Last Updated on 01/23/2021 by Veronica Jones
Shetland Sheepdogs, also known as Shelties, used to be good companions and partners for farmers. Now, they also do well as watchdogs because of their protectiveness.
Scottish farmers in the Shetland Islands would appreciate the Shelties’ protective nature, which reflected in how they kept unwanted animals off the property within which they resided and in how they also functioned as herding dogs for sheep.
Like any fur baby, Shelties need not only love, care, and affection but also the right food for the right nutrients. For that, you want to make sure you can give your Shelties just the right nutrition they need.
What to Look for When Choosing a Dog Food for Shelties
As a Sheltie owner, you want to make sure that your fur babies are well-fed, healthy, energetic, and nourished. For that, you want to go for a dog food that contains the following essential nutrients:
Protein
Good protein sources should be considered. These can be in the form of chicken, chicken meal, turkey, turkey meal, deboned lamb, bison, venison, buffalo, and salmon.
There are many other protein sources, but most dog foods have the aforementioned as primary sources. If a dog food doesn’t disclose its protein source in its ingredients, make sure you avoid it as its source can be questionable.
Carbohydrates
You also want to consider carbohydrates that are derived from sweet potatoes and brown rice. Some formulations are also grain-free which is helpful for healthy weight maintenance.
Probiotics help in good digestion, so it will help to buy dog foods that have probiotics in them. However, you have to pay attention to the carbohydrates included in a dog food’s ingredients.
Ideally, you want to go for complex carbohydrates that are derived from whole grains, sweet potatoes, and various vegetables. You should avoid simple carbs like soy and corn as they offer no nutritional value.
Healthy Fats
When it comes to vitamins and minerals, most dog foods include fruits and vegetables in their formulations. Omega fatty acids are also favorable nutrients to look for in dog food as these help in giving Shelties good skin and coat.
Apart from that, they can also improve your dog’s heart health and promote a healthier liver and digestive system functions.
Ingredients You Should Avoid
Synthetic Additives
Synthetic ingredients are added by a lot of dog food manufacturers as a means of adding a unique flavor to their product or even making it more appetizing.
However, most of these synthetic additives contain chemicals that can only harm your dog. As much as possible, go for foods that have natural alternatives instead.
Chemical Preservatives
As much as possible, you want to avoid dog foods that contain chemical preservatives, especially ethoxyquin and propylene glycol. Even though these chemicals can help preserve the food and prevent bacterial growth, they can cause issues in your dog’s body when ingested.
Reviews of the Best Dog Food for Shelties
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Dry Adult Dog Food
The Blue Buffalo dog food sources its main protein from deboned lamb and carbohydrates from sweet potatoes and brown rice.
Other notable ingredients and nutrients include carrots, ground barley, some fruits and vegetables, and LifeSource Bits (contains antioxidants like spinach, blueberries, and cranberries).
A lot of dogs seem to love this particular dog food, even the picky ones. As it appears, the quality of the product is highly satisfactory.
Merrick Grain-Free Healthy Weight Recipe
The Merrick grain-free dog food is designed for good weight maintenance. A good mix of healthy fats and proteins make up for more than 50% of the formulation.
The formulation is grain-free, with the ingredient being substituted by sweet potatoes and peas.
Other notable ingredients and nutrients include flaxseed oil, salmon oil, natural chicken fat with tocopherols to quench the craving for additives, chicken and turkey meal, deboned beef, apples, alfalfa, and other vegetables and fruits.
Dog owners cited the effectiveness of its weight maintenance recipe. Judging from the product alone, it is very appealing to many dog owners.
Blue Buffalo Basics Limited-Ingredient Dry Adult Dog Food
This dog food is good for Shelties with sensitive digestive systems and food allergies.
The only protein source is turkey. Other notable ingredients and nutrients include peas, potatoes, pumpkin, cranberries, blueberries, and flaxseed oil.
This edition comes in many flavors, all of which are rated highly by purchasers.
Dogs with sensitive stomachs are receiving the product well, with some purchases reporting good stool and better consumption behavior as observed from their pets.
Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Small Breed Dog Food
This dog food is intended for smaller dogs with how the bites are designed to be smaller.
Its reduced fat and calorie count make it good for weight maintenance. It has salmon as its notable ingredient which is beneficial for a good coat.
The proteins are derived from chicken meal, salmon meal, and deboned turkey.
Other notable ingredients and nutrients include ground barley, flaxseed, brown rice, sweet potato, apples, spinach, carrots, and blueberries.
Honest Kitchen Whole Grain Chicken Recipe Dehydrated Dog Food
This dog food is made differently, with it being dehydrated instead of cooked. This preparation allows the food to retain the nutrients of its original state more than cooking allows it.
The ingredients consist of free-range chicken, whole-grain oats, carrots, fruits and vegetables, and chelated minerals. It is important to note, however, that some dogs are not particularly fond of dehydrated food.
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Adult Dry Food
The proteins found in this dog food come from bison, buffalo, and venison. There are also omega fatty acids for good skin and coat. Aside from that, there are also prebiotics and probiotics for good digestion.
Other notable ingredients and nutrients include sweet potatoes, peas, fruits, and vegetables. Like any product out there, this particular dog food has a lot of positive points and some negative points that serve as outliers.
It is positively effective for dogs with a diet to maintain, though some dogs may receive the product significantly better than others. It is important to consult veterinarians before putting dogs on a particular product.
Wellness Simple LID Grain-Free Salmon & Potato Dry Food
This dog food is good for Shelties with sensitivities to certain food. Salmon is the source of protein for this dog food which also provides omega fatty acids for good skin and coat.
Other notable ingredients and nutrients include potatoes, peas, canola oil. This one is received very well because of its grain-free formulation and positive effect on dogs with allergies. Picky eaters seem to have their appetites improved.
Solid Gold Wolf King Bison & Brown Rice Adult Recipe
This dog food is good for Shelties with sensitive stomachs. It’s easy to digest and has high-quality ingredients. It also has probiotics.
The formulation boasts of fresh bison, fish, lots of omega fatty acids, whole-grain carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables. It’s popular for the protein and nutrition it provides. Most dog owners who also own bigger dogs claim that they were able to notice positive results.
Zignature Zssential Multi-Protein Formula Grain-Free Dry Food
Good-quality animal protein, omega fatty acids, and fresh berries can be found in this dog food’s formulation. Meanwhile, its ingredients include turkey, turkey meal, salmon, duck meal, lamb meal, wholesome peas, and chickpeas. The formulation is very high in protein while low in saturated fat.
Canine allergens like corn and dairy have been removed, making the food also ideal for Shelties with sensitive stomachs. This product does well very well, with some stating the healthy disposition of their dogs’ coats, skin, and stool. Apparently, both wet and dry versions are received very well.
Wellness Complete Health Deboned Chicken & Oatmeal Adult Recipe
This dog food is simple and the ingredients are all-natural. These include deboned chicken and Yucca Schidigera extract which makes stool less foul-smelling. There are also complex carbohydrates added to the mix.
Other notable ingredients and nutrients include chicken meal, oatmeal, carrots, tomatoes, spinach, ground barley, ground flaxseed, and chicken fat.
Most dog owners who fed this product to their dog mentioned better digestion, better stool, and a well-maintained weight for their furry friends. Picky eaters, however, seem to be preferring something else.
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Chicken & Brown Rice Puppy Recipe
Another quality product from Blue Buffalo, the Life Protection Formula is simple yet high-quality. It’s specifically designed to help with your puppy’s growth and development, especially since it contains chicken and brown rice as its main ingredients.
Other notable ingredients and nutrients include calcium, phosphorus, essential vitamins, docosahexaenoic acid, arachidonic acid, Omega fatty acids 3 and 6, chelated minerals, and antioxidants
With this product, you’ll be able to notice an increased appetite in your puppies, not to mention you can notice healthier hair and weight on them as well.
There can be some cases of soft stool and gas, though these are often due to the transition from one product to another.
Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Grain-Free Puppy Recipe
The Merrick dog food’s formulation is high in protein and healthy fats. Apart from that, it also boasts of freeze-dried coated kibbles with freeze-dried raw bites.
Deboned chicken, glucosamine, chondroitin, and omega fatty acids are the main players, providing your puppy with good musculature maintenance, energy, support for healthy joints, good skin, and a healthy coat.
Other notable ingredients and nutrients include chicken meal, sweet potatoes, turkey meal, tapioca, salmon, and fruits like apples and blueberries.
AvoDerm Natural Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Senior Recipe
Senior Shelties require even more care due to their age. With that in mind, the AvoDerm dog form should help in giving your lovely senior Sheltie the nutrients he needs.
Chicken meal and whole ground brown rice are significant ingredients that provide protein and carbohydrates, respectively. When it comes to energy and the needed fatty acids, chicken fat and avocado are the main providers.
As for glucosamine and chondroitin for protection on the joints and knees, the inclusion of chicken cartilage can do the job.
The formulation also contains probiotics which help in digestion alongside the presence of vitamins and antioxidants for a healthier immune system. Besides, it doesn’t contain corn, soy, and artificial coloring and flavoring.
Victor Yukon River Salmon & Sweet Potato Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
A healthy combination of crude protein, crude fat, and crude carbs will prove beneficial to your Sheltie, especially since most of this dog food’s protein is derived from salmon.
It also contains sweet potatoes which provide your dog with essential carbohydrates. Besides, it’s also grain-free and has prebiotics and probiotics.
Other notable ingredients and nutrients include Menhaden fish meal, chicken fat, carrot powder, and tomato pomace.
Evolve Deboned Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe
The Evolve Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe, grain-free as it is, is one of the best dog foods for Shelties with food allergies and sensitive digestion.
Aside from that, it can also provide them with healthier skin and coat. It’s also a healthy source of energy for your furry pets.
It contains deboned salmon and chicken meal to provide good-quality protein, as well as garbanzo beans and sweet potatoes to provide their needed carbohydrates. Chicken fat serves as the main provider of fat.
Other notable ingredients and nutrients include turkey meal, flaxseed, peas, Yucca Schidigera extract, dried blueberries, papaya, spinach, avocado, and dried cranberries.
Picky eaters will be able to expand and increase their appetite thanks to this food, and it has been reported to work very well with dogs who have sensitive stomachs.
Conclusion
Shelties are not only good family members, but they’re also highly efficient companions in fieldwork. Their versatility is not uncommon, but each breed is special in its own way. Finding the right dog food for your Sheltie will keep your fur baby and fur sidekick a happy and healthy disposition.
Then again, there is much to consider when choosing the right one. So before anything else, you want to consult your veterinarian to make the selection much safer and to get to know your Sheltie’s unique preferences a lot better.
