9 Best Dog Foods for Boston Terriers in 2024 Plus an In-Depth Feeding Guide

Despite their small size Boston Terriers have quite an appetite, and their susceptibility to certain allergies can make picking the right kind of food for your pooch a difficult task. What should you avoid? What should you provide? And how often (and how much) should you feed them?

With that in mind today we are going to provide you with all the information you could ever want to know about the best foods to feed your Boston Terrier. We’re going to conclude with 7 food recommendations that are perfect for the breed (with separate adult and puppy categories).

Let’s get started.

What To Look For In A Good Boston Terrier Dog Food

On the whole Boston Terriers don’t have that many dietary requirements that are specific to the breed. That being said, there are a few ingredients you should avoid.

Protein

Let’s start with the most obvious nutrient that Boston Terriers (or any breed for that matter) require in abundance – protein. Dogs have evolved to be carnivorous creatures (as they’re still basically wolves genetically). Due to this, the vast majority of their food should be protein, they need loads of it – much more than humans.

Nearly all dog foods on the market already cater to this need and use protein as the primary nutrient source – but it’s still a good idea to keep it in mind.

Grains

If you’re an experienced Boston Terrier owner then you’ll already know that they’re quite a “gassy” breed. They can have reasonably sensitive stomachs that don’t react well to some lower quality dog foods that contain grain as a carbohydrate source. There are many great grain-free dog food options on the market today though, thankfully! After consuming even a small amount of grain Boston Terriers can become little farting machines – and it’s shocking just how much gas can come out of something so small…

Do everything you can to ensure that any food you’re considering feeding to your pooch contains as little grain as possible – ideally none at all. Your nostrils (and your family) will thank you for it, trust us…

Kibble

The Boston Terrier is one of the few breeds that people recommend kibble for over wet tinned food. The reasoning behind this is that the breed has an unusual susceptibility to particularly bad breath, and canned food is supposed to make this issue worse. We’re unable to verify this beyond anecdotal reports from message boards and owner’s groups – but if your pooch has bad breath and you’re feeding them tinned food, this may be why.

Allergies

While Boston Terriers are not considered to be a breed that suffers from severe allergies, they are known to be somewhat susceptible to them. There are no allergies that are specific to the breed so you should keep an eye out for allergy symptoms occurring from the usual suspects (beef, dairy, chicken, fish, grains, and soy).

If you notice any symptoms of an allergic reaction, then book an appointment with your vet to get your pooch tested. Common symptoms include rashes, hair loss, diarrhea, and excessive flatulence. Once you’ve identified the source switch to a food that doesn’t contain the offending ingredient for happier pooch (and a better smelling home).

How Often Should You Feed A Boston Terrier?

The calorific intake requirements for Boston Terriers are the same between males and females (more or less) due to their very similar size. On average an adult pooch should weigh in the region of around 20 pounds, and to healthily maintain this weight they will need to consume around 650 calories per day.

The usual caveats to the calorific intake requirement we mentioned above apply. If your pooch is on the older side and is much less active, then drop the daily calories down a little. The same is true if your pooch has been spayed or neutered, regardless of their age.

Boston Terriers are commonly used as sporting dogs in competitions. Their remarkable levels of intelligence (and their ease of training) make them pretty much the perfect sporting breed. Sporting dogs are usually much more active than normal pets, and as such you should bump up the daily calorific intake slightly to account for this.

Every dog is different, and these are just guidelines. The real way to judge if the amount you’re feeding your pooch is enough is by monitoring their weight. If they start to get a little on the plump side then you should start putting them on a diet as soon as possible. Becoming overweight puts a huge amount of stress on the body of a dog the size of a Boston Terrier and can shorten their lifespan and cause painful joint issues.

Adult Boston Terriers should be fed twice per day, puppies, on the other hand, can be fed 3 to 4 times per day. You should aim to have your pooch on two meals a day by the time they are a year old, and you should always follow the instructions on the food you’re feeding them (they’re all different).

The Boston Terrier is another breed that is susceptible to what we like to call “bottomless stomach syndrome”. They are completely unable to self-regulate the amount of food they eat, and if given the chance they will eat an entire day’s worth of food in a single sitting. This means that they are not a breed that is well suited to automatic feeders and you’ll need to feed them by hand.

Best Value Food for a Boston Terrier

American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato

Healthy Ingredients : Deboned Salmon, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Peas, Sweet Potatoes
Key Features :

• • No gluten
  • No corn, wheat, or soy
  • No artificial flavors or preservatives
  • Salmon oil for skin/coat health

Our pick for the best value food is a food that you can feed to dogs of all sizes: American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain Free Dog Food. This is Chewy.com’s private label house brand. This American Journey food is high in protein and it has no corn, wheat, or soy. The first three ingredients are salmon, chicken meal, and turkey meal so it has lots of meat protein. Salmon and salmon oil are great sources of Omega-3 which keep your dog’s skin and coat healthy. No glutens, artificial colors, or preservatives. This food has 430 kcal/cup. Good for dogs of all sizes and it’s sold at a very reasonable price. American Journey has several other recipes your dog might like, too.

Best Food For Adult Boston Terriers

Adult and puppy Boston Terriers have very different dietary requirements. As such it made sense for us to split the next 6 recommendations into two categories. The products below are all excellent choices for an adult Boston Terrier and they are all more than worthy of your consideration.

Ollie Healthy Turkey Feast Fresh Dog Food

Healthy Ingredients : Turkey breast, turkey liver, kale, carrots
Key Features :

• • • Human-Grade
    • Cooked to Order Weekly
    • Portioned Individually for your dog
    • Auto-ships direct to your door

Fresh food options are becoming increasingly popular in the world of dog food as they are in the world of human food. Many people are recognizing the benefits of eating fresh food for both themselves and their pets. If you are looking for the best quality food for your dog, considering a fresh food option is a great place to start. Ollie dog food is considered human-grade and is delivered fresh to your doorstep based on a delivery schedule chosen by you. Although it is more expensive than regular dog food, it has a lot of added benefits that will keep your pup healthy and active. The foods are slow-cooked to help preserve nutrients and no preservatives or fillers are used. Ollie also uses super foods such as chia to help support your pet’s active lifestyle. You can be sure when feeding your dog Ollie, that you are choosing a super-premium food.

UnKibble by Spot and Tango Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe

Healthy Ingredients : Chicken Brown Rice, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Apples
Key Features :

• Three recipes available
• Human grade ingredients
• Portioned specially for your dog
• Ships direct to your door

UnKibble by Spot and Tango is a dry dog food that is made with 100% whole, human-grade ingredients. It is dried slowly at a low temperature and includes all of the nutrients your dog needs to live a healthy life. There are three recipes to choose from, and each recipe is vet-approved. When you sign up for Spot and Tango, you will create a profile for your pet, and you will get a perfectly-sized scoop for your dog food, so there is no guesswork involved. Spot and Tango has never been recalled, either. If you are looking for the benefits of fresh dog food with the convenience of a dry recipe, look no further. We think you should give UnKibble a try.

Nutro Wholesome Essentials Small Breed Puppy Farm-Raised Chicken, Brown Rice & Sweet Potato Recipe

Healthy Ingredients : Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Whole Brown Rice
Key Features :

• Loads of real protein from chicken
• Well balanced recipe
• Very tasty
• Complex carbohydrates from brown rice

Nutro is a brand that prides themselves on making some of the most “wholesome” foods on the market (the clue is in the name). This product is packed full of protein and the number one ingredient in the mix is real deboned chicken that makes this not only super tasty – but super healthy for your pooch too.

Its got a bunch of added goodness such as amino acids and zinc for joint and coat health and it’s completely free of nasty artificial colors and preservatives too. The carbohydrates in the food are high quality and complex (brown rice), and minerals can be found from several different herbs and vegetables including peas, spearmint, and green tea extract.

Taste of the Wild Appalachian Valley Small Breed Grain-Free Dry

Healthy Ingredients : Venison, Lamb Meal, Garbanzo Beans, Peas
Key Features :

• Venison and lamb protein is super tasty
• High-quality carbohydrates
• Reputable brand
• Grain free

Taste Of The Wild is a brand that we find ourselves recommending time and time again. They’re one of the most respected dog food manufacturers in the industry, and their products are loved by dogs (and their owners) all over the world. This product is no exception and is specifically designed for dogs the size of adult Boston Terriers.

The protein comes from real venison and lamb and the carbohydrates come from lentils and beans. It’s grain free and its got all the usual vegetables, vitamins and minerals you’d expect in a food of this quality – it’s more than worthy of being added to your shortlist.

Merrick Lil’ Plates Grain-Free Real Chicken + Sweet Potato Recipe Small Breed Dry Dog Food

Healthy Ingredients : Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Sweet Potatoes
Key Features :

• Small kibble size
• Real chicken protein
• Probiotic
• Great brand

Merrick is one of the most popular premium dog food brands on the planet. Their products are often slightly more expensive than some of their competitors – but many people feel it’s more than worth the small additional cost. This food again has been specifically designed for small dogs (and has a small kibble size). It’s grain free and gets the majority of its protein from real deboned chicken. There are loads of probiotics added for a happy stomach, and it contains heaps of vitamins and minerals (without any artificial preservatives).

Best Food For Puppy Boston Terriers

In this section, we’re going to be listing what we think are three of the best foods on the market that are well suited to the dietary needs of young Boston Terriers.

Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Healthy Ingredients : Buffalo, Lamb Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Egg Product
Key Features :

• Several real protein sources
• Well balanced
• Probiotic

The second product from Taste Of The Wild on our list has been specifically designed for small puppies. It’s a hugely popular product thanks to its grain-free recipe that contains a huge amount of protein from various real sources (beef, venison, and bison). As usual, its got all the vitamins and minerals needed for a happy and healthy growing puppy and the powerful antioxidants in the mix will keep flatulence to a minimum

Nature’s Recipe Small Breed Grain-Free Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Recipe Dry

Healthy Ingredients : Chicken, Chicken Meal, Garbanzo Beans, Peas
Key Features :

• Real chicken protein
• Grain free
• Well balanced
• Complex carbohydrates

This product again is specifically formulated to give small breed puppies everything they need while growing up to be “big” and strong. It’s high in calories, has a super small kibble size, and is exceptionally well balanced too. The protein can be found from real chicken and the complex carbohydrates come mainly from sweet potato. There are no grains at all in the recipe and it’s packed full of vitamins and minerals too.

Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Chicken & Sweet Potato

Healthy Ingredients : Chicken, Chicken Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Cassava Flour
Key Features :

• Great for sensitive stomachs
• Real chicken protein
• Complex carbohydrates
• Contains amino acids and antioxidants

The final product we are recommending for puppies is a great food specifically designed for puppies from Natural Balance. It’s a completely grain-free formula that aims to promote healthy joints (and healthy coats) while providing the calories required for energetic young pups in a tasty meal.

Natural balance intentionally tries to keep protein and carbohydrate sources to a minimum to promote healthier digestion (chicken, sweet potato, and beans). If your pup has a stomach a little on the sensitive side, this product should be your first choice.

Boston Terrier Adult Dog Food Comparison Table
Rank	Product	Price	Rating
Best Value	American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free  Buy Online  Customer Reviews  Brand Review	$1.49/lb	A+
Human Grade	Ollie Healthy Turkey Feast Fresh Dog Food  Buy Online  Customer Reviews  Brand Review	Varies 50% Off	A+
Best Dry	* UnKibble Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe by Spot and Tango  Buy Online  Customer Reviews  Brand Review	Varies	A+
#1	Nutro Wholesome Essentials Small Breed Puppy Farm-Raised Chicken, Brown Rice & Sweet Potato Recipe  Buy Online  Customer Reviews  Brand Review	$2.20/lb	A+
#2	Taste of the Wild Appalachian Valley Small Breed Grain-Free Dry  Buy Online  Customer Reviews  Brand Review	$1.79/lb	A
#3	Merrick Lil’ Plates Grain-Free Real Chicken + Sweet Potato Recipe Small Breed Dry Dog Food  Buy Online  Customer Reviews  Brand Review	$3.07/lb	A

Boston Terrier Puppy Dog Food Comparison Table
Rank	Product	Price	Rating
#1	Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Chicken & Sweet Potato  Buy Online  Customer Reviews  Brand Review	$2.30/lb	A+
#2	Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food  Buy Online  Customer Reviews  Brand Review	$1.67/lb	A
#3	Nature’s Recipe Small Breed Grain-Free Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Recipe Dry  Buy Online  Customer Reviews  Brand Review	$1.58/lb	A-

Conclusion

So there you have it, everything you could ever want to know about how and what to feed a Boston Terrier. We’ve covered pretty much all you need to know in this article today, and we highly recommend that you try at least one of the products we’ve mentioned above.

They’re all winners to have made it into this article.