Best novel protein food for Shelties with allergies

Switching an older dog to a novel protein because of suspected allergies is something you really want to get right first time — if you accidentally pick a food that contains chicken as a secondary ingredient, or one your dog has already been exposed to through treats and toppers over the years, the whole elimination trial is compromised. Before I suggest anything, a few quick questions: what symptoms are you seeing that are pointing to a food allergy — skin, ears, gut, or all three? And has your vet confirmed you're doing a proper elimination trial, or are you making the switch more informally? Also, what proteins has your dog eaten regularly over their eight years — chicken obviously, but anything else like beef, salmon, or lamb?

Chronic ear infections alongside generalised itching is a very classic food allergy pattern in Shelties — the breed is genuinely prone to sensitivities, so your vet is pointing you in the right direction. The salmon history does matter though: I'd steer away from fish-based foods entirely for this trial, and duck is worth avoiding too since it cross-reacts with chicken more often than people realise — they're both poultry and share proteins. Venison is a strong call. What size portions is he on currently, and is he a good weight for an eight-year-old Sheltie? I want to make sure the food I suggest is calorie-appropriate, because senior Shelties can gain weight easily.

Perfect — 10kg healthy weight is exactly the right context. For a genuine elimination trial on a Sheltie with this history, I'd go with Forthglade Complete Adult Venison with Brown Rice & Vegetables. It's a single novel protein, the ingredients list is clean and short, there's no hidden poultry, no fish, no beef — and Forthglade is one of the few wet foods where the named protein is genuinely the dominant ingredient rather than a token inclusion. The brown rice and vegetable base is gentle on older digestive systems too. At his intake level you'd use roughly one 395g tray per day, which makes portion control straightforward. Keep all treats to plain rice cakes or single-ingredient venison treats during the trial — anything else will muddy the results. Give it a strict eight weeks before judging; ear infections in particular can take that long to resolve even when the trigger is removed.

Yes — transition slowly over ten to fourteen days even though you're moving away from a problem food. A too-fast switch can cause loose stools in an older dog and you don't want to confuse gut upset with ongoing allergy symptoms. Start at about 25% new food, 75% old, and increase gradually. During the trial, watch for any reduction in scratching and whether the ear issue settles — keep a simple weekly note of severity on a scale of one to ten, it genuinely helps you and your vet evaluate whether it's working. If he gets dramatically worse on the venison rather than just staying the same, that's worth flagging to your vet quickly, as it's rare but venison sensitivity does exist.

That's exactly the right plan. Eight weeks, no treats outside the approved list, and your weekly notes — you're giving this the best possible chance of a clear result. If the scratching and ears do settle significantly, you'll have a strong case to share with your vet and a food you can stick with long-term. Forthglade do a larger multipack on Amazon which works out noticeably cheaper per tray than buying individually, so once you've confirmed he tolerates it, that's worth switching to.