Check Out the Best Yeast-Free Dog Foods

Yeast is included in the ingredient list for many dog foods. It is an overall valuable ingredient that adds nutrients and can work as a probiotic to keep your pup healthy. However, some dogs are allergic to yeast or may get an upset stomach when they eat foods with yeast.

Since yeast is found in so many dog foods, it can be challenging to find the best yeast-free food for puppies, adults, or for seniors. Keep reading, and we’ll share some of our favorite brands and top picks if you’re looking for a yeast-free wet or dry food for allergies or any other reason.

The Top Picks for the Best Yeast-Free Dog Food: Ranked

#1 Best Overall: Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Dinner Patties

The Freeze-Dried Dinner Patties from Stella & Chewy’s are our overall top pick if you’re looking for yeast-free food. Stella & Chewy’s is one of the brands that advertise that all of their foods are yeast-free, so you can’t go wrong choosing food from them for your dog.

Each of these patties contains 95% meat organs and bones as well as healthy fruits and vegetables plus taurine, zinc, and probiotics. Stella & Chewy produce their foods in small batches to ensure quality and healthy meals for your dog. Compared to many kibbles and wet foods that include a lot of processed ingredients, grains, fillers, and antibiotics, these grain-free, raw food patties are a more natural choice for your pup.

Feeding your dog this raw diet can help improve their digestion, improve the look and feel of their skin and coat, support a healthy immune system, and offer relief from allergies. Choose from 13 delicious flavors that your dog is sure to enjoy: beef, chicken, duck, lamb, rabbit, red meat, salmon & beef, turkey, venison & lamb, pork, venison, beef & salmon (for puppies), and chicken & salmon (for puppies).

A number of buyers reported that product quality was inconsistent and that some bags were moldy, rock hard, or “like dust.” A few pet parents said that their dogs didn’t like the food and refused to eat it.

Pros and Cons of Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Dinner Patties

Best Overall

Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Dinner Patties

• Protein-rich patties with 95% chicken, organs and bone
• Freeze-dried
• Cage-free chicken, organic ingredients, nutrient rich
• Made in the USA

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2. Best Grain-Free: The Honest Kitchen Human Grade Dehydrated Grain Free Dog Food

If your dog responds poorly to grain as well as yeast, check out The Honest Kitchen Human Grade Dehydrated Grain Free Dog Food.

Don’t be freaked out by the fact that this food is dehydrated. That’s their potentially healthier alternative to adding unnatural preservatives, and all you have to do is add warm water and serve.

It’s also good for all breed sizes and both puppies and adults, and made to human-grade quality standards with minimal processing. There’s no corn, wheat, soy, or other fillers, artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors, or GMO ingredients.

Instead, it contains real meat for 29% wholesome protein and 18% fat. This natural turkey recipe use cage-free turkey as the first ingredient, followed by natural foods like spinach, apples, eggs, bananas, celery, organic coconut, flaxseed, organic kelp, and carrots, great for the skin and coat. There’s also vitamins D3, E, zinc, taurine, amino acids, B vitamins including B12, calcium phosphate, and fish oil for DHA and EPA.

In short, this option has all the good stuff your dog needs for head-to-tail health, and none of the most common problem-causing ingredients.

A minority of buyers believe that this food is too high in carbohydrates. Others say that their dogs won’t eat it.

Pros and Cons of The Honest Kitchen Human Grade Dehydrated Grain Free Dog Food

Best Grain-Free

The Honest Kitchen Human Grade Dehydrated Grain Free Dog Food

• Grain free, cage free turkey meal or topper--just add water
• Also contains spinach & coconuts for perfect yeast-free nutrition
• No by-products, fillers, corn, wheat, soy, or artificial flavors
• Made in the USA

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3. Best for Puppies: “I and love and you” Naked Essentials Dry Dog Food

If you’re looking for a yeast-free dog food that your puppy can eat now and throughout their life, we’re pleased to introduce you to “I and love and you” Naked Essentials Dry Dog Food.

This dry dog food is perfect for dogs of all ages and life stages, including puppies. It’s free from yeast, by-product meals, wheat, corn, soy, rice, artificial preservatives, flavors, and colors. And just as important as what it doesn’t include is what it does. The first ingredient in this high-protein recipe is meat, and each bag contains 30% protein.

It also contains prebiotics and probiotics to keep your dog’s tummy and digestive system healthy and running smoothly. Plus, it features omega fatty acids for healthy skin and a soft, glowing coat.

A few buyers reported that their dogs experienced stomach problems and diarrhea after switching to this food.

Pros and Cons of “I and love and you” Naked Essentials Dry Dog Food

Best for All Life Stages

"I and love and you" Naked Essentials Dry Dog Food

• This grain-free dog food is perfect for dogs of all life stages, including puppies.
• It's also free from yeast, by-product meals, wheat, corn, soy, rice, artificial preservatives, flavors, and colors.
• The first ingredient is meat, and this high-protein dog food contains 30% protein.
• This recipe contains prebiotics and probiotics for gastrointestinal health.
• It also contains omega fatty acids for healthy skin and a glowing coat.

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4. Best for Seniors: Stella & Chewy’s Wild Red Stews Wet Dog Food

If your senior dog has a tough time chewing hard kibble, consider switch to the Wild Red Stews from Stella & Chewy’s. As we noted above, Stella & Chewy’s is one of the brands that has shared that all of their foods are yeast-free.

This wet food is formulated using high-quality protein. 95% of this protein is from animal sources to properly meet a dog’s nutritional needs. These wet stews are also grain-free and made without the use of any artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors, making them a healthy choice for seniors. They also do not contain lentils or peas.

Each recipe includes pumpkin and natural fiber to help support a dog’s gut health and digestive system. There are three tasty flavors available to offer your dog: chicken & turkey, chicken & lamb, and chicken & beef. You can also purchase a variety pack to let them enjoy each yummy flavor choice.

Some buyers said that the consistency is “soupy.”

Pros and Cons of Stella & Chewy’s Wild Red Stews Wet Dog Food

Best for Seniors

Stella & Chewy’s Wild Red Stews Wet Dog Food

• High-Protein recipe with cage-free chicken and turkey in a savory broth
• Fortified with vitamins, minerals and amino acids to aid in digestive health
• Veggies for an antioxidant boost
• Grain-Free with no unnecessary fillers and only the finest ingredients

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5. Best Wet: Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken Wet Food

This yeast-free wet food from Weruva is another of our favorite picks. The first ingredient in this delicious chicken recipe is boneless, skinless, white chicken breast. Weruva’s high-quality wet foods are designed to be easy for dogs to digest.

This food can be fed to all dog breeds, large and small. It offers a gluten-free, grain-free, and carrageenan-free formula. It contains no wheat, corn, soy, artificial flavors, artificial colors, or artificial preservatives.

In addition to this yummy chicken flavor, you may also want to try one of the other flavors for your dog. These include: Funky Chunky Chicken Soup, Grandma’s Chicken Soup, Jammin’ Salmon, Wok the Dog, Amazon Liver’, Bed & Breakfast, Green Eggs & Chicken, Peking Duck, and That’s My Jam.

The biggest issue that buyers have is that this wet food is expensive.

Pros and Cons of Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken Wet Food

Best Wet

Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken Wet Food

• 14oz can boneless, skinless, white-meat chicken in gravy
• Grain-free, gluten-free, & carrageenan-free
• No artificial colors & preservatives
• 100% complete, balanced diet

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Why is Yeast in Dog Food?

While you may hear “yeast” and think about beer or yeast infections, yeast can be a beneficial ingredient in dog food. There are different types of yeast, officially known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, that may be found in dog food. These include:

• Yeast culture: Yeast cultures are often included in dog foods to support the digestive system by working as a probiotic. Both active and inactive yeast cultures can help support a dog’s gut and the healthy bacteria found in the gut.
• Brewer’s yeast: Brewer’s yeast, which is by-product from brewing beer, is a deactivated yeast. It contains many enzymes and B-vitamins that can benefit a dog’s health.
• Nutritional yeast: Nutritional yeast, which is from the same yeast strain as brewer’s yeast, is naturally sweet and offers many of the same benefits of brewer’s yeast. Many dogs enjoy the flavor added by nutritional yeast, but dogs with a sensitivity to sugar should likely stay away from it.
• Selenium yeast: Selenium yeast can help protect dogs against oxidative stress.

Is Yeast Bad for Dogs?

Dog foods made with yeast are generally not bad for dogs. As we shared above, there are a number of benefits yeast can add to dog food.

However, as with other ingredients, some dogs may be allergic to yeast or have an intolerance for it. If this is the case for your dog, you will want to choose a food that does not contain any yeast.

While yeast in dog food is safe for most dogs, you should never feed your dog any human foods made with yeast dough. Since yeast dough rises, feeding it to dogs can be very dangerous. The dough may rise in their stomachs, which can lead to bloat.

Also known as gastric dilation-volvulus (GDV), bloat is a condition where a dog’s stomach becomes filled with food or gas and then twists. The dog is unable to relieve any of the pressure, which can be life-threatening. If you think your dog is suffering from bloat, you’ll want to take them to an emergency vet clinic immediately.

What to Look for in Yeast-Free Dog Food: Our Criteria

Any time you’re deciding which dog food to buy, of course it’s imperative to take a close look at the ingredients list. Especially if you’re avoiding certain ingredients like yeast that your dog doesn’t respond well to, have a checklist in mind to make sure your dog’s nutritional needs are covered.

Ample High-Quality Proteins

It’s best if the first ingredient or the first couple ingredients are real meats. Avoid low-quality food where the first ingredient is some kind of by-product meal or something besides meat.

The benefit or quality protein sources isn’t just the protein itself, but natural meats usually come along with other essential nutrients. You’ll often find that real meat adds important fatty acids, taurine, calcium, glucosamine, B12, and other elements of a healthy diet.

Vitamins and Minerals

For complete health, your dog should have plenty of vitamins and minerals including selenium, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and the spectrum of B vitamins.

No Artificial Colors, Flavors, or Preservatives

The fewer artificial ingredients, the better. All the nutrients that contribute to a healthy dog can be found in natural, wholesome ingredients. You don’t necessarily need to avoid grains unless your pup has an allergy or sensitivity. Whole grains, certain veggies and fruits can benefit your dog’s health in the right amounts.

Legume-Free

Dog foods containing legumes such as peas and lentils have been linked to heart failure in dogs. So if possible, always try to avoid ingredients like peas, pea protein, chickpeas, and lentils.

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• The Best Grain-Free Dog Food — Many dogs are sensitive to wheat and other grains.
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