The 8 Best Dog Foods for Pitbulls: Puppies, Adults, Seniors and More
By Ashley Turner Last Updated June 14, 2022
We independently research and recommend the best products; Learn more here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our product recommendations.
Contents
To help save you time and possible frustration, a guide has been composed to assist you in figuring out the needs of your pooch. We also devised a list of our top 5 picks to find out what is the overall best dog food for pitbulls along with what food might be best for your pit bull.
Quick Look at Our Top Picks
---------------------------------------------------
Best for Adults: Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast at Chewy
"This grain-free, gluten-free dry food is ideal for pitbulls as it has an average protein content of around 34 percent."
Best for Seniors: Avoderm Natural Senior Health+ at Amazon
"This senior dog food contains avocados which support skin and coat health."
Best for Puppies: Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy at Chewy
"This puppy food contains a proteins, fats, calcium, and fiber to aid in your puppy's digestion."
Best to Gain Weight/Muscle: Bully Max High Performance Premium at Amazon
"This dog food comes packed with calories, and your dog will get 535 for every cup you feed them."
Best for Weight Loss: Wellness CORE Reduced Fat Grain Free at Chewy
"This food has 25% less fat than the original and helps maintain a proper weight in your pitbull."
Best Wet Food: Purina Beyond Grain Free Adult Wet Dog Food at Chewy
"Every ingredient in this food can get traced back to reputable and trusted sources throughout the United States."
Best for Sensitive Stomach: Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient at Chewy
"This food has a single source of protein and is easily digestible without fillers or additives."
Best for Skin Allergies: Blue Buffalo Limited Ingredient at Chewy
"This food has turkey as the main ingredient and is made without poultry by-product meals, artificial flavors or preservatives."
Why Are The Dietary Needs of Your Pitbull Important?
In order to guarantee that your pooch will live a life that is of the highest quality, you must get familiar with what types of foods he needs in his diet. Since pitbulls are muscular and have plenty of energy, it can be difficult to pick a food that is right for your dog without understanding what nutrients he needs and why he needs them.
When it comes to feeding your pitbull, search for a food that provides a high quality animal protein and carbohydrates to provide him with energy that will last awhile. Foods produced with low-quality protein sources and carbohydrates will leave your pup feeling tired much quicker.
Take notice of your dog's behavior as licking, scratching, and rashes can often mean that he is suffering from a food-related allergy or stomach sensitivity as these are common for pitbulls. Sensitivities may present themselves in different ways such as unusual bowel movements and nausea.
If you do have a reason to be concerned, start by checking your dog's food and seeing if bone meal, meat by-products, corn, soy, or wheat is one of the top five ingredients listed. These ingredients are common irritants for pitbulls and most dogs alike.
Why Would You Feed Your Pitbull Food That Is Classified As Hypoallergenic or Grain-Free?
Overall, grains typically are not a good source of carbohydrates for pitbulls as they tend to be allergic.
While grain-free dog food does not contain grains, it may still contain soy and egg which are known allergens. It is ideal for a pitbull with acute allergies to try a hypoallergenic food as it does not contain grain, soy, corn, eggs, and gluten.
Transitioning your pup onto a food that is the best fit for him may take some time, so patience is key. If your pitbull has symptoms such as loose stool, excessive gas, or loss of appetite, you might want to try another food, eliminate ingredients that are common allergens along with seeking the opinion of a veterinarian.
Benefits of Feeding Your Pitbull a Healthy Diet
Dogs need to be fed quality food. A diet that consists of food that lacks nutrients will only leave your pooch lacking the nourishment he needs to stay strong and agile.
However, quality food often comes with a higher price tag than a dog food found at the grocery store. This results in individuals purchasing cheap food without knowing the true cost.
Cheap food is made with low-quality ingredients that will eventually lead to health problems later down the road which will end in a boat load of veterinary bill. However, many pet owners notice that when they switched to a higher quality food, their amount of vet visits decreased.
Similar human athletes, pitbulls need to consume more protein, carbs, and fat in their diet in comparison to most other breeds. Vitamins and minerals may vary in whether or not they are essential due to the age and size of your dog.
Is Your Pitbull Eating Too Fast? Try a Slow Feeder Dog Bowl.
Nutritional Requirements for Pitbulls
Meals should occur twice a day for adult pitbulls, while puppies and young adults should have 3 meals a day since they are still growing and burn an excess of energy. Both adults and puppies are able to have healthy treats, but it should not consist be more than 10% of your dog's total calories for the day.
While the AAFCO recommends a minimum protein of 22% for puppies and 18% for adult dogs, it is important to keep in mind that because pitbulls are such a muscular breed a protein content of 25%-30% protein is necessary for typical adult pitbulls. For muscle growth and overall development in incredibly active dogs, it increases to a protein content of 30%-40%.
High quality protein is essential for your pitbull's diet as it can repair tissue and assist in bone growth along with reducing injuries that pitbulls are prone to. However, be cautious of chicken as many dogs tend to be allergic to it.
Fat is needed in your dog's diet as it provides energy and regulates the body's temperature along with assisting with a shiny coat. Ideally, your pitbull's fat content should be between 15%-25%.
Carbohydrates also provide energy and aid in digestion, however, no getting enough carbs in your pup's diet can make their body use their own muscle as an energy source. Sweet potato, oatmeal, brown rice, and barley are common carbohydrates of high standards.
The calories required for your pitbull may change depending on what stage in their life they are at. Keep in mind that weight, age, and activity level are factors that will accurately allow you to calculate how many calories your dog should intake daily.
It is important to precisely determine these factors as they may drastically affect your dog's weight over time if the calorie intake is incorrect. If you have any trouble figuring out how many calories your dog needs daily, a veterinarian can help you find the best number for your pitbull.
As a general rule of thumb, old pitbulls should have around 875 calories daily while puppies, young dogs, and lactating mothers should intake around 1100 calories a day. If you have an incredibly active adult pitbull, you should increase to around 1750 calories a day.
Pitbulls who overeat will gain weight, even if they need a higher caloric intake. Obesity can impose health issues along with lower the quality of your pitbull's life.
Keep your pitbull hydrated because it helps the body run the way it should. Since they have a lot of muscle mass and have high energy levels, they will need water frequently.
Common Questions About Food for Your Pitbull
Is Chicken Bad for Pitbulls?
Chicken as a dog food ingredient is not bad for Pitbulls. What you need to know is if your Pitbull is allergic to chicken. If they are allergic then you need to find an alternate protein source (such as beef, salmon, lamb, etc.).
You need to also watch out for poultry byproducts, as they are heavily processed and lose a lot of nutritional value from the processing.
Is Blue Buffalo Good for Pitbulls?
Blue Buffalo is a solid dog food choice for your Pitbull, although it can be a bit more expensive than others. They have many different varieties and formulas available with most of them having a solid protein as the first ingredient. That is why it has been a popular choice for Pitbull owners.
Is Purina a good dog food for Pitbulls?
Purina is one of the biggest dog food brands that has been in business for over 18 years. They make both the expensive, high end dog food and low cost dog food. They are a solid brand choice to keep your Pitbull happy and healthy regardless of your budget.
How Much Should a Pitbull Eat Daily?
This really varies on the size, weight, and activity level of your Pitbull. As a rule of thumb, adult Pitbulls should eat 2-3 meals a day with an incredibly active adult Pitbull eating around 1750 calories a day. It's important to see how many calories are in a cup of dog food since each brand/formula can have drastically different amounts of calories in each cup.
What is the Best Dog Food for Pitbull Puppies?
Your pitbull puppy is a bundle of energy, and you want to keep them as healthy as possible. Ensuring that you feed them the best dog food for pitbull puppies is one way to start your puppy off right and keep them growing at a healthy rate.
There are many factors to consider when you're choosing a puppy food including protein content, fat content, fiber, and calcium. Feeding your pitbull puppy a high-quality medium to large breed puppy food will get them on the right track for a healthy immune system, and a healthy coat and skin.
Pitbull Puppy Food Protein Requirements
Since the pitbull is a muscular breed, they need a steady diet of protein. A lot of high-quality medium to large breed puppy foods have high protein counts.
Your pitbull puppy's dog food should have between 22 percent to 32 percent for a protein count or higher. This higher protein count supports healthy bone growth and provides your puppy with much-needed energy.
The higher quality puppy foods will get their proteins from whole meats like chicken, beef, duck, salmon, or whitefish. Ideally, the puppy food will list these in the top ingredients, and they'll get part of them for necks or organs.
Pitbull Puppy Food Fat Requirements
Fats and omega fatty acids are more important things to look for in your pitbull puppy's food. You want a food with a fat content of 10 percent to 25 percent.
Good fats are essential for your puppy's healthy growth and the development of your puppy's immune system. Additionally, they help your puppy's body absorb vitamins and nutrients as well.
Your food should have a high-protein and high-fat diets, and you want to avoid foods that don't have a meat product listed in the first few ingredients.
Our Top Food Pick for Pitbull Puppies
We've selected Taste of the Wild Grain-Free Dry Puppy Food as the best dog food for pitbull puppies. This food comes in two different flavors and has bison as the first ingredient.
It is a grain free recipe, and it contains antioxidants, a blend of essential fatty acids, and a higher protein count. Additionally, the kibble pieces are smaller, and this makes them easier for your pitbull puppy to eat.
This puppy food contains a proteins, fats, calcium, and fiber to aid in your puppy's digestion. The salmon oils will work to improve your puppy's coat and skin health as well.
Taste of the Wild Grain-Free Dry Puppy Food contains:
- Crude Protein - 28 Percent
- Crude Fat - 17 Percent
- Crude Fiber - 5 Percent
- Calcium - 1.4 Percent
You should carefully monitor your puppy's food intake as pitbulls may overeat if they're left to graze. Ideally, you should feed your puppy the recommended amount and take the bowl away after 30 minutes as this is more than enough time for them to eat.
|
Things We Liked
|
|
Things We Didn't Like
|
What is the Best Dog Food for Senior Pitbulls?
Pitbulls are agile but muscular dogs that typically weight between 30 and 70 pounds. These dogs enjoy their food, so you have to monitor and measure their food.
Your average pitbull should consume between 745 and 1,407 calories per day. They may need slightly more or less depending on their activity level and their metabolism.
Important Factors and Ingredients in Your Senior Pitbull's Food
Your pitbull needs protein and healthy fats, and these are an essential part of their diets. Ideally, they should have 18 percent protein and 5 percent fats.
It is important to note that the best dog food for senior pitbulls will contain these percentages or a higher amount. These can give your older pitbull energy, and they may help to protect against joint problems.
Your dog food should ideally contain two or three meat proteins, and they should be either the first or among the first ten ingredients listed on the dog food package. They will be listed either under whole meats or meat meals.
Additionally, many pitbulls may be prone to food allergies and common food irritants are corn, soy, or wheat. So, a grain free dog food may be a better choice for your senior pitbull.
However, there are several other common food allergens that your dog may react to and they include:
- Beef
- Chicken
- Chicken Eggs
- Dairy Products
- Fish
As a general rule, many people avoid grains and soy products when they choose a dog food to try and avoid setting off any allergic reactions.
Even if you want to avoid soy or corn products, your senior pitbull might be able to eat barley, oats, rice, or another grain cereal. Finally, pitbulls are a breed that tends to do well with lower carbohydrate levels.
Our Top Pick for the Best Dog Food for Older Pitbulls
AvoDerm Natural Senior Health+ Dog Food is our pick for the best dog food for senior pitbulls. Lamb, chicken, and salmon meal are three of the top ten ingredients, and this senior dog food is grain free.
It has 28 percent protein and ten percent crude fat per serving, and this makes this dog food more than adequate for your senior pitbull's health. Additionally, this senior dog food contains avocados which support skin and coat health.
AvoDerm dog food has only natural ingredients with no preservatives, by-product meals, colors, or artificial flavors. It is also free of corn, soy, and wheat for a healthier food choice.
This dog food is also packed full of vitamins, minerals, and various antioxidants that support a healthy immune system, brain function, eyes, and joints (glucosamine and chondroitin). The high-quality fats and oils in this food are balanced out with Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
AvoDerm designed this dog food to be gentle on even sensitive stomachs, and the smaller kibble size makes it easier for smaller pitbulls to eat. Additionally, it has peas, beans, and tomato pomace as a healthy filler.
|
Things We Liked
|
|
Things We Didn't Like
|
Our Top Pick for the Best Pitbull Food to Gain Muscle and Weight
Bully Max has the only meat-based formula dog food of its kind, and you can customize your order by choosing from a 15 or 40 pound bag. This dog food comes packed with calories, and your dog will get 535 for every cup you feed them to enable you to feed them less while bulking them up.
You can feed your Pitbull this food throughout their lives starting at four weeks and continuing on well into their lives without a problem, and it comes with all-natural ingredients that are less prone to cause reactions. There is no wheat, corn, or soy in this dog food, and this makes it a good choice for dogs that have allergies or sensitivities.
You'll find no hidden ingredients, and no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives in this dog food, and this makes it a healthier choice overall for your dog. The kibble is a good size for both puppies and adults to eat without a problem, but you do have to monitor them to make sure they're not getting too many calories because they can gain weight quickly.
Pitbull parents that bought this food liked that it came so calorie-dense because it allowed them to cut back on their portion sizes. Pitbull parents did mention that this food was a much more expensive option than other types.
Want to see other choices for gaining weight or muscle? Check out our article, Best Dog Food for Pitbulls to Gain Weight and Muscle.
|
Things We Liked
|
|
Things We Didn't Like
|
Our Top 5 Picks for the Best Dog Foods for Pitbulls
1. Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast
With lean, red meat bison as the top ingredient, this grain-free, gluten-free dry food is ideal for pitbulls as it has an average protein content of around 34 percent. Compared to fresh bison, the bison meal contains way more protein.
It also contains high levels of antioxidants nutrients, such as Vitamin C and Vitamin E. This formula is packed plenty of fruits including peas, blueberries, cranberries, apples, and spinach.
L-carnitine is present in this formula, which is great for pitbulls as it helps to convert fat in the body to muscle mass and energy. Also, it contains Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids which are not only helpful for a shiny skin and coat but also assist with brain function and behavior.
For a 28-pound bag, this is in between Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food Original Formula and Taste of the Wild High Prairie Dog Food in both affordability and product size.
One customer enjoys knowing that the food her dogs happily eat every day is potato-free. Typically, most potatoes are used as fillers in certain dog foods as they provide little to no nutritional benefit.
A reviewer stated that she was unsatisfied as her dogs had gotten nausea and loose stool due to eating this food, and she was unable to return the food.
|
Things We Liked
|
|
Things We Didn't Like
|
2. Taste of the Wild High Prairie Dog Food
Taste of the Wild High Prairie is a grain-free dog food that is formulated with sweet potatoes and peas that makes it easily digestible for pitbulls. With a 32% protein minimum, this product is made with bison, venison, and buffalo.
As it is supplemented with vegetables and fruits, this formula provides plenty of antioxidants to ensure that your dog is getting all the nutrients he needs. Each cup of this food has 370 kcals.
A 30-pound bag retails for much less than other brands making it an affordable high-quality dog food for pit bulls.
One customer stated that the kibble is dark and rich in color and does not crumble easily, ensuring you are getting the most out of your money and not winding up with a bunch of crumbs filling the bottom of the bag. Another happy customer stated that she refused to feed her pitbulls any food besides Taste of The Wild as they have sensitive skin.
Consumers recommend buying this product locally as bad batches have been floating around the internet, causing loose stool and nausea. Some customers also noticed a sizing different in the kibble of bags purchased online versus bags purchased in stores.
|
Things We Liked
|
|
Things We Didn't Like
|
3. Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Wellness Core Natural Grain Free Original Formula contains deboned chicken, chicken meal, and turkey meal as its primary ingredients with a protein content of around 40 percent. This formula uses natural ingredients and does not contain corn, soy, wheat, meat by-product, along with artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
The fat content is enough for it to be healthy, yet it might not be enough for athletic dogs. Since this food contains a prebiotic, it could assist in promoting your dog's overall digestive health.
A 26-pound bag is a little expensive compared to other brands that even provide more quantity. However, it is made only in the USA and backed by the Wellness Guarantee, if for some reason your dog does not like the formula or if it simply not the right fit for your pitbull.
One customer loves this formula as it has helped her senior dog lose weight and regain his energy, improving his overall quality of life. However, the customer did notice that the kibble typically has dust on it that end up getting stuck to the bottom of her dog's bowl so she sifts the food through a colander before feeding him.
A few customers have received bad batches of this formula that have gotten moldy due to getting wet and/or smell terrible.
|
Things We Liked
|
|
Things We Didn't Like
|
4. Natural Ultramix Grain-Free Duck, Sweet Potatoes and Whole Peas Entrée
Duck is the main ingredient used in this dog food, which is great if you have a dog that has allergies to common proteins. In addition to the 38% protein content, this product contains plenty of fruits and vegetables to satisfy your pitbull's need, such as bananas, carrots, cranberries, apples, and blueberries.
This formula does not contain any soy, corn or wheat as well as being made in the United States, and none of the ingredients are sourced from China. For a 25 pound bag, this product is within the same price range as the others but provides less product for more money.
A customer raved about this product as she always receives bags that are fresh. She stated that her dog enjoys the kibble and real fruit pieces; overall, this product is great for all dogs because the kibble is not too hard.
However, another customer noticed quality differences after Castor and Pollux were purchased by Purina. After the switch, her dog had experienced diarrhea and nausea, but she was unable to return the bag.
|
Things We Liked
|
|
Things We Didn't Like
|
5. Canidae Grain Free PURE Fresh Salmon Dry Dog Food
To remain simple, it is created with 8 key ingredients such as fresh salmon, salmon meal, menhaden fish meal, sweet potatoes, peas, canola oil, sun-cured alfalfa, and potatoes in addition to natural flavor, vitamins, minerals, and probiotics mix. This formula provides Omega-6& Omega-3 fatty acids to help your dog achieve a beautiful skin and coat.
The probiotics used are able to aid in digestion and antioxidants are also added to support your pitbull's immune system. This formula is free of soy, corn, and wheat making it great for dogs with grain sensitivities.
This is the most expensive food mentioned as well as the provides the least amount of product, that is 24 pounds.
A customer who tried out this formula mentioned how her dogs loved the taste of it but she noticed that they were producing more stool, while it was solid and looked normal. She had reached out to Canidae and not only did they email her back with genuine concern, they had their vet email her as well to provide answers.
|
Things We Liked
|
|
Things We Didn't Like
|
6. Purina Beyond Grain Free Adult (Best Wet Dog Food for Pitbulls)
You get 12 cans each time you order this wet dog food, and the food comes in nine flavors, variety packs, single flavors, and food toppers in four sizes. The ground meat and gravy mix are easy for your dog to extract all of the nutrients.
Every ingredient in this food can get traced back to reputable and trusted sources throughout the United States, and the first ingredient in this formula is chicken. There are wholesome vegetable accents and no grains with this wet food, and these accents make the food very healthy.
There are no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, wheat, corn, soy, or poultry by-product meal. The added vitamins and minerals ensure your dog gets everything they need to grow and maintain a healthy body weight throughout their adult lives.
People liked the huge variety of choices they got when they picked out this dog food, and they were happy that the company could trace every ingredient back to a trusted and reputable source. People didn't like that this food had a strong smell when they opened it, and they didn't like that it tended to dry out quickly.
|
Things We Liked
|
|
Things We Didn't Like
|
Our Top Pick
Overall, Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast is the best dog food for pitbulls as it is high in protein and has moderate to high-fat content, unlike Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food. While most of the bags weight 26 pounds or less and cost a large chunk of change, this bag weighs 28 pounds and is relatively affordable per pound. However, if you get a bad batch, it is unlikely that you would be able to return it online but depending on the store, you might be able to exchange it for store credit.
