Dog food for
sensitive stomachs

What helps most is food that's simple, consistent and easy to digest. That means one main protein, a short ingredient list you could picture, and the same food every day, without rich extras on the side. A dog with a sensitive stomach is one whose digestion is easily knocked off course, which shows up as loose or changeable stools, wind, a gurgling tummy or the odd upset stomach.

Marleybones recipes are built to that brief:

• One protein. Every recipe is single-protein, so there's one thing for your dog's stomach to get used to.
• A short ingredient list. Every recipe has one protein, three veggies and seven superfoods, with zero preservatives.
• Prebiotic fibre. Chicory root feeds the friendly bacteria already living in the gut.
• No grains. Every recipe is grain-free.
• Plenty of moisture. Fresh food is mostly water, so it's soft and easy to eat.
• The same food, every day. A plan delivered on your schedule means you never run out and have to swap in something else.

Wet food is usually easier on a sensitive stomach than dry kibble. It's soft, mostly water and less heavily processed. Quality varies more than the label suggests, so check that a named meat or fish comes first on the ingredient list and that the list is short.

• Pantry Fresh®: sealed raw and slow-cooked in-pack. High moisture, kept in the cupboard for up to 18 months unopened. One protein, veggies, superfoods, no preservatives.
• Fresh frozen: gently cooked, then frozen. High moisture, kept in the freezer and defrosted before serving. Usually whole ingredients, often single-protein.
• Wet tins and pouches: cooked in the can or pouch. High moisture, kept in the cupboard. Varies a lot; many list "meat and animal derivatives".
• Dry kibble: cooked at high heat and pressed into pellets. Around 10% moisture, kept in the cupboard. Long ingredient lists are common.

Marleybones meals are Pantry Fresh® and shelf-stable, stored in a cupboard until opened, with no freezing or thawing at any point. Once a carton is open, keep it in the fridge and use it within 48 hours.

For most dogs with a sensitive stomach, the best recipe uses a protein they haven't eaten much of. Chicken and beef are in a lot of everyday dog food, so they're the first proteins to rule out. Lush Lamb and Sassy Salmon are the easiest places to start for a dog raised on either.

• Raised on chicken or beef? Start with Lush Lamb.
• Itchy skin as well as a sensitive stomach? Sassy Salmon, for its omega-3s.
• Already doing well on chicken? Chic Chicken keeps things familiar.
• Fine on beef but needs a simpler bowl? Boss Beef.

If your dog's stomach settles on one recipe, stay on it. Sensitive dogs do best on consistency, so change recipes slowly and one at a time.

Every recipe is 60% meat or fish, with three veggies and seven superfoods. Here's the full list for each:

• Lush Lamb: Lamb 60%, Carrots 6.5%, Sweet Potato 4%, Quinoa 3%, Broccoli 1.3%, Rosemary 0.8%, Chia Seeds 0.6%, Linseeds 0.5%, Hemp Seed Powder 0.3%, Chicory Root, Yucca.
• Sassy Salmon: Salmon 42%, White Fish 18%, Carrots 6.5%, Peas 4%, Quinoa 3%, Broccoli 1.3%, Parsley 0.8%, Chia Seeds 0.6%, Linseeds 0.5%, Hemp Seed Powder 0.3%, Chicory Root, Yucca.
• Chic Chicken: Chicken 60%, Carrots 6.5%, Peas 4%, Quinoa 3%, Broccoli 1.3%, Sage 0.8%, Chia Seeds 0.6%, Linseeds 0.5%, Hemp Seeds 0.3%, Chicory Root, Yucca.
• Boss Beef: Beef 60%, Carrots 6.5%, Sweet Potato 4%, Quinoa 3%, Broccoli 1.3%, Rosemary 0.8%, Minerals, Chia Seeds 0.6%, Linseeds 0.5%, Hemp Seeds 0.3%, Chicory Root, Yucca.

For a one-off upset, give your dog plenty of water and small, plain meals for a day or two. Then go back to their usual food, gradually. Ongoing loose stools are different. The best food for a sensitive stomach with diarrhoea is usually one consistent, easily digested complete food, with a slow switch and no rich treats or scraps while things settle. If diarrhoea lasts more than 48 hours, or comes with blood, vomiting or lethargy, call your vet.

Switch over 7 to 10 days, adding a little more of the new food every couple of days, so their stomach has time to adjust.

Every Marleybones recipe is complete for all life stages, including puppies, so a sensitive puppy can start on the same food they'll grow up on. Puppies eat the same recipes, portioned for their age and size. Older dogs often find soft, moist food easier to eat than hard kibble. The quiz builds a personalised feeding plan from your dog's weight, age and activity, which matters as an older dog slows down.

Food can help with everyday sensitivity. See your vet if your dog has blood in their stools, keeps vomiting, has diarrhoea for more than 48 hours or is losing weight. Dogs with pancreatitis or a diagnosed digestive condition need a diet chosen by their vet, so stay on it until your vet says otherwise.