Choosing the best dog food for Staffies or any type of dog can be a real minefield. The majority of food that is available, convenient and mass-marketed to all of us is usually dog food that is generally bad for your dog and full of nasty ingredients and fillers, so not what you should be choosing for the best Staffy food.
So with that in mind, we have put together a list of best Staffy food (both dry and wet) that is healthy, only contains good ingredients and does not include the usual artificial colours, flavourings and fillers. The food we have reviewed below may contain some names you have never come across but do give them a try… Your dog will thank you for it!
Each of the dog food reviewed below is listed on Amazon where you are able to read other peoples reviews and experience with them.
We have made sure we have only listed the very best food for Staffies, the kind of food we would give to our very much loved pack of dogs.
Our Top 3 at a Glance – Dry Food
Before we go into our full article, here is a quick look at the top 3 dry food for Staffies based on overall best dry food, the best premium dry food and also the best value dry food for Staffies.
Our Top 3 at a Glance – Wet Food
A quick look at the best Staffy wet food. Again there is an option for overall best wet food, best premium option and an option for best cheap wet food.
Please scroll down the page to find a more in-depth look at the best food for Staffies.
Best Dry Dog Food For Staffies
Dry dog food or Kibble as it is also known as, is convenient, good for dog’s teeth and provides important nutrients that dogs can’t get elsewhere, and when mixed with wet food or freshly prepared food, can provide a very good balance to your Staffy’s diet.
OUR TOP PICK: Pero High Meat SBT Chicken Adult Dog Food
Price: £28.09 | Buy now from Amazon
Well, we had to put this first, not only because it is actually designed specifically for Staffordshire Bull Terriers! Also it is full of great stuff and made by people who want your Staffy to be healthy and happy! Pero High Meat SBT Chicken Adult Dog Food is 100% hypoallergenic and free from wheat & gluten. Promotes joint care and the kibble shape is designed for extra dental health care. Made from British chicken and veg.
Ingredients:
Chicken 40% (Fresh Chicken 20%, Poultry Meal 20%), Maize, Oats, Beet Pulp, Linseed, Brewers Yeast, Poultry Oil, Chicken Gravy, Whole Egg Powder, Minerals, Fish oil, Glucosamine (150 mg/kg), Chondroitin (150 mg/kg), MSM (150 mg/kg).
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Pero SBT High Meat | 70 Reviews | £28.09 | Buy on Amazon |
BEST BUDGET OPTION: Wagg Worker Complete
Price: £18.57 | Buy now from Amazon
An impressive option for the low price tag. Wagg Worker Complete with Beef and Veg has no added sugar and no artificial colours or flavours. It doesn’t contain as good ingredients as the other options on our list however it is still a great option considering it is the cheapest dog food on our list.
Ingredients:
Cereals, Meat and Animal Derivatives (of which 4% Beef in Red Kibble), Oils and Fats, Derivatives of Vegetable Origin, Vegetables (4% Peas in Pea Kibble), Minerals, Yeasts (0.08%), Citrus Extract (0.04%) & Yucca Extract (0.01%)
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wagg Complete Dog Food | 43 Reviews | £18.57 | Buy on Amazon |
BEST PREMIUM OPTION: Lily’s Kitchen Adult Chicken & Duck
Price: £40.90 | Buy now from Amazon
The ultimate option when it comes to the best ingredients. Lily’s Kitchen Adult Chicken & Duck contains 38% of Freshly Prepared Meat (Chicken 31% Duck 7%), full of Fruits, Vegetables and Botanical Herbs with no derivatives, preservatives or fillers. They only use freshly prepared meat and no dried meat or meat meals. Just 100% natural ingredients of the highest quality. Simply fantastic quality dog food!
Ingredients:
Freshly Prepared: Chicken (31%), Duck (7%), Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Lentils, Pea Protein, Flaxseed, Chicken Liver (4%), Eggs, Chicken Gravy, Calcium Carbonate, Salmon Oil, Apples, Carrots, Spinach, Cranberries, Botanical Herbs (Alfalfa, Golden Rod Cleavers, Dandelion Root, Nettles, Celery Seed, Rosehips, Marigold Petals, Burdock Root, Milk Thistle, Chicory Root), Vitamins and Minerals.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lily's Kitchen Adult Chicken & Duck | 5,230 Reviews | £40.90 | Buy on Amazon |
Harrington’s Complete Lamb and Rice
Price: £12.00 | Buy now from Amazon
Harrington’s Complete Lamb and rice flavour rich in Omega 6 & fatty acids, citrus antioxidants and even contains Nutrient-rich kelp. No added wheat, no dairy, no soya and no artificial colours or artificial flavours. We like the sound of that!
Ingredients:
Maize, Lamb Meat Meal (min 14%), Barley, Rice (min 14%) Meat Meal, Beet Pulp, Poultry Fat, Digest, Vitamins & Minerals, Linseed, Kelp (0.2%), Citrus Extract (0.04%) & Yucca Extract (0.01%), Antioxidant (contains Tocopherol Rich Extracts – a Natural Antioxidant) Allergy Information: Free From Dairy, Free From Soya\Soybeans No added wheat
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Harrington's Complete Lamb and rice flavour | 7,258 Reviews | £12.00 | Buy on Amazon |
Arden Grange Adult Chicken Dog Food
Price: £28.49 | Buy now from Amazon
Staffies need a lot of protein and Arden Grange Adult Chicken fits the bill! Due to its high proportion of Chicken ingredients at 45% it means there is a lower level of carbohydrates. High quality, human-grade ingredients and no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
Ingredients:
Chicken (chicken meat meal 27%, fresh chicken 5%), rice (26%), maize, refined chicken oil, beet pulp, chicken digest, whole dried egg, krill, yeast, whole linseed, minerals, prebiotic FOS, prebiotic MOS, yucca extract, glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, cranberries and nucleotides.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Arden Grange Adult Chicken Dog Food | 2,043 Reviews | £28.49 | Buy on Amazon |
Best Wet Dog Food For Staffies
Wet dog food typically contains more meat protein than dry dog food and generally contains fewer carbohydrates and therefore is generally more expensive. Also due to the fact that wet food is packaged airtight, they usually contain fewer preservatives which is very important as a lot of the lower quality dog food is packed with way too many preservatives.
OUR TOP PICK: Butcher’s Grain Free With Tripe Mix
Price: £25.98 | Buy now from Amazon
For those who are on a tight budget but don’t want to compromise on quality then Butcher’s Grain-free Tripe Mix is an excellent option. It comes in a pack of 24 and at the current time of writing only costs 0.72p. Even though the price is nice and cheap there are still real quality ingredients. There are no nasties in the ingredient list, its grain-free and has no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. Your Staffy will be getting a good range of nutrients due to it’s balanced and complete recipe. They only get their ingredients from British farms and suppliers and the use of tripe is a really big plus, as dogs love the taste and it’s a super-food for dogs.
Ingredients:
British & Irish Farmed (Chicken 34%, Tripe 13%, Beef 3%), Minerals
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Butcher’s Grain-free Tripe Mix | 2,194 Reviews | £25.98 | Buy on Amazon |
BEST BUDGET OPTION: Forthglade Grain-free Variety Adult Dog Food
Price: £14.00 | Buy now from Amazon
Forthglade Grain-free variety pack has that winning combination of both a low price tag and also great ingredients. You won’t find any nasties in the ingredient list, so no fillers or junk. It’s labelled as balanced and complete meaning a good range of nutrients and minerals for your Staffy. It also has quite a high meat content at 75% which means your Staffy will get enough protein they need to fuel all that energy. Being grain free means it will help if your Staffy has a sensitive tummy. The variety pack consists of 4x Turkey, 4x lamb and 4x Duck which provides a nice variety for your Staff.
Ingredients
Turkey with Sweet Potato & Vegetables Composition: Turkey (75%), Sweet Potato (4%), Carrots (2%), Peas (2%), Minerals, Linseed Oil (0.5%), Seaweed (0.45%)
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Forthglade Grain-free variety pack | 2,272 Reviews | £14.00 | Buy on Amazon |
BEST PREMIUM OPTION: Lily’s Kitchen Grain Free Multipack Wet Dog Food
Price: £26.50 | Buy now from Amazon
Probably the best quality dog food in the UK right now is Lily’s Kitchen. They do some seriously high-end dog food and is perfect for those who can afford to pay a little extra. A good place to start with Lily’s kitchen is their grain-free multipack. It has some top-notch ingredients and of course no nasties in there or cheap fillers such as wheat, corn or soya. They use freshly prepared meat which doesn’t contain any meat meal, bone meal or rendered meat. It’s packed full of colourful and vibrant vegetables and herbs which will provide an excellent range of nutrients for your Staffy. This really is the best we can find and is the UK’s highest regarded dog food.
Ingredients:
Wild Campfire Stew: 65% Freshly Prepared: Venison (40%), Pheasant (15%), Salmon (10%). Potatoes (3%), Butternut Squash, Green Beans (1%), Apples, Vitamins & Chelated Minerals, Hemp Oil. Botanicals & Herbs: Golden Rod, Nettle, Aniseed, Celery Seed, Rosehips, Marigold Petals, Cleavers, Seaweed, Alfalfa, Milk Thistle, Dandelion Root, Burdock Root.
Fishy Fish Pie: 60% Freshly Prepared: Turkey (30%), Herring (15%), Salmon (15%). Potatoes (4%), Peas, Carrots, Spinach, Vitamins & Chelated Minerals, Hemp Oil. Botanicals & Herbs: Golden Rod, Nettle, Aniseed, Celery Seed, Rosehips, Marigold Petals, Cleavers, Seaweed, Alfalfa, Milk Thistle, Dandelion Root, Burdock Root.
Sunday Lunch: 60% Fresh Chicken, Potatoes (4%), Sugar Snap Peas (2%), Carrots, Spinach (1%), Apples, Vitamins & Chelated Minerals, Safflower Oil (0.1%). Botanicals & Herbs: Golden Rod, Nettle, Aniseed, Celery Seed, Rosehips, Marigold Petals, Cleavers, Seaweed, Alfalfa, Milk Thistle, Dandelion Root, Burdock Root.
Cottage Pie: 60% Fresh Beef, Potatoes (3%), Carrots (3%), Apples, Green Beans, Broccoli, Vitamins & Chelated Minerals, Flaxseed. Botanicals & Herbs: Golden Rod, Nettle, Aniseed, Celery Seed, Rosehips, Marigold Petals, Cleavers, Seaweed, Alfalfa, Milk Thistle, Dandelion Root, Burdock Root.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lily's Kitchen Grain-Free Multipack | 2,522 Reviews | £26.50 | Buy on Amazon |
Nature’s Menu Dog Food
Price: £16.50 | Buy now from Amazon
Natures Menu is a wholesome dog food that is a complete and balanced recipe which will giver your Staffy all the nutrients they need. Their cans contain a minimum of 55% meat of which is human grade and from fresh whole cuts and does not contain any meat derivatives or meat meals. Natures Menu is free of artificial colours, flavours and preservatives, making it a great option for your Staffy.
Chicken – Chicken (min 55%), Potato (min 8 55%), Carrots (min 6%), Peas (min 4%), Sun_flower oil (<1%).
Beef with Chicken – Beef (min 37%), Chicken (min 18%), Potato (min 8%), Carrots (min 6%), Peas (min 4%), Sunflower oil (<1%).
Lamb with Chicken – Lamb (min 30%), Chicken (min 29%), Carrots (min 6%), Peas (min 4%), Brown Rice (min 4%), Sunflower oil (<1%).
Chicken with Salmon – Chicken (min 34%), Salmon (min 25%), Carrots (min 6%), Brown Rice (min 4%) Peas (min 4%), Sunflower oil (<1%).
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Nature's Menu Dog Food | 934 Reviews | £16.50 | Buy on Amazon |
Naturediet Chicken with Vegetables and Rice
Price: £19.98 | Buy now from Amazon
Naturediet base their recipes on holistic principles which mean their ingredients are simple, healthy and natural. Sounds good right? Yep, and their Naturediet Chicken with Vegetables and Rice contains 60% of real meat so your Staffy will get all the protein they need, their balanced recipe ensures they get all the nutrients too. An extra bonus is a fact its Hypoallergenic which is great for dogs that have allergies or a sensitive tummy. A really good Staffy food option here.
Ingredients:
Chicken (min 60%), vegetables (min 5%), brown rice (min 5%), omega 3, omega 6, natural ground bone, kelp, herbs.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Naturediet Chicken with Vegetables and Rice | 497 Reviews | £19.98 | Buy on Amazon |
Best Staffy Food – Buying Guide
The following will help you when deciding which food to buy, by highlighting what to look for, how to read labels and things to avoid.
Best Dog Food For Staffies?
When trying to work out what is the best Staffy food, try and remember:
- A balanced diet
- Good quality ingredients
- Free of Preservatives, colourings and flavourings
- Take note of Nutritional statements (e.g. Complete & Balanced), Labels and ingredient lists
We will go more into details on these items below but once you have a good idea on these items you are in a good position to be able to choose the right dog food for your Staffy.
Nutritional Statements For Dog Food
Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) ensures that regulators have strict guidelines for dog food companies for what they claim on their food packaging and labels. So for example, if a dog food company were to print “complete and balanced” on their packaging then that claim would have to have been validated in one of two ways.
- The products recipe or analysis of the ingredients have to meet the guidelines of the AAFCO for the Nutrient Profile. You can usually tell if this is the case if you see wording like this on the packaging; “(name of product) is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles”
- The second way not only fulfils the AAFCO Nutrient Profile but also undergoes controlled food trials with dogs. This would look something like this on the packaging; “animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that (name of product) provides complete and balanced nutrition”.
Reading The labels
In order to avoid misleading labels in dog food, the Food and Drug Administration has rules that adhere to the following structure:
- The 95% Rule – If a dog food states it contains a single ingredient then it must contain 95% of that ingredient (not including water). For example in order for a product to be called “Beef for Dogs” at least 95% of its ingredients must come from beef.
- The 25% “Dinner” Rule – If the labelled ingredient makes up between 25% and 95% then it falls under the “Dinner” rule.
- The 3% “With” Rule – This would mean that the mentioned ingredient only makes up no more than 3% of the ingredients.
- The Flavor Rule – The last rule means the label can include any meat it likes even though it doesn’t even contain a speck of that meat. As long as a detectable Flavour can be detected by specially trained animals.
Reading The Ingredients
Next, we take a look at how to read the ingredient list. One important thing to bear in mind is that the list is ordered by weight. Ingredients that typically contain a large amount of moisture such as beef, chicken, poultry or fish would usually be placed at the top of the list. However, there may be equally or more important ingredients lower down the list that don’t contain so much water such as Protein.
Carbohydrates In Dog Food
People generally believe carbohydrates in dog food are bad. They would be correct if too many carbohydrates are included, but a little bit of carbohydrates is good for dogs. Dogs can easily metabolize carbohydrates and turn it into energy which is a great thing for Staffies who are always on the go.
Dogs don’t actually need carbs at all and can live a healthy life without them but a little amount can provide a good source of energy. The problem lies when there is too much in the food. A sensible source estimates that a natural ancestral diet would contain around 14 per cent of carbs in their diet. Compare this to today’s dry dog food that contains an average 46% to 74% carbohydrates. You can see the problem there. So the key is to choose a dog food that contains only a little.
Introducing New Food To Your Staffie
Some dogs don’t like change to their routine and that can apply to their food. You could spend hours choosing a new food for them only to find they turn their nose up at it on first sight (or sniff!). So a good way around this is to introduce the new food gradually by mixing it in with the old food and slowly increasing the amount you give until you have completely changed over. The little sweethearts won’t know a thing!
Wet Dog Food Or Dry Dog Food?
The wet or dry food questions is a popular one and we think it is the easiest to answer. Why not both? We recommend mixing the two together. We have always mixed wet and dry food along with freshly prepared food together and our dogs have the most beautiful coats, are healthy and very happy doggies as they are getting a very balanced diet.
Generally, a good wet dog food is more beneficial than a dry dog food due to the fact that it will contain more meat protein, less carbohydrates and fewer preservatives due to the fact it is sealed air tight. However, as we recommend mixing both wet and dry food you should look at the two combined together and the balanced diet it can bring
Conclusion
So we there we have it; a list of the best dog food for Staffies that only contains healthy options that don’t include all the usual nasty ingredients.
Remember that combining wet dog food and dry dog food as well as some freshly prepared meat can provide a very good balanced diet giving your Staffy all the important nutrients they need to continue being the very best dogs that Staffies are 🙂
i feed my staffie butchers loaf cannot give him a mixer as he has bad flatchulents he has 3 tins a day what else can i mix as he always scaving for more food he is 4yrs old
I have a 1 year old staffy which we have had from 9 wks old and was on puppy food the. Since he turned 1 year old we have put him on senior dry food called James wWllbeloved. Would this be ok for him?
I have a 3 month old female staffy pup. She will be 4 months on 10th April. I am veryy confused on how much quantity to feed her. All guidelines are very contradictive. Could someone shed some light please 😊 P.S. if possible in kgs please 🙂 x
Comments are closed.