We will be looking at some of those dog foods shortly and the reviews below. There are a lot of other things to consider though when it comes to buying the right pitbull food, and that’s exactly what the rest of this buying guide is intended to address.
Let’s check out some of the best foods for pitbulls currently on the market. These are five foods that have been selected because they are premium foods that have the right nutritional profile for the pitbull breed. In addition, they are from high-quality brands that have a great reputation for keeping dogs healthy.
Best Dog Food for Pitbulls
1. Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
This Earthborn Hollistic dry dog food is one of the greatest natural formulas when it comes to choosing pitbull dog food. When you want the best food for pitbulls, you need to make sure that meat is the number one ingredient of whatever food you select. That is definitely the case here. This pitbull food contains no grain whatsoever and is completely gluten-free; and it also has meat is the primary ingredient with plenty of protein. The protein comes from a lean, red meat like bison and lamb and egg protein. These are rich protein sources that are highly digestible and have plenty of balanced amino acids for your dog’s health.
What makes this food really unique is that actually has a guarantee. The levels of antioxidants, vitamin E, vitamin C and other nutrients come directly from the fruits and veggies that are blended in with it. This includes peas, blueberries, cranberries, apples, spinach and carrots among others. The levels that are present in this dog food is where the guarantee comes in. You can be assured that when you feed your dog this premium brand, they are getting the correct levels of nutrients for their health. This food comes in a 28-pound bag that is re-sealable and has a balanced ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids that support a healthy coat and the packaging is both BPA-free and recyclable.
2. AvoDerm Natural Health Solutions
From AvoDerm comes this all natural dog food that is perfect for your pitbull. There are a few options when it comes to this terrific food, but the thing that you want to keep in mind is that it is intended for older dogs. Dogs that are eight years old or older have certain requirements from the dog food that regular adult dogs may not. For example, senior dog food needs to be a little lower in calories than regular adult food, and it needs to support joint health and immune system health. This does all of that. There is even an option for dogs that have become overweight as they have gotten older and for those dogs experiencing major joint trouble.
Senior dogs also need more vitamins and minerals than adult dogs do to stay healthy. They may also have trouble chewing on hard dog food. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should give them nothing but soft food unless they have really painful dental problems and your vet has recommended soft food. Instead, you want to go with a special formula for seniors that allows them to clean their teeth by crunching on dry food without causing them any discomfort. This dog food contains real meat that your pitbull will love with plenty of protein and fat to make their system run perfectly along with California avocados and other fruits & vegetables that contain all of the nutrients that your pitbull needs.
3. Taste of the Wild Grain Free High Protein Real Meat Recipe Premium Dry Dog Food
Taste of the Wild is one of the most highly-respected brands of premium dog food and you will really like how delicious it is. This dog food contains ingredients like prebiotic fiber, optimal amino acids, omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acid blend, tomatoes, berries, pomace, chelated minerals and real meat of course. In this case, it is buffalo, lamb meal and egg product providing the protein along with various other veggies and fruits that are listed in the ingredients list. One of the best things about this pitbull dog food is that you are able to recognize all of the ingredients that make this dog food up.
This premium dog food comes in three different sizes so you can choose the perfect one for your pitbull or for your budget. The sizes are the 5-pound bag, the 15-pound bag in the 30-pound bag. With roasted bison and venison as the number one ingredient this has a really rich amino acid profile and promotes strong muscles and natural growth for dogs that are still developing. It has smaller kibble that is perfect for growing puppies that are not able to chew larger food yet, and includes several superfoods that are packed with nutrients. There is absolutely no grain, no wheat, no corn, no artificial flavors, no artificial colors and no preservatives. This is a highly digestible food that is guaranteed to have all of the nutrients that your pitbull needs.
4. Bully Max High Performance Super Premium Dog Food
Bully Max makes some pretty amazing premium dog food as well, and this is a perfect example. This dog food has received a five star review from dog owners and veterinarians, and it is a performance-based dog food recipe that is perfect for really active dogs. That’s one of the reasons that it is recommended for pitbulls. This is one of the few dog foods out there that uses human grade ingredients that are available on the market. This is basically human food that has been designed to give dogs all of the nutrition that they need. Besides being one of the healthiest foods on the market, it is also one of the most delicious.
What is great about this dog food is that it contains extremely high amounts of protein and lots of calories. That means that you have to be careful which dog you feed it to. If you give it to a dog that does not expend a lot of calories during the day, then there is a chance that they will become overweight. However, if you have a dog that does not always get the amount of calories they need from their food because they are so active, then you definitely want to consider this as a substitute. This is totally meat-based and it is in a class of its own. It doesn’t have any soy, wheat, corn or any fillers whatsoever.
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5. Wellness Core Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Wellness Core is another respected brand for premium dog food and this is one of the best pitbull food choices out there. One of the first things that you will notice about this premium dog food is that it contains more meat than just about every other dog food brand out there. In fact, this contains 80 percent more meat than traditional dog food, and with the Wellness CORE philosophy, the rest of the ingredients are made up of fruits, vegetables, fats and nutrients that your dog actually needs. Meat is always the primary ingredient in these foods, but they also contain all of the nutrients that make up your pitbull’s perfect nutritional profile.
Just a few of the things that you will notice in this food include antioxidants, Omega fatty acids, probiotics, protein, at least five percent fat and an extremely tasty flavor that your dog can really sink his or her teeth into. What you will not find is grain, wheat, fillers or any artificial ingredients whatsoever. This dog food provides a careful balance of all the nutrients that your dog needs without giving them too much of the wrong thing so that your pet can live a long and happy life. It is 100 percent natural and one of the best dog foods that you can find for a pitbull, with all of the right ingredients for an active, healthy dog.
Pitbull Nutrition Buying Guide
There are some things that you want to keep in mind when it comes to buying the right dog food for your pitbull. Every dog is unique, and each breed has a little bit different nutritional profile reads. However, the differences are pretty small, and that’s why so many dog food brands will fit many different breeds. Still, you want to be aware of what your pitbull specifically needs, what nutrients they require to stay healthy and any health problems that could be caused or exacerbated by giving them the wrong food.
There lots of accessories that you get for your dog that required that you know a great deal about them. Getting a dog crate or dog bed requires that you know the size of your dog including height, length and width. Getting a dog playpen or dog house also requires knowing their measurements and their personal preferences. If you are getting an outdoor dog kennel then you need to be aware of how much exercise your dog needs before you buy one. This buying guide will go over all of the relevant information you need to make dog food buying decisions for your pitbull.
Pitbull Nutrition Overview
Let’s first cover an overview of pitbull nutrition so that you are aware of the dietary profile of your pitbull. The pitbull is classified as a medium breed and weighs anywhere from 30 pounds to 70 pounds depending upon the genetics of the pitbull and whether your dog is male or female. Pitbulls are muscular and agile, and they are very active throughout the day and expand more energy than many other dogs do. This is especially true in pitbull puppies, so you have to make sure that you’re giving them the proper nutrition when they are growing up if you want them to become healthy adults.
The National Research Council of the National Academies recommends that you feed your adult pitbull between 922 and 1740 calories per day. This is obviously a huge gap, so it will depend upon the size of your pitbull, the gender and how active they are throughout the day. Age is also a factor. You can go online and find calculators that will tell you exactly how many calories your dog should be eating depending upon those factors.
As for deciding the best food for your pitbull, there are definitely certain guidelines that you want to follow. For pitbull puppies, the American Feed Control Officials recommends that 22 percent of the food come from protein and for pitbull adults that number should be at least 18 percent. Like most dogs, the AFCO also recommends that puppies get eight percent of their diet from fat and that adult dogs get at least five percent.
One of the things that make pitbull’s unique among some of the other breeds out there is that they have big appetites and they will usually eat whatever you put in front of them. However, that doesn’t mean that whatever you put in front of them is always good for them. You still want to go with premium dog food that has all of the nutrients that your pitbull needs including fruits and vegetables and added nutrients that are not present in the ingredients that the food is made up of.
What Ingredients to Look For
There are certain ingredients that you want to look for specifically when it comes to choosing the right food for your dog. There are also certain things that you want to avoid when it comes to what you feed your dog. For example, you want to go with organic dog food if you can, whether you go with wet dog food or dry dog food. Dry dog food is better for dogs so that they are able to clean their teeth, but you can always use a dental chew or a dog treat that is crunchy instead. You also want to go with grain free dog food whenever possible as well as dog food that is free of any other unnatural ingredients. Let’s look at some other factors.
- Protein: First, protein is the most important aspect of your dog’s food. In some cases, you may have to go with low-protein dog food if your dog has trouble processing protein because of a health condition, but 99 percent of the time you want to go with a dog food that has meat is the primary ingredient and contains plenty of protein.
- Fat: Dogs also need plenty of fat. There are certain nutrients in fat that dogs need to keep their systems running at optimal levels and especially when they are puppies. Dogs should be getting at least five percent of their diet from fat and that number is higher when they are young. You want to look for named fat sources such as chicken fat. These fats provide essential nutrients such as fish oil which give your dog the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that they need for certain things such as keeping their coat healthy. Plus some of the nutrients that your dog requires are only soluble in fat.
- Carbohydrates: Although carbohydrates are not nearly as important as protein, carbohydrates provide your dog with the energy that they need. However, you want to go with nutritious carbs sweet potatoes to balance out protein and fat levels and to make sure that you do not give them too many carbohydrates.
- Fruits & Vegetables: Fruits & veggies are part of an essential diet for pitbull’s and other dogs for one reason – they provide the nutrients that your dog requires most of the time. Fruits and vegetables are added to your dog’s food so that they can have a complete nutritional profile.
- Additional Vitamins & Minerals: As for additional vitamins and minerals, they are usually added to food by the manufacturer. If you have premium dog food, then you probably don’t need to worry too much about the additional vitamins and minerals because they will be added to your dog’s food. In some cases, dog foods even offer a guarantee that your dog will get all of the nutrients that they need from the food that you buy.
Puppy Nutrition for Pitbulls
You need to change the dietary profile of your dog a little based upon how old they are. Whether you’re talking about food for small dogs or food for large dogs, the proper nutrition varies a little depending upon whether the dog is an adult dog or a puppy. The nutritional profile is even a little different for senior dogs. When it comes to what is the best dog food for pitbulls, and especially the best pitbull puppy food, you definitely want to make sure to increase the protein and fat content, but there may be other considerations as well depending upon your dog in their own unique situation. For the most part, premium dog foods that have puppy formulas will have already done the work for you so that you can simply feed your dog the right formula for their age.
Pitbulls & Food Allergies
Pitbulls do have some food allergies that you need to be concerned with. If your dog has this particular problem, then you may want to get dog food for sensitive stomachs or dog food for allergies to make sure that your dog is able to eat properly without any discomfort. Generally, an allergy will manifest in a couple of specific ways. Your dog may experience gastrointestinal distress when they eat or they may have symptoms that appear on their coat or skin. For example, itching, hives or red, inflamed areas can alert you to a problem with your dog’s food.
Just like any other dog, pitbulls can be prone to food allergies. In fact, pitbulls can even develop allergies to foods that they have consumed before without any problems. But one of the most common reasons of food allergies is feeding them food that is made of low-quality grains. You will usually notice skin issues before you notice any other allergy symptoms. Some of the other common symptoms of food allergies that you want to look for include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and a general lack of interest in things that they once enjoyed. Identifying the ingredient that is causing allergy is the best way to eliminate food allergy problems.
Ingredients to Avoid
There are definitely some ingredients to avoid, and we have already discussed some of them quite thoroughly. Some of the ingredients that you want to avoid include wheat, grain and other ingredients that are added to low-quality dog foods. To worry about these ingredients with high quality dog foods like premium brands because they simply do not use them. You also want to avoid any artificial flavorings, artificial colors or preservatives. Remember, the closer you can get to giving your dog the same diet that they would’ve eaten out in the wild is going to be the best choice for making sure that your dog is healthy.
Pitbull Dog Food Review Conclusion
The bottom line is that there are lots of things that you want to keep in mind when it comes to choosing the right dog food for your pitbull. You need to be aware of the ingredients that make up dog foods, both low-quality and premium brands, and avoid ingredients that can be bad for your dog such as grains and fillers. You also want to ensure that your dog is getting enough protein, fat and all of the vitamins and minerals that they require. This is not difficult to do if you choose the right food in the first place.
Recommended Reading:
- Best Muzzles for Pitbulls
- Best Puppy Food for Pitbulls
- Best Dog Crate for Pitbulls
- Best Dog Bed for Pitbulls
- Best Dog Brush for Pitbulls
- Best Dog Toys for Pitbulls
- Best Dog Collar for Pitbulls
- Best Dog Harness for Pitbulls
- Best Dog Shampoo for Pitbulls
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