How to Choose the Best Dog Food for a Sensitive Stomach

Choosing the best dog food can look different for everyone. One of the main concerns when choosing the best food for your dog is whether or not they have a "weak stomach" — or in other words, a sensitive stomach. It's good to know what sensitive stomach dog food to choose, as there are many options.

• Loose stools, occasional vomiting, gas, or itchy skin can all signal your dog needs a sensitive stomach diet.
• Most digestive issues trace back to gut health, so a gentler, highly digestible food often helps.
• Blood in the stool, lethargy, or other severe symptoms mean a vet visit — not a diet change.
• A bland diet like plain chicken with rice, plus 100% pumpkin, can settle a mild upset stomach.
• New food should be introduced gradually over about four days to avoid triggering an upset stomach.

The most common sign a dog needs a different food, likely a sensitive stomach diet, is an upset stomach that's causing some diarrhea. A dog having loose stools daily, or even every two days, may do well on a sensitive stomach diet. Another common symptom is occasional vomiting. A dog who acts completely normal but vomits every so often is showing something abnormal that's worth factoring into your food decision. Other signs to look for are gas and itchy skin. Sensitive skin and a sensitive stomach often tie together.

Every dog is different, which means there isn't one correct answer for every dog. However, when a dog is vomiting or having diarrhea on a daily or weekly basis, my #1 question will always be "What are you feeding?" and my second will be "Have you ever tried a different food?" One of the most common reasons for digestive issues in dogs is gut health.

Gut health is actually the leading reason for a lot of other issues concerning dogs.

So the answer is simple: your dog is likely having digestive issues related to their gut health. Some dogs can develop a condition like gastroenteritis, which is when the stomach and intestines become inflamed. It can be caused by something as small as a diet change or something as big as parasites, diseases or toxins.

A sensitive stomach diet can help for a lot of different reasons — mainly for a sensitive stomach, but it can also help with things like sensitive skin. Sensitive stomach diets have gentler ingredients that are easy on the gut. A healthier gut means a healthier body overall. So a sensitive stomach diet can help with issues related to vomiting, diarrhea, itchy skin, and even other minor issues!

The mild symptoms listed above — chronic diarrhea, vomiting, gas, or itchy skin — probably mean it's time for a diet change! But symptoms that look more severe, like blood present in stool, lethargy or other concerning signs, mean switching a diet is not recommended and a vet visit is.

Maybe a sensitive stomach diet isn't available to you right now — so what should you feed your dog with an upset stomach? You've probably guessed it: a bland diet. Lots of people feed white rice or quinoa with plain chicken. Another thing that can help is fasting your dog. This fast should only be for one day, and some even give goat's milk or bone broth during it.

Fasting is beneficial because it gives the gut a break, gives a metabolic reset and allows cells to repair.

Something great you can top their food off with is pumpkin! It has to be 100% pure pumpkin without any additives. You can find this at almost any grocery store!

Remember what you've fed in the past when looking for the right diet. What seemed to agree with your dog's stomach? What didn't? This is important to take into account. Tried beef in the past and he had constant diarrhea? Then maybe shy away from beef. Look for a food that's limited ingredient, highly digestible and grain-free. Some dogs can't digest carbohydrates very easily, while others can, so staying away from grains can be in your dog's best interest.

Try to stay away from fillers, by-products, corn, wheat, soy, and artificial additives. Look for a smaller ingredient list that's easy to read. PawHealth and CareTeam can offer general guidance on what to look for in a digestive health food.

So what's so special about gastrointestinal dog food diets? What's different about them compared to regular food?

There really is not a huge difference within the ingredients themselves.

Most of these foods use a "gentler" protein like lamb or fish, they have lower fat levels, they add pumpkin or another supportive fiber, and they'll throw in a probiotic. So if you really know what to look for when choosing a sensitive stomach diet, you don't necessarily have to grab a bag that says "sensitive stomach" right on it. Most of the time, those aren't the best option when you're really reading the back of the label.

Always read the back of the bag — not just the ingredient list, but the nutritional facts as well. Choose a "gentle protein" like lamb or fish. Limited ingredient foods will be the best choice! Grain-free is also a great option! Knowing your ingredients is what will truly help you choose the best dry dog food for a sensitive stomach.

Choosing puppy food for a sensitive stomach can be a bit different. Even though your puppy may have an upset stomach, it's important to note that they still have puppy-specific needs and will still need a puppy-formulated food. So whichever limited ingredient, grain-free or sensitive stomach diet you're choosing, always make sure it's puppy specific. GI issues in puppies can escalate fairly quickly and more seriously, causing dehydration and other serious concerns, and can warrant a vet visit sooner.

Transitioning foods should be a gradual process. You don't want to introduce the new food fully and immediately. Instead, feed about 75% of their current food mixed with 25% of the new food on the first day. On the second day, feed 50% current and 50% new. On the third day, feed 25% current and 75% new. Finally, on the last day you can fully feed the new food! Some people like to throw a spoonful of pumpkin in the bowl every day to help the digestive system adjust to the switch. Is your picky dog resisting the new food? Try adding a spoonful of pumpkin, rice or chicken!

Switching food slowly is fiddly to get right, and it's the easiest step to rush. PawChamp's step-by-step guides walk you through introducing a new food gradually, so you don't trigger a fresh upset stomach.

There can be other reasons besides a sensitive stomach that cause a dog to throw up after eating, such as eating too fast. A dog who chows down the second the first piece of kibble hits the bowl and finishes in seconds might benefit from a slow feeder (also known as a puzzle feeder). Eating too fast can cause an upset stomach by overloading the stomach or making a dog swallow excessive air.

Stress is another factor that can cause loose stools. Think this may be a possibility? Dig into what could be causing the stress and remove that factor, then see if the stool improves. Vet checks may be needed to find a solution.

The right food and your vet handle the medical side. A calm, gradual food transition, a slower eating pace, and lower stress are management — and that's what PawChamp supports day to day.

• Chat with real experts in the app — behaviorists and coaches who can talk through food transitions and fussy eating.

• Step-by-step guides that walk you through switching foods slowly, so you don't trigger a fresh upset stomach.

• Daily challenges that build the structure and routine a sensitive dog thrives on.

• Support for the stress side of tummy trouble, from overexcited mealtimes to anxious eaters.

Not sure whether it's the food, the pace, or stress behind your dog's tummy trouble? Ask a PawChamp expert and talk it through before you switch anything.