| Best for | Product |
|---|---|
| Best Overall | Natural Balance Limited Ingredient |
| Best for Puppies | Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy |
| Best on a Budget | Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Chicken & Brown Rice |
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.
Check Chewy Check Amazon- No filler ingredients like corn, soy, or wheat
- Has wet and dry options
- High in protein like venison, salmon, buffalo
- Contains amino acids
Check Chewy Check Amazon- Contains water buffalo and lamb
- Supports your puppy's necessary growth
- Includes chicory root for extra fiber and healthy digestion
- Added chelated minerals
Check Chewy Check Amazon- No animal by-products
- Contain natural ingredients
- No artificial flavors or preservatives
- Contains LifeSource Bits
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
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This food contains salmon as a top source of protein. | A grain-free diet may not be suitable for all pets. |
| It includes sweet potatoes and flaxseed to aid dogs with sensitive stomachs. | Food at the bottom of the bag sometimes turns to crumbs. |
| This food is grain-free and does not contain any ingredients like corn, soy, or wheat. | |
| It contains amino acids to boost dogs immune systems. | |
| This food is available in wet and dry options. |
- No filler ingredients like corn, soy, or wheat
- Has wet and dry options
- High in protein like venison, salmon, buffalo
- Contains amino acids
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
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This food contains bison and roasted venison as the main ingredients. | A grain-free diet is not suitable for every dog. |
| It has a 28% protein content to aid muscular development. | |
| It contains real fruit, vegetables, and superfoods such as peas and potatoes. | |
| The addition of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and omega fatty acids promote a healthy immune system. | |
| The prebiotics and probiotics in this food aid digestion. | |
| This food is grain-free. |
- Contains water buffalo and lamb
- Supports your puppy's necessary growth
- Includes chicory root for extra fiber and healthy digestion
- Added chelated minerals
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
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This food contains all natural ingredients, including real meat and vegetables. | A grain-free diet does not suit all dogs. |
| It contains vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to support a healthy immune system. | Not all dogs like this food. |
| The added glucosamine supports healthy joints and aids mobility. | |
| It contains calcium and phosphorus to support strong bones and teeth. |
- No animal by-products
- Contain natural ingredients
- No artificial flavors or preservatives
- Contains LifeSource Bits
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.
| Best for | Product |
|---|---|
| Best Overall | Natural Balance Limited Ingredient |
| Best for Puppies | Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy |
| Best on a Budget | Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Chicken & Brown Rice |
Best Dog Food For Australian Shepherds FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Do Australian shepherds need any special nutritional aid?
If your Australian shepherd is energetic and at a normal weight, then they are getting adequate food. If your dog’s weight fluctuates, you’ll need to adjust what it eats daily. However, owners of active Aussies prefer to supplement their pets’ joints before they exhibit any signs of discomfort.
What can I do to modify my Aussie's diet?
Introducing a new diet to your Australian shepherd should be done gradually and over time. Make sure to mix and match your new foods with your old ones until you entirely replace your old meal.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.
