Beat Large Breed Dog Food

Large Breed Adult Dog

The diet of an adult large or giant breed dog is also different to the dog food they were fed as a pup and will need managed calories and quality protein as well as vitamins, minerals and supplements to sustain their activity levels, a healthy weight and general good health.

Adult large breed dogs can also be more susceptible to orthopedic disease and joint issues as well as digestive issues, including the potentially fatal bloat.

Blue Buffalo Wilderness Large Breed Grain

• Great alternative to raw food diets.
• Made with deboned beef, lamb and venison.
• Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids.
• Free of chicken, by-product meals, corn, wheat or soy.
• The finest natural ingredients, including antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.
• Grain-free diet.

Wellness is a well-established brand, and CORE is their protein-rich line. This kibble has the highest protein content on our list and one of the highest in the market too. Deboned chicken, chicken meal, and turkey meal provide lots of protein and amino acids. As well as lots of yummy taste that your big dog will love. As a result, this recipe also has the highest glucosamine content, which is great for his large joint needs.

Lentils, peas, and ground potatoes provide healthy carbs, and this is a grain-free recipe for those who need such a diet. This recipe uses fruits and veggies that offer his immune system antioxidants. Spinach, broccoli, kale, apples, and blueberries are listed, as well as a long list of added vitamin and mineral supplements. Dried fermentation products are listed too, which help to promote friendly bacteria in his gut.

We love that this recipe is our premium pick. It uses a lot of real meat ingredients to provide a high protein content. Great for big and energetic dogs.

Do Large Breed Puppies Need Special Meals

Yes, owners of large breed puppies must pay extra attention to the food they are feeding to their pup. One of the biggest reasons why excessive growth happens is overfeeding. Hence, puppy owners need to make sure that their large breed pets are being fed a special formula tailored to their nutritional needs.

Large breed puppies owners need to make sure that the pups diet is lower in fat, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D compared to the diet of small and medium-sized breeds.

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Hill’s Science Diet Adult Large Breed Light

• Contains 18% fewer calories than the Adult Large formula to help transform fat into energy.
• Glucosamine and chondroitin work together to maintain healthy joints and cartilage.
• Antioxidant and vitamin E and C.
• No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
• Made in the USA.

Chicken meal is the first ingredient and the sole animal protein, making it a good option for large dogs with sensitive stomachs. The fat content is 5.5%, and the calorie count per cup is just 271. It is a grain-inclusive option and provides a 14% fiber content, helping keep Fido feeling full for longer. L-carnitine stimulates the metabolism to burn extra calories.

We love that this recipe has a low calorie count per cup, allowing your large dog to lose weight more quickly.

Some Final Thoughts On Large Breed Dog Foods In Australia

I bet if youve just read the last section about popular brands of large breed dog foods in Australia youre scratching your head a little.

How can so many large breed dog foods and puppy foods be so full of cheap grains and by-products, and still be so popular?

To quote Glen Richards, founder of Greencross, the largest pet care company in Australia, most consumers buy the cheapest possible products.

Youll also find most consumers blindly recommend the products they buy to anyone wholl listen on social media.

That doesnt meant theyre good products.

When choosing a diet for your large breed dog or puppy, keep in mind the following two key points:

Lastly, feel free to leave a comment or get in touch!

I hope this guide to large breed dog foods in Australia helps you choose a healthier diet for your dog!

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The Best Large Breed Puppy Food

The Best Value for Money

Petzyo Kibble That Counts Salmon & Oceanfish

• Named protein first
• No filler or artificial preservatives
• Dogs seem to love it
• Easy subscription system

Welcoming a large breed puppy into your home? Good for you! But, youve probably already heard that large-breed pups have specific dietary requirements. But what exactly do they need? Is getting a kibble labelled large breed puppy a must, or is regular puppy food fine?

Today, well answer all these questions and help you find the best large breed puppy food available in Australia.

Hills Science Diet Adult Large Breed Lamb Meal And Brown Rice

Our testers highly recommend the Hills Science Diet Adult Large Breed Lamb Meal. This dog food is absolutely amazing I can recommend it to anyone. Its expensive compared to your generic brands, and I understand that it might not fit into every dog lovers budget, but if you can afford it, you will truly see the difference.

We have two big dogs eating Hills exclusively for the last year and a half. The change to their coats and stool is amazing. Really, really amazing! Our 13 year old German Sheppard has colors back that I havent seen for years.

However, a few customers wish the dog food came in a better bag. The food is high quality and recommended by my vet. My dog likes it and seems healthy when he eats it. The bag is poorly constructed and easily tears, so the food is exposed. Id like a sealed bag for my dogs food to prevent staleness and prevent bugs or debris from getting into it. Lets hope the brand listens. You could also purchase a dog food container.

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A General Guideline For Preparing Homemade Dog Food

My DIY dog food recipe is more of a general guideline, rather than an exact meal plan that I follow each week. My dogs diet changes the same way ours does, depending on what we do and what we buy or grow.

However, we almost always stay with this basic formula:

• 50 percent cooked protein
• 25 percent cooked complex carbohydrates
• Fats and supplements

Protein is always meat and usually chicken, though weve also used turkey, pork, and beef. We feed any and all parts of the animals, but most commonly, we saute chicken breasts or chicken thighs in coconut oil and ground turmeric.

Coconut oil has a host of health benefits for dogs, such as improving the skin and coat, increasing energy, aiding digestion, reducing allergic reactions, promoting wound healing, preventing yeast and fungal infections, and supporting arthritis or ligament problems.

Turmeric has long been studied for its powerful medicinal properties, including its use as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

We add it to the coconut oil since it is fat-soluble, and use it to support our pugs joint health.

Speaking of dark meat, we feed thighs and breasts interchangeably. While well remove the skin from poultry and trim off excessive fat from red meat, we dont worry about buying the leanest meat possible for our dogs.

A little fat is necessary for a well-rounded diet.

They tend to be the leftovers in our produce bin, so we never have to buy, say, a whole head of cauliflower just for the dogs.

The Best Large Breed Dog Food

Digestive issues can be a problem with many large and giant breed dogs which is where the right nutrition is essential. And, with Holistic Select Natural Dry Dog Food you can be confident you are doing the best by your sensitive dog, while giving them tasty and effective nutrition.

Based around a chicken meal and gut-soothing oatmeal recipe, Holistics Natural have cleverly balanced energy and muscle supporting quality protein with digestive health friendly ingredients.

You get both pre and probiotics, along with live yoghurt cultures, digestive enzymes and plenty of natural fiber. But this recipe is not all about a happy tum as theres a whole host of other nutrients too. Theres calcium, phosphorus, glucosamine and chondroitin for bone and joint health, as well as taurine for their heart and omegas and antioxidants for immune support and all-round good health. All packed into super-tasty kibble which has a satisfying crunch.

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What Age Is A Large Breed Dog Considered A Senior

If you have a large breed dog, you probably know that large breeds generally have much shorter life expectancies than their smaller breed counterparts.

While most small breeds have life expectancies of about 15 years and some live to be as old as 20, most large breeds can be expected to live anywhere from 8 to 12 years. Because of this, most large breed dogs are considered seniors once they reach about 6 to 8 years old and most giant breeds are considered seniors once theyre about 5 years old.

If youre trying to determine what age you should switch your large breed dog to senior dog food, this is a decision best made with the help of your vet. In some cases, a normal large breed dog food might carry your dog into their senior years since large breed dog food tends to be low calorie anyway, but definitely check with your vet if your dog is getting older and youre wondering if a switch is necessary.

Best Large Breed Dog Foodsaugust 2022

Here are The Dog Food Advisors 15 top-rated large breed dry dog foods for August 2022.

• First 5 ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, lentils, peas
• AAFCO: Maintenance
• Options:See all available recipes

Wellness Core Large Breed formula is a grain-free, high protein recipe with substantial kibble size to promote proper chewing time in larger mouths. Increased amounts of glucosamine and chondroitin also supports bone and joint health in these larger sized dogs.

This recipe contains the perfect amount of fat and calories to help maintain a healthy weight for a dog of this size. A higher quality food with an abundance of animal protein and nutrient-rich vegetables like spinach, kale and broccoli.

Wellness Core Grain-Free Large Breed is recommended by 94% of actual buyers on Chewy.com and is highly recommended for large breed adult dogs.

Blue Buffalo Wilderness Large Breed Chicken is a great option for those looking for higher protein and an optimal blend of calcium, phosphorus and essential vitamins to help keep bones strong.

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Unique Requirements Of Large Breed Dogs

So what is it exactly that makes large breed dogs different from small and medium breeds? While maintenance for a larger breed dog is important, feeding the right nutrients for growth during puppy stages is when size matters the most.

As stated above, their bone structure is the most obvious difference. It might seem that big bones require more calcium, but that is not always true.

Big dogs grow for longer than smaller dogs, so large breed puppy foods are designed to support slower and more even bone development over a longer period of time. This means they often have lower levels of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D, which are all vital to bone growth.

Larger breed dogs also use calories differently than small dogs do. They have a slower metabolic rate, so they require fewer calories to supply daily energy. This helps support healthier weight and muscle maintenance.

Hills Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Dry Dog Food

Puppy parents who tested this dog food say theyll never try any other brand. Our puppies love it. They are growing fast. They are full of energy. We were feeding them a different brand that was grain-free, and they were losing weight and seemed to have no energy. The vet told us to switch to this. What a great difference.There are, however, complaints about how expensive this food is. One reviewer had this to say, The food is awesome. I feed all 3 of my dogs this brand. I will be switching my 14-month-old over to the adult version once shes 18 months. But my 2 puppies absolutely love it. They have grown so much, and the vet loves how big and proportioned they are. Gives them lots of energy during the day. I just wish it wasnt so expensive. I go through at least two 30lb bags a month.

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Best Dry Dog Food For Large Breed Puppies

Kibble is the most popular food format. Its convenient, has a long shelf-life, and is generally a little easier on the wallet. Not every brand offers a puppy formula, no less one designed to specifically meet the needs of a large breed pup. Here is one of our top picks:

• Multi-protein formula: chicken, eggs, and flounder
• 70% meat inclusion, including nutrient-dense organs
• Anti-inflammatory fatty acids and supplements to support joints and mobility
• Optimal calcium to phosphorus ratio for skeletal development

Best Large Breed Grain Free Puppy Food

If dog food was a neighbourhood, Blue Carnivora puppy formula wet food would be the new kid on the block. This product is packed with protein and is almost completely formulated from animal-based products. Like its dry food counterpart, it boasts 11 different high-quality protein sources and a completely grain-free recipe.

In terms of the other nutrients, Blue Carnivora has an impressive 34% fat content. Again, while this may seem like a negative, fats are important in a dogs diet and are far preferable to carbohydrates. The fiber content is 6.82%, which is high enough to keep your pups digestive system happy and healthy. The energy density is 141kCal/100g, which falls within the recommended energy content for wet foods.

Another exciting feature of this food is the inclusion of DHA in the formula. DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, is great for brain development in puppies and will help to ensure that your pups mind stays sharp and alert as he or she gets older.

Budget Pick

This food is a great choice for those puppy parents who want the best for their pooch, but want it on a budget. Its significantly cheaper than other comparable foods without sacrificing any of the nutritional content, which is a huge plus.

All in all, Authority Chicken and Rice is a great, affordable choice that will still supply all of the right nutrients to your large breed puppy.

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Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin And Sensitive Stomach

Image courtesy Purina

You can assist your aging larger dog meet his or her unique demands with Purina Pro Plan Senior dry dog food for Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach 7+ Salmon & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food.

Salmon is the #1 source of protein in this high-protein dry dog food, which also includes tailored nutrition to meet your dog’s needs. This dog food for sensitive stomachs has an easily digested mix of oatmeal and rice.

Hill’s Science Plan Advance Adult Dog Food contains animal protein as well as whole brown rice, but the major component is whole brown rice. Brown rice has a greater mineral profile than white rice since it includes more germ and bran.

Purina Pro Plan dog food is high in protein, low in carbohydrates and fat. This salmon and rice dish for dogs also has sunflower oil, which is rich in omega-6 fatty acids and helps to soothe your dog’s sensitive skin.

Things To Look For In The Best Food For Large Breed Dogs

Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in a food for a large breed dog:

• Whole proteins heading up the ingredients list
• Prepared without the addition of chemicals, flavorings, fillers, or mystery ingredients
• Enriched with probiotics and helpful supplements
• Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced food

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Does It Matter How Old My Dog Is

Yes. Typically, dogs are divided into three life stages: puppy, adult, and senior. Each has different nutritional needs, and youll want to feed your dog a food designed for the stage that hes in.

Puppies need more calories than fully-grown dogs, and you have to be careful to give them all the nutritional support they need to grow up strong and healthy.

Once your dog becomes an adult , youll want to cut down on the calories slightly. You still want to feed a diet heavy in protein and filled with the necessary nutrients, though.

Senior dogs need less calories than the other two life stages, both because theyre less active and because obesity is a bigger problem for older dogs. Youll also need to ramp up the nutritional support, and you might even need to add new vitamins to his diet, depending on any health conditions he may have.

How Many Times A Day Should I Feed My Dog

Most dogs get along well with two servings a day, but some breeds may benefit from an extra meal to support that extremely fast metabolism. If you decide to feed the dog 3 times a day, divide his daily dose into three servings. Just remember that the third serving is not an extra meal.

It is also important to take into account all the calories represented by various appetizers and snacks, in order to avoid overeating.

Warning: Our reviews on theBest Grain-Free Dog Food for Small Breedsare mostly based on information from experts and manufacturers. We test many products, but it is impossible to test them all. That said, we ask that you remember that the recommendations above are opinions, and before using a treatment, we recommend that you consult with your veterinarian.

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