Category: Dog food reviews

Since deciding to take a more conscientious approach to feeding Muttley we’ve been testing out a whole heap of new dog food brands and seeing what we like and what agrees with him.  As you’ll know, it’s not all about the ethics, the packaging or even the fact as to whether it’s UK based – it’s whether your dog eats it that is the main thing!  Mind you, if he eats something that ticks all your other boxes that’s great – and we’ve found something that does that for us – Lily’s Kitchen.  Here’s our Lily’s Kitchen dog food review – spoiler alert, we love almost all that they produce!

 Lily’s kitchen dog food review – why I love it

As I said, we’re trying to be a bit more conscientious in lots of areas and one is by choosing good food for our dog Muttley, local if possible and from somewhere that truly cares what goes in to his food and not just what profits they can make.  Some dog food is so utterly dire and although I have fed it in the past to my old dog, I was young, didn’t have much money and didn’t have the knowledge that we have nowadays about food quality.  I really didn’t think twice about it then, and I suppose some people still don’t, but I am glad that we’re waking up a little and caring more about what we feed our dogs.

So, on to Lily’s Kitchen.  Now, I love this company.  I love all they stand for, their ethics and their love of dogs (and cats).  They truly believe that our pets deserve proper food and strive to supply that.  The food is made with natural ingredients and you can actually read the ingredients list and feel like you understand it and that it will be enjoyable!

I love their commitment to the environment too – they have organic food options and their packaging is eco friendly and recyclable.

Lily’s Kitchen dog food – Muttley’s review

As I said before, you can have all the best ethics and ideas in the world but if your dog won’t eat it then there’s no point really.

We’ve been trying out both the dry dog food and the wet dog food as Muttley likes to have a bit of variety in his life.  There is quite a lot of choice in the range and with the exception of a couple they’ve all been huge hits.

Lily’s Kitchen Adult Chicken & Duck complete dry food

This was our first test with Lily’s Kitchen and it was a complete success – Muttley could not get enough!  It’s key ingredients are chicken (31%), duck (8%) and sweet potato (30%) and the rest is made up of real foods and  vegetables that provide a host of nutritional benefits and vitamins.  Importantly, it’s also grain free which is really good for many dogs as grains can cause so much stomach upsets.

The kibble is a really good size and as I said, was thoroughly enjoyed by my dog!

The bags come in small 1kg bags, all the way up to 12kg size.  You can see the  different options here.

There’s also plenty of variety in flavours in the dry dog food too – you can also get Lamb, Venison & Duck and Organic Chicken & Vegetable.

For older dogs there’s Salmon & Trout and if you have a puppy then their Chicken & Salmon option is for them.

Lily’s Kitchen wet dog food

Once a day Muttley gets a wet dog food option and it’s probably his favourite time of day!  (His second favourite is his other food time)  Again we’ve been testing the variety of foods that Lily’s Kitchen has to offer – there are a lot!

I’ll say that the one flavour option that didn’t go down so well was the cottage pie one – not sure why, but he just didn’t enjoy it so well.

His favourites seem to be Sunday Lunch and Fish supper – although I think there’s still a few options we haven’t tried yet!

Lily’s Kitchen dog food treats – our review

As well as a host of proper dog food, Lily’s Kitchen also does a good range of dog treats and biscuits.  Again, we’ve not tried everything (Muttley would be needing some diet food if we had!) but we have given the bedtime biscuits a try which seem to be enjoyed.  I like them as they have chamomile in them and some other calming ingredients so if you have a dog that needs settled on a night time it would be a good thing to try.

If your dog has a sensitive tummy and doesn’t react well to what you put down for them to eat then you’ll naturally be looking for the best dog food for a sensitive stomach.  It’s hard to give an absolute best recommendation because all dogs are different and what one will eat another surely will not.  You may even see this happening at home if you have more than one dog!

Many manufacturers will make a ‘sensitive stomach’ dog food as the need for it is increasing a lot more nowadays.  Perhaps that’s because we’re looking to get the best for our dogs more nowadays or perhaps it’s because we’re becoming more informed about what causes bad dog wind or digestive issues and we want to sort it out!  Either way there’s a huge choice and so you’ll certainly be able to try quite a few brands to see which one suits.  My recommendation is to go with a small bag (if available) if you’re not sure and don’t want to waste the food.

Sensitive dog food is good for all dogs who might have problems with allergies, diarrhoea, smelly wind or sensitive skin although if you’re concerned about any of these conditions and if there might be underlying issues do get in touch with your vet.

Our best dog food for sensitive stomach reviews

It may be worth looking at grain free dog foods for sensitive stomachs and I have a page dedicated to that subject.

The dog foods listed in this article are all complete dried dog foods.  If you want wet dog food that are suitable for sensitive stomachs you might want to check out my article about the best grain free dog foods which does include canned and wet dog foods – you can find that here.

Burgess Sensitive Hypoallergenic dog food

One of the most popular brands on the market for sensitive dog food is Burgess.  They have a great range of food which makes it my top choice too –  they have three different flavours of adult dog food and a puppy food as well.  The adult dog food comes in turkey, salmon or lamb flavours and the sensitive puppy food comes in a turkey flavour.

Their food is free from maize, wheat, eggs, dairy, beef and soya which means many of the potential foods that can upset a dog are not included.

The meat content is a minimum of 26% and rice is 26% and they have added vitamins and minerals to help with the all round health of your dog.

There are a lot of positive reviews for this product on Amazon – it’s a really popular choice!

Burns Dog Food Sensitive

Another popular choice is this dry dog food from Burns.  It comes in two different flavours – pork and potato and also duck and rice.  They also do a range of sensitive dog treats too – see here.

It’s a hypoallergenic and complete dog food so if your dog enjoys eating it you wouldn’t need anything else.  It’s also wheat, dairy, soya and beef free and also is free from artificial colourings and preservatives.

It’s beneficial not only to dogs with a sensitive stomach but also for those with sensitive skin.

It’s also available in small 2kg packs should you want to try it out at a lower cost.

Arden Grange Dog Food – Adult Sensitive

This dog food comes in the flavour of white fish and potato which is the only one they have that falls under the ‘sensitive dog food’ category.  However it’s another popular dog food that helps with delicate digestions and also for dogs with sensitive skin. They also do their own range of sensitive dog treats too which you can see here.

Ocean fish is a great option for sensitive dogs as it’s a really high protein yet easy to digest.  This food is completely wheat, beef, soya and dairy free.

It’s one of the more expensive foods when you look at the cost per kg but again comes in a smaller bag should you wish to test it out.

Wagg dog food Sensitive dry mix

One of the major brands in the UK and a well known one is Wagg.  This is probably the cheapest of the lot when looking at the cost per kg which is a major benefit to some!

The dog food comes in just one variety – chicken and rice.  It is completely wheat, wheat gluten, dairy and soya free and has no added sugar.  There are a variety of added vitamins and minerals to help with a glossy coat, healthy teeth and strong immune system.

Wagg also do their own version of sensitive dog treat which you can see here.

The main benefit of this product is the price – many of the positive reviews come from people who couldn’t afford the more expensive varieties but have found this one to be as good but much cheaper.

Eukanuba Dry Dog Food Daily Care Adult sensitive digestion

Eukanuba is one of the more premium of the mainstream brands of dog food and was one of the first brands I was introduced to when I got my first dog many years ago who also had a sensitive tummy.

This one that they do currently is a chicken and turkey flavour.  It’s a complete food with added vitamins and probiotics which also help your dogs immune system.  They don’t state whether it is wheat or gluten free so this might be worth checking if it’s important to you.

Their dog food is very high quality and has been made using high tech methods – this one even includes their DentaDefense technology which apparently helps to clean your dog’s teeth as he eats.

Again, don’t be afraid to try out some different foods for your dog.  Dry dog food may be better or you may find that canned, wet dog food will be best for your dog’s sensitive stomach and digestive issues.  It might take a while to get there but it will be worth it in the end to get a much happier dog!

Grain free dog food is really popular right now.  Gone are the days when dogs get inferior food dished up to them – nowadays we’re learning more and more about how to keep them healthy and filling out dog foods with inexpensive fillers are not up to scratch for our furry family members!  Here’s some of the best grain free dog food that’s available in the UK right now.

What are the benefits of grain free dog food

The main benefit that I see of this kind pf dog food is that my dogs are getting more nutrients in their food because it’s full of actual, useable food rather than fillers.  Fillers do nothing for them in terms of nutrition and just means that they’re lacking all the time.  I don’t want this with my dogs – I want them to be healthy!

Other benefits are:

• can be helpful for dogs with allergies or skin sensitivities
• can give dogs more energy
• gives them a much healthier looking coat and nails
• can reduce smelly wind
• some dogs don’t tolerate wheat which is a big part of food with grains.

As you can see it’s quite a good list of reasons to try it!

Our grain free dog food reviews

I’ve tried to talk about a wide variety of brands here and given the pros and cons of them – of course all dogs are different and have different tastes so don’t be afraid to give them a try and see how you get on with them.

Best grain free wet dog food

Lily’s Kitchen Wet Food for dogs

Lily’s Kitchen is one of my favourite varieties of dog food and they have a great product here with their wet dog food.  It can be expensive, especially if you’re used to more cheaper dog food, but I do think they are worth it.

Pros:

• Full of natural ingredients and a high meat content
• Loads of recipes and flavours, they even have some for ill dogs and a special for Christmas!

Cons:

• A little bit on the expensive side

To see more about this dog food and read reviews click here.

Naturo Grain Free Wet dog food

This wet dog food from Naturo is a really good value pack, not too expensive for wet dog food.  It does have rice in it

Another good wet dog food that is also grain free is this one from Naturo.  Although you’re limited in varieties with this one it’s a good one to give a go.  

Pros:

• Good value
• 100% natural ingredients
• comes in 150g or 400g portions

Cons:

• The packaging isn’t always great
• Only 2 varieties are truly grain free – the one above and the salmon and potato flavour

check the latest price of this dog food on Amazon here

Best grain free dry dog food

Lifelong Grain Free dog food

This dog food from Lifelong is worth pointing out as it’s slightly cheaper than some of the other brands.  Unfortunately you only get one variety that is truly grain free, although they do some that are simply hypoallergenic so might be worth considering if you are looking to grain free food to clear up any allergies.

Pros:

• One of the cheaper varieties (per kg) of dry dog food that is also grain free
• bag is resealable
• All natural and hypoallergenic ingredients

Cons:

• Only one flavour is truly grain free – they have others that have rice and oats in them

See more about this dog food on Amazon

Lily’s Kitchen Adult complete dry dog food

Another good option from Lily’s Kitchen is their dried dog food.  They really have a fantastic and huge variety of food in their range, and all grain free.

Pros:

• A good amount of different varieties, including suitable for older dogs and puppies (see here for the puppy grain free dog food variety)
• All high quality ingredients
• Available in smaller bags and up to 7kg bags

Cons:

Check the latest price of this dog food on Amazon here

AATU 80/20 Dog food

This is a really amazing dry dog food.  Normally you’ll find that the actual protein content in dried food is much, much less, but not so in this one by AATU.  You’ll get 80% of protein in it, although the price does reflect the quality of the food.  As you know if you’re reading this far, good dog food with no fillers is not going to be as cheap as some of the dog food around.

Pros:

• High protein content, especially for dry foods – 80%
• Some different varieties, including puppy food
• resealable bag

Cons:

• quite expensive, but the quality is there

See more reviews and the latest price on Amazon here