Full of charm, humor, and personality, English Bulldogs are among the most popular and well-known dog breeds in the world. All puppies are hard to resist, but the wrinkly skin and smooshed noses of baby Bulldogs make them even more desirable to cuddle. English Bulldogs can make enjoyable pets, but unfortunately, the breed is prone to some health issues. To help your Bulldog puppy get the strongest possible start to life, you can start by choosing just the right diet. There are a lot of puppy foods out there, but which one should you pick? To help you out, we’ve selected reviews for what we think are the best foods for English Bulldog puppies this year. Once you take a look at our choices, check out our buyer’s guide for even more help narrowing your options.

A Quick Look at Our Favorite Choices in 2024

The 10 Best Foods for English Bulldog Puppies

1. The Farmer’s Dog Chicken Recipe Fresh Dog Food Subscription – Best Overall

Our choice for the best overall food for English Bulldog puppies is The Farmer’s Dog chicken recipe. If the ingredient list looks a lot like your weekly shopping list, well, that’s the idea. The Farmer’s Dog specializes in fresh food made from simple ingredients and cooked in USDA-certified kitchens. It’s as if you home-cooked meals for your Bulldog pup, except these are formulated with the help of veterinary nutritionists, so you know they’re getting all the nutrients they need to grow properly.

The Farmer’s Dog will create a personalized diet for your puppy, based on their age, size, and activity level. They can also accommodate any special diet restrictions in case your Bulldog gets an early start on developing the allergies many members of the breed are prone to. The food is shipped fresh to your home, although if you live in Alaska or Hawaii, you won’t be able to order The Farmer’s Dog.

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2. Purina One Natural High Protein Dry – Budget Buy

Our pick for the best food for English Bulldog puppies for the money is Purina One Natural Protein Plus. This recipe is made in the USA by a long-time, experienced pet food company. Purina One is typically easy to find on the shelves of many stores if your Bulldog pup’s appetite is more than you bargained for! Purina’s recipe is high in protein and contains added nutrients to help your puppy develop properly, including DHA, an ingredient found in a mama dog’s milk. The mix of crunchy kibble and softer morsels should be easy for a Bulldog to chew, even with their unusual facial anatomy. Users generally approved of their experience with this food, but some reported their dogs didn’t like the taste. It also contains chicken, a common source of food sensitivities in dogs.

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3. Royal Canin Bulldog Puppy Dry Food

For a diet centered exclusively around the unique traits of this breed, try Royal Canin Bulldog Puppy dry food. For starters, the kibble features a special wave shape, making it easy for flat-faced Bulldog pups to pick up. The food is also fortified with antioxidants to boost immune health. It contains glucosamine to help strengthen joints as your Bulldog puppy grows into a robust, top-heavy adult. Added probiotics help maintain digestive health and decrease gassiness, another unfortunately common trait in Bulldogs. The food comes in a resealable bag, although some users noted that it doesn’t stick back together very well. Royal Canin Bulldog Puppy is also higher priced than most other diets on our list.

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4. Purina ProPlan Development Canned Dog Food

If your Bulldog puppy struggles to chew dry kibble, consider a canned option like Purina ProPlan Development Chicken & Rice diet. This diet contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives and features real chicken as its protein source. Along with DHA and antioxidants, this food also contains fatty acids to support skin and coat health. Skin troubles are another common complaint about Bulldogs, so they can use all the help they can get. Canned food might be easier to eat, but it also can get quite messy, especially for extra short-nosed pups. You may need to provide a good face wipe after each meal. Overall, canned food tends to be less cost-effective than dry as well.

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5. Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Puppy Dry

Made in the USA with no ingredients from China, Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Puppy dry food is a good option for those who pay close attention to the origin of their dog’s food. This diet features a mix of protein sources, although chicken is the primary meat. As you might guess from the name, the food also contains several grains, including quinoa, which is helpful in digestive health. This diet is an excellent choice for Bulldog puppies because it contains nutrients that address common health issues of the breed, including fatty acids for skin support and glucosamine for joint strength. This food is only available in two different sized bags, the largest of which is only 12 pounds. You may be buying a lot of this food if your Bulldog’s appetite is as big as its head. Some users also complained that the kibble size is small, although this may be less of a problem for Bulldog pups.

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6. Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Dry Food

If you’re looking for a highly digestible diet, consider Hill’s Science Diet Chicken Meal and Barley Puppy food. Manufactured in the USA, Hill’s food is often recommended by veterinarians and contains no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. This puppy food is packed with beneficial additives, including DHA and antioxidants. It does not contain any by-products, which some pet owners prefer to avoid. The food is available in three different size bags for your convenience. Most ingredients are sourced from the USA, although not all. This diet receives mainly positive reviews from users. Some mentioned that the food tends to have a strong smell and the kibble size is a bit small.

• Also Read: Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Food Review: Recalls, Pros & Cons

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7. Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula

If you’re looking for puppy food with an outside-the-box protein source, consider Taste Of The Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula. Buffalo, bison, and venison are all found in this dog food, with no by-products or chicken. Although not a true allergy diet, this food may be useful for Bulldog puppies with early suspected food sensitivities. For your Bulldog puppy, Taste of the Wild High Prairie contains fatty acids, antioxidants, and a blend of probiotics to keep their gut balanced. This is a grain-free diet, which some owners prefer, although you should check with your vet to determine if your pup must avoid grains. Like many grain-free foods, this one contains peas: one of the pet food ingredients under investigation for a potential link to heart disease.

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8. Purina ProPlan Puppy Sensitive Skin & Stomach

For the English Bulldog puppy that’s already showing signs of sensitivity, consider Purina ProPlan Puppy Sensitive Skin & Stomach. This puppy food is made with salmon as a protein source and contains no chicken. Rice is an easily digestible grain, perfect for sensitive tummies. Besides featuring gentle ingredients, ProPlan also contains other healthful additions like fatty acids, antioxidants, probiotics, prebiotics, and DHA. Most users were pleased with this food and found that it was helpful to their sensitive dogs. However, they mentioned that the kibble has a fairly strong fishy smell. Also, some of the nutrient ingredients are sourced from China.

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9. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Puppy Diet

Another option if you’re looking to avoid feeding your English bulldog chicken is Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Lamb & Brown Rice Diet. This diet relies on a single protein source, lamb, and keeps the other ingredients simple and similar. If you’re trying an elimination diet to see what your pup is sensitive to, this one makes things a lot simpler. It also contains DHA and features kibble small enough for puppy mouths. Natural Balance Lamb and Rice has a lower fat content than many puppy foods on our list, which may help keep your Bulldog slim. Some customers complained that Natural Balance is sometimes inconsistent in quality, and others disliked a recent change in the shape of the kibble.

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10. Halo Holistic Puppy Dry Food

For the Bulldog owner who tries to eat clean and wants their dog to do the same, consider Halo Holistic Puppy Chicken & Chicken Liver dry food. This food appeals to those who pay attention to where their food comes from. The company reports they use only non-GMO ingredients and cage-free “whole” chicken. You should be aware that the term “holistic” is not regulated by the FDA and is primarily an advertising strategy rather than a measure of the healthiness of a food. Halo contains fatty acids and antioxidants but no DHA like most puppy foods. This recipe also contains legumes (peas), which are ingredients of concern in canine diets, as we mentioned in a previous review. Halo can also get expensive, especially because it doesn’t come in a large bag.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Select the Best Foods for English Bulldog Puppies

English Bulldogs can be complicated to care for, so here are some points to consider that might make your search for puppy food a little easier.

Learn What Matters on a Pet Food Label

We put 10 puppy foods on our list, but we had dozens to research. You’ll see diets labeled as “premium,” “all-natural,” and yes, “holistic.” Grain-free food for dogs became trendy as gluten-free diets did for humans. However, as we mentioned earlier, those fancy terms are primarily for advertising, not an actual reflection of the nutritional quality of the food. Some dogs (English Bulldogs being one of them) suffer from food sensitivities and might have allergies to grain, but until those cases are confirmed, there’s generally no reason to avoid foods that contain grains. Also, grain-free diets come with their own cause for concern due to the high legume content. Although pet food makers use various sources for protein, dogs tend not to care whether the meat in their diet is cage-free or what form it comes in (whole, meal, or by-product.)

Watch the Calorie Content

Puppy food usually has more calories per cup than adult food because growing puppies need fuel. The foods on our list vary somewhat in their calorie and fat content, which you’ll want to pay attention to when selecting a new brand. English Bulldogs are prone to obesity, which is not healthy for any dog but is particularly dangerous for this breed. Flat-faced dogs, including Bulldogs, are prone to breathing issues related to their unusual anatomy. Being overweight makes these problems worse. Most foods come with a suggested feeding guide, but to be safe, ask your vet to help you calculate the ideal daily calorie intake for your bulldog.

Consider Any Health Concerns

As we’ve mentioned already, English Bulldogs are unfortunately not the healthiest of breeds, even as puppies. Your food choice may be somewhat dictated by any emerging medical concerns your pup is experiencing. Allergies, with their accompanying skin and ear problems, are one of the most common issues. We listed several allergy-friendly diets on our list for this reason.

Do Your Research Before You Buy (A Puppy)

Yes, you want to feed your English Bulldog puppy a healthy diet, but food can only do so much if your little dog comes with a host of inherited medical conditions. It’s easy to be swayed by adorable videos of skateboarding Bulldogs or wrinkly puppies and wind up buying one of these dogs without knowing what you’re getting into. Make sure you’re aware of all the potential health problems you could encounter, and look for a breeder who performs all recommended genetic screenings on their parent dogs. It’s a good idea to have pet insurance lined up for your pup before you bring them home as well.

Conclusion

As our best overall food for English Bulldog puppies, The Farmer’s Dog offers custom-tailored meals for your dog. Our best value pick, Purina One, is both cost-effective and convenient. Royal Canin Bulldog features breed-specific nutrition. Purina ProPlan Chicken And Rice Canned is an easy-to-eat, if messy option. Merrick Classic Healthy Grains is free of ingredients from China and loaded with nutritious extras perfect for the Bulldog. We hope our reviews of these puppy diets help you navigate the crowded landscape of the pet food industry as you search for the best option for your wrinkly baby dog.

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Featured Image Credit: WilleeCole Photography, Shutterstock