Best Dog Food for Pitbull Puppies: Top Picks, Reviews, and Buyer’s 2023 Guide

With their playful spirit, high energy level, and explorative nature, Pitbull puppies can be a lot to handle, but that also means that there’s never a dull moment in your home.

To keep your little canine buddy happy and healthy as he grows his way up into adulthood, he should have a well-balanced diet that is appropriate for his life stage, lifestyle, and dog breed. And that’s why it’s important that you only set your eyes on the best dog food for Pitbull puppies.

Pit bulls are also muscular even as young puppies, and they develop quite rapidly. Hence, they need high quality dog food to support their growing bodies.

Additionally, you should also provide your pit bull pup with the best puppy food that he enjoys. So, you also have to be observant of your pup’s reaction in order to find the right dog food that best suits his body and his taste.

When you bring home your pit bull puppy, you should know what the shelter or the breeder was feeding him. You need to stick with the same dog food for a couple of weeks until your pup has settled in his new home. And once you are ready to switch him to a new pitbull puppy food, you should do so slowly to prevent any digestive upset.

Generally, you have to start by mixing ten percent of his new food with ninety percent of his previous food. And then gradually increase the amount of the new food in his diet over the course of a week.

Also, be mindful that pit bulls are prone to some health issues, such as food allergies. So, you should pay attention to your pup’s reaction during the transition.

OUR TOP 3 PICKS FOR BEST DOG FOOD FOR PITBULL PUPPIES

Buyer’s Guide: Nutritional Requirements of Your Pitbull Puppy

The countless puppy food options available for Pitbull owners is both a blessing and a headache. It’s good to have a wide variety of puppy foods to choose from so you are not limited to just a few options.

But, it can also be confusing, intimidating, and at some point exhausting. Hence, we can’t blame why there are pet parents who’ll just buy what their friends or neighbors are feeding their pets.

With that being said, we should be mindful that not all puppy foods are made the same. If you want your puppy to grow healthy and strong, you should examine whether or not your choice of puppy food meets or even surpasses your pup’s nutritional requirements for him to thrive at his age and grow to be a happy and healthy adult dog.

Pitbull puppies also have a lot of growing to do. That’s why, you should give appropriate food for his age, size, and breed. As early as your pup can eat solid food, you should start giving him high-quality dog food, which can either be fresh or canned dog food, dry puppy food, or a mixture of both types of foods.

As mentioned earlier, your dog should like the food, or else, he won’t benefit from its nutrients no matter how nutrient-dense it is. You’ll also want to buy kibbles that are intended for medium to large size dog breeds that contain higher energy levels.

Ingredients to Look Out For

Good dog food for your growing Pitbull puppy should be packed with the necessary nutrients to support his muscular build, and keep up with his active nature.

What’s more, it should be devoid of unnecessary ingredients or fillers that would only hinder his athletic performance, and could potentially lead to unhealthy weight gain and other health issues. You should look for the following nutrients when buying a Pitbull puppy food:

Proteins

AAFCO recommends puppies have a diet with a protein content of 22 percent, which is more than the 18 percent minimum protein requirement for adult dogs. Because Pit Bulls have a strong muscle structure, it's a good idea to go further than the 18 percent mark. Puppies benefit greatly when foods contain a high percentage of protein (over 30%).

Meat-based ingredients that contain high quality protein such as chicken, beef, lamb, fish, and more, contain more amino acids, which are essential in muscle development. And not only that protein is also important in providing your pup with a steady supply of energy and helps create hormones for the proper functioning of several bodily organs.

Carbohydrates

It is currently unclear how much carbohydrates dogs should consume in their daily diet. Most manufacturers often do not specify how much carbs their foods contain. This makes it essential to check the ingredients lists carefully. Almost every dog food contains carbohydrates. However, many use more quality materials than others.

Carbohydrates help your pup gain energy. So, you should always choose complex carbohydrates like sweet potato, oats, or legumes. These substances are gradually absorbed by the body, providing energy throughout the day.

On the opposite side of the spectrum are simple carbohydrates, such as corn, wheat, or soy, which should be avoided. These unhealthy sources of carbohydrates cause a sudden spike of energy and subsequent crash. Simple carbs are also not the easiest ingredients for a young dog's digestive system to process.

Fats

Contrary to widespread knowledge, fat does not always mean sloppy eating. Pitbull puppies actually benefit from good fat intake. Providing the right amount of fat is helpful for your dog's body to absorb nutrients, nourish his body cells, and make his skin supple.

Pit bulls often develop skin problems as they age, so you should introduce fat into their diet early on in order to maintain a healthy coat.

Pit Bulls need to have at least 8% fat in their diet, but you can go as high as 18%. Healthy fat sources include fish fat, flax oil, or natural animal fat from the protein source. Fish oil and flaxseed oils are preferred because they are rich in omega fatty compounds.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are always beneficial for dogs. These macronutrients could come from food mixtures using plants or supplements which are then added to the food's ingredients. Vitamins and minerals can help support your pet's body and help it function properly.

Calcium and phosphorus are two of the most important nutrients your growing puppy needs. These minerals are vital in a dog's bone development. However, when they receive too much of these minerals, they may grow too quickly and develop joint issues when they are older.

On the other hand, if they don't get enough calcium and phosphorus in their diet, their growth may be stunted. Thankfully, most puppy foods contain the proper amount of these nutrients.

Fiber

Fiber helps your puppy to have healthy digestion. Pitbull puppies can obtain fiber from healthy grains such as brown rice, quinoa, oats, barley, or vegetables.

When your puppy doesn't respond to fiber-rich foods, they may be intolerant. Keep checking his body's reaction for new fiber sources and don't hesitate to visit your veterinarian for guidance.

Best Dog Food for Pitbull Puppies

1. Nom Nom Fresh Pet Food
2. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Puppy Chicken Recipe
3. Purina ONE Natural High Protein +Plus
4. The Farmer's Dog Fresh Pet Food
5. Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula
6. Hill's Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Chicken Meal & Oat Recipe
7. Merrick Real Texas Beef + Sweet Potato Puppy
8. Nutro Puppy Tender Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pea Recipe Bites

 

1. Nom Nom Fresh Pet Food

Rating: 5/5

First 5 Ingredients: Depends on chosen recipe

Nom Nom is healthy, fresh food for dogs that is formulated by top board-certified veterinary nutritionists. Each recipe that is prepped in their US-based kitchens is custom-made to a dog’s nutritional requirements, age, weight, breed, activity level, and special dietary restrictions.

So, if you’ve been wanting to serve tasty and nutritious fresh food to your pup, Nom Nom might just be the perfect match for you and your growing Pitbull puppy.

As of writing, you have four recipes to choose from – Beef Mash, Chicken Cuisine, Pork Potluck, and Turkey Fare. Again, all of these recipes are crafted by veterinary nutritionists, and they create each meal to exceed the nutritional levels established by the American Feed Control Officials (AAFCOs).

What’s more, Nom Nom also uses high quality ingredients that are sourced from credible and trustworthy farmers and growers in the US. And they prepare all of their recipes through methodical cooking and mixing to preserve the ingredients’ nutrient profile.

Pros:

• Pre-portioned, customized meals
• Made with organic ingredients
• Comes in convenient, single-serve recyclable packaging
• Balanced and complete meal
• Exceeds the AAFCO Food Nutrient Profiles
• Free door-to-door delivery
• 50% discount on their trial offering
• Variety pack to try out each recipe without a subscription
• Made in facility kitchens in Nashville and California

Cons:

• A bit expensive
• Needs to be refrigerated
• Limited recipes, which can be an issue for picky eaters

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2. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Puppy Chicken Recipe

Rating: 4.7/5

First 5 Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Pea Protein, Peas, Tapioca Starch

Guaranteed Analysis:

Blue Buffalo always has your pet’s welfare at heart. That’s why all of their formulas start with real meat to ensure that your pup is getting good nutrition and taste with every bite.

BLUE Wilderness puppy foods only use natural ingredients which include real meat and superfood fruits and vegetables brimming with fiber and beneficial nutrients.

What’s more, this recipe is also fortified with the right balance of calcium and phosphorus, two essential minerals that are critical for healthy bones and teeth.

This nutritious meal also contains omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat, along with a carefully formulated blend of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for a healthy immune system, and to support your pup’s overall growth and development.

And the best part – it’s made without corn, wheat, soy, meat by-products, or artificial flavors.

Pros:

• High-protein diet
• Promotes strong and lean muscle development
• Taurine to support eye health and brain development
• Grain free recipe
• DHA and ARA
• Omega fatty acids for healthy coat and skin
• Helps promote tartar removal
• Features Blue’s LifeSource Bits

Cons:

• It may not be fit for puppies that are allergic to chicken
• Some picky eaters may not like it

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3. Purina ONE Natural High Protein +Plus Large Breed Formula

Rating: 4.7/5

First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Rice Flour, Soybean Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal

Guaranteed Analysis:

Purina ONE knows the value of bringing nature and research together in the pursuit of what’s best for our pets’ health and wellness.

Nourish your Pitbull pup with this nutritious and tasty recipe, and you’ll notice the visible differences or marked improvements in his condition: shiny coat, bright eyes, strong muscles, and a healthy heart.

Purina ONE +Plus Large Breed Puppy Formula is specially formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of your Pitbull pup. This high protein diet starts with real chicken as the #1 ingredient, and it features great-tasting crunchy bites and tender meaty morsels puppies can’t get enough of.

What’s more, each ingredient has a role in your pup’s growth and development. So, you are not just feeding him with empty calories that will just contribute to unhealthy weight gain and weight-related issues.

Plus, this recipe is also packed with natural sources of glucosamine for your pup’s appropriate growth rate, while supporting his joint health and mobility. It’s also enhanced with DHA, a nutrient present in mother’s milk, which helps promote his vision and brain development.

Additionally, this large breed formula is packed with omega fatty acids, calcium, and phosphorus, and it doesn’t contain artificial flavors or preservatives.   

Pros:

• Affordable
• Formulated for large breed puppies
• Made with real chicken meat as the number one ingredient
• Great-tasting kibbles with tender meaty morsels
• Packed with omega fatty acids, DHA, and glucosamine
• With added vitamins, minerals, beneficial nutrients, and antioxidants

Cons:

• Might turn off some picky eaters
• May cause some issues to dogs with sensitive skin

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4. The Farmer's Dog Fresh Pet Food

Rating: 4.8/5

First 5 Ingredients: Depends on chosen recipe

Just like Nom Nom, The Farmer’s Dog is a subscription-based company that offers pre-portioned, customized fresh foods that are based on your pet’s individual needs. They also deliver for free, and all of their recipes come in ready-to-serve, biodegradable packs.

What’s more, all of their meals are crafted by a veterinary nutritionist using human-grade ingredients and are gently steamed to retain the food’s nutritional value.

Each of their four tasty and nutritious recipes – turkey, beef, pork and chicken – are also packed with a healthy blend of fiber from fresh, whole vegetables.

And that’s not all, to ensure that your pup gets a complete and balanced meal, each recipe is also incorporated with supplemental nutrients such as fish oil.

Pros:

• Vet-crafted recipes that are pre-portioned and personalized
• Made from human-grade ingredients
• Comes in environment-friendly packaging
• Nutrition that exceeds the industry standards for dogs (AAFCO)
• Delivered to you within days of cooking
• Money-back guarantee
• Ships to 48 states
• Flexible trial option

Cons:

• You have to portion out the food from the pouch
• Needs refrigerator space

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5. Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula

Rating: 4.7/5

First 5 Ingredients: Water Buffalo, Lamb Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Egg Product, Pea Protein

Guaranteed Analysis:

Taste of the Wild is known for producing pet foods that nature intended for our canine and feline companions. This High Prairie puppy formula is good for the pit bull breed.

It is formulated with novel proteins, which is great for dog breeds that are allergic to more popular animal protein sources such as chicken and beef.

This grain-free recipe starts with water buffalo as the #1 ingredient. And it is also packed with highly-digestible energy from peas and sweet potatoes, along with blueberries and raspberries that provide valuable nutrients and guaranteed antioxidants.

This modern diet that is inspired by nature is packed with Taste of the Wild’s unique and proprietary probiotics and prebiotics to support a healthy gut, healthy immune system, hormone function, and metabolism.

The essential minerals present in this formula are chelated with amino acids to optimize their absorption and ensure maximum benefit.

Plus, the DHA provided by salmon oil helps with your pup’s brain and vision development. Best of all, this puppy formula doesn’t contain corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, or colors.

Pros:

• Every serving contains K9 strain probiotics for gut health
• Prebiotic fiber from dried chicory root
• Kibbles with a crunchy texture that helps clean teeth
• Packed with antioxidants from
• Enhanced with DHA from salmon oil
• Made in the USA without corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, or colors
• Made with real buffalo meat, and a flavorful blend of meats like roasted venison, roasted bison, lamb and beef

Cons:

• The small-sized kibbles may turn off some pit bull puppies
• Strong smell

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6. Hill's Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Chicken Meal & Oat Recipe

Rating: 4.6/5

First 5 Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Wheat, Whole Grain Oats, Whole Grain Sorghum, Corn Gluten Meal

Guaranteed Analysis:

Hill’s Science Diet isn’t the #1 vet-recommended brand for nothing. But they didn’t gain such a reputation overnight.

Hill’s Pet Nutrition has played a part in lengthening and enhancing the special bond between pet parents and their beloved cats and dogs by putting their passion in the pursuit of these animals’ health and happiness.

And this high-protein diet that is crafted especially for large breed puppies is a reflection of their dedication to providing highly specialized nutrition for dogs and cats of all life stages, sizes, and breeds.

This large breed puppy food from Hill's is made with wholesome ingredients, such as tasty chicken meal and oats. It features balanced minerals for strong bones and teeth, as well as DHA from fish oil for healthy eye and brain development.

What’s more, the great-tasting large-size kibbles are designed to keep the jaws of large breed puppies engaged, encourage chewing, and help prevent tartar buildup.

Best of all, this flavorful recipe is made in the USA from natural, high-quality ingredients and without any artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.   

Pros:

• Complete and balanced diet for puppies up to 1 year of age
• Balanced levels of calcium for strong teeth and bones
• Packed with glucosamine and chondroitin
• Antioxidants and vitamin E
• Made from natural, high-quality ingredients
• Made in the USA
• Zero artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives

Cons:

• May not be appealing to picky eaters
• May cause digestive upsets to some dogs, such as gas and diarrhea

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7. Merrick Real Texas Beef + Sweet Potato Puppy

Rating: 4.6/5

First 5 Ingredients: Deboned Beef, Turkey Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, Whitefish Meal

Guaranteed Analysis:

Merrick believes that whole foods and handmade recipes are much better for your pet. That’s why they’ve been making pet food in their own kitchen for over 30 years. And each recipe is made in small batches to closely monitor that it has the perfect balance of nutrients exactly as it says on the label. 

All of their recipes always start with real meat as the first ingredient, followed by whole foods such as sweet potatoes, and blueberries. This healthy blend of nutrients from different food sources ensures that your pet gets complete and balanced grain-free nutrition in every bite.

This flavorful puppy recipe provides the ideal combination of healthy fats and high-quality protein to keep your growing Pitbull pup energetic and help maintain optimal weight. It is also packed with glucosamine and chondroitin to support healthy hips and joints, which is especially crucial for large breed dogs. 

What’s more, this grain-free dry puppy food also contains omega fatty acids to support healthy skin and a shiny coat. Plus, it is enhanced with DHA to support healthy brain and vision development, so your pup can see the world brightly and respond happily. 

Pros:

• Grain-free and gluten-free food
• High-protein diet with real deboned beef as the #1 ingredient
• Calcium and phosphorus for bone and tooth health
• Omega fatty acids for skin and coat health
• DHA to support healthy brain and vision
• Glucosamine and chondroitin for healthy joints and mobility
• No corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives

Cons:

• A bit expensive
• May cause digestive upset to some dogs

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8. Nutro Puppy Tender Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pea Recipe Bites

Rating: 4.5/5

First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Pork Broth, Sweet Potatoes, Chicken Liver

Guaranteed Analysis:

Spoil your new pup with tasty and nutritious wet food and watch him drool over his favorite Nutro Puppy Grain-Free Food during mealtime.

This premium, grain-free canned dog food is made with natural ingredients and starts with real chicken meat as the primary ingredient.

It is specifically formulated to meet the needs of small and large-breed puppies to help them grow happy, healthy, and strong.

Plus, with this nutrient-rich recipe, you can feed your pal with confidence knowing that it is made with non-GMO ingredients that are sourced from a trusted network of suppliers and farmers in the USA.

Pros:

• Made with real chicken meat as top ingredient
• non-GMO ingredients used
• Convenient, no-mess tray packaging
• Made in the USA
• Zero corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives

Cons:

• May have some issues with picky eaters
• May cause gastrointestinal issues to some dogs

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Pitbull and Skin Allergies

Skin reactions and allergies occur primarily from a substance that a dog is allergic to. And the most common ingredients that cause these reactions are chicken, corn, milk products, egg products, soybeans, and wheat.

Other meats can also cause allergic reactions, such as lamb and beef. If you notice an allergic reaction in your dog, you should contact your vet immediately.

He will check for other conditions that could cause irritation to the skin of your puppy. Itchy and a bite-like rash are common symptoms. Your Pitbull might also experience vomiting and diarrhea.

 

Conclusion

Although most dog owners do not realize, young puppies require different nutritional needs than an adult dog. During their maturing phase, puppies undergo a lot of changes. And as a pet parent, you are responsible for supporting this change with proper diet and exercise.

Your pitbull puppy actually needs much more calories than adult Pitbulls when compared to their overall body weight. And just like human babies, puppies also grow up fast.

Before you know it, your once little adorable Pitbull pup is already sporting that popular Pitbull smile and flexing those muscular legs and body.

Because the puppy stage is just short, as a pet owner, you have to equip your little one with the best nutrition, which can be derived from a diet that is specially crafted to meet his unique needs.

By giving your pup high-quality dog food and spending quality time with him every day, you can breathe well knowing that he will grow up having the strong and athletic body pit bulls are famously known for.