We all love our pets. But it’s not all rainbows and roses. One aspect of owning a furry pet that can get under any owners skin is shedding.
Luckily, a proper diet can reduce hair loss in an otherwise healthy pet. To help you manage, here is our review of 2024’s best dog food for shedding.
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Top 3 Best Dog Food For Shedding: Comparison Chart
Before we move onto a detailed overview, let’s look at a summary of the top three dog foods.
Editor's Picks | Product Name | Price |
---|---|---|
Best Choices | Merrick Lil Plates Grain Free Small Breed Recipe | |
The Best Vegetarian Dog Food for Shedding | Nature's Recipe Healthy Skin Dry Dog Food | |
The Best Wet Food for Shedding | Purina Pro Plan Savory Meals Adult Wet Dog Food | |
The Best Grain-free Dog Food for Shedding | ACANA Heritage Dry Dog Food, Freshwater Fish, Biologically Appropriate & Grain Free | |
The Best Dog Food for Adults | Hill's Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult, Sensitive Stomach & Skin, Chicken Recipe |
5 Best Dog Food for Shedding
Merrick Lil Plates Grain Free is one of the best dog food for shedding. The product is made for small breed dogs. You could feed it to larger animals, but the size of the kibble is perfect for tiny pups.
Luckily, it is suitable for pets of all life stages. So you can feed it to your puppy, adult or senior dog.
The food is very high in protein, it makes up no less than 38% of the formula. This comes from sources like beef, lamb, and salmon. It doesn’t contain any poultry which is excellent if your dog is allergic to chicken. Its flavor is both.
One of its key ingredients is sweet potato. It’s a brilliant source of fiber and nutrients.
Because it contains salmon, it is high in both omega 3 and 6 which makes it excellent for possibly reducing shedding. It has some DHA as well. The formula contains 15% fat.
As a food that is high in proteins and fats, it's brilliant for busy pets. If your pet is inactive, you need to be careful about managing their calorie intake.
Merrick made the product grain free which can be helpful for dogs with sensitivities. Besides this, it contains probiotic and prebiotic fibers to help pets absorb all the essential nutrients.
- Suitable for all life stages
- For small breeds
- Available in 4 lb, 12 lb, and 20 lb bags
- Grain free
- High in protein and fats
- Contains omega 3 and 6
- Made with probiotic and prebiotic fibers
- Enriched with antioxidants
- Expensive
- High in calories
Another of the best dog foods for shedding is Nature's Recipe Healthy Skin Dry Dog Food. The product is quite unique in that it is vegetarian. It also has formulas with meat, but we will focus on the veg one.
Nature’s recipe can work well if you don’t want to feed your dog meat products.
As an alternative, it is full of soybean oil and some other nutritious grains. Surprisingly it's still high in protein with a whopping 21%. This is enough to keep them and their skin and coat healthy.
For fats, Nature’s Recipe included canola oil. This means that it is high in omega 6. It contains some omega 3 as well. Overall, it is 8% fat.
In addition to this, the manufacturers made the food with linoleic acid, copper, and zinc. These combined with the fatty acids can help to improve the condition of your pet’s skin and fur and limit shedding.
The food is quite high in fiber. It has about 4% which is necessary for healthy digestion and metabolism.
You can give this product to your adult dogs. But it isn’t suitable for puppies. Seniors dogs can eat it too, but they will benefit from additional supplements and some calorie management.
Unfortunately, it is quite expensive. But this might be partly because vegetarian dog foods are still quite unusual.
- Vegetarian
- No artificial colors or flavors
- No corn
- Contains omega 6 and 3
- Enriched with vitamins and minerals
- Available in 4.5 lb, 15 lb, and 30 lb bags
- Suitable for adult dogs
- Contains vitamin E
- Not suitable for puppies and seniors
- Very expensive
Purina manufactures one of the best dog food for shedding. It is one of their wet foods that is part of their savory meal plans.
The product was made especially for adult dogs. It is not meant for puppies. You could potentially give it to your senior pet as long as you give them some additional supplements for bone health.
The food is soft, so it is easier to eat. You don’t have to worry about your pup being able to chew it. Therefore, it’s suitable for all breeds whether they are tiny or large.
It’s an excellent option for picky eaters. Dogs seem to love its rich beefy flavors. It comes from the real beef which is its main ingredient. Protein makes up 12% of the contents. This is lower than most of the products on the list. But it will still fulfill most dog’s daily requirements.
It only contains 2% fat. This is quite low. As such it can work well as part of a calorie-restricted diet for dogs who are overweight.
The food is high in omega 6 which is essential for skin and coat health. On top of this, it’s enriched with 23 vitamins and minerals.
- Suitable for adults
- Complete and balanced food source
- Soft food
- For all breeds
- Enriched with 23 vitamins and minerals
- Ideal for a calorie restricted diet
- High in omega 6
- Expensive
- Low protein and fat content
- Not suitable for seniors and puppies
The next product that we will review is the ACANA Heritage Dry Dog Food. It is their freshwater fish formula.
Acana manufactured it in the form of kibble which is sold in bags of 12 oz, 4.5 lb, 13 lb, and 25 lb.
One of the best features of the product is its high-quality ingredients. Most of the formula is made up of fresh rainbow trout, blue catfish, and white perch. This gives the food a fishy taste that some dogs enjoy.
Thanks to this, it is very high in protein with a content of 29%.
The fat content of the kibble is 17%. This is very high. Although fats are needed for optimal skin and coat, this will significantly increase their calorie content. You will need to carefully manage your dog’s diet to make sure that they don’t pick up excess weight.
Overall, it would be better suited for an active dog.
The food contains both omega 3 and 6. It also contains small amounts of DHA and EPA. These nutrients can help to keep the shedding to a minimum.
Acana included many vegetables, fruits, and botanicals in the recipe and enriched it with vitamins and minerals.
Because it’s grain-free, it could be beneficial for dogs with food allergies and sensitivities.
- Suitable for all life stages
- For all breeds
- High in protein
- Available in 2 oz, 4.5 lb, 13 lb, and 25 lb
- Great for active dogs
- Contains omega 3 and 6
- Comes with DHA and EPA
- Grain-free
- Enriched with vitamins and minerals
- High in fat
- High in calories
One of the products that we are going to look at is Hill's Science Diet Dry Dog Food. This specific formula was made for pets with sensitive stomachs and skins.
The food is dry food in the form of kibble and is a complete diet. Hill’s made it with all natural high-quality ingredients. Its primary source of protein is chicken but is also contains some pork.
Proteins make up 23.6% of the food, so if you are looking for high protein food, this can be a great option.
Hill’s also made sure that it has enough oils and fats for your pet. It specifically contains omega 6 fatty acids which are essential for a healthy coat. This is also beneficial for other aspects like mental functioning.
On top of this, your pet will get a bunch of veggies and grains with each meal. Among others, it contains beet, peas, and broccoli.
One of the benefits of the product is that it’s reinforced with a variety of vitamins and minerals like E. This can benefit their skin too.
The manufacturers formulated this specifically for adult dogs. You can feed it to dogs of all breeds and sizes. But the kibble is a medium size so small dogs might struggle to chew them.
- High in protein and fats
- Includes omega 6-fatty acids
- Contains vitamin E and C
- Available in 4 lb, 15 lb, 24 lb, and 30 lb bags
- High in vitamins and minerals
- For dogs with sensitive stomachs
- No preservatives, artificial flavors or synthetic colors
- Made with prebiotic fiber
- For adult dogs
- Suitable for all breeds
- Medium sized kibble
- Only available in chicken
- Expensive
- Not suitable for puppies
Guide to Dogs Shedding
Is Shedding Normal?
There isn’t a hard and fast rule to how much is too much. It’s critical that you get to know what’s normal for your individual pets. The amount of hair that your dog regularly loses depends on their size, breed, breed, health, and diet.
A certain amount of shedding throughout the year should be expected. However, if it dramatically increases you need to pay attention and look for potential causes.
It’s usual for a dog to shed much more is when the seasons change.
When you have a pet with a double coat like a husky, this can be much more extreme. These breeds are said to blow their coat. They have to switch from their summer coat to winter coat and vice versa. To do this much of their hair needs to fall out is that it can be replaced.
Another critical point for shedding is when puppies shed their first coat and need to grow their adult fur. This typically happens when they are about four to six months old.
But there is a point where shedding is definitely excessive. Your pet's fur shouldn’t be falling out in clumps, and it shouldn’t be visibly thinning. Hairless spots can also be a warning sign.
If this is happening, your dog might be suffering from a more severe skin condition. Internal diseases or issues like hypothyroidism can also lead to hair loss.
Read more —
How Does Diet Affect Shedding?
Dogs need to eat a balanced and complete diet to maintain a healthy coat. The condition their fur depends on the state of their skin. Getting all the right nutrients are essential for keeping both in tip-top shape.
Signs of an Unhealthy Coat
If your dog shows any of these symptoms, it's a good idea to take them to the vet first. Once you know, they don’t have an underlying health issue you could turn to their diet to try to improve the condition of their coat.
Two of the most critical nutrient groups for healthy skin and hair are fats and proteins. These are essential for their fur to grow out shiny.
At least 5.5% of your adult dog's diet should be fats, and 10% should be protein. This is the minimum that they require to stay healthy.
Brilliant sources of omega fatty acids are fish or marine oils. These are easily digestible and contain EPA, DHA, and DPA. So keep an eye out for dog foods which are high in ingredients like salmon. Alternatives are vegetable oils like safflower oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, flaxseed oil.
Vitamins, especially vitamin E is also crucial.
In addition to this, skin problems in dogs are often caused by food allergies. This won’t be true for all pets, but a process of elimination can help you to find out whether yours has any sensitivities. If they do, grain-free or limited ingredient foods could be the way to go.
Some owners try to supplement with oils to improve their dog's skin and fur. But buying a complete food source, which is one that contains all the nutrients they need can be much more comfortable. It can also help you to keep their total calorie intake in check.
Other Tips: Grooming
Diet can certainly be a fantastic way to help manage how much your dog sheds. But this might not always be enough.
One of the most useful steps you can take is to groom your pet regularly. You need to brush them once or twice a week. If the dog has long fur, you might want to do this more often. Their coats possibly have to be detangled as well.
If you are curious to learn more here is a video with instructions to brush your puppy.
Essential Features for Dog Food for Shedding:
You can assess potential products based on a few critical factors.
1.Quality
You want to buy food from a manufacturer which only uses high-quality ingredients. In addition to this, they need to be made with care.
Brands need to have their food tested and approved the FDA and other relevant organizations.
2. Omega fatty acids
If you want to reduce your pet’s shedding, you want to make sure that their food contains an appropriate amount of omega fatty acids.
These nutrients are crucial to keeping their skin and coat shiny and in excellent shape. You need to check whether the food contains any.
3. Protein
Dogs, like humans, need protein to grow, stay active and thrive. On top of this, it is necessary for the synthesis of hair.
All food products are required to list this information on their packaging.
4. Flavor
It doesn’t help that you buy the best product on the market, but your dog refuses to eat it. That's why you need to get food that they will enjoy too.
You will learn more about their preferences over time.
Rounding Up
The products in this review can all potentially help to manage your dog’s shedding. They are chock full of ingredients and nutrients which are necessary for the optimal functioning of their skin and coat.
My personal favorite for the best dog food for shedding is the Merrick Lil Plates Grain Free Small Breed Recipe. The product is high in protein and fat. Besides this, it is made with potential food intolerances in mind. One of its best features is that it’s suitable for pets of all life stages.
Tell us in the comments what you think about these products. Be sure to share it with all your friends whose pets are heavy shedders.
Hey there, I’m Ruby Smith, founder of Pet So Fun, and I’m here to provide you with useful information about your precious pet. All pets deserve the best care, don’t they? But not all pet owners have access to the right products and tips for their pets. And the central core of my work here is to change that.