When it comes to body weight, dogs are somewhat like humans; their chances of becoming overweight are higher than becoming underweight. However, there are a variety of situations and health conditions that can leave your dog in need of additional calories.
If your dog is underweight and needs a little bulking up, there are several dog foods and supplements out there to help your dog add some more weight.
In this guide, we will review some of the best dog food for weight gain. We will also walk you through a guide on how to choose the right diet for your dog that needs to gain weight. Read on to see our top picks and recommendations.
If you are looking for the best dog food for weight gain without a premium price tag, then the Purina Pro Plan Sports All Life Stage Performance 30/20 is one of the best choices you have.
Not only is this food pocket-friendly, but it features a high-calorie content that will help your dog add some weight. The top ingredients of this food are chicken, corn gluten meal, brewer’s rice, animal fat, and poultry by-product meal.
As stated in the name, this is a 30/20 formula, which means this food contains 30 percent protein and a whopping 20 percent fat to help your dog maintain a healthy weight. This food is designed for pooch athletes, making it an excellent option for active dogs that are struggling to add weight. It contains EPA and glucosamine for healthy joints and bones.
It features a blend of omega fatty acids, amino acids, minerals, and vitamins to boost the immune and digestive health of your dog. The maximum crude fiber content of this food is 3 percent while the caloric content is 475 kilocalories per cup.
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is one of the best dog food for weight gain. The caloric, protein, and fat content of this food will help provide your pup with a healthy weight.
This grain-free formula from Taste of the Wild contains a blend of probiotics that places a great deal of emphasis on the immune system and digestive tract of your dog.
This brand knows that the endocrine and immune system usually play a major role in weight management than even digestive factors. The top ingredients of this diet are buffalo, lamb meal, chicken meal, sweet potatoes, peas, and potatoes.
It also contains other great protein sources such as roasted bison, roasted venison, beef, and ocean fish protein. This food is super rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, and it will help to provide your pup with a shinier coat and healthier skin. It also helps with optimal brain function.
This formula is completely free of grains and gluten, and it does not contain common allergens such as corn, wheat, and other artificial ingredients. The ingredients used to make this food are from sustainable and reliable sources, and they are highly digestible.
The protein content of this food is an impressive 32 percent while the minimum crude fat is 18 percent. It features a maximum crude fiber content of 4 percent while the caloric content is 370 kilocalories per cup.
The next on our list is the limited ingredient diet from Natural Balance, with potato and duck as the two major ingredients. If you are looking for the best dog food for weight gain and still want to avoid digestive upsets, then this is one of the best options you have, as it features a single protein source. It is a limited ingredient diet and it is ideal for dogs with sensitivities and allergies.
The top five ingredients of this food are potatoes, duck meal, duck, dried potato products, and canola oil. Duck is one of the best protein sources, not just for adding a few pounds, but also for muscle development and maintenance. The potato in this diet is also a great source of healthy carbs, and it can help your pup gain some weight.
This food also contains natural fiber to boost the digestive health of your dog. It is free of artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, and other common allergens. This formula is also free of grains, which is great for dogs that are allergic to grains. The high-quality nutrition of this limited ingredient diet aids good overall health.
It also features a great balance of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids for a shinier coat and healthier skin. The protein content of this food is 21 percent while the fat content is 10 percent. It contains a maximum crude fiber of 4 percent with a caloric content of 350 kilocalories per cup.
The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe is an ideal weight gain dog food and it also caters to the overall wellbeing of your dog. This food does not contain any meat by-product, which means that your pup will be getting the right sources of protein and nutrients it needs. The top ingredients of this food are deboned beef, fish meat, peas, pea starch, and tapioca starch.
This food is enriched with omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids from natural sources such as flaxseed and canola oil. It also contains glucosamine, which helps support healthy bones and joints. This food contains other great protein sources such as deboned venison, deboned lamb, dehydrated alfalfa meal, bison, and rabbit.
This food is ideal for dogs of all breeds and sizes and it is available in different bag sizes. This formula is completely free of grains and gluten, which makes a great pick for dogs with frequent digestive upsets. It is highly palatable, considering the great number of protein sources it contains, and it is going to get the taste bud of your dog tingling.
It is also free of other common allergens such as soy, corn, and wheat. This food is not artificially flavored, colored, or preserved. It contains L-carnitine, which helps with fat metabolism and it is packed with plenty of fruits and vegetables. This food contains 30 percent protein, 15 percent fat, 6 percent maximum crude fat, with a caloric content of 393 kilocalories per cup.
If you are looking for the best puppy formula for weight gains, then you should consider the Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food.
This dog food is ideal for puppies that want to gain weight and fat. It features a blend of real Texas beef and sweet potato recipe, which means it contains home-grown beef as the source of meat and highly digestible carbs.
The top ingredients of this food are deboned chicken, chicken meal, peas, sweet potatoes, potatoes, salmon meal, deboned salmon, and chicken fat. This food contains natural sources of omega fatty acids to aid healthy skin and a shiny coat. It also contains plenty of healthy veggies and fruits such as apples and blueberries, which help to boost the digestive health of your dog.
This formula is 100 percent grain-free, and it does not contain any ingredient that will upset the tummy of your dog. It does not contain any preservatives, artificial colorings, or flavorings. It also features added DHA to support healthy brain development. This food contains a whopping 30 percent protein and 16 percent fat. The maximum crude fiber content is 4.5 percent with a caloric content of 400 kilocalories per cup.
Victor Active Dog & Puppy Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is another great option for those looking to bulk up their dog a bit. This food is ideal for both puppies and adults.
It is also a great option for competing and working dogs that burn plenty of calories. The top five ingredients of this diet are beef meal, peas, sweet potato, chicken fat, and menhaden fish meal.
This food is super rich in protein, with a protein content of 33 percent. It also contains natural sources of DHA and glucosamine for healthy joints and mobility. It is composed of 77 percent meat protein and it supports strong muscle development and maintenance.
The formula is completely grain-free, with no traces of corn, wheat, or soy, making it a great option for dogs with allergies or sensitivities. It provides sustained energy to help your dog remain active all day. This food features a blend of essential fatty acids, minerals, amino acids, and vitamins.
It is ideal for all dog breeds and sizes, and it contains 16 percent crude fat. The maximum crude fiber content is 3.8 percent while the caloric content is 384 kilocalories per cup.
The Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast Grain-Free Natural Dog Food is one of the best dog food for weight gain, as it is formulated to help condition the body of your dog. This food contains high-quality protein sources to support healthy muscle development and to provide your pup with the fuel it needs to get strong.
The top ingredients of this food are bison meal, peas, pea protein, tapioca, dried egg, beef meal, pacific whiting meal, flaxseed, and plenty of fruits and veggies. The primary protein sources are lamb and bison, contributing to the 32 percent protein content of this food.
It also features a great balance of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids to keep the skin and coat of your dog healthy. It is grain-free, gluten-free, with no trace of artificial ingredients. It contains 18 percent fat, 4 percent maximum crude fiber, and 400 kilocalories per cup.
The diet of your dog should contain plenty of calories, as it would help it gain some weight. As such, you need to look for dog food with a higher caloric content than the normal quantity.
The best dog food for weight gain should contain high-quality protein, and sufficient amounts of it too. Protein helps in muscle development, and it can also help your canine add some weight.
As such, you should look for dog foods with animal-based protein sources such as bison, chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, venison, and more.
Another vital thing you should look out for in the food is healthy fat ingredients. Make sure the food contains healthy fat sources such as beef fat or chicken fat, as these come in handy in gaining weight for your canine.
Feeding your pup too often will not necessarily help it gain weight, as there are certain nutrients, minerals, and vitamins that contribute to weight gain. The best dog food for weight gain is what your dog needs to add a few extra pounds.
Our top pick is the Purina Pro Plan Sport All Life Stages Performance 30/20 Formula Dry Dog Food because of its high protein and fat content. It contains a whopping 475 kilocalories per cup and it is ideal for dogs of all ages, sizes, and breeds.
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