These days, most dog owners are aware that many food allergies that affect our dogs come from common protein sources. In response, more dog food is being made with novel proteins, including lamb. Or maybe you’re looking at lamb for your dog because your pup is particularly picky and you want to try out new and unique flavors.

Whatever the reason, there is quite a variety of lamb-based dog food out there, so here are reviews of the best lamb-based dog food. We hope that you’ll find your dog’s new favorite food!

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024

The 11 Best Lamb Dog Foods

1. Ollie Fresh Dog Food Subscription (Lamb Recipe) — Best Overall

Lamb is lean meat that makes for a great protein option. It is not only rich in essential amino acids but has a lower fat content. So, if you are needing lamb-based dog food, nothing beats Ollie’s Fresh Lamb recipe, which is why it sits at the top spot as best overall.

Ollie’s focus is on offering high-quality all-natural food that is portioned specifically for the individual.  Fresh lamb is the first ingredient on the list and the recipe is packed full of other fresh ingredients like butternut squash, lamb liver, kale, and rice. Ollie doesn’t use any fillers like corn, wheat, or soy and all their recipes are free of artificial flavors, preservatives, and by-products.

Ollie Fresh Lamb is great for dogs that have sensitive stomachs or suffer from any food allergies or sensitivities. Owners rave about how energetic and vibrant their dogs became when making the switch. There were also lots of shinier, healthier coats. Ollie does test every batch of food for safety and nutritional quality, which is very reassuring. Overall, we think Ollie Fresh Lamb Recipe is the best lamb dog food you can find this year!

 

2. Diamond Naturals Adult Dry Dog Food — Budget Buy

The best lamb dog food for the money is Diamond Naturals Adult Dry Dog Food. It’s made in the U.S. by a family-owned company, which uses pasture-raised lamb as the main ingredient. The recipe contains the right kind of vitamins and minerals that support joints, bones, and strong muscles. There are omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat and probiotics, prebiotics, and antioxidants to support the immune system, healthy digestion, and overall health. It doesn’t contain wheat, corn, artificial colors, or flavors.

The problem with this food is that it contains chicken fat, so it is not particularly helpful for dogs allergic to chicken.

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3. Taste of the Wild Sierra Mountain Dry Dog Food

The Taste of the Wild Sierra Mountain Dry Dog Food includes whole lamb as the main ingredient and contains enough protein to support lean muscles, joints, and bones. It has a bunch of vitamins and minerals derived from real fruit and veggies, like sweet potatoes and blueberries, to keep your pup’s energy and overall health going. It includes antioxidants, probiotics, and prebiotics for immune and digestive system support, and it is from a family-owned company in the U.S. It doesn’t contain wheat, corn, grains, artificial colors, or flavors.

One of the obvious disadvantages is that it’s expensive, and some dogs have experienced digestive upset and skin reactions.

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4. Purina Pro Plan High Protein Dry Puppy Food

Purina Pro Plan High Protein Dry Puppy Food is a great choice for puppies under the age of 1 because it has DHA, which aids in vision and brain development. This is a dog food that contains real lamb and rice as the main ingredients, for high-quality protein for those developing muscles. It includes live probiotics for immune and digestive health. It’s highly digestible and formulated for delivering the optimal nutrition for a growing puppy.

The issues with this food are that it is pricey and that it contains chicken products, it’s not suitable for puppies with chicken allergies.

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5. Purina ONE Natural SmartBlend Dry Dog Food

A great choice for lamb-based dog food is Purina ONE Natural SmartBlend Dry Dog Food. It’s well-priced and features real lamb as the first and main ingredient. It has omega-6 for a healthy coat and skin and natural sources of glucosamine and protein for strong muscles and joints and a healthy heart. It contains antioxidants, such as vitamins E and A, and selenium and zinc for a robust immune system. It’s also highly digestible, so your dog should benefit from the combined nutrition.

The main issues with this food are that it contains chicken (the fifth ingredient) and that it has artificial color.

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6. Nutro Natural Choice Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food

Nutro Natural Choice Healthy Weight Lamb & Brown Rice is another great choice. It has deboned lamb as the main ingredient, making for high-quality protein. There are no GMO ingredients and no by-products, wheat, corn, or soy. It was made to promote weight loss and is quite effective for this purpose. It contains essential antioxidants for a healthy immune system and natural fiber for digestion.

However, this is a dog food that also contains chicken, and it’s relatively expensive.

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7. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Dry Dog Food

Blue Buffalo’s Life Protection Formula Dry Dog Food starts with deboned lamb and contains veggies, fruit, and whole grains. It has essential vitamins, calcium, and phosphorus for strong teeth and bones, and the included LifeSource Bits provide important nutrients and antioxidants. It also has glucosamine, which aids in mobility and joint health, and omega-3 and -6 for coat and skin. There are no wheat, corn, soy, or by-products.

The issues here are that this is lamb dog food that contains chicken and that it might cause stomach upset in some dogs.

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8. Nature’s Recipe Mature Lamb & Rice Dry Dog Food

Nature’s Recipe Mature Lamb & Rice Dry Dog Food is an excellent choice for senior dogs over 7 years of age. It contains nutrients in the form of oatmeal, barley, and rice as natural fiber for healthy digestion. It is formulated to support senior dogs’ immune systems and joint health with added vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. It doesn’t include wheat, soy, corn, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

The problems here are that it contains chicken and that the kibble is quite large, so it might be too big for small dogs.

• See also: Nature’s Recipe Dog Food Review: Recalls, Pros & Cons

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9. Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Canned Dog Food

Blue Buffalo’s Homestyle Recipe Canned Dog Food only uses lamb as its protein source and comes in a tasty pâté. Besides the lamb, it contains veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, and peas and fruit like cranberries and blueberries. It’s also enhanced with minerals and vitamins to support lean muscles, and it doesn’t have corn, soy, wheat, artificial flavors, or preservatives.

However, it is a little pricey, and picky dogs might not like this food.

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10. Purina ONE SmartBlend Tender Cuts in Gravy Canned Dog Food

Purina ONE SmartBlend Tender Cuts in Gravy Canned Dog Food contains real lamb and brown rice in cuts, all in a delicious gravy. It includes rich sources of antioxidants with selenium, zinc, and vitamins A and E. It’s a nutritionally complete food for adult dogs and includes spinach and carrots.

The issue here is that it contains chicken and artificial color.

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11. Iams ProActive Health Canned Dog Food

Iams ProActive Health Canned Dog Food is a pâté that has been slow-cooked in real broth. It has added minerals and vitamins, which include vitamin E, to support a healthy immune system. It contains omega fatty acids for a healthy coat and skin and is made in the U.S. It’s also decently priced.

There are a couple of issues here, however. First, the main ingredient is actually chicken; lamb is the fourth ingredient. Second, some dogs might experience stomach upset.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Lamb Dog Foods

This buyer’s guide is meant to provide extra information about lamb-based dog food.

Novel Protein

Chicken and beef are among the most common food allergies that dogs can have. Therefore, many dog food manufacturers are offering different sources of protein, such as duck, venison, and of course, lamb. Like beef, lamb is a red meat and can be part of a nutritionally balanced diet. It’s high in protein and contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. It is a perfect novel protein for dogs allergic to other protein sources.

Ingredients

It’s important to always read the ingredient list on your dog’s food, particularly if your dog does have a food allergy. Many lamb-based dog foods also contain chicken. The best option is to purchase food that has lamb as the first ingredient, with whole deboned lamb being ideal. But if the ingredients include lamb meal, that is still a nutritious ingredient. Typically, foods that contain large amounts of artificial ingredients aren’t high quality.

Grain-Free

It’s important to note that grain-free dog foods aren’t always a good thing. If your dog has a wheat allergy, you should certainly opt for dog food that doesn’t contain wheat, but corn or oatmeal are healthy ingredients. If your dog doesn’t have an allergy to grains, you’ll want to avoid the grain-free options.

The FDA has found a link between dogs on a grain-free diet and being diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, which can lead to death if left untreated. Speak to your veterinarian before switching your dog to grain-free foods.

Size

First, when you’re introducing your dog to a new food, you should opt for the smallest bag possible. Even if you can save money by purchasing in bulk or just a large bag, you’ll be out more money if your dog rejects the food. Always err on the side of caution, particularly if you know that your dog is a picky eater.

Second, be sure to transition your dog to the new food gradually. Start by adding a small amount of the new food to the old, and slowly increase the amount of new food over the next few weeks. Not only does this help picky eaters, but it can also help your dog’s digestive system become accustomed to the new food and they’re less likely to experience stomach upset.

Conclusion

Our overall favorite is lamb recipe dog food is Ollie’s Fresh Lamb recipe; its lean meat makes for a great protein option. It is not only rich in essential amino acids but has a lower fat content, which is why it sits at the top spot as best overall.

The Taste of the Wild Sierra Mountain Dry Dog Food contains antioxidants, probiotics, and prebiotics for immune and digestive system support. If you’re looking for puppy food, we like Purina Pro Plan High Protein Dry Puppy because it is highly digestible and formulated to deliver optimal nutrition for a growing puppy.

We hope that these reviews of lamb-based dog food have helped you pick out the perfect one for your dog’s needs. Our dog’s health and happiness are paramount, after all!

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Featured Image Credit: Ayla Verschueren, Unsplash