Top 5 Picks of Best Dog Food For Pitbulls – 2019’s Reviews & Buyer Guide

Pit Bulls are huge dogs that make great companion dogs despite the origin of the breed. Decades ago, breeders designed these dogs to bait bulls into the ring.

With their obedience and intelligence, Pit Bulls are perfect for the minority who enjoy dog fights. However, the same characteristics make Pit Bulls the best pets.

With their playful nature, these dogs spend lots of energy as pups and during their adult years and to sustain that, they require proper nutrition. Choosing the best dog food for pitbulls requires knowledge of the nutritional demands of dogs belonging to this breed as well as health issues that these dogs could face.

You can go straight to Amazon to see the customers’ reviews and buy the products by clicking links in the comparison table

Below here is our complete instruction about how to choose the products​, continue reading for more details

How much food should Pit Bulls eat?

Considered to be a medium-sized breed, Pit Bulls have a stock appearance and a muscular body. A small female Pit Bull can weigh about 30 pounds while a larger male dog could weigh 70 pounds. Given the range of their weights, proper nutrition would also depend on your dog’s activity and metabolism.

Pit Bulls love their food. You need to put them on a strict eating schedule if you do not want them to be obese. Measuring the amount of food they consume during each feeding is also a must.

Based on the weight range above, food consumption for Pit Bulls should be between 922 and 1740 calories. The caloric intake of puppies, younger dogs, and lactating dogs are higher, however. The average caloric intake of these animals should be 1,100.

Meanwhile, dogs that were neutered, spayed or are already old will be lower and on average these canines need 875 calories on a daily basis.

Although adult dogs can thrive on just one meal for the day, it would be better to feed adult Pit Bulls twice a day. Puppies and younger dogs should stick to a three meal day until they are old enough to transition to an adult dog’s feeding schedule.

What kind of diet is best for a Pit bull?

A balanced diet is necessary to keep your Pit Bull healthy. With their muscular built, dogs of this breed will need a sizeable amount of protein and fat in their diet. Of course, your dog’s diet will not be complete without carbohydrates but striking the right balance between these three is a must to ensure that your dog is getting sufficient nutrition

Protein	Fats	Carbs	Vitamin and Mineral
45%	25%	30%	5%

Protein Requirements

By nature, Pit Bulls are very energetic and active which means they require more protein in their diet than most adult dogs. Although the diet of adult dogs should include 25 to 30 percent protein, active Pit Bulls need as much as 40 to 50 percent protein.

However, quantity is not the only aspect that matter when it comes to your dog’s food, quality is also a priority. Your dog food should have two to three whole meat or meat meals in the list of ingredients.

Beef, chicken, lamb, turkey or fish could be the sources of whole meat. Meat meals, on the other hand, are concentrates of whole meat so the protein content is higher than whole meat. This ingredient is acceptable in dog food.

Pit Bull pups, in particular, will need more protein in their diet since they cannot use protein as efficiently as adult dogs. In pups, the quality of the protein is of primary importance. Muscle meat and eggs are among the best protein sources since it is 90 percent digestible.

Fat Requirements

Another necessary component in a Pit bull’s diet is fat. Fat serves as the primary energy source of the animal. Given how active most Pit bulls are, sufficient amounts of fat is a must.

Fat is a flavor booster in most dog foods. It is also needed to maintain optimum temperature and to have a healthy coat. Since obesity can be a big problem in Pit bulls, many dog owners scan fat contents carefully.

In most dog foods for a larger breed, the fat content is between 10 to 12 percent. However, this is lower compared to the recommended fat for Pit bulls which is 15 to 25 percent. Growing dogs, in particular, would need the extra fat in their diet.

Keeping the fat content of your dog food between optimal levels is a must. But it is also essential to consider the source of fat. Chicken fat, flax, and fish oil are good fat sources for your canine.

Just like in humans, though, excess fat can cause problems for your dog. For this breed, a moderate fat level is ideal because you do not want your dog to grow too big. Aside from that, maintaining fat levels will allow your dog to remain healthy and have lesser chances of developing a heart problem.

Carbohydrate Requirements

Of all the nutritional requirements of you need to come across for your Pit bull’s diet. The carb content of your dog food should be from low to moderate. Based on research, carbohydrates is not necessary to maintain a dog’s health.

The diet of puppies and young dogs should contain about 25 to 30 percent of carbohydrates. Unfortunately, most dog foods contain more than that amount.

A high carb diet can damage your dog’s health since it can produce loose stools and in some cases lead to diarrhea. When there are too many carbohydrates in your dog food, it’s hard to assimilate nutrients in the diet.

In the case of feeding your Pit bull, a low carb diet could work but try to steer clear of grains. High-quality carb sources such as brown rice, oats, barley, and sweet potato are great. However, don’t try to compensate for a low carb diet by adding excess protein.

Just like humans, Pit bulls need carbs for energy or else they could lose their muscle mass. Needless to say, they require a balanced diet. To achieve this, you need to choose dog foods carefully.

Mineral and Vitamin Requirements

After tackling the protein, fat, and carbohydrate requirements of a Pit bull, we will go to vitamins and minerals. Fruits and vegetables are the best sources of nutrition for dogs. Most high-quality commercial dog foods contain vitamins and minerals that could boost your dog’s immune system and promote overall health.

Among the most important minerals for dogs include calcium, phosphorus, iron, and sodium that are necessary for hemoglobin production. Giant and large dog breeds require at least 2 percent calcium in their diet to prevent skeletal abnormalities. Fortunately, most low carb high protein dog food contains about the same amount of calcium and these are appropriate for all life stages.

Contrary to these claims, puppies should only consume 1.1 to 1.5 percent of calcium. Rapid growth is not a good thing for large breeds since it doesn’t allow bones to grow slowly. If the bones cannot support the dog’s weight, your pet will suffer from numerous skeletal problems.

Aside from calcium, your dog also needs fiber in his diet. About 4 percent fiber would suffice.

In major dog food brands, a wide range of fruits and vegetables is good since it allows your dog to get its nutrition from different sources.

Are Pit bulls prone to food allergies?

Pit bulls just like other dogs may be prone to food allergies. In fact, these dogs could develop an allergic reaction to foods that they consumed without any problems before. The most common reason for these allergies is low-quality grain.

When your Pit bull develops a food allergy, the coat and skin usually suffer the most. Itching, skin rashes, hives, vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea are the most common symptoms of food allergies. Identifying the ingredients that your dog is allergic to is necessary to avoid these problems.

What foods are unhealthy for Pit bulls?

When you are choosing any dog food, you should be keen on the top five ingredients. Pit bulls, being a large muscular breed, have high protein needs.

If meat by-products and one meal is the main ingredient, try to avoid feeding it to your dog. These dogs require high-quality protein in their diet due to their active lifestyle. In some cases, meat by-products are unhealthy and unhygienic because they come from expired and dead meat.

Aside from that, you need to avoid corn, soy, and wheat as the primary dog food ingredients. These ingredients are fillers that don’t have real nutritional value for your dogs. Corn and soy, in particular, can cause bloating in Pit bulls.

These grains are present in many low quality dog foods because of how cheap they are. However, they don’t contain any calories or nutrients. Aside from that, they are known to cause allergic reactions that could put your dog’s health in peril.

Sugar and preservatives are also a no-no when it comes to dog food. They could cause allergies. These could also contribute to a dog’s rapid weight gain that could lead to obesity.

Now Let’s Have A Look at Our 5 Top Picks So Far

Taste of the Wild Dry Dog Food – Bison & Venison

When it comes to a Pitbulls, you want your canine to have access to protein. These large dogs have higher protein requirements given their body structure.

This dog food is mainly grain-free and the main ingredients include bison, lamb meal, and chicken meal.

The first three ingredients for this dog food are meat and meat concentrate. These are all good sources of protein. Based on this assessment, about 28 percent of this dog food is made of protein.

best dog food for pitbulls
Via: Amazon.com

This highly digestible dog food is perfect for active canines. There are also fruits and vegetables to provide the necessary vitamins and minerals to your dog.

With the inclusion of all the necessary ingredients to promote your dog’s heath, this brand is one of the most highly rated products out there.

Wellness CORE Natural Grain-Free with Turkey & Chicken

With chicken, chicken meal, and turkey meal as its primary ingredients, this dog food contains above average amounts of protein.

Based on the ingredients listed, protein content is approximately 40 percent which is ideal for Pit bulls.

The amount of fat in this dog food is low enough to be considered healthy. At the same time, the fat is sufficient to sustain the energy needs of your active Pit bull.

This grain free dog food is ideal for Pit bulls since these animals are prone to allergic reactions from the food they consume.​

Aside from that, Wellness CORE contains dietary fiber which could promote a dog’s digestive health. Prebiotic which is present in this dog food also helps promote bacterial growth for optimum digestion.

Natural Ultramix Duck, Sweet Potato & Peas

The main ingredient in this dog food is duck which is also another great source of protein for your canine. Aside from meat, this dog food also contains real fruits and veggies to supplement your dog’s nutritional needs.

According to the manufacturer’s claims, there is no soy, wheat, or corn in this dog food making it ideal even for picky eaters.

This dog food is made in the United States and no ingredients are sourced from China.

Based on an assessment of the dog food’s ingredients, the top three components are deboned duck, turkey meal, and lamb meal. All three are good sources of protein and they can do wonders for your dog food’s digestion.

The guaranteed protein content of this dog food is 38 percent. When you are interested in providing enough protein for your growing pets, this is a good choice.

Wilderness Blue Buffalo High Protein Dry Adult Dog Food with Salmon

Patterned after the diet that wolves have, this dog food contains mainly meat products.

When you have Pitbulls, this food is one of the best choices since this can support their muscle growth.

Dogs may have differing needs but one thing’s for sure –protein is a necessary component of your canine’s diet.

When you have a sensitive eater, this also happens to be a good pick because it is free of grains. Aside from that, there are LifeSource Bits in this dog food which is one of the trademark ingredients of Wilderness dog food.

Real meat is one of the food products your dog needs and Wilderness can give your canines the one nutrition their body craves.

The balance between carbs and proteins is healthy and based on the guaranteed analysis, the crude protein content is at 34 percent. This dog food also contains Omega 3 and Omega 6.

Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast Grain-Free

When it comes to protein content, this dog food will not be left out by competing brands.

Since red lean meat bison is the top ingredient, it meets the minimum requirement for choosing a good dog food when you have a Pitbull.

The bison meal contains more than 300 percent protein compared to fresh bison.

The average protein content of this dog food is pegged to be at 34 percent.

This dog food helps support the overall health of your canine which is a necessary requirement for canine nutrition.

This dog food brand is made in the United States and it is one of the most highly recommended products when it comes to dog food. When you have a dog which tends to be sensitive to most ingredients in commercial dog food, this is a good pick.

Conclusion

With their relatively large frame and muscular build, it is not surprising why Pit bulls will require a diet which is richer in protein. Compared to other dogs, these animals tend to be more active and energetic perhaps owing to their history as fighting dogs. Despite their negative reputation for being fierce and dangerous, this dog breed makes great companions.

Taking care of a Pit bull means meeting all their dietary requirements. For adult dogs, it is necessary to choose a high protein, moderate fat, and a low carb diet. Since these canines love their food, overeating is also a common problem which could lead to joint problems.

Choosing food that comes from a high-quality protein source is also necessary since these animals are prone to food allergies. Ideally, Pit bulls require a grain free formula since they could be prone to bloating.

With all of these things in mind, my suggestion for you guys is that the best choice for Pit bull owners would be the Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food.

Compared to the typical dog food, this product has above average protein content, nearly average fat content, and it is low in carbohydrates which are all ideal for maintaining a balanced diet for your canine friend. Fiber, added vitamins and minerals also make this a good choice for maintaining your pet’s optimum nutrition.

*Please keep in mind that with the above opinions, all of those come from my own experience. There are still some exceptions for some specific dogs. Consult your local vet for more information if your dogs are not in general cases*