High Protein Dog Food For Pitbulls

How Should I Introduce A Different Food To My Dogs Diet

You need to take a very gradual approach to introducing new food to your dog. This will prevent messing up with the digestibility of new food. Some dogs, especially pitties, can be sensitive to changes in their diet, therefore it is crucial that you smoothly make this transition. Stop or reduce the quantity of new food if your dog shows any sign of stomach problems, has a soft stool, starts vomiting, or appears constipated.

How Can I Tell If I Am Feeding The Right Food To My Pitbull

You can observe your dogs overall health to analyze if the right food is being given. For instance, their ribs should be carefully examined. Muscle mass and bones/spines, if visible, then they are also indicative of an inappropriate diet. Check for their fur. If it is not soft, then too, it is indicative of an improper food sign. Their fecal matter with odor or hard texture can also be a considerable sign.

How Much Food Should A Pitbull Eat

The amount of food your Pitbull needs will primarily depend on your pets size, activity level, age, and overall health. The key is to ensure you dont overfeed or underfeed your dog. So, how much food should a Pitbull eat?

An active adult Pitbull weighing 50lbs needs 1353 calories a day, whereas an active, smaller Pitbull weighing 30lbs needs 922 calories a day. In contrast, inactive Pitties of similar weights only need 989 calories and 674 calories respectively.

You also need to assess your dogs activity level. Pitbulls who get minimal exercise may need 10% less than whats recommended on the food label, whereas an active dog that regularly exercises may need 20% to 40% more.

Working Pitbulls may need food designed for working or performance dogs, such as search and rescue dogs. These foods have a higher fat content to provide extra calories for their needs.

Additionally, you may need to make adjustments based on your dogs health or body condition. Illness, pregnancy, or nursing can also increase a dogs energy needs.

All commercial dog food will have recommended feeding guidelines on the packaging. I also found this helpful dog calorie calculator you can use.

Finally, you can refer to the National Research Councils science-based guide for your dogs nutritional needs or consult your veterinarian.

Related: Has your Pitbull lost his appetite? Check out this article, Pitbull Not Eating? 10 Reasons Why .

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Dog Food For Pit Bulls: Specific Nutritional Needs

The Pit Bull breed is actually a type that encompasses several breeds, including the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully, and Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Though Pitties vary in size, theyre generally stocky but muscular and have square heads and short hair. Pit Bulls are active with a high prey drive, so foods high in protein from quality sources are a good match for their energy.

Some Pit Bulls can be susceptible to allergies, so its worth discussing with your vet whether grain-free food or other ingredient-specific types of dog food might be best for your Pit Bull. Fatty acids in your Pit Bulls diet can also be helpful for addressing any skin issues.

In rare cases, Pit Bulls can develop a type of heart disease called aortic stenosis. Along with proper monitoring and/or vet-prescribed medications, a well-balanced diet is key. Low sodium meals or supplemental fish oil may also be considerations for your Pittys heart health.

Hip dysplasia is another health condition that can affect Pit Bulls. Too much calcium and vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium, can hinder bone and cartilage development. So its a good idea to examine the vitamin content of your dogs food carefully. This is especially important for puppies. Developing strong bones is critical during this stage, and its recommended to stick to a calcium level between 1.1% and 1.5%.

Taste Of The Wild Southwest Canyon Grain

Most Popular Food for Pitbulls: When there are so many options to choose from, picking a dog food can be tough. When in doubt, you can always go with a popular brand like Taste of the Wild. We like this Taste of the Wild Southwest Canyon Grain-Free Dry Food for your Pitbull because it is loaded with animal protein with moderate fat and calorie content. It features real beef as the main ingredient with lamb meal, wild boar, and ocean fish meal as supplemental proteins, providing a total of 29%. This recipe contains fresh fruits and vegetables for antioxidant-rich nutrition, supporting the use of vitamin and mineral supplements for balanced nutrition. It is loaded with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat, plus supplemented with probiotics for healthy digestion. If this recipe doesnt work for your Pitbull, there are several other high-quality options to choose from as well.

• Pros: Rich in animal protein , digestible grain-free carbohydrates, blend of omega fatty acids, fresh fruits and vegetables, dried fermentation products for digestion, chelated minerals
• Cons: Some dogs may be sensitive to beef, main source of fat is plant-based

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Tips For Making Your Dogs Food At Home:

• If youre not ready to make the leap to cooking all of your dogs food, try just adding some real, whole foods to their kibble. You can start with simply stirring in a scrambled egg, mixing in some chopped apples or carrots, or adding a small amount of the homemade dog food in with their normal kibble.
• You should be able to serve this homemade dog food to your dog either hot or cold. Ive found that dogs love this dog food so much, that they are not picky about how its served.
• Its not usually a good idea to abruptly change your dogs food. Start transitioning them to homemade food by mixing some of this in with their regular food or kibble for a few days until they are used to the new food. Your dogs belly will thank you. And again, remember to always discuss with your vet before feeding your pet something new.
• To give your dog a variety of different nutrients, use different meats, fruits, and vegetables to make your dogs food. However, if your dog has a sensitive stomach, it might be best to stick to one combination that you know works.

How Much Should A Pit Bull Eat Daily

If your dog weighs around 70 pounds, it can do well with 3.5 cups of food per day. For an 80-pound dog, 3.75 cups per day should suffice, and for a 90-pound dog, 4.25 cups will do the trick.

If your Pittie is older than 18 months, they can be considered to be an adult dog. The amount of food they will eat will depend on their size. For example, a large Pitbull needs three cups of dry food daily, fed at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

It is best to go for a meat-based food rather than one with grains. Ensure it does not contain ingredients such as bonemeal or meat by-products. Your dog food should have 15 to 30% protein and 15 to 20% fat.

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Acana Best Affordable Dog Food

We previously recommended Acana as a great option for pit bulls with allergies problems but now we want to mention the Grasslands, Pacifica, and Wild Prairie Formulas which are one of the best affordable dog food for pitbulls.

Acana and Orijen are both made by Champion Pet Foods, a family owned and operated boutique pet food manufacturer in Alberta, Canada.

Everything you read above about the quality of the ingredients in Orijen foods also applies to Acana. So whats the difference between these two brands?

Acanas Grasslands, Pacifica, and Wild Prairie formulas are also grain-free, but theyre slightly higher in carbohydrate and lower in protein than the Orijen foods.

They contain three fresh meat/fish sources as opposed to Orijens five or six and two high quality meat/fish meals instead of Orijens four. The idea behind the Acana line is to make biologically appropriate canine nutrition more affordable.

Despite the slightly lower price point, these three Acana foods are superb.

1. Grasslands features boneless lamb, lamb meal, salmon meal, herring meal, russet potato, peas, and chicken fat as the main ingredients. The minor ingredients are sweet potato, deboned walleye, sun-cured alfalfa, natural lamb flavor, deboned duck, whole eggs, and lots of different veggies, fruits, herbs, probiotics, and vitamin/mineral supplements.

We also like the use of sweet potato as the main carbohydrate source.

Best Dog Foods For Pitbulls: Our 2022 Bully Feeding Guide

One of the most misunderstood dog breeds, the Pitbull is thought to be aggressive and dangerous. Though they may not be the most dog- or cat-friendly of breeds, Pitbulls absolutely adore people, and they are some of the most highly affectionate family-friendly dogs out there.

• Rich in animal protein
• Digestible grain-free carbohydrates

• Single source of novel protein
• Digestible grain-free

The name Pitbull actually refers to the American Pitbull Terrier, a breed that was developed from crossing various bull and terrier breeds. Though originally used for blood sports like bull baiting and dog fighting, the modern Pitbull loves nothing more than to spend time with the people he loves.

In this article, well take a closer look at the Pitbull breed and what makes these dogs unique. Well talk about special dietary requirements and provide tips for what to look for when shopping for a good Pitbull dog food. Well also provide you with our top 10 picks.

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Recommended Serving Size For Homemade Dog Food:

The amount of homemade dog food that your dog will require is dependent upon how much your dog weighs and how active he or she is. This amount varies from dog to dog. I suggest talking to your vet and getting their advice on a good starting point.

You can also monitor your dog to make sure they are maintaining their weight and staying happy and active.

This recipe makes about six cups of food, which is three days worth of food for Charlie who is about forty-five pounds. You can easily adjust this amount based on the weight of your dog. Also, feel free to scale this recipe up and double or even triple it, if you wanted to cook less often.

Talk To Your Veterinarian

If youre unsure about what type of dog food you should be feeding your Pit Bull, dont be afraid to schedule a consultation appointment with your veterinarian. Using your dogs history and their health, your vet can help you determine what kind of kibble to choose that both you and your pooch will be happy with. Your vet may be able to send you home with sample options for your pooch to try out.

Youll have an opportunity to get your questions and concerns addressed, so there is no confusion when it comes time to actually buy a new food. Your vet can teach you what signs to look for that will tell you whether a new food youre feeding your dog is a good fit or is creating problems.

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Final Thoughts The Importance Of Nutrition

So, there you have it the best diet for Pitbulls. Theres certainly a lot to consider in this giant guide, but when choosing what to feed your Pittie, the best advice I could give you is to choose a type of food that suits your dogs life stage and your lifestyle and invest in the best quality dog food you can afford.

Foods Not Safe For Dogs:

The most important thing to know when making homemade dog food for your dog are the foods they should NOT eat.

You can do a quick google search for an all inclusive list or buy a doggie cookbook for reference. Heres a list from the Humane Society of foods that can be poisonous to pets. Be sure to take the necessary precautions if you plan to start cooking for your dog, but also know, theres really not that much to worry about!

Here are some common human foods that should not be fed to your dog:

Charlie LOVES his homemade food and Im excited to experiment with new recipes and treats for him, so if you want to see more recipes for your pup, let me know in the comment section below!

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What To Look For In Dry Dog Food For Pitbulls

Now that weve covered all the main health conditions affecting Pitbulls that you can mitigate with proper nutrition, its time to discuss the things you should be looking for in your Pits food.

What separates one dry dog food from another?

Quite a bit, which youll understand by the end of this section.

Were going to talk about what makes a dog food great and how you can tell its overall quality, but well also talk about the nutrients and supplements you want to look for to help your Pitbull fight off those health conditions we just explored.

Special Food For Your Fave Bully

Pit bulls all have one thing in common theyre all obsessed with food.

While finding a food that your pittie will eat probably isnt an issue youll ever have, finding a food that can support her energy levels and those beautiful muscles might be a challenge.

We reached out to Dr. Claudine Sievert, a veterinarian at Stayyy, to find out more about the best dog food for pit bulls.

• Best for allergies: Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Dry Dog Food

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Wilderness Blue Buffalo High Protein Dry Adult Dog Food

This dog food from Blue Buffalo is designed to imitate that of a wild wolf, so it contains a lot of meat. This particular formula utilizes deboned duck, chicken meal, and turkey meal as the main sources of protein.

This combination is a great source of energy and muscle-building amino acids. As a carbohydrate, the food has potatoes and peas. It’s free of harmful corn and grains to help alleviate bloat. There’s also a healthy mix of vegetables and fruits, including carrots, blueberries, and cranberries.

The inclusion of Blue Buffalo’s unique LifeSource bits ensures that the dog is getting a healthy dose of nutrients and antioxidants as well.

Best On A Budget: Taste Of The Wild Ancient Mountain Canine Recipe With Roasted Lamb

We already wrote about the Taste of the Wild Ancient Mountain Canine Recipe with Roasted Lamb in our review of Taste of the Wild dog food. It was our fave pick for large, ravenous doggos, which is why we feel it is perfect for the inner wolf in your Pit Bull, too!

Pit Bulls can gobble up a lot of grub in a matter of minutes, so calorie-dense kibble is not the best choice for them as they can get chubby from it quickly. You can read about the dangers of high protein in dog food here. Pitties need nutritious yet moderately calorific chow that will keep them full and happy but also lean and toned.

This recipe gives them just that tasty, novel meat like lamb will satisfy their taste buds, and it is also an excellent food for dogs with allergies. Plenty of grains in this formula will keep them full and energized, but the best part is youll keep your buddy jolly for a fraction of the price compared to other high-quality chows!

Taste of the Wild Ancient Mountain Canine Recipe with Roasted Lamb is undoubtedly a high-quality dry dog food. It contains above-average protein and fat content and below-average carbohydrate content.

This formula has a good list of nutritious ingredients. It has lamb and lamb meal as excellent sources of highly-condensed protein. It also contains grain sorghum, a gluten-free carbohydrate source, as well as providing a moderate amount of B vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and manganese.

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The Best Dog Food For Pit Bulls Reviewed

There are many dog food formulas suitable for Pitbulls. To help owners find the best dog food for Pitbulls, we have reviewed several best-selling recipes.

Summary: CRAVE adult dog food has been formulated with real ingredients along with high-quality animal protein. This dog food has been inspired by the diets of your dogs wolf ancestors. It offers a delicious meaty flavor that dogs love. Furthermore, it contains real chicken as the first ingredient in the form of animal protein. You can expect to see a lean body thanks to 34% high protein. This grain-free dog food does not contain any harmful ingredients such as corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. It balances the meal with grain-free carbohydrate sources, like peas.

Type: Dry dog food

• Offers a protein-rich diet for a lean and healthy body
• Made with no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives
• Perfect for increasing your dogs energy
• Supports strong and lean bodies
• Formulated to meet the nutritional needs of adult dogs

Cons

• The packaging could have been better
• The product might be a bit on the expensive side for some pet parents

Ingredient Analysis

Review: This protein-rich dry kibble is formulated without chicken by-product meal, corn, wheat, or soy and without artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Pet owners give this food 4.7 out of 5 stars.

Type: Dry dog food

Flavor Options: Grain-Free Adult

Price: $2.11/pound

Cons

Ingredient Analysis

Cons

Cons