Taking care of a puppy, regardless of the breed, is similar to taking care of a baby. They tend to be highly active, sleep a lot, look for constant attention, and poop a lot too. However, one of the most confusing and distressing issues that many dog owners face today is when it comes to making the choice of the right food for their dog. When choosing the best food for your dog, one of the most important factors to take into consideration is the size of your dog. The food that’s best for small dog breeds is not the right choice for large breeds as well. Further in this article, we’ll be discussing about the diet needs of large breed dogs and the best food for them.
Many dog owners believe that a roly-poly dog is a healthy one. But that’s definitely not the fact. The maximum growth and optimal growth of a large or giant breed dog is completely different. Your goal as the owner of a large breed dog should not be to make your puppy grow as fast as possible or as big as possible. A common misconception among people is that a fast growing dog is good for the dog’s health. As a matter of fact, what’s true is the exact opposite. A fully grown large breed dog typically weighs more than 55 pounds, which usually takes place from 10 to 24 months, based on the dog’s breed.
Health Issues in Large Breed Puppies
When it comes to the skeletal development of large breed puppies, there are various factors that contribute to their growth, some of which include nutrition, exercise, and genetics. Among these, the most vital aspect is nutrition or diet, and as a pet owner, you have complete control over this factor.
Several orthopedic diseases, which occur in your dog’s muscles, joints, nerves, tendons and bones, usually emerge as a result of improper feeding practices, especially during the pup’s developmental years. Some of these diseases include hip dysplasia, Wobbler syndrome, etc. Several large breed dogs are genetically inclined to grow very quickly. Humans in turn stimulate the process further by feeding them high-growth food. When your large breed puppy becomes too big and puts on weight quickly, the entire pressure will be on his skeleton which is still developing. This can cause structural defects, as a result of which the skeleton’s ability to endure more body weight will start to reduce.
In addition, improper diet or overfeeding can also lead to heart disease, diabetes, obesity in your large breed dog. Your goal for your puppy should be controlled growth. To enable controlled growth, we provide to you a list of the best dog food for large dog breeds.
Best Large Breed Dog Food
There are a whole lot of options for you to consider when it comes to choosing the best food for your large dog breed. The challenge lies at finding the best brand that offers a perfect balance of nutrition as well as taste in its food formula. Here are few of the best options that are liked by pet owners and large breed dogs alike.
Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Dog Food
Wellness dog food products are always known for their high quality, and the dry dog food that has made our list is no exception as well. Available both for large breed puppies and adult dogs, this product can be used to feed purebred as well as mixed dog breeds, including German Shepherd, Mastiff, Saint Bernard, Newfoundland, Bernese Mountain Dog, and more. The Wellness Complete Health dry dog food is filled with essential nutrients from chicken, oatmeal, brown rice, whitefish, sweet potato, etc., so you can choose a flavor that your large breed dog seems to like the most. The food also comprises of natural fiber and whole grains to promote digestive health in dogs. If you wish to give your large furry friend a wholesome meal on a regular basis, then this should be a perfect choice.
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Purina Pro Plan Focus Dry Dog Food
With this dry dog food, you can be sure that your large breed puppy or adult gets all the necessary nutrition. First of all, this dog food contains real chicken as its main ingredient, which obviously means that your dog gets protein-rich food. In addition, to help improve your large breed dog’s vision, the Pro Plan Focus also contains fish oil which is known to be rich in omega 3 fatty acids. All these combined with the right amount of prebiotics fiber and carbohydrates helps in the proper maintenance of your dog’s health. This product is also known to be good in taste, making it easier for owners of picky eaters to feed them. The blend can also be fed to dogs with allergies or sensitive stomach without any concerns. Overall, this is an effective yet affordable option from a reliable brand that you can trust, to keep your pet healthy and active.
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Hills’s Science Diet Large Breed Dry Dog Food
With 70 long years of experience in producing quality dog food, Hill’s Science Diet is one brand that has performed enough research and development to provide pet owners with the right nutrition-rich food for their dogs. If there is one brand you can rely on without any concerns about quality, it would be this one. This large breed dry dog food blend is completely balanced with a mix of protein, nutrients, fatty acids, multivitamins and digestible carbohydrates, to keep your puppy and adult dog healthy, strong and active. In addition to tasting good, this product also provides your dog with the right amount of everything they require to grow, without making them overweight or obese.
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Nutro Max Dry Dog Food
Manufactured completely in the United States, this brand used fresh farm-raised high quality chicken as the primary ingredient in its dry dog food for large breed puppies and adults. Additionally, the product also comes in different blends such as natural beef meal and rice, and natural lamb meal and rice, which enables you to make your choice based on your pet’s taste buds and interest. This dry dog food from Nutro is also available in a wide variety of classifications for adult dogs and puppies of different weights in order to match the nutritional needs based on their weight. The Max dry dog food also contains ingredients that promote your dog’s immune system function, dental health, and the healthy growth of lean muscle. What’s more important is that there are no preservatives, flavorings, or artificial colors added to this product.
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Blue Buffalo Life Protection Dry Dog Food
With wholesome whole grains and healthy vegetables and fruits, all dry dog food blends from Blue Buffalo happen to be a healthy choice for large breed dogs. Available in a wide range of combinations, including chicken and brown rice, fish and oatmeal, lamb and brown rice, fish and sweet potato, etc., you have a variety of options to choose from to suit your pet’s palette. The brand offered different condition and size-specific foods than many other natural pet food brands, making it easy for pet owners to find the right option for their dogs.
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Always remember, no two dogs have the same nutritional needs. When you are about to get a large breed puppy for your home or if there’s already one in your home, first consult your veterinarian to know their recommendations for the pup and then proceed with choosing the best dog food for large dog breeds.
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