The Best Food For English Bulldog Puppies – Our Top Choices

The best food for English Bulldog puppies gives them a complete diet, and is easy to chew and swallow. There is no denying that the English Bulldog is enjoying a wave of popularity right now. But this is a dog breed with some special health and feeding needs. Feeding your puppy and adult dog in the right way is really important.  Of the three muzzle types, the English Bulldog has the shortest, which is called “brachycephalic.” And although their flattened face gives an adorable look, it also means you need to be careful when choosing their food.

Choosing English Bulldog puppy food

Having a very short muzzle can present some challenges picking up and chewing food.

English Bulldogs can also struggle sometimes with swallowing their food, and with taking in sufficient oxygen while they are busy eating.

This is linked to a common health condition in brachycephalic dogs called “Brachycephalic Airway Obstruction Syndrome (BAOS).”

Bulldog puppies often also have teeth that are overly crowded together in their smaller mouths.

This leads to further chewing issues.

You will want to pay particular attention to how easy it is for your pup to enjoy his English Bulldog puppy food.

This will minimize mealtime stress and maximize nutrient intake and overall health.

Portion sizes

Finding the precise portion size for your English Bulldog puppy is not an exact science!

For starters, your individual dog may naturally fall towards the smaller or larger end of the size spectrum.

Estimated size at adulthood can also depend on gender, birth order and parent genes.

If your puppy has a nipped in waist and you can’t feel his spine, you’re on the right track.

You can reduce or increase his porition a little if you think he’s going in the wrong direction.

And remember, English Bulldogs aren’t meant to be overweight, even if they often are.

How often to feed English Bulldog puppies

English Bulldog puppies should be fed at least three times per day for at least the first four months of life.

A morning feeding, an afternoon feeding and an evening feeding is a good schedule to begin with.

Around 12 months of age, you may want to reduce the daily feeding schedule down to twice per day.

However, we recommend that a large proportion of their food is used in training rather than as traditional meals.

The best shape and size food for English Bulldog puppies

When shopping for dry Bulldog puppy food, rounded, triangular or other unique-shaped kibble can be easier to pick up.

Avoid the traditional large square kibble bits.

If your English Bulldog puppy is having a tough time with meals, mix dry kibble with some wet puppy food.

Best dried food for English Bulldog puppies

These three brands make some of the best food for English Bulldog puppies.

You will notice each food is enriched with special nutrients, minerals and vitamins.

Those that your English Bulldog puppy needs to develop healthily in every way.

Royal Canin Bulldog Puppy dry dog food

Royal Canin creates tailored recipes for the unique needs of different puppy and dog breeds.

Also, this interesting S-shaped kibble* is rounded and thus easier for your puppy to pick up.

And this recipe includes lots of vitamins, minerals and glucosamine/chondroitin.

These are intended to help your puppy develop strong joints and muscles.

When it is transition time, you can make the switch to Royal Canin Nutrition Breed Health Nutrition Bulldog Adult dry dog food*.

This has the same unique S-shaped kibble.

IAMS Proactive Puppy Dry Dog Food

IAMS has been a vet-recommended staple puppy and dog food for many decades.

You can choose from medium or large breed puppy food* depending on your Bulldog puppy’s estimated growth.

This recipe features real protein, superfood antioxidants, whole grains, DHA and plenty of vitamins and minerals.

(DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid which supports brain, eye, and immune development, and protects against heart disease).

When it is time to transition, you can simply switch to IAMS Proactive Health Adult Large Breed Dog Food*.

Purina Pro Plan Puppy Dry Dog Food

This highly rated and popular puppy dry dog food features triangle-shaped kibble interspersed with bits of real chicken*.

This food includes DHA for healthy brain and vision development and plenty of vitamins and minerals.

Including antioxidants, calcium and phosphorus for healthy bones, joints and immune system function.

When it is transition time, you can just switch to Purina Pro Plan Focus Large Breed Formula Dry Dog Food*.

Best food for English Bulldog puppies – wet

The best food for English Bulldog puppy can end up being a combination of dry puppy food mixed with a bit of wet puppy food.

This combination gives extra hydration if your puppy isn’t drinking enough water.

It also makes learning how to grab and chew the dry kibble just a bit easier!

For both puppies and adult dogs, wet food can be more palatable than dry kibble.

Purina Pro Plan Wet Puppy

This highly rated, popular puppy wet food* features real chicken.

It is designed in a complete and balanced nutrition puppy formula.

A great choice to mix with the Purina Pro Plan dry kibble, to help your English Bulldog puppy learn how to grasp and chew solid food!

Hill’s Science Diet Wet Puppy

This is a very popular and highly rated wet puppy food.

It features chicken and barley* in an easy-to-digest, nutritionally balanced formula.

There are no artificial ingredients or by-products in this wet food either.

This is a great choice to mix with Hill’s Science Diet dry kibble as your English Bulldog puppy gets used to eating like a big dog!

Royal Canin Puppy Dog Food

This 100 percent complete and balanced nutrition for puppies* is designed to stimulate the appetite while building the immune system.

Packed with vitamins, lutein, taurine and fish oils, your English Bulldog puppy will have the nutritional support to make the extra work of eating worth it.

This is a great choice to mix with Royal Canin Bulldog puppy dry food for a little extra mealtime incentive!

Best food for English Bulldog puppies with food allergies

Treating food allergies in puppies often requires two phases: allergy testing and a limited ingredient diet.

One of the known triggers for food allergies in dogs is grain.

So the best puppy food for Bulldogs who have food allergies is often a grain-free diet.

These dry puppy foods are each grain-free and highly recommended by puppy owners.

Taste of the Wild Dry Dog Food

Taste of the Wild food* could give Bulldog puppies the right blend of high quality protein and superfoods without any grain or additives.

The kibble is rounded on the ends, which is good for helping your puppy breeze through mealtimes!

Merrick Grain Free Puppy Food

This grain-free recipe* features real protein as the first ingredient.

Plus DHA and plenty of vitamins and minerals to help with digestive support and immune system health.

Merrick’s puppy kibble is rounded, so this is also a good choice for your Bulldog puppy as it is easier to pick up and chew.

BLUE Wilderness Grain Free Puppy Food

This grain-free puppy food recipe* is made with real whole chicken in a high protein recipe that also features veggie and fruit superfoods.

It also includes plenty of vitamins and minerals in the Blue Buffalo company’s proprietary puppy blend.

The kibble is a unique triangle shape which can be easier for your puppy to grab hold of and pick up.

Best food for English Bulldog puppies with sensitive stomachs

Finding the best dog food for English Bulldog puppies can sometimes be a challenge because of their unique anatomy.

This can sometimes lead to digestive disruption.

If this happens with your puppy, your vet might recommend choosing a limited ingredient diet (L.I.D.).

A limited ingredient diet may ease tummy upset, gas, diarrhea and other symptoms of a sensitive stomach.

Choosing one of these extremely limited ingredient puppy foods may also help get your puppy’s digestion back on track.

Be sure to ask your vet about these options if you have concerns about your pup.

Instinct Raw Boost Grain Free Puppies

This is an extremely pure, protein-rich puppy food* that features freeze-dried raw protein with a handful of produce superfoods.

There is very minimal processing and no artificial additives of any kind.

The kibble is both round and rectangular, offering a nice mix of shapes to help your English Bulldog puppy grasp it more easily.

Nature’s Recipe Grain Free Puppy Food

This very simple puppy food recipe* features pure protein, digestion-friendly pumpkin, sweet potato and peas and plenty of vitamins and minerals.

There is no corn or beef, both of which can be a source of digestive upset in puppies.

Dog owners say it really does help with sensitive stomach issues!

Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Food

Hill’s Science Diet* has long been a vet-recommended staple in the dog health community.

This limited ingredient puppy food comes in two recipes: chicken and oats or lamb and rice.

Both recipes include plenty of glucosamine and chondroitin, calcium and phosphorus.

As well as vitamins and minerals to support healthy joints, bones and immune system.

Best food for English Bulldog puppies

The best food for English Bulldog puppies is easy to pick up, chew and swallow.

And contains all the right nutrients for healthy growth and development.

Let us know what food you end up choosing for your English Bulldog and how your furry love likes it.

We love to learn from our readers and their pups!

Affiliate link disclosure: Links in this article marked with an * are affiliate links, and we may receive a small commission if you purchase these products. However, we selected them for inclusion independently, and all of the views expressed in this article are our own.

Resources

• Godfrey, R, et al. “English Bulldog: Brachycephalic Airway Obstruction Syndrome (BAOS).” Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW), 2011.
• Pederson, N. “Scientists warn about health of English Bulldog.” BioMed Central, 2016.
• Sodhi, N. “English Bulldogs: high in popularity, low on genetic diversity.” Australian Veterinary Association, 2018.
• Esposito, L.A. “How to care for your English Bulldog puppy,” Richmond Valley Veterinary Practice, 2016.