Are you struggling to find a brand of dog food that your pug likes?
If you’ve got a picky eater like me, you’ll be tearing your hair out at mealtime when your pug decides to turn their nose up at their dog food.
Perhaps your pug has experienced some health issues and your vet has recommended balanced and complete meals for your little companion.
The good news is you’re no longer restricted to some traditional dog food options found at your local supermarket.
There’s been a surge of new dog food delivery companies over the past five years that are providing a fresh take on pet nutrition in the United Kingdom.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at three different dog food companies in the UK who are providing fresh meals formulated by vets for British pugs and other dogs.
We’ll take a look at three different types of pet food: fresh dog meals, customised dry dog food and raw dog food.
You can check out our updated guide to the best dog food delivery companies in Great Britain at the moment via this link.
Editor's note: The content on this website is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as veterinary, medical or professional advice. The content of our articles does not constitute veterinary advice. It’s always best to speak with your vet or a certified pet nutritionist before making any changes to your pet's diet or feeding routine.
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Best Dog Food For Pugs UK: The Options
| Rating | Summary | Website | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butternut Box |
|
• Rip-and-serve • Six recipes • Human grade | Buy Now | |
| Pure |
|
• Air-dried food • Backed by vets • Customised | Buy Now | |
| Poppy's Picnic |
|
• Quality raw meat • British ingredients • No nasties | Buy Now |
Things To Look For In Dog Food
• Ingredients – If you’re looking to adopt a fresh approach to your pug’s diet, you’ll want to be confident that your feeding your pug food that is made with fresh ingredients. The companies featured in this article use fresh fruit and vegetables as well as high grade meat.
• Formulated By Vets – You can have complete peace of mind that your pug is getting balanced and complete meals because all three dog food companies in this article have used vets and animal nutritionists to formulate their meals.
• Preparation – We like to research how dog food companies cook your dog’s meals. When your pug’s food is gently cooked, it means all the nutritional goodness is locked in.
• Customization – Whether your pug is a little overweight or needs to put on a few pounds, these companies are able to tailor your furry friend’s meals to their specific needs. If your pug suffers with allergies or food intolerances, these pet food companies can work with you to find the right recipe.
• Recipe Variety – My Klee Kai are picky eaters and if your pug is like my mini huskies, you’ll benefit for an extensive menu that the three companies listed in the article have on offer. They’ve got an array of different recipes to cater to even the fussiest pugs in the UK!
• Portioned – Some dog food companies will use pre-portioned packaging so you won’t overfeed or underfeed your pug. Butternut Box even go as far as to provide pre-portioned pouches so it’s as simple as rip and serve.
• Price – While you should expect to pay a little more than you would for traditional dry dog food found at your local pet store or supermarket, the price of balanced and complete meals shouldn’t be extortionate.
• Deliveries – There’s never been a more important time to avoid leaving your home if you don’t have to. These dog food companies will deliver your dog food direct to your door.
Fresh Dog Food UK: Butternut Box
Website: www.butternutbox.com
Alaskan Klee Kai Copper and Skye with their Butternut Box delivery (Photo: @lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
Butternut Box are one of the leading fresh dog food companies in the UK.
They’ve been in operation since 2016 after their founders set about creating balanced, complete and fresh meals to fuel dogs in Great Britain.
Butternut Box have been steadily adding to their range of recipes, while embracing an environmentally-friendly approach to their dog food.
Their website underlines the company’s mission to put the food back into dog food unlike some traditional options that use additives and preservatives.
You won’t find any of that in Butternut Box’s vet-approved meals that are created using fresh, high quality ingredients.
Customised based upon the information provided by pug owners in their sign-up questionnaire, you can select from a wide range of recipes to cater to the fussiest pugs.
We have’t found any other dog food company with such consistently high reviews online – Butternut Box get 4.9 stars on Trustpilot.
The Pros
Butternut Box recipes (Photo: helloBARK!)
• High-quality ingredients – 60% meat; 40% vegetables, lentils and minerals.
• Customised meals – Tailored to meet your pug’s unique requirements.
• Range of recipes – Pork This Way, Chow Down Chicken, Beef It Up, Wham Bam Lamb, Oh My Cod and Gobble Gobble Turkey.
• Pre-portioned –Meals stored in pouches – just rip and serve.
• Eco-friendly –Recyclable packaging.
• Vet formulated
• 4.9/5 on Trustpilot
The Cons
Alaskan Klee Kai Copper with his Butternut Box recipes (Photo: @lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
Good news: We can offer new Butternut Box customers an exclusive discount of 50% off their first order and 50% offer their second order through this link.
What Are Pug Owners Saying
Butternut Box have an average of 4.9 stars out of 5 based upon over 6,500 reviews on independent review website Trustpilot. There’s no shortage of testimonials from pug owners in the UK.
Eve was delighted to see the positive impact of Butternut Box’s meals.
My pug puppy came to me as a rescue from a puppy farm. He was so fussy and would hardly eat the kibble we put down. Since having Butternut Box, he is gaining weight and growing into a lovely pug, also eating all the meals.
Kate recommended Butternut Box for even the fussiest pugs.
I have an incredibly picky pug who have often gone without food all day rather than eat any dog food that has been offered to him since having button that he has eaten at every meal time and I can see he thoroughly enjoys his food! The experience of ordering has been great. I love that my dog to get his own profile and that recommendations are made but can be adjusted easily to suit individual dogs. The food looks great quality and even the packaging is fantastic. Delivery was simple and easy and my interaction so far with customer service has been top-notch too.
Gayle revealed that Butternut Box has encouraged her pug to eat his veg!
I have a very fussy Pug who likes the finer things in life like Steak and Tuna. I ordered my first box whilst visiting the Caravan show in Birmingham and was slightly skeptical as to wether he’d eat it or not. It came, and he absolutely loves it. He has far more energy than previously and for years I’ve tried to get him to eat vegetables but failed. He now eats carrots peas and broccoli that are in the food.
Our Verdict
Alaskan Klee Kai Copper with his Butternut Box delivery (Photo: @lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
Butternut Box is my food of choice to keep my Alaskan Klee Kai happy and healthy.
I made the switch to Butternut Box at the start of 2019 after my mini huskies stopped eating their regular dog food, which led to a spate of stomach problems.
My Klee Kai have always been fussy but to my surprise, they devoured Butternut Box’s meals and they haven’t looked back since we made the switch to these fresh meals.
I love that Butternut Box provide a range of recipes so I can switch up the protein source every month.
As someone who cares about the environment and the planet, I appreciate Butternut Box’s eco-friendly approach to dog food.
If you pug is a fussy eater like my Klee Kai, Butternut Box will work with you to find the right recipe for your little canine companion.
We can offer helloBARK! readers an exclusive 50% discount off their first order and 50% discount off their second order of Butternut Box through this link.
Customised Dry Dog Food: Pure Pet Food
Website: www.purepetfood.com
Alaskan Klee Kai with their Pure Pet Food (Photo: www.hellobark.com)
While I really believe in the benefit of fresh dog meals having seen the impact firsthand on my Klee Kai, I understand that some pug owners may prefer to stick to dry food.
If you own a pug and you want a fresh approach to their nutrition but you don’t want to ditch the dry food format, you may want to consider Pure Pet Food.
They’re a Yorkshire-based dog food company who create balanced and complete dog food from their human-grade kitchen.
Unlike traditional kibble you find at your pet store or supermarket, Pure use an air-dried method to cook your pug’s customised meals.
Pure emphasize on their website that their dry food doesn’t contain any additives or nasties. It’s just real food that is sourced from local British farmers.
By filling out their questionnaire, Pure will be able to tailor your pug’s meals to their needs, while they’ve got a range of different recipes to select from.
Once you’ve received your first Pure Pet Food delivery, you’ll need to follow the instructions to prepare your pug’s meal by combining the air-dried dog food and water.
The Pros
Pure Pet Food (Photo: www.hellobark.com)
• Air-Dried Method – Mositure removed, nutrients locked in
• Personalised recipes – Tailored to meet your pug’s needs.
• Vet approved– Input of a team of vets.
• Storage – Don’t take up any room in your freezer.
The Cons
Alaskan Klee Kai with Pure Pet Food (Photo: www.hellobark.com)
• Price – Pure will cost more than regular dry dog food that you’ll find at your local pet store or supermarket.
• Preparation – You’ll be required to use two scoopers to combine Pure Pet Food’s air-dried dog food with water.
• Website – You can only order direct from their website.
What Pug Owners Are Saying
Pure Pet Food get 4.8 stars out of 5 based upon nearly 2,000 reviews on independent review website Trustpilot.
Lees revealed that his pug is obssessed with Pure’s food.
My pug x can’t get enough of his Pure pet food. Now being on his third month he has tried the wholesome chicken, beef and standard chicken all of which he loves. I’ve had problems measuring properly and seem to run out a little early but the team at Pure always dispatch my order immediately for next day delivery. All in all, we’re both chuffed and would never return to lugging great sacks of dried food from the pet sheds.
Abi explained why Pure is worth every penny in her experience.
Ever since my pug was a puppy he has suffered with a sensitive tummy. We tried many different kibbles and wet foods none worked other than James Wellbeloved turkey and rice. However after doing a pet nutrition course and learning about so many different elements that are needed in a dogs diet, it quickly occurred to me that my fur baby needed the best that I can afford! Pure pet food rates in around the 90% nutrition range where as my previous is only around the 60%. Obviously I want my fur baby to live the BEST LIFE POSSIBLE. So we decided to give Pure a go. Within a week I noticed his fur was a lot softer. His eyes were more shiny and his appetite was back. You get what you pay for and currently I am paying for a VERY HAPPY Pug. Who literally tries to climb my leg when I make his meal.
Our Verdict
Pug is checked over by vet (Photo: Adobe Stock)
As I mentioned at the start of this section, my Klee Kai prefer fresh dog meals rather than dry dog food.
Having said that, they enjoyed the Pure Pet Food samples that I was sent. They even licked the bowl clean!
If you want to stick to dry dog food, Pure provide a great compromise given they provide air-dried dog food that is combined with water to create your pug’s meals.
You can still feed dry food with peace of mind that your pug is eating high-quality food that has been formulated by vets.
Pure will ship your pug’s food direct to your door so you can permanently remove dog food from your weekly shopping list.
Raw Dog Food UK – Poppy’s Picnic
Website: www.poppyspicnic.co.uk
Alaskan Klee Kai with Poppy’s Picnic (Photo: lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
You may have seen a shift in the number of dog owners who have adopted a raw fed diet.
Raw dog food is growing in popularity but it’s worth remembering there are pros and cons to this particular type of pet nutrition.
Editor's note: It’s important to be aware of the risks associated with raw pet food, as it can be contaminated with harmful bacteria (such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria and E. coli). The UK government website offers the following advice to pet owners: wash your hands with hot water and soap immediately after handling raw pet food or treats; clean and disinfect all surfaces and utensils that the raw pet food touches; store and defrost raw pet food away from where human food is stored. Young children should not touch or eat raw pet food, as they’re more at risk of illness because their immune system is still developing and they’re more likely to put their hands in their mouth. You can check out the UK government’s guidance in full via this link.
If you’ve done lots of reading about raw dog food and you’re convinced this is the right type of pet food for you, Poppy’s Picnic are one of the leading raw dog food suppliers in the UK.
Poppy’s Picnic source their ingredients from local butchers and farmers, ensuring that your pug is getting fresh food in their meals.
You can work with Poppy’s Picnic to tailor your pug’s meals to their needs, taking into account age, weight, activity level and intolerances.
The Pros
Alaskan Klee Kai with Poppy’s Picnic (Photo: lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
• Wholesome recipes – Balanced and complete.
• Vet input – Input of vets.
• British – Ingredients sourced locally.
• Community feel – Poppy’s Picnic community.
The Cons
Alaskan Klee Kai with Poppy’s Picnic (Photo: lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
• Freezer space – Must be stored in freezer.
• Risks of raw dog food (may contain harmful bacteria)
What Pug Owners Are Saying
Poppy’s Picnic have an average rating of 4.7 stars out of 5 based upon nearly 110 reviews on Trustpilot.
Helen was delighted to see her dogs enjoying their Poppy’s Picnic meals.
Both my dogs absolutely love their Poppy’s Picnic meals! I have one fussy dog and one who will eat anything but now they both wait for dinner licking their lips and lick their bowls clean. I’ve noticed such a difference in their health in general but mainly their fur which is now super silky and soft!
Maria recommended Poppy’s Picnic to all dog owners.
I have a regular delivery of meatballs for Ella. She has been eating raw food since she was a pup & enjoys every meal. Compared to our previous terriers (fed on other dog food) there is a marked difference in her health & behaviour. I would recommend raw food & particularly Poppy’s Picnic to every dog owner.
Our Verdict
Alaskan Klee Kai with Poppy’s Picnic (Photo: lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
Raw dog food can be a divisive area of pet nutrition.
We recommend pug owners do their research about the pros and cons before making their mind up about whether this is the right food for them.
If you do decide to go with a raw fed diet for your pug, we recommend Poppy’s Picnic.
We tried some samples of their raw food and my Klee Kai enjoyed it as a topper with their regular meals.
Poppy’s Picnic have excellent customer service and I had a phone call with one of their experts to help explain all about raw dog food.
Anything Else To Consider?
So you’ve decided that one of the above dog food companies is right for your pug.
We still recommend you speak to your vet before you make the decision to try a new pet food.
It’s a good idea to find out about how to make the transition to a new dog meals in order to avoid upsetting your pug’s tummy.
If you make the switch too quickly, it could lead to a digestive issues.
Butternut Box, Pure Pet Food and Poppy’s Picnic provide guidance on how to transition onto their food from your pug’s regular food on their website and within your first delivery.
Wrapping Up
Alaskan Klee Kai Copper with his Butternut Box recipes (Photo: @lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
We’ve reached the end of our feature on the best dog food for pugs in the UK.
Based upon my experience, I would recommend Butternut Box given my experience with this dog food company.
My Alaskan Klee Kai are obsessed with their Butternut Box meals, enjoying the fresh ingredients. They’re favourite recipe is Pork This Way.
Their health issues are a thing of the past and it’s provided great relief to see my mini huskies so motivated at mealtime.
If you prefer to stick with dry food, Pure Pet Food have great reviews from pug owners who have seen firsthand the benefits of their air-dried food.
Our raw food pick is Poppy’s Picnic given their experience and thoughtful customer service.
