Best Dog Foods for Husky with a Sensitive Stomach

With so many foods on the market and so many people blogging about dogs, it can be difficult for a pet-parent to find any sort of real answer.

If you suspect your Husky has sensitivities and are looking for new food then this post is for you.

best food for husky with sensitive stomach
Best Food for Husky with a sensitive stomach

If you’re a pet parent to a Husky then you know how picky they can be sometimes. You go and pick up a brand new bag of expensive dog food only to find out it doesn’t quite measure up to “their standards”.

When this happens with your husky, you may be dealing with a sensitive stomach. Huskies with sensitive stomachs can have trouble digesting certain foods which can cause them to avoid eating the ones you buy.

Sensitive stomachs in huskies can also cause various symptoms to arise after eating, like diarrhea, gas, bloating, and vomiting. It can also impact their overall well-being.

Here are the best dog foods for a Husky with a sensitive stomach:

  1. Wellness Core Natural Grain-Free
  2. Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach
  3. Purina ONE SmartBlend Natural Sensitive Systems
  4. Hill’s Science Diet, Sensitive Stomach & Skin
  5. Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Boost

Some of the links in this post are affiliate, and we may earn a commission.

Related Reading: Training Your Husky For Better Behaviour

The best foods for Huskies with sensitive stomachs are ones that avoid the food(s) causing the sensitivities and ones that help improve digestion while avoiding cheaper fillers.

This post discusses what food allergies are, how they are in fact quite rare in dogs and then discusses some possible options that can help with your Husky with sensitivities.

Here are the 5 foods that this post will be looking at in greater detail, click each one to view in a new tab. I’ve also added two premium options that may be worth considering for those pet parents that have already tried “everything”.

Whenever switching to a new food it’s important to follow both the food’s recommended transitioning protocol and any suggestions from your veterinarian.

But unless you are dealing with some very serious symptoms and/or dietary restrictions there is no reason to think that spending more means a healthier doggie.

Best Foods For Huskies With a Sensitive Stomach

Alright, let’s take a closer look at some of the best dog foods for a husky with a sensitive stomach.

1. Wellness Core Natural Grain-Free Dry Dog Food Ocean

If you’re looking for a food that has a good chance of relieving your Huskie’s sensitive stomach then you should consider the Wellness Core dog food.

In case your Husky is one of the very rare populations of dogs that has a grain allergy this food is grain-free.

It contains Whitefish as its first ingredient and the remaining protein sources come from fish.

At about $35 a month, this food is starting to get on the pricier side. There is a good chance, however, that it will help your Huskie’s symptoms within a short amount of time.

Few foods can avoid so many common food allergens while still maintaining fairly high nutritional integrity.

The Wellness Core Ocean dog food avoids many of the common dog food allergens in commercial dog foods making them a great choice for any dog dealing with a sensitive stomach.

In fact, the reviews for this dog food are full of anecdotal stories from pet parents stating this food relieved many of their doggie’s allergies once they switched to it.

This food, unfortunately, has a very strong smell to it.

If a fishy smell causes you to feel queasy then you may find this food unbearable to handle.

Just to be on the safe side I recommend storing it in a sealed container and outside of any main room (if possible).

Additionally, not every pet parent and their doggie find relief with this food. Some pet parents review this food as having made their dog sick causing an upset stomach.

The Wellness Core Ocean dog food may be the quickest way to eliminate many of the common food allergens found in most dog food.

If your Huskie’s allergies are getting bad then transitioning them to this food, even if temporarily, may help reduce their symptoms.

But, as always, consult your veterinarian before making any major dietary changes for helping with a sensitive stomach. I’m sure they’ll have a good reason if they advise against this food as it’s already vet recommended.

2. Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach

This food is a great option for pet parents on a budget and contains mostly salmon as its protein.

If you’re trying to pinpoint a particular protein your Husky is allergic to or sensitive to, then this food is a good place to start.

This dog food has a focus on easier to digest nutrition. It contains salmon (as the first ingredient) and is an omega-rich dog food that can help improve a doggie’s skin and coat.

Other vitamins and minerals found within this food aim to improve a dog’s immune system which may help with defence against allergens.

At roughly $17 a month for a 35 lbs. doggie, this food is an excellent choice for pet parents on a budget.

The main protein source is fish. If you are working with a Husky that has a chicken or beef allergy then this food will help their sensitive stomach.

Don’t feel bad about the low price, Purina is a well-established pet food company and often sold out of veterinarian’s offices.

A lot of pet parents report this food as helping their dog with a sensitive stomach. Due to the higher amounts of omega fatty acids, this food is also being praised for making dog coats shinier.

While the first ingredient is Salmon, this dog food does contain some chicken. If chicken is suspected as a food allergen for your Husky then this product may not work.

This food was once free of all chicken, but it now appears further down the list of ingredients.

This is the best option for those on a budget. In fact, it’s a great option for those not on a budget as well.

If you suspect your Husky and their sensitive stomach is reacting to certain foods, then Purina ONE SmartBlend may be a suitable food in helping manage their symptoms.

3. Purina ONE SmartBlend Natural Sensitive Systems

Think of this one as a slightly better version than #1, and at less than $10 extra per month for this food, the Purina Pro Plan may be worth considering for a few reasons.

The first ingredient is salmon and there is no:

  • wheat
  • soy
  • corn
  • artificial colours
  • artificial flavours
  • no poultry-by-product meal

Like I said, similar to #1 but a little better.

At roughly $24 a month for a 35 lbs. doggie, this food is an excellent choice for pet parents on a budget.

Many pet parents have reviewed this food as responsible for relieving their doggie’s skin allergies. It can also improve a doggie’s coat making it appear shinier.

A lot of pet parents report success with this food and their dog that has allergies and a sensitive stomach.

It contains a prebiotic fibre that promotes digestive health.

It does not contain any corn, wheat or soy which can help when trying to determine a specific food allergy.

While shipping dog food is normally fine, there has been an unusually high amount of complaints about this particular food.

A lot of the complaints from pet parents focus on spoiled or damaged food which may indicate warehousing issues.

If you suspect your Husky is dealing with a food allergy, especially to something like chicken, then this food is an excellent choice.

If you’re looking for something with even fewer ingredients then keep reading.

4. Hill’s Science Diet, Sensitive Stomach & Skin

This food has been designed to promote better digestive health in dogs while also nourishing their skin.

Hill’s Science foods are highly recommended by veterinarians. While this food isn’t perfect for all dog’s it can be an excellent food for some dogs experiencing symptoms from the food they are eating.

While this food is not geared towards eliminating certain protein sources it does aim to improve digestion. It contains a source of prebiotic fibres that help to balance the gut microbiome in dogs.

The Hill’s Science Diet is formulated to be highly digestible to help dogs better absorb the nutrients from the food they eat. It also contains higher amounts of Vitamin E and Omega 6 fatty acids to help keep your dog’s skin and coat healthy.

This one is a little on the pricier side considering what it contains. However, this food is designed for sensitivities rather than allergies.

As I discussed earlier, food allergies in dogs are rare, and grain allergies are very rare.

If you don’t actually know for sure if your Husky has a food allergy, this food may be a good waste to change up and clean up their diet.

It contains a source of prebiotic fibre to support a balanced gut microbiome in your grown dog to help their sensitive stomach. This food is also designed to be highly digestible, something the food your Husky is currently eating may lack.

If you are specifically trying to avoid eggs, chicken and/or grains then this food will not work.

Some pet parents have experienced this food making their doggie’s allergies even worse. Whether it’s diarrhea or more itching, some dogs, unfortunately, do not do well on this food.

This is the reality for dog food, unfortunately, but it can be more disappointing when it comes from a higher quality and commercial dog food.

If you’re not actually sure if your Husky has a food allergy (i.e., you and your vet have not done extensive testing), then this food may be worth trying for your Husky.

It won’t completely change up what your Husky is likely already eating. It will clean up what they’re eating and promote better digestion and ease their sensitive stomach.

These two things combined may improve your Huskie’s current symptoms like itching or poor quality stool.

5. Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Boost

It іѕ hard tо find рrоduсtѕ these dауѕ that сurb a dоg’ѕ nаturаl hungеr for organ meat while еnѕurіng thаt іt receives hіgh protein соntеnt along with оthеr еѕѕеntіаl elements, which рrоvіdе орtіmum hеаlth tо уоur Bоѕtоn tеrrіеr.

However, this product ѕuссееdѕ іn providing just that, an organ mеаt with high protein соntеnt.

Thіѕ product fеаturеѕ real chicken аѕ its key іngrеdіеnt. Thе іnсluѕіоn оf raw chicken mаkеѕ this рrоduсt a favourite аmоngѕt dogs оf all kinds including a Boston Tеrrіеr.

Mоrеоvеr, thіѕ product succeeds in рrоvіdіng enough minerals and vіtаmіnѕ so as to еnѕurе thе optimum hеаlth оf уоur loyal companion.

This dog food іѕ hіghlу dіgеѕtіblе, mаkіng іt аn іdеаl сhоісе fоr dоgѕ wіth a ѕеnѕіtіvе stomach. Thіѕ fеаturе is also еnhаnсеd by thе fасt that this product іѕ grain- аnd glutеn-frее, so іt іѕ lеѕѕ likely tо trіggеr allergic rеасtіоnѕ.

Premium Dog Food For Husky

I want to make it very clear that premium dog food does not necessarily mean better dog food.

Premium becomes a suitable option when you have a doggie that has unwanted symptoms that don’t seem to be improving.

Premium dog food is often for those pet parents that have already tried “everything”.

If your Husky truly has an allergy then trying out dog food like Ollie may be beneficial. First, Ollie contains very few ingredients and contains a single protein source.

This makes it very easy to identify what your Husky is allergic/sensitive to.

Ollie is a dog food company that makes fresh, healthy, and limited ingredient dog food that gets shipped right to your door.

And utilizing a service like Ollie when you’re struggling with a potentially serious condition can save you both money and peace of mind.

Allergy Immune Supplement

In case you feel that none of the recommended foods in this post is a good fit for your doggie, or you feel that you may not need to completely switch their food, then you can always try a particular supplement.

This supplement is enhanced with EpiCor. At 80 mg per chew, EpiCor provides vitamins, protein, fibre, and antioxidants that are clinically proven to support the body’s natural defences to balance the immune system and keep your dog feeling healthy.

What’s great about this supplement is that allergy medication for dogs, like Apoquel, can sometimes run as high as $150 a month whereas this supplement will be a fraction of that cost.

Just don’t expect these to work overnight. Some pet parents had to wait two-three weeks before their doggie’s symptoms improved.

In any case, if your doggie is exhibiting symptoms like itching and scratching these may be worth considering.

Husky eating dog food
Husky eating dog food

What Is A Sensitive Stomach and Food Allergy for Dogs?

A sensitivity in dogs often indicates some sort of allergic reaction. In this post, I’m focusing on the possibility of food causing that reaction and looking at some helpful options.

If your Husky has a food allergy it means their immune system is misidentifying a protein from their food as an “invader” rather than a food item which causes an immune response.

Think of it like a “glitch in the matrix”.

If this is the case for your Husky then this “invader” will end up causing itchy skin or ear and skin infections. It can also cause vomiting or diarrhea (gastrointestinal signs) for some dogs.

The thing is, food allergies aren’t the only causes for these symptoms and many of the other causes are much more common than food allergies.

Some common causes of gastrointestinal signs in dogs:

  • parasites
  • viruses
  • bacterial infections
  • pancreatitis
  • eating something they shouldn’t have

So consider whether you have the right evidence supporting your Huskie’s food allergy. There’s a lot of marketing hype in the dog food world which can cause pet-parents to become worried and start searching for the new “right” product.

How to Diagnose a Food Allergy in Dogs

Not only are food allergies rare in dogs there is no easy test for finding food allergies in dogs.

The most effective way pet parents can find out if their doggie has a food allergy is to work with their vet in monitoring their dog’s new strict diet.

The diet needs to be one that your pet has never been fed before. This can include foods with proteins that are hydrolyzed (where the proteins are broken down into very small pieces that can hide from the immune system) or ones that are purified to remove the parts that are likely to cause allergies.

This new diet needs to then be strictly adhered to for at least a month, but sometimes longer.

If your doggie’s signs dramatically improve during the trial then the last step is to reintroduce their old food to confirm it was, in fact, an ingredient in the old food.

Which Foods Cause the Most Allergies in Dogs?

The most commonly reported food allergies in dogs are:

  • chicken
  • beef
  • dairy
  • egg

Keep in mind, however, these are the foods that dogs are exposed to most.

What about grains? Well, despite marketing dog food hype, most dogs are allergic to animal proteins if they have a food allergy.

Grain allergies in dogs are very rare.

There Is No TRUE or BEST “Allergy Diet”

Despite what marketing would want you to believe, there is no “one size fits all” diet when it comes to your Husky and allergies.

The closest thing to a “hypoallergenic” diet that dog food companies can offer are hydrolyzed diets.

Hydrolyzed just means the proteins are broken down into very small pieces that can hide from the immune system.

Final Thoughts

If you suspect your Husky has sensitive and/or allergies then make sure you, well, make sure! Too many pet parents fall into a spiral of worry.

Your Husky may have recently developed an allergy or sensitivity to the food they eating and, if that’s the case, we hope this post has helped narrow down some new food choices.

stuart and his dog

Family Dog Expert Author

Hi there! I’m Stuart, a devoted dog lover and family dog expert with over a decade of experience working with our furry companions. My passion for dogs drives me to share my knowledge and expertise, helping families build strong, loving bonds with their four-legged friends. When I’m not writing for SirDoggie, you’ll find me hiking, playing with my beautiful dog, or studying music.