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Do you want your pit bull to grow healthy and strong?
We review the 5 Best Dog Foods for pit bulls.
Introduction
As the saying goes, good dragons in the hands of evil people tend to do bad things. The same can be said of pit bulls. Throughout history, pit bulls have garnered a bad reputation, primarily because of their aggressive nature.
The truth is, pit bulls, such as the American Pit Bull Terrier or the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, are some of the most lovable, loyal, and people-oriented and hardworking pets, when well cared for (http://www.vetstreet.com/dogs/american-pit-bull-terrier). If you want a pet that can do more than provide company, they make the best search and rescue dogs and seizure watchdogs and can even comfort nursing home residents.
The crucial point to understand is that getting a new pit bull equates to bringing in a new family member. Subsequently, you ought to make daily commitments in order to him to build a successful relationship. The most important of these activities is feeding him the right high-quality dog food. Read on to learn the best dog food for pit bulls.
At a Glance: Our Choices of the Dog Foods for Pit Bulls
- Taste of the Wild Dry Dog Food
- Wellness Core Natural Grain-Free Dog Food
- Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast
- Blue Buffalo Limited Ingredient
- The Honest Kitchen Force Dehydrated Dog Food
DOG FOOD | DETAILS | OUR RATING |
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Taste of the Wild Dry Dog Food |
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Wellness Core Natural Grain-Free Dog Food |
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Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast |
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Blue Buffalo Limited Ingredient |
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The Honest Kitchen Force Dehydrated Dog Food |
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Special Dietary and Nutritional Concerns
The pit bull is a medium-sized dog breed, which poses a challenge when trying to balance between calories and nutrients. Like all dogs, your pit bull requires a healthy diet, mainly consisting of proteins to aid with maintaining muscle mass. If you intend to train him for sporting activities, you may need to up his calorie intake in the form of healthy fats.
According to PetMD, a pit bull’s weight should be between 30 and 90 lb. (http://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/c_dg_american_pit_bull_terrier). An adult pit bull requires 30 calories per pound of bodyweight. This totals about 900 calories daily. If he weighs close to 60 pounds, you should increase his calorie intake to 1800 calories per day.
Aside from determining a diet schedule based on his weight and activity level, you should also familiarize yourself with common medical problems that affect this breed. For instance, pit bulls are susceptible to musculoskeletal issues, most notably hip and elbow dysplasia. It is, therefore, imperative to offer your dog supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin. These nutrients work well to support your dog’s joints and bones.
Additionally, a pit bull is prone to certain pet food allergies such as grains and fillers. A quick remedy for this is to feed him foods with low to zero grains.
A few dog breeds are nibblers—they just take a few bites at a time. Others, however, are gobblers. Pit bulls fall in the latter category of species. If you own this breed, then you are probably familiar with his tendency to devour meals before you can even set their food bowls on the floor. It is this behavior that puts them at a risk of choking and bloating.
Bloating occurs when the abdomen becomes filled with air, which forces the stomach to twist on its axis. In the worst scenario, bloating could impede the flow of blood to vital organs. Luckily, you can prevent this by dividing his food into small portions.
So, just what is the best dog food for pit bulls?
Reviews of the Top Dog Food for Pit Bulls
Let us look at some of the top dog food options for your pit bull.
Taste of the Wild Dry Dog Food
This is our top pick for pit bull puppies. Featuring high-quality ingredients, every flavor of Taste of the Wild is uniquely formulated to meet your pit bull’s protein requirements. What we liked most about this product is how the company steam dries their food using purified water. This process ensures that no nasty chemicals are present.
Taste of the Wild has zero grains, 25% proteins and 15% fat, which falls on the lower boundary. Ideally, its fat content is low enough to be regarded healthy and sufficient enough for your pit bull’s energy needs. Also, its grain-free nature is a big plus for pit bulls with sensitive digestive tracts.The main source of the proteins is salmon, which also helps to improve your puppy’s coat and skin health. But that is not all. The kibble pieces are incredibly small, making them easy for your puppy pit bull to consume.
Wellness Core Grain-FreeDry Dog Food
Fish is known as an excellent source of high-quality protein in pet food for dogs. Aside from this, it also provides healthy omega fatty acids and tons of micronutrients. With the ocean whitefish, salmon, and herring formula integrated in the Wellness Core Natural, this is high-quality protein dog food for pit bulls.
It is entirely grain-free, as it instead contains nutritious complex carbs, provided by peas, potatoes, and spinach. Wellness Core is a reputable company when it comes to manufacturing nutrient-rich dog foods, and its Natural Grain-Free product for pit bulls is no exception.
Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast Natural Dry Dog Food
Earthborn Holistic is one of the few foods, which makes quality a priority. And it’s an incredibly healthy food for pit bulls for several reasons. First, it is rich in protein. Of the total dry matter of the pet food, proteins make up at least 42%. What’s more, these proteins come from some wholesome, high-quality protein sources that include bison meal, lamb meal, and egg.
Second, this dog food is packed with fruit, vegetables and omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids not only help to make your pit bull’s coat shiny but also boost his brain functioning. Yes, it is definitely not the cheapest dog food options on the market. However, if you try it for the next four to six months, you will question the fact that you ever invested in other products.
Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Dry Dog Food
Pit bulls are one of the few breeds prone to skin allergies. In case your pit bull suffers from such sensitivities, you may want to consider the Blue Buffalo Limited dog food. The ingredients in this dog food help to minimize sensitivities while providing optimal nutritional value.
If you are like most dog owners, you are often concerned about the meat by-products and fillers found in a vast majority of dog food products. Thankfully, this is one less thing to worry about when you invest in Blue Buffalo Limited product. It neither has meat by-products nor artificial flavors. It also has high contents of antioxidants, which are handy in boosting your dog’s immune system.
Check out a more detailed review of Blue Buffalo Limited Ingredient from Chewy.com here:
The Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Dog Food
Unquestionably, this is one of the best dog food brands for pit bulls. The only reason for ranking it last is its price. Frankly, it is expensive—probably too expensive for the average dog owner. However, with the quality of ingredients and attention given to its manufacturing process, it is totally worth it!
What makes this product a real force to reckon with in the dog food making industry is its manufacturing process. Honest Kitchen employs dehydration to manufacture its products. Dehydrating not only improves the shelf life but also preserves most of its nutritional integrity. Therefore, you are rest assured that your pit bull will be getting all the nutrients he deserves. Moreover, all the ingredients in this food are human-grade. It means that the elements in this dog food are usually taste tested by two-legged creatures: humans.
Conclusion
A big role in being a responsible pit bull owner is feeding him correctly. First, understand that naturally, he is a high-energy and athletic dog breed. Given their structure, pit bulls require plenty of bodybuilding and energy-giving foods. And while the market is filled with tons of dog foods for pit bulls, not all of them will work.
For the best results, you should buy him one of these products: Taste of the Wild Dry Dog Food, the Wellness Core Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, Earthborn Holistic Great Plains, Blue Buffalo Basics Limited and The Honest Kitchen Force Dehydrated Dog Food. Whether you own an American Pit Bull Terrier or other breed of pit bull, you should try one of the high-quality dog food brands listed in the review.
Top Picks For Our Dogs
- BEST PUPPY TOY
We Like: Calmeroos Puppy Toy w/ Heartbeat and Heat Packs - Perfect for new puppies. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. - BEST DOG CHEW
We Like: Bones & Chews Bully Sticks - All of our puppies love to bite, nip, and chew. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. - BEST DOG TREATS
We Like: Crazy Dog Train Me Treats - One of our favorite treats for training our service dog puppies. - BEST FRESH DOG FOOD
We Like: The Farmer's Dog - A couple months ago we started feeding Raven fresh dog food and she loves it! Get 50% off your first order of The Farmer's Dog.
For a list of all the supplies we get for our new service dog puppies check out our New Puppy Checklist on the PuppyInTraining.com blog.