The UK’s 9 Best Vegan Dog Food Brands 2023

Going plant-based is a big decision to take on behalf of your furry pal and I’m sure, like me, you want to get it right. But with an increasing number of pet food brands out there jumping onto the vegan ‘bandwagon’, the choices can seem overwhelming.

I have researched the marketplace and identified those brands that demonstrate a commitment to high quality products, integrity and eco-friendly behaviours to help you choose the best vegan dog food for your canine companion.

However, because there are some confusing discussions out there about whether it’s appropriate to adopt a vegan diet on behalf of your dog, I have also answered many of the questions people ask in my FAQs at the bottom. If you’re well informed, you can be confident about whatever decision you make.

What makes the best vegan dog food?

There are many vegan dog foods available so I have considered the following factors when selecting what I consider to be the best vegan dog food.

• Quality of ingredients
• Integrity of brand
• Environmental awareness

Like humans, dogs all have different tastes so don’t be put off if they turn their noses up at one. It is unlikely to be because it is plant-based; it maybe simply because that particular one is not to their taste.

I would strongly recommend any of the best vegan dog food brands listed below.

What about dogs with sensitive tummies and allergies?

Whilst a vegan diet is likely to be better than meat-based food for dogs with sensitive tummies, you may still need to consider certain factors like grains and proteins.

If your dog has any sensitivities or suspected allergies, it is always worth consulting with your vet. Some of the best vegan dog food producers below also offer free online vet consultations when you sign up for a subscription, so they can support you too.

If you want to go straight for a product designed with sensitivities in mind, there are 3 options to consider, all of which are nutritionally complete:

• Solo Vegetal
• Fleetful – Holly at Fleetful is very helpful
• Green Crunch

Here are the Best Vegan Dog Food Brands in the UK

Price is indicated as follows:

£ low, ££ mid range, £££ higher price

• Best value

Omni Wet and Dry Dog Food

• Price: £
• Type: Wet and Dry
• Wheat free: Yes

A vet-formulated, high protein, low fat complete vegan kibble which is very popular, with versions available for all life stages – from puppy through to senior.

Omni Pet have now also introduced:

• Omni Toppers, a wet food option. However, this is intended for use only in conjunction with their nutritionally complete dry food, and is not nutritionally complete in its own right. However, it’s a great idea to tempt those doggy palates that may be jaded from a dry-food only diet!
• Wet food tins – limited supply at the point of publishing, but a great addition!

A key ingredient in Omni Pet is soya (which a few dogs can be sensitive to) but the dry food is wheat-free – and meat-free obviously – so avoids many of the major allergens associated with dogs.

This is probably the most reasonably priced vegan dog food brand, but without compromising on quality. And the packaging is now fully recyclable too which is great news.

They have a subscription service which attracts a discounted price, with free monthly online video consultations as part of that package. 

You can also use code veganmum10 at checkout for an additional exclusive 10% discount

• Best for sustainability

The Pack

• Price: ££
• Type: Wet and Dry
• Wheat free: Yes

These high quality, nutritionally complete tins of dog food are also grain-free, an important factor for many dogs with sensitivities.

The Pack have also launched their vegan dry dog food (Sept ’23). A slow-cooked, oven-baked kibble that has not been extruded and is full of yummy things like peanut butter and plants! It is also nutritionally complete so can be used on its own, or in conjunction with their wet food to provide your pooch with even greater variety.

Although in the higher price range, they offer free deliveries over £30, an ongoing discount for subscriptions and free vet nurse consultations as part of the subscription package too.

Made with premium, high protein ingredients, and delivered in plastic-free, recyclable packaging, this brand is also working towards B Corp accreditation. All this makes it a more sustainable dog food option.

The Pack vegan dog food is really a great choice: it comes in 3 great flavours, and all from a fully vegan company into the bargain!

You can use code plantbased at checkout for an exclusive 30% discount on your first order

• Best Organic

Noochy Poochy

• Price: ££
• Type: Dry
• Wheat free: Yes

A dry food/kibble offering, fully vegan and nutritionally complete. There is also a ‘puppy’ option available, still suitable for adult dogs too, but just a smaller nugget – what a great idea! 

Not only that, but it is harnessing the power of…yes, you guessed it…Nooch! Nutritional yeast, that firm favourite of the vegan world, now available in a vegan dog food. I know my dog is not alone when it comes to enjoying cheezy flavours, so this is inspired.

Made in the UK, this is a very sustainable and eco-friendly option for your dog companion, with recyclable packaging. And there is a wet food offering on their website too through a collaboration with another supplier.

It is a mid-range price, but you are paying for high quality, organic, ethically-sourced ingredients.  

• Best lower fat wet food

Hownd Plant Powered Superfood

• Price: ££
• Type: Wet & Dry
• Wheat free: Yes

Originally producing cruelty-free grooming products for pets, the founders went on to develop this great range of vegan dog food.

It’s high in protein and lower in fat than most of its vegan wet food competitors. It’s also nutritionally complete and hypoallergenic.

They have a range of both wet and dry food and a useful subscription service that can save you some money.

The wet food comes in 3 flavours, using nutritious ingredients like berries, chia, lentils, quinoa and vegetables – tasty and wholesome stuff!

So, another great plant-based company offering high quality food for your doggie companions.

You can read about Hownd’s grooming products on my guide to the Best Vegan Dog Shampoo

• Best for homecooking

Fleetful

• Price: £
• Type: Kit
• Wheat free: Yes

This is probably the most sustainable way to feed your dog a vegan diet, and it gives you absolute control over what they eat. This is particularly important if your dog has allergies or sensitivities.

When you buy this kit, it comes with the supplements too so you don’t have to worry about whether your dog is getting all the nutrients they need – they will be!

Your dog may take a little time to get used to the different textures (or they may just snaffle it down regardless!) but it’s worth it. 

The only other thing really is just making sure you get additional vegetables in your shop.

Holly at Fleetful is incredibly helpful if you have any questions or need some advice.

You might just find cooking for your dog a whole lot easier than you thought!

You can use code veganmum10 at checkout for an exclusive 10% discount

• Best for sensitive tummies

VegDog Green Crunch

• Price: ££
• Type: Dry
• Wheat free: Yes

This well-respected German dog food has great reviews, and is perfect for those dogs who also have sensitivities to grains and soya because it uses lentil and pea protein.

It’s brimming with antioxidants and the magical algae oil too.

Recommended by Vegan Vet Dr Arielle from Just Be Kind Dog Food, as it is particularly good for dogs with allergies and sensitivities.

You can buy this vegan dog food online at Amazon.

However, if you would like next day delivery, you can also buy it from the Just be Kind Dog Food website – link below.

• Best budget

V-Dog Nuggets and Flakes

• Price: £
• Type: Dry
• Wheat free: No

What a reliable, tried and tested brand! V-Dog (originally under a different trading name) was established in 1980. This company really knows what it’s talking about when it comes to vegan food for dogs.

I used the flakes back in the 1980s to feed my rescue greyhounds, and they really thrived on it. V-Dog have more recently brought out nuggets too which can be pre-soaked like the flakes.

This food is really good for dogs that have meat and protein allergies, and the flakes particularly are pretty low in fat too, so quite helpful for slimming down those podgy pups.

You can’t buy this food direct from V-Dogs currently, but it is available on Amazon.

The downside is that it only comes in 15kg bags – that’s quite a big bag! But it does work out to be very good value for money, and without compromising on quality.

• Best for choice

Benevo

• Price: ££
• Type: Wet & Dry
• Wheat free: Yes

This vegan pet food company has been around since 2005, producing both cat and dog food, and with a puppy version available too.

It’s not cheap, but you can purchase samples from them first before you invest in moving your pooch over completely. They do have a subscription service as well with a 10% saving.

As with many vegan dog foods, they have factored in the common sensitivities that dogs experience and their food accommodates many of them, particularly being free from wheat.

They have a good variety of food on offer which is great, including a choice of wet and dry options, but the non-recyclable plastic trays are a shame. Worth noting too that the organic range requires further, additional supplementation. Not sure they make that clear enough.

• Best for elimination diets

Solo Vegetal

• Price: ££
• Type: Wet & Dry
• Wheat free: No, but…

If your pooch is suffering from serious sensitivities and allergies, then Solo Vegetal could well be the answer. 

All the ingredients have been carefully thought through to ensure that even the most sensitive dog can have a well-rounded, highly nutritious diet, without exposure to the common allergens that can be so serious for some dogs.

Although it contains wheat, this is einkorn wheat which is nutrient dense, and much easier to digest than modern wheat varieties.

If your vet has suggested an elimination diet, and you want to avoid the ultra-processed meat-based alternatives, then talk to them about trying this instead. It may be just what your pooch is looking for.

Available in wet and dry options.

Discount codes for the Best Vegan Dog Food Brands

Vegan Mum has the following discount codes to offer you on some of the best vegan dog food brands:

• Omni – Buy direct from Omni’s website and use exclusive voucher code veganmum10 for an initial 10% discount, in addition to their generous subscription offer
• Fleetful – Buy a homecooking kit from Fleetful, and use code veganmum10 for a 10% discount
• The Pack – Buy direct from The Pack using code plantbased at checkout for 30% off your first order

Vegetarian Dog Food

I have provided below a list of some of the dog foods that may look vegan, perhaps because some are referred to as ‘plant-based’, but that are actually vegetarian.

From both an animal welfare and environmental perspective, these may be better than meat-based options, although I would obviously recommend the best vegan dog food options above.

• Yarrah Vega Dog Food is a good choice, but because they use animal-derived vitamin D3 (from sheep’s wool), it is not vegan
• Edgard Cooper Plant-based Carrot and Courgette dry dog food at Amazon – this is a nutritionally complete food 
• Edgard Cooper Plant-based Beetroot and Pumpkin dry dog food at Amazon – this is a nutritionally complete food 
• Barking Heads Plant Power from Amazon – this is promoted as a ‘meat-free Monday’ option and doesn’t appear to be nutritionally complete – I can see no essential Taurine or Lysine in the ingredients
• Burns Pet Free Range Egg, Carrots and Rice

Related Posts

We hope you have enjoyed this guide to the best vegan dog food in the UK. If you have any questions or suggestions, please let us know via the comments option.

You may also find answers to further questions in the FAQ section below.

Other Vegan Mum posts related to vegan dogs are below should you wish to read more:

• The Pack Vegan Dry Dog Food
• Noochy Poochy Review
• Omni dog food review
• Good News for Vegan Dog Food in the UK
• Omni vegan dog treats review
• Cooking food for dogs guide
• The best vegan dog shampoo

You can also find guides and reviews on other topics on Vegan Mum’s Lifestyle pages.

FAQs

Can I cook for my dog at home?

Yes, you can, but you will need to use supplements which can be bought online. See the Fleetful entry in this Best Vegan Dog Food Guide for more information on that.

Many people (for many reasons) want to make their own dog food at home. If this is something you are interested in, head over to my Cooking Food for Dogs page.

How do you decide whether to put your dog on a vegan diet?

You need to be confident that a vegan diet will keep your dog companion happy and healthy. The best vegan dog food today has been well researched, carefully prepared and should be nutritionally complete. All those in my list fulfil these objectives and in many instances are proving to be beneficial. 

However, as a vegan with a dog companion, the biggest issue isn’t only about finding the best vegan dog food for your pooch. The question is, should you be imposing your values on them and feeding them a vegan diet, just because that’s how you eat?

I feel really privileged having Coco share my life and I hope we have a mutually beneficial relationship (as you can see, she kindly poses for me on tree stumps and I feed her lightly steamed broccoli florets in return!)

However, by necessity, she has to rely on me to make certain decisions on her behalf, and what she eats is one of them – quite a big responsibility when you think about it.

If you feel the weight of this responsibility too and are trying to make the right decisions for your doggy companion(s), I hope this best vegan dog food blog will help. I have taken the 2 biggest questions that people ask about dogs on a vegan diet and present the conclusion of my fact-finding.

If you have decided that your dog should go plant-based, then my research into the best vegan dog food hopefully also does the groundwork for you.

Of course, veganism doesn’t stop with food and if you want to ensure your dog’s grooming is also cruelty-free, have a read of my Best Vegan Dog Shampoos blog.

Is it healthy to put a dog on a vegan diet?

I believe the answer is yes, but based on what evidence?

Firstly, it’s important to remember that dogs are omnivores, not carnivores. This means that they are very well-equipped, just like us, to digest and absorb food and nutrients from plant-based sources.

Increasingly, research is showing that dogs not only thrive on a vegan diet, they positively benefit. The Pack have written a great blog about whether it’s safe to feed vegan dog food. You will find that they cite a lot of really useful research links in their article too.

However, the British Veterinary Association says the jury is still out as far as they’re concerned (at the time of writing this blog), so I have linked to their article on this so you can take a balanced view.

But, whilst I’m no scientist, logic makes me question the main thread of their argument about the poor bio-availability of nutrients added to vegan dog food. Those same nutrients are regularly added to meat and fish-based dog food – so why are they more bio-available I wonder?

Vets are not necessarily experts on animal nutrition, any more than your GP is an expert on human nutrition (and most will admit they’re not). Additionally, with big questions now being raised about ultra processed foods, that’s got to include the intense processing of meat for animal consumption right?

Research also came out of Winchester University from Andrew Knight, a professor of animal welfare and ethics. He said that providing plant-based pet food is carefully formulated and contains appropriate synthetic nutrients, dogs can even have better health outcomes than when fed on meat pet foods.

All of this research is incredibly reassuring and dogs’ human companions are certainly beginning to see some of the positive results a plant-based diet is having on their canine compadres.

Plant-based eating for your dog may not be absolutely perfect, but nor is the meat-based pet food industry. But with the amount of research now going into the best vegan dog food brands, I am very confident that it is the better option.

However, it is still important that you find them the best vegan dog food. Not all of it is complete, or appropriate for every day eating. And some ‘plant-based’ dog food contains eggs – not sure which plant eggs come from, but there you go…

Do vets recommend vegan dog food?

Well, it really depends on which vet you speak to! And remember, they are not all experts on nutrition. However, all the brands I have selected below have taken lots of advice from vets, animal nutritionists and from the FEDIAF (the pet food industry’s European-based federation).

Enlightened vets like Arielle Griffiths, Director of Just be Kind Dog Food Ltd, will always consider plant-based dog food as an option. After all, it should be about whatever is best for your dog.

So essentially, yes. Whilst you will find some vets who are sceptical (just as GPs can be about us vegan humans) there are many vets who are well-informed, open-minded, up to date on the latest research and who are very happy to recommend vegan dog food.

Is vegan pet food eco-friendly?

According to the Guardian in their article on eco-friendly pet food, people are becoming increasingly aware of the impact of pet food production on the environment. 

The article goes on to say that a quarter of the environmental impact of the production of meat is due to pet food, and that approximately 20% of meat and fish globally is consumed by pets. These are staggering figures!

So feeding your dog a meat or fish-based food is contributing significantly to greenhouse gases, and to the use of phosphates, antibiotics, and pesticides.

Whilst vegan dog food still has an impact on the environment (crops have to be grown, processed, packaged and transported) it is a far smaller impact than that of traditional pet foods.

A paper published on Plos.Org suggests that finding alternative protein sources for pet food would result in a significant reduction in the negative environmental impact of pet food overall.

Add to that the fact that vegan dog food producers are often newer organisations which, being vegan and cruelty-free, tend to be more environmentally-friendly by default as well.

So basically, yes, the best vegan dog food will be more eco-friendly than traditional meat-based diets.

Is it illegal to put your dog on a vegan diet?

It is technically possible for any diet that doesn’t keep your dog healthy to be illegal.

However, a healthy vegan diet is just like any other, and dogs can thrive on it.

So if you feed your dog inappropriately and they suffer any ill harm, you could be prosecuted under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. However, a vegan diet for your dog is not unhealthy by default just because it’s vegan. Using any of the products in this guide as instructed will keep your dog perfectly healthy unless there is some other underlying condition – in these situations, I’d suggest your vet should always be your first port of call.