Introduction
Do certain foods give your dog an upset stomach? They might just have a sensitive digestive system – it’s a common situation, and it doesn’t necessarily mean your dog has a health condition. They might just need the right food, one that’s gentle and easy to digest. In this blog post I’ll share my advice as a nutritionist, explaining what kinds of ingredients can help as well as which might be best to avoid, and how to choose the best food for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
Key takeaways
- Having a sensitive stomach isn’t a specific diagnosis, it just means your dog might be prone to having an upset stomach or might struggle to digest certain things, including rich or fatty foods.
- In many cases, you can manage a sensitive stomach with a special diet. Typically, this food will be low-fat and contain ingredients that are gentle on the stomach and easily digestible, as well as prebiotics to support healthy gut bacteria.
- Choosing the right food for your dog will depend on a few factors, including their preferences, age, size and level of activity. Wet or dry dog food can both be suitable for pups with sensitive digestive systems.
- Switching dog food too quickly can be a key cause of discomfort, gas, vomiting and diarrhoea, especially for dogs who have sensitive stomachs. So even if the new food is formulated to be easy to digest, be sure to transition between dog foods gradually while keeping an eye on any symptoms.
Table of contents
What does “sensitive stomach” mean in dogs?
How food can affect your dog’s digestion
What makes dog food good for sensitive stomachs
Ingredients that can help support sensitive digestion
Ingredients that may trigger sensitive tummies
Types of dog food for sensitive stomachs
How to choose the best food for your dog
How to switch dog food safely for a sensitive stomach
When to speak to your vet
What does “sensitive stomach” mean in dogs?
There are a few different things that this term might refer to – your dog doesn’t have to experience all of these to have a sensitive stomach. But it can look like any combination of the following:
- Frequent or loose stools
- Gas or bloating
- Occasional vomiting
- Difficulty adjusting to a change in diet
- Difficulty digesting rich foods
If your dog sometimes has an upset stomach or digestive issues like gas, it might just be the case that they need a slight change in diet, to something that’s a little gentler on their digestive system.
How food can affect your dog’s digestion
Changing your dog’s diet too quickly can cause an upset stomach, especially if it’s quite a drastic change, so I’d recommend making any changes gradually. This is because your dog’s gut microbiome will need to adjust to digesting their new food. [1] We’ll go into more detail on this later in our section all about how to switch dog food safely.
Some foods can be harder to digest than others, especially for dogs with a sensitive stomach. One of the key aspects that can influence this is the food’s fat content – food that’s high in fat can cause digestive problems for some dogs. The type of protein included might also affect how well your dog can digest certain foods. Chicken and turkey are gentle on the stomach for most dogs, but some dogs might have difficulty with these sources of protein. At Tails.com, we can easily adjust your dog’s tailored blend if there are any ingredients you’d prefer to avoid that they might be sensitive to.
If your dog has digestive issues, you might do well to avoid foods that have complex ingredient lists, especially if you’re not entirely sure what types of ingredients are affecting your dog. We’ll go into more detail shortly about how foods with simple ingredients can help dogs with sensitive stomachs.
What makes dog food good for sensitive stomachs
So if the factors above are some of the reasons why certain dog foods might be harder to digest, what are some of the characteristics to look for when picking a food that’s easy on the stomach? Here is a checklist of a few of the things to consider.
- Easily digestible proteins: For some dogs, this might be a lean, easy-to-digest protein like chicken. Other dogs who might have intolerances or allergies thrive on less common proteins like salmon, which they’re less likely to have developed an allergy to.
- Fewer ingredients: With a simpler ingredient list, there’s less to worry about. If you’re not sure what’s causing your dog to struggle with an upset stomach after dinnertime, keeping it simple should help a lot.
- Gentle carbohydrates: It’s a bit of a myth that dogs can’t have carbohydrates – in fact, they’re well-adapted to digesting these ingredients. Low-GI carbs like sweet potatoes are digested more slowly, adding the extra benefit of keeping your dog feeling full and satisfied longer.
- Moderate fat levels: Food that’s too high in fat can give your dog an upset stomach, so that’s why dog food that doesn’t contain too much of it can be very helpful for dogs who have sensitive tums. It’s also recommended that dogs who have ever had pancreatitis should stick to a low-fat diet, as fatty foods can trigger the condition.
No unnecessary additives: Additives aren’t necessarily a bad thing – here at Tails.com we don’t use any artificial colours or flavourings but we do add healthy vitamins, minerals and prebiotics. Avoiding any unnecessary additives will keep that ingredient list shorter, and give you peace of mind that every part of your dog’s diet is healthy and natural.
Ingredients that can help support sensitive digestion
Let’s go into a bit more detail about what makes these types of ingredients great for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
Easily digestible proteins
Proteins like chicken, turkey and fish are all gentle on the digestive system, in part because they are lean and low in fat. Lamb is another protein source that can be ideal for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Because it’s what’s known as a “novel protein”, they’re less likely to have had it before — and in turn, less likely to have developed an allergy to it.
Gentle carbohydrates
Carbohydrates can be very easy on the stomach – you might have seen advice before on giving your dog who has an upset stomach rice along with an easy-to-digest protein. [2] But there are plenty of other carbohydrates that are ideal for dogs with a sensitive stomach, including other grains like oats and grain-free options like potato or sweet potato. Potatoes just need to be cooked to make sure your dog can digest them, so whenever we use these types of ingredients, we cook them first.
Fibre for gut support
Fibre can be a massive help when it comes to helping support a healthy digestive system. While some dogs might need a low-fibre diet due to health issues, for most dogs, plenty of fibre can help firm up loose stools and encourage regular bowel movements.
Great sources of fibre for dogs include beet pulp, along with FOS (Fructo-oligosaccharides). FOS is a naturally occurring soluble fibre which is found in vegetables and plants like chicory – it’s a prebiotic that helps promote the growth of good bacteria for a healthy gut. We use both beet pulp and FOS in our dog food for sensitive stomachs, to help support healthy digestion.
Ingredients that may trigger sensitive tummies
A few things that might cause an upset stomach, if your dog has a sensitive digestive system, include:
- Foods that are very high in fat
- Complicated ingredients lists
There’s no hard and fast rule about which ingredients will trigger a reaction, as every dog is different and their tolerance for different types of food might vary. But generally speaking, as we’ve discussed in this article so far, when planning a diet for your dog with a sensitive gut, you might be looking for foods that contain low to moderate fat, gentle carbs, healthy fibre, easily digestible proteins, with a simple ingredient list.
Types of dog food for sensitive stomachs
There are a few different formulations or approaches when it comes to “sensitive stomach” dog food.
Sensitive / gentle digestion dog food
A typical food designed for sensitive tummies will usually not be too high in fat and will contain ingredients that are easy on the stomach. You’ll probably also see prebiotics and/or probiotics in the mix too (although here at Tails.com, we use these ingredients in all our blends, not just those designed especially for a sensitive stomach).
Limited ingredient dog food
Keeping the ingredient list very simple can really help dogs who struggle to digest certain ingredients or might have intolerances that make them more likely to have an upset stomach. Limited ingredient dog foods are especially formulated to reduce the number of different ingredients your dog is exposed to, and they’re often also hypoallergenic
Wet vs dry food for sensitive tummies
Wet food can sometimes be a bit more palatable for dogs with sensitive stomachs who are fussy eaters, in part because it tends to have a stronger aroma. The high moisture content and soft texture can also sometimes make it a little easier to digest.But that’s not to say that dry dog food isn’t suitable for pups with a sensitive digestive system – as long as the ingredients are formulated for their needs, they can thrive on it. We can make a tailored blend that’s perfect for your dog, just let us know which ingredients to avoid in our two minute quiz for new customers.
Grain-free dog food (when it helps and when it doesn’t)
Wheat is one of the more common food allergies for dogs [3] and in some rare cases they can struggle to digest all grains – ingredients like barley, oats and rice. So in some cases, opting for a grain-free diet might help, with food that uses other tasty, healthy sources of carbohydrates instead, like sweet potato.
Grain-free diets aren’t recommended for every dog, and we’d always recommend speaking to your vet or one of our expert nutrition team if you’re planning on switching from a grain-inclusive diet to one that avoids these ingredients.
How to choose the best food for your dog
There are lots of different factors when it comes to selecting the best food that will keep your dog (and their sensitive stomach!) healthy and happy.
- Their age, size and activity level: These will all impact how much food your dog needs, as well as the ideal nutritional breakdown of their diet. Our guide to food for different life stages explains how puppies need a different level of vitamins and minerals, as well as higher calories and higher fat. Very active dogs may also need more calories.
- History of digestive issues: Has your dog been showing signs of having a sensitive stomach for a while, or if they came from a shelter or dog breeder, did they tell you that your dog has a tendency to experience this? There are also certain health conditions that can affect the digestive system, including IBD and pancreatitis – your vet can advise you if your dog has any of these conditions, but it will mean your dog may need a special diet.
- Previous food reactions: You might already be aware of certain trigger foods that can give your dog an upset stomach, or even just make them a little gassier than normal, which is a common sign that something in the food doesn’t agree with your pup. It will really help to make a note of these ingredients so that you can avoid them going forward.
- Gradual transitions: Although you may have realised that your dog’s current diet isn’t perfect for them and you want to try a “sensitive stomach” diet, remember to go slow when switching their food. Even food formulated to be gentle on their digestive system can cause an upset stomach if the transition is too abrupt.
Of course, every dog is an individual with different needs – and tastes. Whether your dog enjoys their food is important too. At Tails.com, we have an empty bowl guarantee: if your dog doesn’t love their food, we’ll work to create a blend that gets their tail wagging.
How to switch dog food safely for a sensitive stomach
So how do you go about changing your dog’s food in a way that keeps them comfortable and healthy without causing stomach trouble? It’s all about making the transition slowly and gently, allowing their gut bacteria time to adjust and start helping your dog digest these new ingredients.
We have a helpful guide to changing your dog’s food which advises making the transition very gently over the course of a week. However, if your dog has a very sensitive stomach, it might be sensible to go even slower – you can always ask your vet for advice, or get in touch with our expert nutrition team.
If you were switching over the course of a week, the breakdown might look like this:
- Day 1-2: 75% original food, 25% new food
- Day 3-4: 50% original food, 50% new food
- Day 5-6: 25% original food, 75% new food
- Day 7 onwards: 100% new food
As you switch over to the new dog food look out for any signs of an upset stomach like diarrhoea, vomiting and gas. Your dog’s reaction to a different food might vary – they might be raring to go, or they might be a little unsure at first. If they’re consistently leaving lots of food at the bottom of their bowl, this could be a sign that they’re not feeling well or simply that they’re not very keen on it.
When to speak to your vet
Having a slightly upset stomach now and again isn’t anything out of the ordinary for most dogs. It’s usually short-lived, lasting only a day or so, and caused by something that’s not too serious, like a mild bug or changing diet a bit too quickly. [4] Digestive issues may also sometimes be linked to stress so it’s also worth factoring in whether there have been any big changes in your life recently, like moving house. [5] While it’s always fine to contact your vet for advice, in some instances it might be especially helpful, in case your dog requires any kind of treatment or perhaps a special diet. I’d recommend making an appointment in the following cases:
- Your dog has been having digestive issues for some time now that aren’t clearing up by themselves. If your dog has an upset stomach that lasts more than 24 hours without improvement, PDSA recommends calling your vet. [6]
- Their symptoms seem to be getting worse over time.
- Your dog has lost weight.
- Your dog isn’t eating or drinking.
- You’ve noticed that your dog vomits or has diarrhoea frequently.
- If your dog has an upset stomach and is very old or very young, it’s more serious for puppies and older senior dogs to experience this issue.
Conclusion
Don’t worry if it turns out your dog has a sensitive stomach, it’s a really common issue. Often, dogs who experience digestive issues don’t need medical treatment – they just need the right kind of food to keep them healthy and happy. If your dog struggles with a sensitive stomach, food that’s gentle on the digestive system and has special ingredients like prebiotics could really help turn things around.
If you’re curious about whether this kind of diet might help your dog, you can always chat to your vet. You can also get in touch any time with our nutrition team to learn more about how we create tailored blends for dogs with digestive issues.
Disclaimer: While we can create blends that avoid or exclude certain ingredients, we use a wide range of ingredients here at Tails.com. This means that there’s a very small chance that there might be traces of these ingredients in your blend. If your dog has severe allergies, please talk to your vet about how to feed them safely.
FAQs
What is the best dog food for a sensitive stomach?
The best food for dogs with sensitive stomachs will probably contain an easily digestible protein like chicken (or if it’s a hypoallergenic food for dogs with allergies, perhaps a protein like salmon that they are less likely to be sensitive to). It’s also likely to be lower in fat, as well as containing healthy fibre and prebiotics to help support digestion.
Is grain-free dog food better for sensitive tummies?
Not necessarily, unless it’s for a dog who is sensitive or allergic to grains like wheat, oats and barley. Wheat can be a common allergy for dogs but it’s unusual for dogs to need to avoid grains entirely. However, if your dog with a sensitive stomach also happens to be allergic to grains or have a bad reaction to these ingredients, we can easily create the perfect blend, using ingredients like sweet potato as a nourishing source of carbohydrates instead.
Should dogs with sensitive stomachs eat wet or dry food?
Dogs with sensitive stomachs can have either wet or dry food, as long as the ingredients are formulated to be gentle on the stomach. While some pups might prefer wet food with its soft texture and higher moisture content, others will thrive on dry dog food for sensitive stomachs.
How long does it take to see improvement after switching food?
This can vary based on a few different factors including whether your dog has any medical issues that might be affecting their digestive stomach. However, people who switch to a Tails.com blend often tell us they begin seeing an improvement in their dog’s wellbeing within about eight weeks.
Can puppies have sensitive stomach dog food?
Yes, and we can make a tailored blend of sensitive stomach puppy food for you if it’s what you need. What makes sensitive stomach food for puppies different from food for adult dogs is the breakdown of nutrients – puppies need more fat, protein and calories, as well as different amounts of vitamins and minerals.
Sources
[1] ‘Longitudinal fecal microbiome and metabolite data demonstrate rapid shifts and subsequent stabilization after an abrupt dietary change in healthy adult dogs’, Animal Microbiome, 1 August 2022
[2] ‘Bland diet for dogs and cats’, Blue Cross
[3] ‘Food allergies in dogs’, PDSA
[4] ‘Gastroenteritis (stomach upset) in dogs’, PDSA
[5] ‘Upset stomach in dogs: signs and what to do’, PetMD, 31 March 2025
[6] ‘Gastroenteritis (stomach upset) in dogs’, PDSA