What Should You Look For In Large Breed Dog Food
You should take several factors into consideration, including your dogs age, breed, size, and activity level. For instance, large breed puppy foods should have a good amount of protein. They should have 30 percent protein and 9 percent fat on a dry matter basis in addition to calcium amounts up to 1.5 percent and phosphorus around 0.8 to 1 percent DM, explains Michelle Burch, DVM, a veterinarian with Safe Hounds Pet Insurance. Large breed puppy foods should also not be fed to a dog in all its life stages.
For adult dogs, youll need a diet that provides a balanced ratio of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Pay close attention to the labels on dog food and look for foods labeled complete and balanced, which is the best indicator that a food has all the necessary nutrients, says George Melillo, DVM, Chief Veterinary Officer and cofounder of Heart + Paw. Beyond that, of course, youll want to take your dogs special needs and preferences into consideration, as well as consult your vet. The expert-approved picks on this list will get you off to a good start and help your dog live a long, healthy life.
via chewy.com
What Ingredients Should You Avoid In Large Breed Dog Food
The right large breed dog food should be free from the following ingredients:
- Propylene Glycol. This is literally antifreeze and is used to prevent moisture build-up and bacteria growth in some dog food. This can be cancerous to a dogs intestines.
- Corn and Corn Products. Often used to sweeten the taste of dog food, this ingredient can lead to weight gain, diabetes, and altered mental behavior. It is commonly found in low-end dog food due to its inexpensive nature.
- Artificial Colors. Dyes are sometimes added to kibble to make it more aesthetic. Artificial colors have been linked to hyperactivity and improper biochemical processes.
- Meets AAFCO Standards. To ensure food is fit for your dog, it is generally a good idea to make sure it reaches AAFCO standards for dog food.
Best Wet Food: American Journey Grain
When it comes to wet food, you should look for one with several sources of lean animal protein and real meat ingredients, such as beef, lamb, and venison, says James Fuller, founder of the pet nutrition site HonestWhiskers.com. The best large breed dog food options, he explains, have higher protein content to ensure muscle maintenance, as well as development. Thats why he recommends this American Journey formulation. It also has whole-food ingredients that provide dense sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, he notes. The organ meat significantly boosts vitamin A content, too. Combined, these qualities will give your pups tons of energy. For a special snack, you can also try making these simple homemade dog treats.
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via petco.com
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Whats The Difference Between Large Breed Dog Food And Regular
Large breed dog food is different than regular kibble in both size and composition. Here are some of the differences:
- Big Kibble Size. Dry dog food made specifically for large dogs features larger kibble, which supports chewing. Chewing the food is important because it helps with nutrient breakdown and absorption.
- Joint Health. Large breed dog food often contains higher amounts of joint-friendly nutrients like glucosamine and chondroitin. Regular food is rarely supplemented as small, and medium-breed dogs are less prone to joint issues.
- Calorie Content. Large breed dog food, especially large breed puppy food, is made to be slightly less energy dense. This is to enable the puppy to grow at a healthy pace its bones can keep up with. If the food is too calorically dense, it may encourage the dog to grow too fast and cause or contribute to health issues.
- Digestive Supplements. Large breed dogs can have digestion issues. Large breed dog food is often supplemented with e helpful to have prebiotics, probiotics, and digestive enzymes. They support a healthy gut biome and digestion.
Selected Protein Pw Large Breed Dry Dog Food
Royal Canin Selected Protein Adult PW dry dog food is a veterinary-exclusive diet made with potato and whitefish for large breed dogs over 55 lbs with food sensitivities As a result of increased demand, you may experience difficulty purchasing certain products in the coming months. If you need an alternative diet recommendation or help locating a product, please contact our Nutritional Advisors at 800-592-6687 or via our Live Chat function.
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What Type Of Dog Food Should I Feed My Large Breed Dog
This is a common question that many dog owners have. Large breed dogs have different nutritional needs than smaller breeds, so it’s important to choose a food that is specifically tailored for them.
There are a lot of different dog foods on the market, so it can be overwhelming to try to figure out which one is best for your pet. To help make the decision easier, we’ve compiled a list of the 20 best dog foods for large breeds in 2022.
Each of these foods has been carefully selected to provide your big dog with the nutrients they need to stay healthy and happy. If you’re looking for the best food for your large breed dog, be sure to check out our list!
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
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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.
Best For Allergies: Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Large Breed Dog Food
Common allergy signs in dogs include itchiness, hives, diarrhea or vomiting, sneezing, chronic ear infections, constant licking, and itchy, watery eyes. If your pet has any of these symptoms regularly, your vet may recommend changing his diet. Fuller likes this Natural Balance formulation because it contains grains, it is gluten-free, helping with larger dogs energy and limiting common allergens. And since it contains only one protein source versus multiple protein sources, it limits the risk of new food allergies developing. An added perk: The kibble is larger than that of other dog foods, proper chewing, while its rough texture assists with cleaning teeth, Fuller explains.
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What Is A Large Breed Dog
Dogs come in all shapes and sizes, each with their own unique needs, but we can help narrow down their nutritional needs by categorizing them according to their size. When it comes to food, dogs are placed in three categories: Small, Medium, and Large.
A dog is considered a large breed if they are over 60 lbs at their full-grown weight. This is a general guideline, but an easy way to tell if your dog is going to have a longer growing period and is more prone to suffer from common large breed issues.
We typically use weight to classify dogs, but thats not the only factor. Some breeds share the needs of large breeds even if they dont typically get that big. Stocky breeds like Staffordshire Terriers and Bulldogs sometimes only reach 30-40 lbs but should be treated and fed like a large breed.
How Do I Know If My Puppy Is A Large Breed
The pet food industry3 defines a large breed puppy as one whose ADULT weight is expected to be more than 70 pounds.
However
Since its not possible to know your puppys adult weight before shes fully grown
Its far safer to use a more conservative 50 pound definition for large breed dogs proposed by others.45678
If you expect your dog to weigh over 50 pounds when fully grown then shes considered a large breed puppy.
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Best For Seniors: Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula
Aging may be a fact of life, but the right food can help your pet stay healthier in his golden years. This food is rich in antioxidants, which helps senior dogs be more active, Fuller explains. The contents found in this dog food primarily promote muscle maintenance and immune health. And thats not all: Its also packed with vitamin E, which helps prevent tissue damage associated with aging in dogs, as well as glucosamine, which wards off joint disease. That way, your furry BFF will be by your side for years to come. FYI, these dog breeds live the longest.
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via chewy.com
Vital Nutrition For Large Breed Dogs
Feeding Recommendations
We recommend feeding Bil-Jac® Large Breed Adult on a scheduled and controlled basis. Most adult dogs may be fed once daily. However, twice a day feeding may be preferable based on specific needs. Use the feeding chart as a starting point. The proper amount to feed will vary according to the environment and activity of your dog. Make feeding adjustments to maintain proper weight and condition.
Fresh water should be kept available at all times. For your pets health, see your veterinarian regularly. Store this bag in a cool, dry place.
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Only Natural Pet Canine Powerfood Large Breed Feast Grain
Deboned turkey, turkey meal and chicken meal are the first 3 ingredients found in Only Natural Pet Canine PowerFood Large Breed Feast Dry Dog Food. Holistically formulated, the quality proteins are designed to help large breed dogs with slower metabolism. Complex carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes and garbanzo beans provide energy and help maintain a healthy weight in your large breed dog.
Look For Information About Any Feeding Trials
Reputable manufacturers of doggie foodstuff always include some paragraph about the feeding trials that they or a third-party organization has conducted about the generation of a conclusion that led to the formulation of the nutritional adequacy statement.
If the product states that it has a well-balanced formula for dogs that are suffering from joint problems, then it should also contain a paragraph about what tests or feeding trials were done to justify this claim.
More importantly, however, is the validity of their tests. So, if they conducted the feeding trials on healthy dogs without joint problems, do you think its right to say that their product is suitable for dogs with arthritis and other joint issues?
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Recommended Serving Amounts For Homemade Dog Food
As a general rule, dogs will eat around 2 to 3 percent of their ideal body weight in fresh food daily. Larger breeds may need as little as 1 1/2 percent, and smaller breeds may need as much as 4 percent.
This works out to be approximately:
- 2 pounds of food per day for a 100-pound dog
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of food per day for a 50-pound dog
- 1/2 to 3/4 pound of food per day for a 25-pound dog
- 5 to 6 1/2 ounces of food per day for a 10-pound dog
There is much variation in what the ideal amount should be as it depends on how much your dog weighs and how active she is.
I feel that the best approach is to feed and watch if your dog is losing weight, give more, and if your dog is gaining weight, give less.
For our pugs, we feed a scoop each in the morning and a scoop each in the evening, plus all their supplements.
We have an easy system for this: homemade food is refrigerated in a sealed container with a measuring cup , and all the supplements are lined up together in a cupboard in the kitchen. Keeping your ingredients organized and accessible will make feeding time fast and smooth.
Compared to feeding commercial food, where you might scoop out kibbles or open up a can, feeding homemade food with all the supplements takes maybe 10 seconds more. And even if it took 10 minutes more, fresh wholesome food for our furbabies is worth it.
Best Large Breed Dog Food Canada
Oh, Canada. We have so many natural resources, and our farmers and ranchers are some of the best in the world, so why not look for a pet food that uses Canadian ingredients. You dont have to travel the globe to find high-quality dog food, so check out a few of the truly Canadian brands that we love:
- Single protein formula suitable for sensitivities
- Probiotic blend helps to maximize digestion
- Glucosamine and chondroitin help support joint health
- Canadian sourced and manufactured with ingredients from local farmers
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General Requirements For A High
Only uses named meats. A high-quality food names the meats that go into it. Youll see an ingredient list including chicken, beef, lamb meal, and duck fat. A low-quality food contains meat, animal by-products and poultry.
The difference between the two is that the latter could contain any number of different animals and body parts of varying quality. This is particularly crucial when shopping for a dog with allergies.
Free of any artificial flavors, dyes, or preservatives. These ingredients can have health implications that should be difficult to ignore.
Minimally processed. The more that any ingredient is processed, the more it loses its natural nutritional value. Consequently, a highly-processed dog food includes more additives that attempt to compensate for the loss of natural nourishment.
Filler-free. Common dog food fillers include corn, soy, and wheat. These ingredients offer minimal nutritional value and can cause digestive issues.
Best Dry Foods For Dogs: Buying Guide & Faqs
It is easy to tell someone to feed their dog with only the best, healthiest, well-balanced, high-quality dog food. Unfortunately, knowing where and how to start can often be intimidating, especially among newbies.
While everyone knows that optimum canine nutrition can lead to healthier, shinier, and smoother coats, a stronger immune system, and a more efficient digestive system, few know how to buy high-quality dog food.
So weve collected tips and bits of advice from leading canine nutrition experts to let you in on their secrets when it comes to buying healthy dog food.
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Best Large Breed Puppy Food
Even your large breed puppy needs quality nutrition. If youre looking for the best grain inclusive puppy food for your large breed dog, this all life stages recipe is made with high-quality chicken meal for a natural source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate to help your large breed puppy develop strong joints and keep them strong throughout their adult life.
Read And Understand The Products Nutrition Standard Statement
The first step in selecting healthy dog food is determining the nutrition standards observed by the pet food manufacturer about the guidelines set by the AAFCO. Remember that the ingredients listed on any products label correspond to their weight and are mostly expressed as a percentage of a particular serving size. In addition, the ingredients are often listed in order of decreasing weight, so you can expect heavier ingredients to be at the top of such a list.
Regrettably, this is where some issues arise, especially in dry kibble formulations. The weight of these heavy ingredients is typically measured before dehydrating the product. Once the ingredient has already been dehydrated, its weight may no longer be equal to what is printed on the label. The reason is quite simple. Meats like poultry, fish, and livestock typically contain 70 percent water. When they are prepared, they are mixed with other ingredients to make up the batch of doggie food. Once all the mixing and cooking have been completed, the entire mixture is dehydrated, or its water content is removed. If this happens with moisture-rich food items, you can imagine what will happen to the essential nutrients that are often found at the bottom of the list.
It pays to know that what the packaging says it contains is more a reflection of its pre-dehydration measurements.
You may also like our article on Best Dehydrated Dog Food.
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