Best Dry Dog Food For Giant Breeds
The best Dry dog food for giant breeds will help ensure they have the best quality of life. Giant breed dogs are often more vulnerable than smaller dogs and typically have shorter lifespans.
Choosing the best dry food can help boost life expectancy and improve the quality of life your dog has.
At different points of their lives, nutritional needs changes, and must be met to help keep the dog healthy. We take a look at the best dry foods for different groups of giant breed dogs.
Best Dry Dog Food For Giant Breed Puppies
Giant Breed puppies are fresh off the transition from milk and need to account for the nutrients and protection lost. The right food choice will not only ease them into the world of solid food but set them up for a healthy life. We look at some of our top picks for the best dry foods for giant breed puppies.
Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Dry Puppy Food
Purina Pro Plan is one of the most reputable dog food brands in the world, catering to millions of owners.
Designed specifically for large-breed dogs, it contains everything your dog will need in terms of nutrients. It is possibly the best choice of dry dog food for a large-breed puppy.
Features
- A protein-rich diet that features chicken as the first ingredient
- It is designed to provide the nutritional needs of large dog puppies
- Bigger kibble sizes make it easier for large-breed puppies to pick up and chew
Pros
- It contains live probiotics that help improve the immune system
- Glucosamine aids in the development of joints and cartilage
- DHA aids in developing vision and the brain
- It contains vitamins and fatty acids for coat and skin development
Cons
- It is rumoured to cause diarrhoea in some dogs
Main Ingredients: Chicken, Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Poultry By-Product Meal, and Whole Grain Wheat.
Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Large Puppy Dry Dog Food
Royal Canin is known for making dog food specific to breeds or groups, and the same applies to large breed dogs. This dry food is formulated to keep your large breed dog active and healthy as they grow older.
Your large breed puppy needs to start out strong and Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Large Puppy Dry Dog Food is the perfect option for that. You can’t go wrong choosing this dry puppy food for your large breed dog.
Features
- Kibble design is intended to make puppies chew
- Perfectly formulated for puppies under the age of 2
- It is made with easy-to-digest proteins
Pros
- Biotin helps promote skin and coat health
- It helps improve the immune system
- Probiotics help improve immune system health
- Glucosamine improves the health of the joints and cartilage
Cons
- It is a very expensive product
Main Ingredients: Corn, chicken by-product meal, wheat, wheat gluten, and chicken fat.
Best Dry Dog Foods For Giant-Breed Adults
Adult giant breeds are in an interesting transition that greatly influences later life. While senior diets can help avoid health issues, the adult phase is where most of the work happens,
The right diet at this point not only keeps your dog healthy and active but sets them up for a better senior life. Here are some of the best dry dog foods for senior giant breed dogs.
Diamond Naturals Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food
Diamond Naturals produces the perfect dry food for large breed dogs with this recipe. With all their nutritional needs met in every serving, your large breed won’t need any other options as adults.
With a unique protein source in Lamb meal, your dog will get a break from the typical chicken and beef options that are common. If you had only one perfect choice to make for your large breed dog, this is it.
Features
- Designed to meet the needs of large-breed dogs
- It is made using superfoods
- It contains proprietary probiotics for a healthier digestion
Pros
- It helps improve skin and coat health
- It is designed to improve digestive health
- It helps improve immune system health and promotes general wellness
- Made in the USA with locally and globally sourced ingredients
Cons
- It contains high amounts of salt
- Lamb meal is the main protein source
Main Ingredients: Lamb meal, whole grain brown rice, cracked pearled barley, oatmeal, and grain sorghum.
IAMS High Protein Large Breed Dry Dog Food
IAMS is a household name for dog owners and delivers excellent dry dog food. This recipe is designed for large dogs and is designed to help keep them healthy.
With a complete and balanced diet, your Large Breed dog is in safe hands and is getting ideal nourishment in every meal.
Your dog can be the active and adorable pet you love, with IAMS high protein large breed dry dog food.
Features
- Formulated to meet the nutritional needs of large-breed dogs
- It is a protein-rich diet
- It provides large-breed dogs with joint and bone support
Pros
- It isn’t an expensive product
- It is designed to help maintain strong muscles
- The product is approved and recommended by veterinarians worldwide
- It improves the digestive and immune system health
Cons
- There are grains and artificial ingredients in this food
- It may cause stomach upset in some dogs
Main Ingredients: Chicken, Ground Barley, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, and Chicken By-Product Meal.
Best Dry Dog Food For Senior Giant-Breed Dogs
Senior Giant-Breed dogs are particularly prone to several health challenges including heart issues and hip dysplasia.
Your choice of dry food needs to account for these problems and help avoid them if possible. We take a look at some of the best dry dog foods for senior large-breed dogs.
Hill’s Science Diet Adult 7+ Dry Dog FoodSpecial
Hill’s Science is renowned for its scientific approach to dog food, providing dogs with the perfect diet. This dry food is designed for large-breed seniors and provides them with everything they need to stay healthy.
With anti-ageing and energy needs met, your large breed senior can remain active and enjoy its last few years.
Features
- Designed to improve the life expectancy of senior dogs
- Free of artificial flavours, colours or preservatives
- Designed to provide senior dogs with energy
Pros
- It helps improve digestive health
- It is designed to improve skin and coat health
- Made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients
- It contains a balanced set of minerals to promote a healthier kidney and heart
Cons
- It is an expensive product
- Some dogs don’t like the smell
Main Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Whole Grain Wheat, Whole Grain Corn, and Whole Grain Sorghum.
Purina Pro Plan Senior Dog Food With Probiotics for Dogs
Purina Pro Plan is trusted by minions of dog owners across the globe for its excellent dog food quality. This dry dog food is designed for senior dogs and features live probiotics to help improve digestive health.
Large-breed dogs also get mental stimulation and a stronger immune system to help them cope with the rigours of old age. It is one of the best senior foods on the market and the perfect option for senior dogs.
Features
- Specially designed for dogs seven years and older
- It contains multiple protein sources
- It contains probiotics
Pros
- It is designed to improve digestive health
- It is designed to improve joint health and mobility
- It contains fatty acids which improve skin and coat health
- Senior dogs get mental stimulation
Cons
- It is an expensive product
Main Ingredients: Chicken, Poultry By-Product Meal, Rice, Whole Grain Corn, Corn Gluten Meal.
Best Dry Dog Food For Giant Breed Dogs With Special Conditions
Some large-breed dogs deal with special conditions and need specified dry dog foods to deal with them. Each condition is unique and needs a different solution, giving rise to numerous dry food options.
Here are some of the best dry foods for some common issues associated with large-breed dogs.
Merrick Limited Ingredient Grain-Free Diet Dry Dog Food
When dealing with allergies and food sensitivities, Limited Ingredient Diets are the best solution. Merrick is one of the most reputable dog food manufacturers in the world and delivers an excellent recipe for large-breed dogs.
The recipe is designed to be enticing to dogs and easy to digest making it ideal for those with food sensitivities and picky eaters. Limited Ingredient diets are free of the most common allergens, making them ideal for dogs with allergies.
Features
- An all-natural grain-free product
- Free of soy, wheat and corn
- It has a single animal protein source
Pros
- It is designed to help with dog allergies
- It helps to improve digestive health
- 100% made in the USA
- It is designed to improve hip and joint health
Cons
- Not all dogs like this food, especially picky eaters
Main Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Sweet Potatoes, and Potatoes.
Nutro Natural Choice Healthy Weight Large Breed Dry Dog Food
Weight loss is a common problem for large-breed dogs and they need the right diet if it ever becomes an issue. Nutro provides the ideal solution for healthy weight loss for large-breed dogs with this recipe.
With all-natural ingredients and a low-calorie count, your dog will get the best available nutrition without worrying about obesity. While it isn’t the cheapest product, it is more affordable than most and is great for weight loss.
Features
- It has a single protein source
- A protein-rich, nutrient-dense recipe
- A grain-inclusive recipe
Pros
- Made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients
- It has a low-calorie content making it ideal for weight loss
- Antioxidants and natural fibre help boost the immune system’s health
- It is easily digestible
Cons
- It is an expensive product
Main Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Sorghum, Rice Bran, and Split Peas.
Is Giant Breed Dog Food Necessary?
Giant breed dogs are prone to several health issues and are vulnerable from the start. Once they are old enough, they need to be put on an appropriate diet to help minimize the risk of health problems.
Without these specialized diets, your giant breed dog is at risk of health issues, causing a reduced quality of life.
If you want what’s best for your giant breed dog, you’ll choose the best-specialized dog food, regardless of cost.
You can also add supplements to their diets to help improve their quality of life and avoid any subsequent issues. Proper nutrition is the first step to having the best version of your giant-breed dog.
How Many Times A Day Should A Giant Breed Dog Be Fed?
Giant breed dogs are the only ones that can be sustained on one meal a day. Their large stomachs mean they can subsist on a single meal, remain active through the day and not lose body weight.
One meal in the morning or evening should be enough to see your dog through the says, with a few snacks at intervals.
The biggest problem with one giant meal is that dogs sometimes run the risk of overfeeding or bloating. Dogs have gone hungry throughout the day and are typically overexcited at the sight of a meal.
You can avoid this by feeding them two or three small meals during the day. You can simply divide the recommended food amount into equal parts feeding them one portion at each interval.
How Do I Know If I’m Feeding My Dog Enough?
The physical appearance of your dog is often a great indicator of how well your dog is being fed.
You can consult your vet to determine how much food your giant breed dog needs daily to remain healthy.
If your dog is eating the required amount and is still underweight, it may be indicative of an underlying issue or poor quality of food. You need to identify the root cause of the problem and make changes according to restore your dog to good health.
Patches of hair falling off your dog without old age playing a role is another indicator of poor nutrition. Changing to a more appropriate dog food brand is the best choice to get your dog back to its ideal condition.
Conclusion
Choosing the best dry dog food for giant breeds is no easy task, but it is a necessary one. With numerous options to consider, you need a little help to make things easier, and that’s where we come in.
Our selection of some of the best dry dog food for giant breeds limits your considerations and you only need to choose the one that best suits your needs.
