Best Dog Food For Australian Shepherds

Key Points

• The #1 Best Overall Dog Food for Australian shepherds is the Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Dog Food.
• Dog food with natural ingredients and animal protein is excellent for your dog’s overall health.
• We recommend buying dog food that mostly suits all the life phases of your dog.
• Dog foods with probiotics are great to ensure that your canine has a strong cardiovascular system.

If you own an Australian shepherd, you known that they’re unlike any other breed. It’s no surprise that these lively and intelligent medium-sized dogs thrive on food that is rich in protein and fat, as opposed to a sedentary diet. As Australian shepherds are quite active, it’s important to ensure that their diet is nutritionally complete.

You may feed your Aussie any high-quality dog food, but some meals are more beneficial than others. To assist you in your search, we’ve compiled this list of some of our favorite foods for Australian shepherds. Before we go into that, some of the things you should consider when choosing the best food are age, health, nutritional requirements, and food standards. Luckily we’ve taken all of the elements above into account and compiled a list of the best Australian shepherd food. Let’s take a look at each one of them.

A-Z-Animals Top Picks for Dog Food for Australian Shepherds

#1 Best Overall: Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Dog Food

In our review, we have found Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Dog Food to be the best dog food for Australian shepherds.

The diet is high in good protein such as salmon. It comes with ingredients such as sweet potato and flaxseed which are great for dogs with sensitive tummies. The amino acids and essential nutrients are perfect for Australian shepherds and help to keep them and their immune system in tip-top shape.

This food is grain-free and does not contain any ingredients like corn, soy, or wheat.  When dogs are more prone to allergies, these ingredients can make those allergies flare up. However, it’s important to consider whether your dog needs a grain-free diet as it may not be suitable for every pet.

Coming in multiple sizes you can find a bag that fits in your home, whether you want to buy in bulk or not. There are also wet and dry options so you can make your dog happy even if they’re a bit picky. However, some pup parents have reported that this food sometimes turns to crumbs in the bottom of the bag.

Pros and Cons of the Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Dog Food

Best Overall

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient

• No filler ingredients like corn, soy, or wheat
• Has wet and dry options
• High in protein like venison, salmon, buffalo
• Contains amino acids

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2. Best for Puppies: Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Food

The high protein content of the Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Food is precisely what active puppies need.

This food is a super-tasty and very nutritious diet containing bison and roasted venison as the main ingredients. It has a high protein content (28%) to promote the development of lean muscles and support joints and bones. It is also packed full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and omega fatty acids which is gets from real fruit, vegetables, and superfoods such as peas and potatoes. These help to promote good skin and coat health and a healthy immune system.

Not only that, but this food also dried chicory root and special K9-strain Proprietary probiotics and prebiotics to aid digestion. Also, this food is grain-free which means it does not contain many of the typical sources of allergies, such as wheat and corn. However, again it is important to remember that a grain-free diet may not suit every pup.

Pros and Cons of the Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Food

Best for Puppies

Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy

• Contains water buffalo and lamb
• Supports your puppy's necessary growth
• Includes chicory root for extra fiber and healthy digestion
• Added chelated minerals

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3. Best on a Budget: Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Dog Food

Choosing quality dog food doesn’t need to be expensive, which is why we have selected the Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Dog Food.

This food is one of the most popular types on the market, and it’s easy to see why. This food contains all-natural ingredients, including real meat and delectable vegetables. It also contains vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to support a healthy immune system. The addition of glucosamine aimed at supporting joint health, while calcium and phosphorus support strong bones and teeth.

This food is grain-free and also free from chicken or poultry by products. However, a grain-free diet does not suit all dogs. Also, some owners have reported that their pets do not like this food.

Pros and Cons of the Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Dog Food

Best on a Budget

Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Chicken & Brown Rice

• No animal by-products
• Contain natural ingredients
• No artificial flavors or preservatives
• Contains LifeSource Bits

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How to Choose the Best Dog Food for Australian Shepherds

With this information in mind, you can begin searching for the best dog food for your pet. First and foremost, search for natural ingredients while evaluating foods. Avoid foods with a lot of preservatives and artificial ingredients. Animal protein should always be the primary source of protein in dog food. Whole grains, fresh fruits, and starchy vegetables are all terrific options for your dog’s vegetable content. Also consider the following:

Price

As in any industry, you get what you pay for in dog food, but that doesn’t mean you have to fork up a fortune to feed your pet a nutritious diet. Prior to taking a dog home, do some research on the typical monthly cost of dog food for the breed and age you’re considering. You’ll be able to create a budget for high-quality pet food that won’t force you to compromise on nutrition.

Durability

A product designed for dogs “of all life phases” is the best choice if you’re feeding it to anything from a puppy to a high-performance athlete to a pregnant or nursing female dog. Puppies and nursing mothers have higher nutritional needs than the general population though, and products labelled with that phrase must meet those needs.

Length

As a general rule, you want to buy and feed your pets the freshest food possible. It becomes a waste whenever a product’s shelf life has passed. Try to look for foods that can sustain for longer periods of time.

Our Criteria: How We Chose the Best

Each breed has different physical features, tendencies and characteristics. The nutritional needs also differ from one breed to another. Which is why we have take utmost care while choosing the best dog food for the Aussie breed. Our criteria for selection was quality, nutrition, type and price. Here are what made us choose these as benchmarks:

• Quality: First and foremost, we checked the quality of ingredients, manufacturing process and standards, quality and method of packaging that were used to create the products.
• Nutrition: Each breed has its own need for nutritional fulfilment. If not provided properly, then inadequacy of a balanced diet can cause various health issues. Which is why we ensured that each product provided enough nutrition to keep your dogs healthy.
• Type: There are two types of dog food, wet and dry, and we made sure that your were provided with both options that suit your dog.
• Price: When it comes to quality, there is no compromise. However, we have made sure that the products we choose are affordable from a long-term perspective.

Up Next

• Australian Shepherd Complete Guide — Everything you ever wanted to know about this breed.
• The Best Large Breed Dog Food — Check out the top-rated food for large breed dogs here!
• Choosing the Best Dog Food: Everything You Need to Know — Check out our complete guide to dog food here with a detailed breed-by-bred guide, plus every specialty food you may need.