It’s not always easy to satisfy your dog when it comes to mealtime and so, if you’re looking to shake up their dinner bowl, then lamb dog food could be the way to go. This high-quality protein is rich in amino acids and is also an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and good dietary fats. And, as it’s a relatively new ingredient on the dog food market, it could be a good choice for pooches who suffer from food allergies.
Ideal for dogs of all ages, lamb is also super-tasty, making it a tantalizing meal for the pickiest of pooches. But with lamb dog food gaining in popularity, you may be unsure which one to choose. To help you make the right selection for your pet, we’ve looked at some of the best lamb dog food formulas to serve you up eight of our favorites.
The Best Lamb Dog Food
Made with roasted lamb, our top pick is this gourmet-style dry dog food from Taste of the Wild. Formulated to mirror your dog’s natural diet, this grain-free lamb dog food is from the popular Sierra Mountain range. With real lamb as the number one protein, the recipe is boosted by egg, sweet potatoes and peas to provide your pooch with the nutrients they need for energy and all-round health. And the grain-free formula means this dry dog food is easily digestible, even for sensitive or food allergy-prone dogs. Added probiotics work to boost your dog’s digestive health and the whole recipe is packed with vitamins, antioxidants and those essential omega fatty acids, making it one of the best lamb dog food products you can buy. Taste of the Wild Sierra Mountain is one of 7 dog food recipes mentioned in our review of Taste of The Wild Dog Food.
Calorie content: 338 kcal/cup
Minimum protein: 25%
Minimum fat: 15%
Maximum fiber: 5%
Maximum moisture: 10%
Amino-rich roasted lamb plus egg and antioxidant-packed sweet potato
Proprietary K9 strain probiotic blend to support digestive health
First five ingredients: lamb, lamb meal, sweet potatoes, egg product, lentils
- Brand: Taste of The Wild
- Model: 9569
- Weight: 28 pounds
Formulated for adult dogs, this real lamb and brown rice recipe has the meaty taste your dog craves, fortified with Blue Buffalo’s ‘Lifesource Bits’ blend for added essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The result is a delicious dry dog food that works to support your adult dog through his life stages, giving him the nutrients he needs to thrive. The rice and other carefully selected carbs provide sustained energy support while the quality lamb protein supports healthy muscle development. Add in omegas for a shiny coat, calcium and other essential vitamins as well as glucosamine for joint health, and this corn, wheat, soy and by-product free lamb and rice dog food is a tasty winner.
Read here our detailed Blue Buffalo Dog Food Review.
Calorie content: 377 kcal/cup
Minimum protein: 22%
Minimum fat: 14%
Maximum fiber: 5%
Maximum moisture: 10%
Boosted by Blue Buffalo’s Lifesource blend of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals
Omega 3 & 6 plus glucosamine for sustained joint health
First five ingredients: deboned lamb, menhaden fish meal, brown rice, oatmeal, barley
- Brand: Blue Buffalo
- Model: 37
- Weight: 30 pounds
Mimicking a dog’s natural diet, Zignature has added lamb to its limited ingredient formula for a straightforward and tasty meal to put in your pooch’s food bowl. Grain-free, this lamb recipe is made from meat sourced from New Zealand so you can be confident in its quality taste. The recipe also uses selected low-glycemic carbs such as peas and chickpeas to support a sustained energy release as well as digestible fiber. The whole recipe is also a good choice for more food sensitive pets as there are none of the known allergens such as soy, wheat and dairy, which could irritate your dog. Add in essential nutrients such as iron, phosphorus, fatty acids and full spectrum vitamins and you get a premium dry dog food that supports your dog’s digestion while providing them with a delicious taste.
Take a look at our review of Zignature Dog Food.
Calorie content: 393 kcal/cup
Minimum protein: 28%
Minimum fat: 15%
Maximum fiber: 4%
Maximum moisture: 10%
Low-glycemic carbs for blood sugar management and energy release
Omega fatty acids, antioxidants, minerals and full spectrum vitamins
First five ingredients: lamb, lamb meal, chickpeas, peas, sunflower oil
- Brand: Zignature
- Model: 51583
- Weight: 25 pounds
Available in a great value 40-pound bag, this lamb and rice dog food from Diamond Naturals is a cost-effective way to move your dog onto a new protein. With quality lamb meal as the number one ingredient, the concentrated benefits of this tasty protein are ideal for adult dogs. The lamb is also pasture-raised, adding to the flavor and offers your pooch an optimum level of amino acids for lean and strong muscles as well as energy. The whole formula is enhanced by added probiotics and superfoods to ensure your dog is getting balanced, natural nutrition. As well as lamb meal and rice, you also get real fruit and vegetables as well as added fish oil for a decent hit of omega fats. Wheat, corn and soy free, this is a quality lamb dog food at a great value price.
Calorie content: 332 kcal/cup
Minimum protein: 23%
Minimum fat: 14%
Maximum fiber: 4%
Maximum moisture: 10%
Pasture-raised lamb meal for optimum balance of muscle-boosting amino acids
Added superfoods with no wheat, corn or soy
First five ingredients: lamb meal, ground white rice, cracked pearled barley, grain sorghum, egg product
- Brand: Diamond
- Model: 418123
- Weight: 40 pounds
If your dog is on a limited ingredient diet and you’d like to try them with lamb, then this lamb meal and brown rice formula from Natural Balance could hit the taste spot. The uncomplicated recipe has no gluten, but still manages to include some grains and features lamb meal as the number one ingredient. And, despite the limited ingredient recipe, you get both taste and all the essential nutrients your adult dog needs, including amino acids, fiber and balanced vitamins and minerals. You may need to gradually introduce your dog to this recipe if feeding for the first time, but the taste and quality, according to reviewers, are worth it.
For a full list of our favorite options, see our round-up of Natural Balance Dog Food.
Calorie content: 370 kcal/cup
Minimum protein: 22%
Minimum fat: 12%
Maximum fiber: 4%
Maximum moisture: 10%
Gluten-free, limited ingredient recipe ideal for food sensitive dogs
Includes essential aminos, omegas, fiber, vitamins and minerals
First five ingredients: lamb meal, brown rice, brewers rice, rice bran, canola oil
- Brand: Natural Balance
- Model: 42528
- Weight: 28 pounds
For dogs with particularly sensitive tums, Earthborn have brought the nutrition and taste of lamb meal to this grain and potato free dry dog food formula. Sourced from meadow-fed lamb, the lamb meal is the only meat source in this recipe, which is fortified with high quality fruits and vegetables, including carrots, spinach and blueberries. The whole recipe provides your pooch with nicely balanced nutrition to support their muscles, digestion and all-round health. You also get L-carnitine to support energy release as well as antioxidants for a healthy immune system. All delivered in BPA-free and 100% recyclable packaging. Earthborn Holistic Meadow Feast is one of 5 dog food recipes included in our review of Earthborn Holistic Dog Food.
Calorie content: 370 kcal/cup
Minimum protein: 26%
Minimum fat: 15%
Maximum fiber: 5%
Maximum moisture: 10%
Limited ingredient, grain free recipe designed for dogs with sensitive digestion
Premium lamb meal, fresh fruit and vegetables for balanced nutrition
First five ingredients: lamb meal, peas, tapioca, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), pea protein
- Brand: Earthborn Holistic
- Model: 1710486
- Weight: 28 pounds
Created with smaller kibble for pets who may struggle with larger, harder biscuits, Nutro Small Bites lamb and rice is a tasty choice for adult and senior dogs. With pasture-fed deboned lamb as the number one ingredient, you have all the essential amino acids and nutrition to support strong and lean muscles, while the carefully selected carbs provide sustained energy release. Fortified with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals for a healthy immune system, you also get natural fiber plus quality omega fatty acids for all-round condition. All the ingredients are non-GMO and the recipe is by-product, corn, wheat and soy free. A good lamb dog food choice for older dogs who will also appreciate the delicious taste.
For more information on the brand, check out our Nutro Dog Food Review.
Calorie content: 336 kcal/cup
Minimum protein: 22%
Minimum fat: 14%
Maximum fiber: 3.5%
Maximum moisture: 10%
Smaller kibble bites for easy chewing – ideal for smaller or older dogs
Non-GMO ingredients; wheat, corn, soy and by-product free
First five ingredients: deboned lamb, chicken meal, brewers rice, whole brown rice, whole grain sorghum
- Brand: Nutro
- Model: 10157661
- Weight: 30 pounds
Fresh from Amazon’s own dog food brand, Wag, this high-protein dry dog food uses Australian-sourced lamb as its number one ingredient. The result is an exceptionally meaty dog food that offers balanced nutrition as well as taste. And the high protein level – 35% – means that this recipe is also a good puppy food with lamb option. The protein is also supported by a well-thought-out recipe of slow-release, vitamin dense carbs such as lentils and peas to give your pooch a decent nutrition hit. Add in phytonutrients as well as flaxseed and salmon oil for omegas, you also get DHA, which is essential for healthy cognitive development. With no added grains, this veterinarian formulated lamb dog food is a well-priced option for your pooch that is worth trying out. Wag Dry Dog/Puppy Food is one of 3 dog food recipes included in our Wag Dog Food Review.
Calorie content: 346 kcal/cup
Minimum protein: 35%
Minimum fat: 15%
Maximum fiber: 5.5%
Maximum moisture: 10%
High percentage protein plus balanced antioxidants, vitamins and minerals
Omega fatty acids, including DHA for cognitive and brain development
First five ingredients: lamb, lamb meal, lentils, pea protein, peas
- Brand: Wag
- Weight: 30 pounds
Best Lamb Dog Food Buying Guide
The Nutritional Benefits Of Lamb For Dogs
With more iron than white meat or fish, lamb is a nutritious choice for your dog. It’s also an excellent source of delicious protein, as well as omegas and amino acids, as well as essential vitamins and minerals. With all these nutrients in mind, there are some real benefits to adding lamb to your dog’s diet:
- Your dog suffers from food allergies
Lamb is considered a good protein choice if your dog suffers from food allergies, and the main reason is that it’s a relatively new meat used in dog food. Most dogs are raised on beef or chicken protein-based diets and so can develop allergies to the ingredients. But with lamb being a recent popular choice, it can be kinder on your sensitive pooch’s digestion and thought to be less likely to trigger their allergy-related symptoms.
Find out more about the Best Dog Food for Allergies.
- It is a high-quality source of protein
Lamb contains roughly the same amount of protein as lean beef so is an excellent source of the nutrition that’s all-important to your dog’s growth and development. Some lamb dog food recipes also contain lamb meal, which is a rendered version of the fresh meat and contains less water, so is often higher in protein. Lamb meal also contains concentrated levels of calcium and as you can feed your dog less, is a good option if your dog needs to lose or manage their weight.
You may also like our reviews of the Best Dog Food for Weight Loss and Dog Food for Weight Gain.
- It’s good for muscle maintenance
Lamb protein contains all nine of the amino acids that dogs need for healthy muscle tissue and so is considered one of the best proteins to be included in the canine diet.
The nine essential aminos are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. And all nine play a key role in maintaining healthy muscle mass that’s essential for all of your pet’s life stages, from puppy to senior dog.
- Lamb is nutritionally balanced
Lamb is one of the most nutritionally balanced proteins you can choose for your dog. As well as being rich in high quality protein, it’s packed with essential vitamins and minerals, including zinc, vitamin B12, selenium, iron and phosphorus. And all these balanced nutrients support your dog’s energy, digestion, muscles, bones, heart, immune system, cognitive function, eyes, skin and coat health.
Take a look at our guide on High Protein Dog Food.
- It also has ‘good’ fats
Another benefit to this nutritional protein powerhouse is its good fat content, including omega 3 & 6 fatty acids. And, while lamb does contain saturated and monosaturated fats, it also contains a type of trans fat – CLA or conjugated linoleic acid – which can help to build lean and healthy muscle in your dog.
- Your pooch is a picky eater
Lamb is a tasty choice if you have a picky eater for a pooch as it has a rich flavor most dogs, even the choosiest, tend to find delicious. And it’s also a good choice if you like to periodically rotate your dog’s diet.
Check out our review of Dog Food for Picky Dogs.
What to Look For in a High-Quality Lamb Dog Food
If you have decided to give lamb a try and would like to add a lamb dog food recipe to your pet’s meal bowl, then you need to choose the best you can find. Here are the things to consider when looking for a high quality lamb dog food:
Quality protein: Lamb, ideally de-boned – should be the first ingredient listed, if not then look for another brand. Lamb meal is also fine if it’s listed first or second – lamb meal is rendered lamb, so more concentrated and contains less water.
Read here our guide on Popular Dog Food Brands.
Where it is sourced: To be sure of its quality, check the source of the lamb used. Look for source nations that have the right food safety guidelines in place, such as the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or Western Europe.
There are no unnecessary additives: Your dog needs straightforward, quality nutrition so avoid products that list unnecessary additives, artificial flavors or colors.
It is fortified with vitamins and minerals: While lamb is nutritious, dog food formulas which are boosted by extra vitamins and minerals are a good choice, especially if you have any health concerns for your pooch, such as their joint or digestive health. If so, check the ingredient label for omega oils, glucosamine, chondroitin and added probiotics.
There are no by-products: Only opt for the best ingredients, so that’s means avoiding lamb dog food that contains lamb meat by-products or unidentified meat products.
Our Top Pick
Ideal for dogs at all life stages, including puppies, the delicious Taste of The Wild Sierra Mountain Grain Free Dry Dog Food contains real roasted lamb for a rich and meaty flavor. Grain-free and with no corn, wheat or soy, this natural balance formula is also packed with real fruit and veg, and boosted by omegas, vitamins, antioxidants and probiotics to support your dog’s health and vitality. One of the best lamb dog foods you can buy and an easy choice for our top pick.
You may also like our guide on legume free dog food.
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