8 Best Dog Foods for Wheaten Terriers in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks
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The playful Wheaten Terrier has plenty of energy to keep their owners on their toes, but they also have specific requirements when it comes to their food. This means a food that suits another breed perfectly well might not make the cut when it comes to selecting food for your Wheaten.
These little dogs can be prone to having sensitivities, so cheap food full of grains is usually a no-go for these pups. Wheaten Terriers also have a great deal of energy, so they usually need nutrient-dense food that can provide all the goodness they need to keep up that active lifestyle.
But when it comes to choosing the best food, where do you even start? There are so many choices, it can feel a little overwhelming. We’re here to help! We’ve taken a good look at all the options out there and chosen our top foods for Wheaten Terriers. Our detailed reviews of each one will help you choose the best option for your perfect pup.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024
| Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
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Best Overall
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Ollie Dog Food (Fresh Dog Food Subscription) |
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Click Here to Save 50%! |
Budget Buy
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Stella Freeze-Dried Raw |
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Check Price |
Best for Puppies
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Nulo FreeStyle Puppy Dry |
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Check Price |
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Taste of Wild Pacific Stream |
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Check Price | |
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Wellness CORE Original |
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Check Price |
The 8 Best Dog Foods for Wheaten Terriers
1. Ollie Dog Food (Fresh Dog Food Subscription) — Best Overall
Ollie is overall the best dog food for Wheaten Terriers for its fresh, wholesome recipes delivered in a convenient subscription plan. Instead of kibble, Ollie’s recipes provide quality, fresh ingredients with minimally processed foods, including animal protein, organ meat, vegetables, and fruits. According to reviews, many owners saw marked differences in their dogs with allergies or skin conditions after switching to Ollie foods.
All recipes are designed by veterinarians, and the food is human-grade, which means it meets the highest standards for human food safety. Ollie offers both grain-free and grain-inclusive recipes, including chicken, turkey, beef, and lamb. The food arrives prepackaged for your convenience, but note that you will need to plan space in your freezer. For pet parents on a budget, this subscription plan may be cost-prohibitive. It’s also impossible to get Ollie locally if you run out before your shipment, so it’s important to pay attention to your shipping schedule.
- Convenient subscription and packaging
- Custom food profiles
- Plenty of variety
- Improvements in skin and digestive sensitivities
- Expensive
- Requires freezer space
2. Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw — Budget Buy
If you’re looking for the best dog food for Wheaten Terriers for the money, Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food is an all-natural option that offers excellent value. These freeze-dried patties are made from a blend of cage-free chicken and organic fruits and vegetables. The patties are easy to prepare: Simply serve them straight from the packet, or rehydrate with cool water.
This recipe is inspired by a dog’s natural diet, so besides real chicken meat, it contains ground organs and bones. They also have a blend of minerals, vitamins, omega fatty acids, and amino acids. Because these patties are freeze-dried, you don’t need to keep them in the freezer, and the resealable bag keeps the remaining patties fresh. For the money, this is the best dog food for wheaten terriers right now.
- Chicken as the first ingredient
- Contains 48% protein
- Contains 5% fiber
- No gluten, fillers, or preservatives
- Patties are hard and take a long time to soak
- Larger dogs will need additional kibble
3. Nulo FreeStyle Puppy Dry
If you’re looking for the best food for your Wheaten Terrier puppy, then the Nulo FreeStyle Grain-Free Dry Puppy Food is a great choice. Approximately 80% of the protein within this kibble comes from real meat, giving your puppy all the goodness they need to grow big and strong. The guaranteed levels of calcium mean that your puppy’s teeth and bones will be strong too.
Along with plenty of meat, this kibble contains a range of beneficial fruits and vegetables, including antioxidant-rich blueberries. It also has 2.7% omega-6 fatty acids and 0.5% omega-3 fatty acids to support your pup’s brain and eye development. As a brand used and recommended by puppy breeders, you can’t go wrong starting your puppy on this kibble.
- Available in three bag sizes
- Contains 33% protein
- Contains 4% fiber
- Real turkey as the first ingredient
- Expensive
- Contains peas, which can sometimes trigger allergies
4. Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Dry
If you’re looking for dog food to keep your Wheaten Terrier nourished and in the best of health, then the Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is another great recommendation. This kibble uses novel proteins, including salmon and ocean fish. It doesn’t contain any grains, making it perfect for pups that have allergies or food sensitivities.
As well as plenty of protein, this kibble contains goodness from chelated minerals and antioxidants from blueberries, tomatoes, and raspberries. It also contains prebiotics and probiotics that are added after the kibble is cooked, meaning your Wheaten Terrier gets the maximum benefit. Chelated minerals are easily absorbed by your pup’s digestive system, increasing the goodness that your pup receives from these ingredients.
- Contains 25% protein
- Contains 3% fiber
- Made in the U.S.A.
- No filler
- Includes omega fatty acids
- Expensive
5. Wellness CORE Grain-Free Original Dry Dog Food
Wellness CORE Grain-Free Original Dry Dog Food is a great choice for Wheaten Terriers. This grain-free recipe contains protein from chicken and turkey, and the nutrient-dense formula is perfect for adult dogs. It also contains plenty of healthy fruits and vegetables, including blueberries, apples, sweet potatoes, kale, carrots, and broccoli.
This kibble is coated in probiotics to help your dog’s digestive system function at its best. While the kibble contains plenty of high-quality ingredients, what it doesn’t contain are any fillers, meat by-products, soy, wheat, or corn. So, you can be sure your dog is getting everything they need and nothing they don’t!
- 34% protein
- 4% fiber
- Real turkey as the first ingredient
- Grain-free
- Expensive
- Kibble is too large for small dogs
- Can give some dogs gas
6. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Dry Dog Food
The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is designed to mimic your dog’s ancestral diet by including plenty of protein from salmon and chicken meal. There aren’t any cheap fillers in this kibble—just high-quality ingredients designed to help your Wheaten Terrier look and feel their best.
As with all Blue Buffalo kibble, this contains LifeSource bits. These are a proprietary blend of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins designed to help your dog’s immune system stay strong. The chicken meal in this kibble is a great source of glucosamine, which helps your dog’s joints stay in the best condition possible.
- 34% protein
- 6% fiber
- Includes LifeSource bits to support your dog’s health
- Contains both peas and eggs, which can trigger allergies
- Some dogs don’t like the flavor
- Includes potatoes
7. Earthborn Holistic Natural Dry Dog Food
Earthborn Holistic Grain-Free Natural Dry Dog Food is a great choice if your Wheaten Terrier doesn’t suffer from allergies or skin sensitivities. Most of the protein in this kibble is provided by bison, beef, and fish meal. This doesn’t contain any real meat, though, which is what some dog owners prefer to feed their pups.
It does contain a good amount of omega fatty acids and plenty of antioxidants and vitamins. A blend of healthy vegetables and fruits, including peas, apples, cranberries, spinach, and carrots, helps provide beneficial fiber.
- Choose from three bag sizes
- Contains 32% protein
- Contains 4% fiber
- Contains meat meal, not real meat
- Too many calories for overweight dogs
- Contains egg, which can trigger allergies
8. Ziwi Peak Lamb Recipe Canned Dog Food
If you’re looking for canned wet food for your Wheaten Terrier, Ziwi Peak Lamb Recipe Canned Dog Food might be the answer. As well as lamb meat being the first ingredient, this canned food follows Ziwi’s philosophy of providing a whole-prey diet. This means it contains organs and bone to provide naturally balanced nutrition.
It also contains a good source of chondroitin and glucosamine from New Zealand Green Lipped Mussels. What it doesn’t contain are any grain, wheat, soy, potatoes, fillers, rendered meats, carrageenan, or preservatives. This food might be an expensive choice, but it’s about as close to a natural diet in a can as you can get!
- Contains 9.5% protein
- Contains 2% fiber
- Lamb as the first ingredient
- Expensive
- Strong smell
- Some dogs don’t like the texture
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Dog Foods for Wheaten Terriers
Wheaten Terriers originally come from Ireland, where they’re descended from the Kerry Blue Terrier. These playful and energetic dogs are large for a Terrier breed and can mature to stand 19 inches at the shoulder and weigh up to 40 pounds. Their name comes from the fact that their coat is the color of ripening wheat.
These dogs can be sensitive when it comes to allergies and food, so it’s essential to choose a high quality food that doesn’t contain fillers or ingredients likely to trigger an allergic reaction. Avoiding artificial preservatives and colorings is also a good way to reduce the possibility of your Wheaten Terrier suffering from an allergy flare-up.
Common Food-Related Problems for Wheaten Terriers
Wheaten Terriers can be prone to a few different health issues, which can be helped by selecting an appropriate diet.
- Allergies
Wheaten Terriers are known for developing skin allergies, and these can sometimes be related to what they’re eating. Signs that your dog may have a skin allergy include hot spots, patches of hair loss, or black spots on their skin.
Allergies in dogs can be linked to poultry and beef, as well as peas, grains, and eggs. If you suspect your Wheaten Terrier has allergies, then the best thing to do is talk to your vet and make a plan to remove any potential allergens from their diet.
- Hip dysplasia
This affects your Wheaten Terrier’s hip bones and can be quite uncomfortable as they age. Most breeders will test parent dogs for hip dysplasia, so make sure to ask for those test results when you’re looking at puppies. If your dog is already a bit older, you can help by feeding them foods rich in chondroitin and glucosamine.
- Bloat
Bloat can happen when your Wheaten Terrier eats too quickly or is allowed to do strenuous exercise right after eating. Bloat is also known as gastric torsion, as it causes a dog’s stomach to become twisted. It’s more common in deep-chested dogs like Wheaten Terriers.
To reduce the chance of your dog developing bloat, split their meals into smaller portions and spread them out over the course of the day rather than feeding them one meal a day. Don’t let your dog exercise for an hour after they’ve eaten. If your dog rushes their food, you can get slow feeder bowls that have raised patterns on them. These split the food into small areas, making your dog spend more time eating.
- Protein-Wasting Diseases
Wheaten Terriers can be affected by protein-losing enteropathy and protein-losing nephropathy. These are genetic conditions that involve the loss of protein either through your dog’s intestines or their urine.
There isn’t currently a genetic test to determine if a dog is a carrier of this disease, but the symptoms do appear in adult Wheaten Terriers, so it’s important to check with a breeder that their dogs appear free from the disease.
Wheaten Terriers will do best on a food that’s high in protein.
How Should You Change Your Dog’s Food?
Once you’ve decided on a new brand of food for your Wheaten Terrier, it’s important not to make a direct switch from their old brand. This can increase the risk of your dog developing an upset stomach as their body struggles to adjust to the new ingredients.
Instead, mix the new food with the old food until you’ve gradually made the switch.
- Days 1 & 2: Mix 75% old food with 25% new food.
- Days 3 to 5: Mix 50% old food with 50% new food.
- Day 6: Mix 25% old food with 75% new food.
- Day 7: Feed 100% new food.
If your Wheaten Terrier develops any digestive issues like diarrhea, then stop feeding the new food until everything seems to have settled down. Then you can try again.
Wheaten Terrier Feeding Guidelines
Make sure you feed your Wheaten Terrier a food that’s correctly formulated to provide the right amount of nutrients for their particular life stage. Puppies require more nutrients because they’re still growing. It’s best to feed your puppy a food that’s been checked by the AAFCO as suitable for the growth and development stage.
Adult dogs need different levels of nutrients than puppies, so you’ll want to look for a food that’s designed for maintenance.
Wheaten Terriers are usually active, but they can become overweight if they don’t get as much exercise as they should, as well as too much food. If this sounds familiar, then choosing a food designed for weight control, with a lower percentage of protein and fats, will help shave some of those pounds off!
Conclusion
We selected the Ollie Fresh Dog Food as the best overall for Wheaten Terriers. This fresh food contains high-quality protein, as well as a blend of antioxidants, vegetables, vitamins, and minerals.
As the best value option, Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food is a great choice. These patties contain the highest protein content of any food we reviewed and are convenient to use. Their ingredients are inspired by a dog’s natural diet, so besides real meat, they contain organs and bones.
We’re sure that one of the eight best dog foods for Wheaten Terriers in our reviews will suit your dog. Whether they’re still a pup or are older, there’s something for every life stage!
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Featured Image Credit: Vadim Petrakov, Shutterstock
