Best Potato Free Dog Food: Ideal for Allergies and Sensitive Stomachs

There is some speculation that feeding your dog potatoes is a bad thing. There is some truth to the notion, and some false allegations as well.

The truth is, potatoes can provide certain nutrients to a dog’s diet that they may otherwise miss. However, they aren’t crucial to the overall health of most dogs, and in certain cases where they are, can be added in other ways.

The fact remains that some dogs just won’t eat a potato. Often when potatoes were included in the food, they may be eaten around and left in the bowl for you to clean out.

Other instances may be that you just don’t want to take a chance on the health concerns with potatoes. Whatever the case, we have you covered with the best potato free dog food.

Are Potatoes Bad For Dogs?

There isn’t a simple answer for how bad a potato is for dogs. There are concerns, of course, as well as rumors, and facts. Let’s look at those now.

 

Potato Free Dog Food Brands

1. Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Lamb + Brown Rice Recipe

Merrick's Classic recipes offer a range of options, with some varieties including ingredients like potato or potato starch. However, this recipe stands out as one that does not contain these ingredients.

This kibble is formulated with a high crude protein content, around 26%, primarily derived from lamb and lamb meal. The recipe is also enriched with a variety of added vitamins and minerals, specifically designed to support healthy bone, joint and muscle development in dogs.

Additionally, all Merrick products, including this one, are proudly made in the USA, ensuring high-quality standards and local sourcing of ingredients.

---

2. ACANA Butcher’s Favorites Farm-Raised Beef & Liver Recipe

This unique kibble delivers a meaty, protein-packed meal your dog will love.

Crafted in the USA using premium ingredients sourced globally, this high-quality formula starts with fresh farm-raised beef, nutrient-rich beef liver and savory Yorkshire pork.

With up to 70% animal ingredients and 30% carefully selected plant ingredients and nutrients, this grain-free recipe supports strong muscles, healthy energy and overall vitality.

What sets it apart is its irresistible texture—a hearty blend of crunchy kibble and tender, protein-rich pieces of real beef jerky that turn every bite into a flavorful feast.

---

3. Ollie Healthy Turkey Feast

Ollie makes human-grade premium dog food by the order. They use only all-natural ingredients and each batch is hand crafted for quality and flavor.

When selecting a super-premium dog food, you will need to pay special attention to the ingredients in each recipe. As an example, Ollie only has one recipe that does not contain potato: Healthy Turkey Feast.

Featuring premium turkey as the star ingredient, this formula is balanced with nutrient-dense fruits, vegetables, and essential vitamins and minerals.

Delivered fresh and gently cooked to preserve flavor and healthy nutrients, it supports lean muscle, digestive well-being, and a shiny coat.

It’s all-natural, free from artificial fillers and preservatives, and designed to make mealtime both nutritious and delicious for dogs of all life stages.

If you don’t mind feeding the same flavors day in and day out, the Healthy Turkey feast is a great option for a potato free food.

---

4. American Journey Lamb and Sweet Potato

This dry food recipe is created with deboned lamb to provide protein and sweet potatoes to provide fiber. This formula provides a rich, aromatic flavor your pup will devour!

The rich protein is supplied to encourage the maintenance of lean muscle mass that assist with keeping your pup fit and at a proper weight for his size.

This recipe adds salmon oil and flaxseed to provide your small pup with the omega fatty acids that will feed his skin and coat for optimal health.

Added veggies and fruits provide the vitamins and minerals and even antioxidants that support overall health and specifically, immune support.

This dry kibble uses sweet potato as the main starch for binding the kibble together. It also comes with high crude protein, fats and fiber (30%, 12% and 5%, respectively).

---

5. Nutro Puppy Tender Beef, Pea & Carrot Recipe Bites In Gravy

Nutro Puppy isn’t known for being potato free, but they do make a few options. The most popular and well received of which is the beef, pea and carrot flavor.

This uses tapioca and egg for the added minerals and vitamins. You will also get a relatively high crude protein content from the beef, though it isn’t as high as some other recipes.

The wet food is designed for all breed types and sizes, though you will be feeding a lot less to smaller breeds and younger pups. Portion control is crucial, especially in breeds known for overeating and weight gain.

---

6. Naavi Slow Roasted Turkey Bowl

This product offers a gourmet dining experience that even the pickiest pups can't resist.

This nutritionally balanced recipe features tender, slow-smoked turkey pieces that are gently air-dried to lock in rich flavor and essential nutrients—without the use of bone meal, byproducts or artificial flavors.

Its irresistible aroma and satisfying mix of textures create a unique mealtime moment, whether served dry, rehydrated with warm water, used as a tasty topper, or offered as a high-value treat.

Formulated by a board-certified nutritionist, this complete meal is enhanced with live probiotics and prebiotic fibers to support healthy digestion, along with nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables that are carefully air-dried to preserve their natural goodness.

---

7. Blue Buffalo Freedom Senior Chicken Recipe

Blue Buffalo has one of the widest ranges of recipes and flavors for all life stages when it comes to premium brands. Their senior formulas are no different.

Made with tender chunks of high-quality chicken, this wholesome recipe delivers the taste dogs love and the nutrition they need.

Packed with antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables and formulated with complex carbohydrates, it helps support energy and vitality to keep older dogs active and thriving.

Whether served as a savory entrée, mixed in with kibble, or offered as a special treat, this grain-free meal is a delicious and gentle option. Free from wheat, corn, soy, by-product meals, and artificial flavors or preservatives, it’s a clean, senior-friendly formula you can feel good about.

However, you will need to double check the ingredients for potatoes, as not all their senior formulas are potato free. Some will have potato starch, which still counts as white potato, so read the label carefully.

---

8. Canisource Grand Cru Surf & Turf

This is a premium, nutritionally rich meal designed to bring the power of raw feeding into a convenient, shelf-stable format.

Featuring real meat as the first ingredient, this carefully crafted formula draws its protein from high-quality sources like pork, herring and pork liver, along with the added goodness of hake for a surf-inspired boost.

Wholesome fruits and vegetables—including apples, carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes and cranberries—combine with herbs like thyme and rosemary to deliver a well-rounded, flavorful meal.

This dehydrated kibble is specifically formulated to mimic the benefits of a raw diet, helping to support healthy digestion and strengthen the immune system without the need for refrigeration or complicated prep.

Free from by-products, artificial colors, and artificial flavors, it’s a clean, nourishing choice that dogs love and pet parents trust.

---

9. Get Joy Chicken Recipe

This freeze-dried kibble delivers clean, complete nutrition with the convenience modern pet parents need.

Crafted with premium ingredients, this scoopable, pantry-friendly formula features high-quality chicken, nutrient-dense superfood organ meat, and fibrous grain to support balanced energy and digestion.

Each bite is enriched with a powerful blend of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics to help promote better poops, fewer sick days, puppy-like vitality, healthier weight, fresher breath and a noticeably shinier coat.

Freeze-dried to preserve its natural nutrients without compromising on flavor, this mess-free, no-refrigeration-needed meal is ideal for dogs of all life stages.

Best of all, it's completely free from fillers, preservatives, and anything artificial—just real, wholesome food made to help your dog thrive.

---

10. ORIJEN Senior

This kibble is thoughtfully crafted to support the unique nutritional needs of aging dogs, using premium, biologically appropriate ingredients.

Made in the USA with trusted, high-quality ingredients sourced from around the world, this protein-rich formula features chicken, turkey, salmon, whole herring and chicken liver as its top ingredients.

With up to 85% animal ingredients, it delivers a nutrient-dense profile that mirrors what your senior dog’s wild ancestors would have eaten—packed with essential protein, vitamins and minerals to maintain strength and vitality.

Specifically formulated to help support a healthy weight and promote optimal joint function, this grain-free recipe contains no added soy, corn, tapioca or wheat. It’s a flavorful, nourishing option that helps your dog stay active, sharp, and thriving in their golden years.

---

Why is it good?

Potatoes bring a lot of vitamins and minerals to the table (or the dog bowl, as it were). Eating a potato will give your dog vitamins C, B6, calcium, iron, magnesium, and protein. They also include low sugar and about two grams of dietary fiber per potato.

These are all things your dogs need in their diet. However, potatoes may not be the best source for these nutrients. Proteins, for example, are better served through meats. Dogs are designed to process meat proteins much better and more thoroughly than grain and vegetable proteins.

The vitamins and minerals can also be found in meats and other vegetables, fruits or grains. Generally, though, you won’t find all of them in the quantities a potato offers in any other individual ingredient.

Why is it Bad?

Potatoes can be bad for dogs for some reasons, most of those reasons, though, can be avoided. When you hear tell of not feeding potatoes to dogs, it is primarily because of solanine.

Solanine is a poison that is present in raw potatoes and other edible plants of the nightshade family. Tomatoes, for example, also share this quality. When a potato is cooked (baked or boiled) the levels of solanine drop dramatically.

It is because of this poison that potatoes and dogs don’t work well together. As long as the potato is cooked thoroughly and has nothing added (salt, spices, butter, etc.) the potato is perfectly harmless to the canine and his or her digestive tract.

Cooking also reduces the other vitamins and minerals as well, though not as drastically. Since raw food diets are common and raw potatoes are not advised, it is easy to see why so many people have reason to leave them out altogether.

Identifying Potatoes on the Label

Potatoes can be found on the ingredient labels in three major forms. However, before we cover that you should be aware that sweet potatoes are not the same thing.

Sweet potatoes are added to dog food all the time, without the solanine dangers. Seeing a sweet potato listed on your dog’s food is nothing to worry about at all.

The first thing you want to look for when avoiding potatoes in your dog's food is the actual potato. Any time a white potato is used in part or whole, it will be listed as such.

Next, you will want to look for the starch. Potato starch is generally used in a lot of grain free kibble. Grains tend to be used to hold the kibble together in their little shapes. Without the grains, starches are used, and the most common binding agent is potato starch.

The last option is the protein. Potato protein on the label shows that there is less meat protein available in the kibble. It also is unclear how well dogs can digest starches and starch proteins. This is one major reason for people wanting to avoid potatoes at all.

Takeaway

Potato-free dog food is a favorable choice for many pet parents seeking to support their dog’s long-term health and well-being.

While potatoes can be a common ingredient in many formulas, some dogs may benefit from avoiding them—especially those with sensitivities, allergies, or digestive issues.

Potato-free recipes often rely on alternative carbohydrate sources like lentils, chickpeas or sweet potatoes, which can offer more fiber and lower glycemic impact.

Additionally, these formulas may help reduce inflammation, promote more stable energy levels, and support healthier skin and coat. For dogs with specific dietary needs or for owners looking to avoid filler ingredients, potato-free dog food offers a thoughtful and often beneficial alternative.