The Best Dog Food for Pitbulls On The Market
Pit Bulls are strong muscular dogs that are quite popular for their macho image. However, if you want your dog to be lean, fit and agile, then you need to ensure that you are feeding the right food to your dog. Here, we would be looking at the things that you should know before buying the best dog food for pitbulls.
Understanding Pit Bulls
Pit Bulls are not just one breed, but many. American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers are all referred to as Pit Bulls. All these breeds are strong and muscular. They are known for their aggressive behaviour. Hence, they need a high protein diet.
Pit Bulls are also prone to a few diseases as well. Some of the most common diseases that Pit Bulls are susceptible include hip and elbow dysplasia. The chances of such diseases increase with obesity. Therefore, you should help your dog avoid getting obese and that could only be done when you provide your dog with the right nutrition.
The Nutritional Needs of
Your Pit Bulls
Pit Bulls need a high protein diet. Therefore, one of the first things that you should look for is that the food that you are feeding to your Pit Bulls is rich in proteins. Meat is the best source of proteins and hence meat should be the essential ingredient of the dog food.
You should also go for food that is rich in fats and carbohydrates as Pit Bulls need a good deal of those as well. You should avoid food that contains too many types of filler. These varieties of dog food might be cheaper, but they are bad for your dog’s health. You should consult your veterinarian to know about the specific nutritional needs of your dog.
Checking for Allergies for Your Pit Bulls
Pit Bulls are known to be prone to allergies. These allergies commonly cause problems in the skin and coat. You should check whether your dog is licking or scratching itself excessively. If it is doing that, then chances are it is having an allergic reaction. You should check for visible rashes. These allergies are often caused by the food.
Wheat, potatoes and corn are some of the most common allergens for Pit Bulls. Therefore, you should ensure that the dog food doesn’t contain any of those ingredients. However, different dogs have different levels of sensitivity when it comes to allergies. So, you need to get in touch with your veterinarian to know about the allergies of your dog. If your dog is overly sensitive to allergies, then you need to go for no-grain or hypoallergenic food. However, you should consult with your veterinarian before you feed your dog such foods.
The Calorie Needs of Your Pit Bulls
The calorie needs for your Pit Bulls depends on the age, weight and various other individual factors. An active adult Pit Bull, who weighs around 45 pounds, would require around 1750 calories. However, as the dog gets older the calorie requirement would get significantly lower. An older dog with the same weight or a puppy would require only about 875 calories a day. Lactating mothers would require a bit more than them, about 1100 calories. The daily diet of the dog should meet the calorie requirement of the dog. You can consult with your pet dietician to know about the specific requirement of your dog.
Watch Out for Bloat
Bloat is a health issue that is quite common in Pit Bulls. It is a potentially life-threatening issue. The issue arises because Pit Bulls tend to eat very fast and they don’t chew their food properly. This results in the buildup of gases in the stomach. At times, the gas builds up at a faster rate than the stomach can remove it. As the gases build up, they might cause the stomach to swell up or to flip.
Often the ingredients in the food are the major reasons behind bloat. You should not feed food that has wheat, corn or soy as they are the main reasons for bloat. If your dog eats very quickly, try to give him two or three small meals throughout the day. Don’t give your dog large portions of food in each meal. It would only complicate the problem.
Feeding Schedules
Very young puppies would need to be fed at least two or three times. After they are completely weaned, they should be fed at least once or twice daily. This remains the same for large dogs. However, obese dogs should not be fed more than once every day. But Pit Bulls tend to get irritated if they are fed just once. But, they get habituated to it with time.
What to Look For in Dog Food for Pit Bulls
You should try to look for the following things before you choose a dog food for Pit Bulls
You should try to look for the following things before you choose a dog food for Pit Bulls
- Meat meal. You should ensure that the type of meat should precede the meal.
- Oils and fats like Omega-3 and Omega-6
- Essential vitamins like Vitamin A, E, Biotin
You should try avoiding the following ingredients
- Meat by-products
- Artificial by-products
- Sugar and salts are also bad for the dogs.
The Best Dog Food for Your Pit Bulls
Name | Image | Price |
|---|---|---|
CANIDAE Grain Free PURE Dry Dog Food | 
| |
Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast Grain | 
| |
Nature's Variety Prairie | 
| |
Wilderness Blue Buffalo High Protein | 
| |
Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain Natural | 
|
**Below, you'll find our more detailed reviews, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.
The Best Dog Food for
Your Pit Bulls
Let us take a look at some of the dog foods that you can try out for your Pit Bulls.
1. CANIDAE Grain Free PURE Dry Dog Food
The Grain Free Pure Dry Dog Food from Canidae is one of the best foods for Pit Bulls. It comes in a variety of delicious flavours that your dog would absolutely love. It comes in duck and wild boar flavour which is a favourite among Pit Bulls. They also offer special formulation for weight management and for older dogs as well. Therefore, you get plenty of options when you go for this particular dog food.
The food has been known to cause ‘stink’ in some dogs. This might be caused due to allergic reactions. So, it is better that you consult with your vet to ensure that the ingredients are safe enough for your dog. Some dogs also don’t tend to like some of the flavours. You need to consider these factors before you choose this food for your Pit Bull.
Things We Liked
- It comes in various flavours such as salmon, bison, chicken and even duck and wild boar.
- It has a special formulation for older dogs as well as for obese dogs.
- It comes with whole foods and probiotics which make it easy to digest.
Things We Disliked
- It has been reported to cause serious gastrointestinal issues in some sensitive dogs.
- Some dogs have also reported to give out a ‘stink’.
2. Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast Grain
Earthborn is a recognized brand for pet food known for using natural ingredients in their food. Therefore, if you are looking for a natural food for your Pit Bull, then this is the best option for you. It contains bison meal and lamb meal as the primary source of protein. Bison and lamb meat is the best sources of protein for Pit Bulls.
It also has a plenty of vegetables that serve as a great source of vitamins and minerals. Therefore, this dog food would provide wholesome nutrition to your dog. However, there are some issues as well.
This dog food has reportedly caused diarrhoea and frequent vomiting among certain Pit Bulls. Therefore, it is recommended that you be a little cautious when you are looking to buy this food. The kibble also crumbles easily and that might be a problem for dogs like Pit Bulls.
Things We Liked
- It contains bison meat and lamb meat as the main ingredient.
- It also contains a good deal of vegetables that are a good source of proteins.
- It is easy to digest for the dog.
Things We Disliked
- Some dog owners have complained that this food has caused their dog to vomit.
- It is also reported to have caused diarrhoea in some dogs.
3. Nature's Variety Prairie
This particular dog food is among the expensive options. However, to be frank, there is not much to justify the high price tag. One of the advantages of the dog food is that it contains a good deal of omega-3 fatty acids which are good for your dog. The sources of the omega-3 fatty acids are flax seeds and menhaden fish meal. However, apart from that, there is not much that separates it from the rest of products that are available in the market.
However, there are a number of Pit Bull owners who rely on the quality of this food. So, you might try out the dog food, if you don’t mind the hefty price tag. It does not contain any wheat or any such allergens, so your Pit Bulls would be completely safe. It would be a good option for those who would want to change the taste of the food for the Pit Bulls.
Things We Liked
- It contains chicken as the main ingredient. This makes the food easily digestible.
- It contains a good dose of Omega 3 fatty acids.
- It doesn’t contain any preservatives or harmful fillers.
Things We Disliked
- This food is a bit expensive.
- Some dogs seem to have allergies to the food.
4. Wilderness Blue Buffalo High Protein
Blue is one of the most trusted pet food brands. They have their patented LifeSource bits, which is a precise blend of vitamins and minerals and antioxidants. This would take care of the nutritional needs of the dog. This food also contains real chicken which is a great source of protein.
The food does not have wheat, soy or corn. As these ingredients cause allergies, they should be avoided in your dog food. All these factors make it a popular choice among Pit Bull owners. However, the formulation of the dog food is known to cause colitis and other such serious issues with the GI tract of your dog. So, this is the risk that you should take into consideration before buying this particular food. A visit to the vet would be enough to assess the risks and feel confident about feeding this dog food to your beloved Pit Bull.
Things We Liked
- The primary ingredient is deboned beef which is the best meat for your dog.
- Rich in Omega 6, Omega 3 Glucosamine and Chondroitin, which helps makes the bones and joints to be healthy and also gives a shiny coat to the dog.
- It comes with a balanced nutrition.
Things We Disliked
- May be ran out of stock because of massive orders.
5. Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain Natural
This dog food is another good option for Pit Bulls. It has all the ingredients that are needed for the all round development of your Pit Bull. However, there are some problems with the dog food as well.
One of the biggest issues with the dog food is that your dog might experience some gas problems. The fact is a lot of Pit Bull owners reported this problem. So, the chances are high that your dog might experience that as well. So, it is better to get in touch with your vet and ensure that this would not cause any bloat with your Pit Bull. You should also think before feeding this to your Pit Bull puppies. The kibble sizes are a bit too large for puppies. You might consider breaking it into smaller pieces. However, that would require a bit of effort.
Things We Liked
- It contains bison meat and potatoes as the main ingredient. There are other formulations available as well.
- It does not contain any grain. This would keep your dog free from allergies.
- It does not contain any poultry by-product.
Things We Disliked
- It might cause some gas problems in your dog.
- The kibble size is a bit too big for Pit Bull puppies.
The Best Dog Food is
From the above-mentioned dog foods, the best dog food for pitbulls, according to us, is CANIDAE Grain Free PURE Dry Dog Food. It is made by a trusted brand and it has all the necessary ingredients and that too, in the right amount. This makes the food the best option for Pit Bulls. There are some issues. But, if you could work your way around them, it is the best food. However, before choosing the right food, you need to visit your veterinarian. Know about the specific requirements of your dog and whether your dog has any special needs. Choose the best food and make your Pit Bull a strong and healthy breed.
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