Best Large Breed Dog Foods 2022
Every dog is different, and their nutrition is a big part of what keeps them healthy and happy. Big dogs have some extra special requirements to support their stature and weight and to help you find the right diet, check out our list of the best large breed dog foods. What is large breed dog food?
Functional Large Breed Puppy
ü Fresh Meat as FirstIngredient
ü High Meat Low Carb
ü Protein and fat levels tohelp large breed puppies grow at a safe rate not too fast
ü Extra Omega-3 EPA and DHAto help puppy brain development
ü Grain Inclusive with lowglycemic Oats and Barley
ü Prebiotics to HelpDigestion
ü Botanicals for gut healthand antioxidants
ü Taurine and DL-Methioninefor Healthy Heart
ü Canadian Chicken
ü Unique organic minerals fordeeper coat color and improved mobility
At Boréal we strive to make the best food forevery dog and cat. We source every possible ingredient from Canadian farms andfisheries. Functional Large Breed Puppy isa high meat, low carb, with low glycemic index oats and barley added as goodgrains. We centre around low glycemicfoods to help keep your pet healthy.
· We use high quality fresh, debonedchicken as the first ingredient Chicken is a source of naturally occurringglucosamine, an amino acid which supports joints and bones. As well chicken isa protein dense meat and is easily digested.
· Boréal Functional Large Breed Puppy isdesigned to help your puppy grow and a healthy pace:
o Protein and Fat % aimed at large breed puppies to keep them growing – not too fast to avoid issues later in life.
o Added Omega-3 fatty acids with extraEPA and DHA to help with puppy brain development
o Balanced Calcium/Phosphorus ratio tomaintain healthy mineral levels
1kg,5kg,10kg
Wellness Complete Health Large Breed Puppy Food
Rating:
Complete Health Large Breed Puppy is one of 13 dry recipes included in our review of the Wellness Complete Health product line.
- First 5 ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, peas, ground brown rice, salmon meal
- Type: Grain-inclusive
- Profile: Growth
- Best for: All puppies including large breeds
Complete Health Large Breed Puppy derives the bulk of its animal protein from fresh chicken as well as chicken meal and salmon meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 32% protein, 14% fat and 45% estimated carbs with a fat-to-protein ratio of about 44%.
A safe, balanced calcium design from a trusted brand. Highly recommended.
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Read Our Full Brand Review
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Benefits Of Large Breed Dog Food
Feeding a large breed-specific food is not a requirement. In fact, many dogs do just fine on all-breed diets, but there are some unique benefits to large-breed formulas that can help prevent common issues in big dogs.
Bigger Kibble
The average size of kibble is perfectly fine for most dogs, but for big doggos, those small pieces are easy to swallow hole. Often, big dogs dont chew their kibble very well, or at all, and this can lead to poor dental health and digestive issues.
Large breed kibbles are much larger and encourage your dog to chew more. Chewing starts to break down the food, making it easier for your dogs body to digest and absorb nutrients.
Dogs who dont chew may throw up food shortly after meals, too. The unchewed kibble will expand in your dogs stomach, and he will start to feel very full. If his meal was large enough, you may see some of that meal again soon.
Higher Protein, Low Fat
Many large breed dog foods offer a slightly higher protein content and a reduced fat content. This offers plenty of nutrients that your big pooch needs to maintain muscle mass and supply long-term energy, but can also help to reduce weight issues.
While big dogs can still have a lot of energy, they dont burn through calories as quickly as smaller breeds. All breed diets may offer too many calories for your big pooch, and this could lead to weight gain as they age.
Hip and Joint Care
About Orijen Large Puppy Dry Dog Food
In addition to choosing a dog food formulated for large breed puppies, you also want to choose a dog food made from healthy, high-quality ingredients.
This grain-free favorite from dog food brand Orijen delivers a potent dose of protein courtesy of real animal ingredients like deboned free-run chicken and turkey, cage-free eggs, and wild-caught fish.
Solid Gold Natural Large Breed Puppy Food
This large breed puppy blend contains real natural bison and is potato free.
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Best Premium: Royal Canin Large Puppy Dry Food
This product is listed as premium because it offers great food to your puppy but does so at a slightly higher price. Royal Canin Large Puppy Dry Food contains glucosamine which helps maintain joint and cartilage health, vitamins and minerals to support your puppys immune system, and biotin for healthy skin and shiny fur. Unique kibble design encourages enthusiastic puppies to chew thoroughly. Highly digestible proteins and probiotics help promote healthy digestion and optimal stool quality.
This product has several notable drawbacks. These include its high price range, its use of corn, and its less protein than some of the other products discussed above.
However, if you do not mind the price range and the use of corn, then you can use Royal Canin Large Puppy Dry Food for your puppy.
Pros |
Purina Pro Plan Focus Puppy Chicken And Rice Canned Food
Best Wet Meal
Top 5 Ingredients: 1. Chicken, 2. Liver, 3. Meat By-products, 4. water, 5. Rice
- Life Stage: Puppy
- Suitable for: Small, Medium, Large Breeds
- Caloric content : 1,292 kcal
Nourish your growing puppy and serve specialized nutrition with Purina Pro Plan Focus Puppy Classic Chicken & Rice Entree Canned Dog Food. Featuring real chicken as the main ingredient along with other purposeful nutrients for their developing muscles and immune system.
The added DHA guarantees excellent cognitive development while omega-6 fatty acids ensure healthy skin and a shiny coat.
Analysis: Protein 10%, Fat 7%, Fiber 1.5%, Moisture 76%
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Eukanuba Puppy Large Breed Dry Dog Food
Best For Weight Gain
Top 5 Ingredients: 1. Chicken, 2. Corn, 3. Wheat, 4. Chicken Fat, 5. Ground Grain Sorghum
- Life Stage: Puppy
- Suitable for: Large, Giant Breeds
- Caloric content : 3,723 kcal
Giant pups are highly active and can become underweight if they dont eat enough calories. But not with Eukanuba Puppy Food. This high-energy formula is specifically made for athletic puppies and features nearly 357 kcal per cup. Most of its calories come from wheat, sorghum, and chicken fat to promote digestion and a healthy coat at the same time.
Moreover, protein is abundant in the recipe at 26% minimum content from deboned chicken to accelerate muscle growth. Puppies are also developing their brains and bones, which is why the food is enriched with DHA and calcium. Special prebiotics are also added to build their gastrointestinal system and vitamin E is used to strengthen their immunity.
Analysis: Protein 26%, Fat 14%, Fiber 3.7%, Moisture 10%
What Is The Best Dog Food For Large Breed Puppies
The first place to start when choosing a new dog food is their age, and for large breeds, age matters a lot. Bigger dogs age differently than smaller dogs, and that means each life stage works differently and an all-life-stage diet may not be suitable.
We typically consider a dog as a puppy until they reach about 12 months old, but larger breeds have more growing to do, so the puppy stage is elongated. The bigger that dog, usually the longer they are considered a puppy.
Instead of 12 months, some big dogs are still considered puppies until 18 months or longer. Large breed puppy formulas do not require increased protein compared to a regular puppy option but will offer lower fat and calories to prevent excessive weight gain and growth in the early stages of development.
Nutrition is the foundation of your dogs health, and growing puppies require a careful blend of nutrients to support their development. Choosing a good dog food for large breed puppies means you need to find a formula that is both age-appropriate and will support your pups growth and development.
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Natures Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food
Natures Recipe dog food contains lamb meal as its first ingredient, which isnt bad considering how affordable it can be. It also has some healthy vegetables and grains like oats for added fiberno grain-free formula though!
Natures Recipe dog food is a great choice if your pet has allergies or sensitivities to chicken. As an ingredient that can trigger reactions in some animals, this lamb-based dish may not be for them. However!
If you dont mind the inclusion of fat from poultry and beef sources then we think all pets would benefit greatly from eating it because these meats provide important nutrients otherwise lacking abundantly within most commercial dry foods today.
Pros
- Natural fiber from oats and barley
- Additional vitamins, minerals, or nutrients
Cons
- The meal can be used as a source of protein
- Is poultry fat an ingredient?
- There is no grain-free recipe
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Diamond Naturals Large Breed
What youll love most about Diamond Naturals Large Breed is it comes in a whopping 18.1kg bag at approximately 58c per kilo at the time of writing. That makes it the most affordable of all these brands!
The manufacturer has a great reputation for reliability and quality, and if youve heard of Taste of the Wild then thats another brand of food by the same company .
The reason its cheaper than the others is its a grain formula, but its a good mix of grains which are better than cereals or wheat. If the grains bother you, theres no reason you cant use Diamond Naturals as a solid base diet then mix in a more expensive brand, BARF, or fresh foods as well!
Where to buy:
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Nutritional Requirements Of Large Breed Dogs
Just like you, your dog has certain requirements for nutrients in his diet. The quality of the ingredients that provide these nutrients matters greatly, so dont skimp on your dogs food. Take the time to learn about his nutritional needs and find a high-quality product to provide for those needs.
Heres a quick review of your dogs basic nutritional requirements:
- High-quality, animal protein at least 18% of his diet
- Healthy fats at least 5% and a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids
- Limited carbohydrate content from digestible sources
- Essential vitamins and minerals to ensure nutritional balance
- Plenty of moisture for hydration and healthy digestion
All dogs need a diet rich in protein. Protein provides the building blocks for strong muscles and, particularly in large breeds, supports lean mass. The most digestible forms of protein for dogs come from animal sources like poultry, meat, and fish. Animal proteins are complete proteins as well which means they contain all of the essential amino acids that your dogs body cant synthesize on its own.
In addition to plenty of protein, your dog needs healthy fats in his diet. Fats provide a concentrated source of energy for dogs 9 calories per gram, compared to just 4 for protein and carbohydrate. Like protein, fats should come from digestible animal sources, though plant oils can be used to ensure the proper balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Healthy fats also support your dogs skin and coat.
Large Breed Dog Food With Grain
The myth that grains are bad has long been debunked. Sure, dogs dont need a lot of carbs, but some carbs are a beneficial part of their daily diet. When it comes to dog foods though, many popular options use either way too much grain or only use poor quality and nutritionally deficient grain sources.
Sticking to low glycemic, whole grains will provide much more nutrition while limiting the number of sugary carbohydrates that can affect your dogs metabolism.
- Low glycemic whole grains provide helpful fibre to support digestion
- Lifesource Bits are cold-pressed vitamins and minerals that offer maximum nutrients
- L-carnitine helps to support metabolism and healthy weight in large breed dogs
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Pro Plan Large Breed Dog Food & Puppy Food
Another brand youll often find recommended by dog owners is Pro Plan, with this one being a product of Nestle.
Again, its surprising how well endorsed it is given this large breed dog food uses the same cunning formulation as the other brands mentioned above.
Just like Hills Science Diet Large Breed, we find chicken as the first ingredient, listed first because its wet weight .
That makes the next ingredients the main bulk of Prop Plan Large Breed brewers rice, wheat, oats, and barley.
Doesnt that mean youre feeding your dog, an animal who depends on animal ingredients for optimum health, a diet mostly of high-carbohydrate grains which turn to sugars?
Pro Plan large breed puppy isnt much different, so doesnt feel to me like a good choice for such a vital stage in your large breed puppys growth phase.
Best Overall Dry Food For Small
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Best Premium Dry Food For Adult Dogs: Royal Canin Large Adult Dog Food
Royal Canin is a quality brand, so when your large breed puppy reaches adulthood at 15 months, you can graduate to this formulation. I like it best because its formulated to be easily digested while supporting healthy bones and joints, says Dr. Burch. It also has added the fatty acids of EPA and DHA, which help promote healthy joints, skin, and coat. Depending on your dogs energy level and weight, you can customize the portion size using Royal Canins feeding guide, which recommends feeding 75-pound dogs that are moderately active four cups per day. Speaking of maintaining your pups coat, youll want to bookmark these tips on how to groom your dog.
Highlights:
via chewy.com
What To Look For In Your Large Breed Puppy Dog Food
Proteins
Since protein is the building block for muscles, your large breed pup needs a lot of it. Top-quality dog food for large breed puppy should be more than 30 percent protein. An interesting thing about protein is that a puppy needs more protein than a grown-up dog. That is because they are in their growth phase and they need a hefty supply of building blocks. Look for proteins from animal meat instead of by-products.
Fatty Acids
Large breed pups need less fat because they are susceptible to obesity. The only case where you can feed your pal a puppy food with more than 10 percent fat is if it is a highly active and athletic breed. However, low in fat diet doesnt mean low in fatty acids. Fatty acids arent just good for skin and coat, they are also great for joints. Large breed pups with a rich coat will need puppy food with a higher amount of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids.
Calcium
Healthy bones and joints should be your core concern when choosing the best dog food for large breed puppies. Calcium is essential for bones. However, most large breeds are unable to regulate the absorption of calcium. They tend to absorb more than other breeds, and that may cause calcium retention. Calcium retention is just as bad for your babys bones as calcium deficiency. Look for food with not more than 1.5 percent calcium.
Phosphorus
Glucosamine
Since bones and joints are foremost concerns in large breed pups, it is a good idea to pick a puppy food with glucosamine.
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Holistic Select Large Breed Puppy Lamb Meal & Oatmeal Dog Food
Best For Sensitive Stomach
Top 5 Ingredients: 1. Lamb Meal, 2. Oatmeal, 3. Brown Rice, 4. Pumpkin, 5. Cranberries
- Life Stage: Puppy
- Suitable for: Large, Giant Breeds
- Caloric content : 3,766 kcal
Holistic Select has the perfect blend of gentle ingredients to feed sensitive puppies. Its two main ingredients are lamb meal and oatmeal both crucial for building muscle blocks and fueling your dogs daily activities. Digestive enzymes make the food even easier to process and probiotics help strengthen your puppys gut health.
Since the formula is made for large breeds, it has glucosamine to reinforce their joints and prevent mobility issues later in life. Omega-3 fatty acids are also included in the mix for softer, shinier coat health. Youll also get fresh fruits like cranberries, apples, and pumpkin in the recipe all of which make the food tastier, healthier, and more appealing to your puppy.
Analysis: Protein 25%, Fat 15%, Fiber 5%, Moisture 10%
Earthborn Holistic Large Breed
Earthborn has a great reputation as an American brand sold worldwide. Its high protein, grain-free, with added fish, egg, flaxseed, fruits and veggies. The protein comes from being a meat and peas recipe, with the upside of that being its not full of high carbohydrate grains or potatoes.
At over $1 per 100g in 12kg bags its not the most affordable, but from Earthborn large breed youll benefit from a reliable manufacturer and a dog food far better than most!
If its too expensive, the next recommendation may suit you better.
Where to buy:
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Other Factors To Consider When Buying Puppy Food
Apart from the basic requirements for a good puppy food, you must also consider the following factors. These considerations will help you choose the best puppy food for your budget and receive the best bang for your buck:
1. Budget and value
Before you begin the hunt for a puppy food, consider your budget and the options available. Dont go for a higher-priced food unless youre sure you can afford it in the future. Once you have a couple of foods shortlisted, compare their ingredients, calories, brand reputation, and guaranteed analysis section. Spending a few minutes comparing these factors will help you get the best value for your money in the long run.
2. Taste and preferences
When buying dog food, make sure your puppys preferences are also taken into account. Do they prefer wet food over dry food? Are they more attracted to poultry than red meat? Is your puppy fond of eating the same food repeatedly? Answering these questions will help you pick a dog food that your puppy will love eating.
3. Guaranteed Analysis
Believe it or not, you can get a lot of information from the guaranteed analysis section alone. In fact, you should check the guaranteed analysis of each food separately and check whether it fulfills AAFCOs guidelines. For puppies, crude protein content should be at least 22.5%, and fat content should be at least 8.5%, as per AAFCO.
Further reading: