, and with those needs come a long list of things you’ll want to look out for when choosing a food.

Weight maintenance

The first thing you want in good food for English Bulldogs is a formula that helps maintain a healthy weight. This is going to include things like high fiber, nutrient dense, quality ingredients, pro- and prebiotics. All the above are going to help reduce bloating and gas, while likewise allowing you to provide smaller portions. The bonus there is you’ll use less food—and so spend less on it.

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Make sure you're feeding your dog according to the guide provided by the company—or your vet—and offer timely small feedings rather than allowing your dog to free-feed (just keeping the dish full) or offering one large meal per day.

Allergy reduction

Next, you want to find a dog food with as few ingredients as possible with no unnecessary additives or preservatives. It’s best to stick to one type of meat as the primary ingredient and skip grains.

I know this sounds contrary to the high-fiber recommendation, but there are healthy sources of fiber that don’t come for grains and are easier for dogs to digest, such those found in many fruits and vegetables.

High fiber and limited ingredients also often lead to lower carb content, which reduces the formation of yeast. As yeast infections and other skin conditions are a common Bulldog bane, this is something you want to keep in mind. This breed should never be regularly fed high-sugar food or treats. High sugar content is particularly common in flavored treats but is occasionally seen in lower quality foods too.

Overall health

Both the above factors shouldn’t overshadow the need for complete nutrition. It does you no good to avoid grains and find a food that digests easily if it leaves you dog malnourished. Dogs need a high-protein diet with plenty of antioxidants and amino acids.

Age

It’s also important to keep your dog’s age in mind. The best food for an English Bulldog puppy is going to differ from that which is best for an adult. Primarily, puppies need more protein and DHA to promote healthy growth. Adults require lower protein and more moderate fat. Seniors require the lowest fat content as this is when weight gain presents the biggest concern. Ingredients that promote joint health are also advised for older dogs.

Budget

Finally, it’s all well and good to find the best food for your Bulldog, but it also needs to be something you can afford. Dry dog food is generally fairly affordable, but particularly in the case of brands that are harder to find locally, it can still become costly if you choose the wrong product—and you don’t want to be switching foods often due to price with a Bulldog.

Try to check the price fluctuation in the brand you’re considering. You might be surprised how much some fluctuate. Coincidentally, those with more price variance also often have more formula shifts, so a volatile price may be a good sign to stay away.

Final Thoughts

Bulldogs are undeniably a tricky breed to feed—but owning one is well worth the trouble. These gentle slobbery giants have a unique personality you won't find in any other dog.

If you have an adult dog, we recommend looking to Taste of the Wild’s grain-free options, with the buffalo flavor being a good place to start. If you’re feeding a puppy, on the other hand, you might try Royal Canin Bulldog Formula puppy food (though it is not grain-free) if you can find it in your area.

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