Best Dog Food For Weight Loss: Our Top Picks For 2023 Revealed

As a dog owner, I know the struggle of trying to keep my furry friends healthy and at a proper weight. But it’s just so hard. You know when they bat those puppy eyes at you and beg for an extra helping or two of dog food? Yup, that hard.

While many dog owners love spoiling pups with treats, table scraps, and extra helpings, it's important to remember that excess weight can lead to a host of health problems. 

OUR TOP 3 PICKS FOR BEST DOG FOOD FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Choosing the right dog food is essential, especially if you have a chonky pup that needs to discard a few — or several! — extra pounds. 

The thing is, there are so many options available on the market that finding the best dog food for weight loss can be a daunting task. 

You may have asked yourself these: “Should I go with a grain-free diet or a grain-inclusive one? How about wet food over dry dog food? And what, exactly, do I need to look for?”

So I researched, scoured the market, and rounded up the top dog foods that can help your pup lose weight and slim down. From high-protein formulas to low-calorie kibbles, I’ve got you. 

Let's dive right in and find the perfect food to keep your dog's tail wagging and its waistline in check!

Weight Loss Dog Food Reviews

I narrowed down my search to these top weight loss dog food products. From wet food to dry dog food, small breed to large, and from adult dogs to seniors, there should be something in here that will suit your pet.

Reviewed Weight Loss Dog Food Products

• Ollie Chicken Dish with Carrots
• Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight
• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Satiety Support
• Iams Proactive Health Healthy Weight Large Breed
• Rachael Ray Nutrish Weight Management Real Turkey & Pumpkin
• Evanger's Classic Recipes Senior & Weight Management Dinner
• Go! Solutions Weight Management + Joint Care
• Canidae Grain-Free PURE Healthy Weight
• Nutro Natural Choice Healthy Weight Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe

 

Ollie Chicken Dish with Carrots

Rating: 4.75/5
First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Sweet Potatoes, Squash, Water Sufficient For Processing, Spinach
Guaranteed analysis:

When it comes to the best dog food for weight loss or just best dog food overall, this chicken meal comes out as a top option. This grain-free dog food recipe uses only high-quality and human-grade ingredients to provide a complete and balanced meal for your furry friend.

Looking at the guaranteed analysis, particularly the fat content, you might not think that this diet can help your pup go down to a healthy weight. But Ollie creates meal plans that are unique to each dog and based on your immediate goals. So if your dog’s weight needs to go down, the company can adjust your dog’s caloric intake by adjusting the meal. 

One of the main features of this dog food recipe is the use of real and recognizable foods. The chicken, for example, is whole and not a meal nor a byproduct. It’s the sole animal protein here, which makes this also perfect for those with food sensitivities.

There are a limited number of ingredients to make this as simple (but nutritious!) as possible for your pup. Just a few veggies, fruits and oils for fat.

It has potatoes, rice and spinach, which supply the carbohydrates for all day play as well as the fiber that is so important for your dog’s digestive system. It also contains spinach to support immune system health with its supply of vitamins and minerals.

And finally, the oil comes from salmon which contains healthy fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6) that are anti-inflammatory, regulate cholesterol, and keep the skin and coat healthy.

Key Takeaways

I have always loved Ollie. This company and my pups go way back because its recipes are regular fare in my house. The recipes are customized to each of my dogs and their unique needs. Weight loss, weight gain, more energy, whatever my pups need, Ollie adjusts its recipes accordingly.

Another thing that I like is that it's very easy to serve. The food comes pre-portioned in sealed packages, so all you have to do is open the package and pour it into your dog's bowl. No more calculating how much each dog needs to eat per meal. 

I and my dogs have nothing but good things to say about the recipes. Although, if there is a con, it’s that the prepacked dog foods do take up a lot of space. Since I am taking care of a lot of dogs, I have to have a separate fridge for all of their meals.

Best for: Dogs of all life stages who need a high-quality dog food for weight loss

What I like:

• Uses only high-quality, human-grade ingredients
• Made especially for your pup
• Easy to serve 

What I don't like:

• Takes up too much storage space, especially if you have more than one pup

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Hill’s Science Diet Perfect Weight Hearty Vegetable & Chicken Stew

Rating: 4.5/5
First 5 ingredients: Chicken Broth, Pork Liver, Carrots, Green Peas, Powdered Cellulose
Guaranteed analysis:

First up in my list of weight loss dog foods is Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight Adult Hearty Vegetables and Chicken Stew.  It’s a well-formulated recipe that provides a balanced and nutritious meal for adult dogs. This lean wet food provides all the nutrients your pupper needs to keep him sated for a long time but is low on calories so he keeps to a manageable and healthy weight. 

One of the notable features of this recipe is the hearty vegetables, which include carrots, spinach, and green beans. These keep the food well-rounded and balanced for your little omnivore. The recipe also contains rice, which is a great source of carbohydrates for dogs and which keeps his energy full.

It uses two kinds of animal protein to keep your doggo always on the go: chicken and pork liver. Chicken is standard fare in most dog food products because lots of dogs love it. Meanwhile, the pork liver is a great choice because it makes the food more palatable, and it contains far less fat and cholesterol than liver from chicken.

If there is anything negative I can say about this dog food recipe, it would be about the chicken and its volume in this dog food.

The recipe is called Vegetable and Chicken Stew so you would expect that there’s more chicken. However, the second ingredient is pork liver, not chicken. Chicken comes in only at seventh place, which means it doesn’t make up a lot of volume in the food. Not a big deal, unless you have a pet that prefers more chicken in its meals.

As for fat, which also supplies energy as well as the fatty acids that keep a dog’s coat and skin healthy, this dog food takes it from two sources: fish oil and coconut oil. Fish oil is rich in two important omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), while coconut oil contains omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3s support a healthy cardiovascular system, while omega-6s stimulate hair and skin growth.

Key Takeaways

The texture of the stew is nice, and my chonky pup likes it. The chunks of chicken and vegetables are easy to chew and digest, and there aren’t problematic ingredients in here that I can find. 

Based on my study of the overweight dogs we put on this diet (most are pups owned by my volunteer friends), there has been significant weight loss observed after the two-month period. It’s not very noticeable in just a few weeks. You would have to stick to this diet long-term to enjoy the benefits.

Best for: Overweight dogs (adult) who need more moisture in their diet 

What I like:

• Works effectively in helping dogs lose weight
• High protein content
• Has an excellent ingredient profile with few core ingredients

What I don’t like:

• There is less chicken than you’d expect

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Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Satiety Support Small Dog 

Rating: 4/5
First 5 ingredients: Chicken By-Product Meal, Pea Fiber, Powdered Cellulose, Wheat Gluten, Tapioca
Guaranteed analysis:

If you have a small breed dog that needs to lose weight, the Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Adult Satiety Support Weight Management Small Breed Dry Dog Food might be the solution you’re looking for. This specialized dry dog food formula for losing weight is designed to help small dogs achieve their proper weight by providing them with a nutritious and balanced diet that also satisfies their hunger.

The first ingredient in this recipe is chicken by-product meal, which is a concentrated source of protein that can help your dog maintain muscle mass while losing weight. It’s the not the best kind of meat there is because I would normally steer away from anything labeled as byproduct. But in the case of this special diet, I have to set aside my feelings about byproducts because, well, the recipe works.

Pea fiber and corn are also included, which provide fiber and carbohydrates to help your dog feel fuller longer. Corn gluten meal and wheat gluten are also used as sources of alternative protein, although some dogs may be sensitive to these ingredients.

One of the main things about this dog food is that it’s formulated to support satiety, which means it helps your dog feel full and satisfied after eating. This is accomplished through a combination of high-quality proteins, complex carbohydrates, and fibers that work together to slow down digestion and keep your dog feeling full for longer periods of time.

Key Takeaways

This weight management formula by Royal Canin is pretty much effective in helping small, overweight dogs in losing weight. There are a couple of downsides, though. It contains some plant-based proteins like pea fiber and wheat gluten, which may not be as digestible or biologically appropriate as animal-based proteins for some dogs. 

The ingredients are also so-so. There are other dry dog food products with far better ingredients out there. However, this is a special diet so I’m rating this according to how successful the small breed dogs on this diet have been on their weight loss journey. And believe me, it works in trimming down fat pups nicely. 

Our testers are also more active and energetic than before.

Best for: Small breed dogs that need to lose weight

What I like:

• High protein content
• Formulated to support satiety and keep dogs feeling full
• Keeps pups mobile and full of energy

What I don’t like:

• The ingredients aren’t of the highest quality

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Iams Proactive Health Healthy Weight Large Breed

Rating: 3.75/5
First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Ground Barley, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken By-Product Meal
Guaranteed analysis:

Iams ProActive Health Adult Healthy Weight keeps large breed dogs at a healthy weight so they don’t put a lot of pressure on their joints — a common problem with big breeds. 

The first ingredient in this low calorie dog food is chicken, which is a favorite among most dogs. The next few ingredients — corn, sorghum, and barley — are all grains that provide a source of energy for your dog as well as fiber to keep their digestive system working properly.

Chicken by-product meal, the fourth ingredient, is a concentrated source of protein that is made from the parts of the chicken that are not used for human consumption. It’s not my idea of a quality ingredient, and in fact I usually never promote dog foods that contain byproducts nor byproduct meals. But for this special weight loss diet, I will make an exception because it’s the results that count.

One of the key features of this dry dog food recipe is the inclusion of dried beet pulp. This ingredient is a great source of fiber, which can help your dog feel full and satisfied after meals. It also helps to support healthy digestion and keep your dog's bowel movements regular.

While this recipe is designed to be lower in calories than traditional dog food formulas, it still provides plenty of nutrition for your dog. The guaranteed analysis shows that it contains 22% crude protein, which is well above the minimum recommended amount of protein for adult dogs. It also contains 9% crude fat, a good amount for dogs who need to reach a healthy weight.

Best for: Large breed dogs who need to maintain a healthy weight

Key Takeaways

Some of my volunteers chose to trial Iams because it’s very affordable and easy to sustain over many months. The weight loss is pretty much noticeable within several weeks, and their formerly lazy dogs were showing plenty of energy and becoming more mobile. 

But the downside to this weight loss food is that the ingredients aren’t up to par with high-quality standards. I just have to take points off from my rating for the inclusion of the by-product meal. I think the company could do so much better.

What I like:

• Contains l-carnitine to help big dogs lose weight 
• Has glucosamine and chondroitin to support the joints of large pups
• Fewer calories and less fat than your usual dog food diet

What I don't like:

• Contains corn and byproduct meal

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Rachael Ray Nutrish Weight Management Real Turkey & Pumpkin

Rating: 4.5/5
First 5 ingredients: Turkey, Turkey Broth, Chicken Liver, Pumpkin, Brown Rice
Guaranteed analysis:

If you're looking for a healthy and delicious weight loss formula for your overweight pup, Rachael Ray Nutrish Weight Management Real Turkey & Pumpkin may be just what you need. This dog food recipe for adult dogs is packed with high-quality protein from three excellent sources: turkey, chicken, and chicken liver.

One of the exceptional ingredients in this recipe is pumpkin, which is a great source of fiber. Pumpkins are great for helping with constipation and is also a natural stomach soother.

Aside from pumpkin, there are also three more sources of fiber in this weight management food, such as brown rice, peas, and apples. Together, these ingredients provide a well-rounded and balanced meal for your dog, while helping it maintain a healthy weight.

Turkey is the first ingredient in this dog food, which is always a great sign. Turkey is a lean protein that's easy to digest and packed with essential nutrients. Chicken liver comes in second, providing additional protein and flavor. 

If you’ve read my other dog food reviews, then you’ll know that I simply love the inclusion of liver in this recipe. Some of the best dog foods I have fed my pups (mine and fosters) include helpings of heart, liver, or other organs. These are rich in nutrients, and from my experience, I can usually get picky eaters to chow down on their food if these are present in the meal. 

As for fat, aside from the liver, most of it is supplied by the canola oil in this healthy weight recipe. 

Key Takeaways:

The guaranteed analysis of this low fat dog food shows that it is a low fat diet, making it ideal for dogs that need to lose weight. However, it still provides plenty of protein and fiber to keep your dog feeling full between meals, not to mention feeling extremely satisfied — at least my volunteer pups do as they just dive right in!

The chunks of turkey and chicken are easy to chew and digest, and the pumpkin and peas provide a nice texture.

This would have been an almost perfect weight loss formula if not for the inclusion of canola oil. Yes, canola oil does provide benefits but you have to be aware that it is also extremely processed using chemicals. 

Best for: Overweight dogs (adult) who like a pate texture

What I like:

• Flavor is popular among adult dogs
• Mostly high-quality ingredients except for one
• Has liver, which most pups can’t resist
• Contains 10% less fat than regular dog foods

What I don’t like:

• Contains canola oil

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Evanger’s Classic Recipes Senior & Weight Management Dinner

Rating: 4.25/5
First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Brown Rice, Guar Gum, Dried Kelp
Guaranteed analysis:

As dogs grow older, their needs change. Their metabolism slows down, so they may need fewer calories than before. In situations such as this, the best dog food for weight loss should also be one that takes their new needs into consideration. 

Enter Evanger's Classic Recipes Senior & Weight Management. It’s designed to meet a senior dog’s nutritional requirements.

The first ingredient in this healthy weight recipe is a whole animal protein — chicken. There is enough of it to maintain lean muscle mass in your older pup and promote activity.

Chicken broth follow, providing additional flavor, moisture, and nutrition to the meal. Brown rice is also included, which is a good source of carbs that provide energy to keep your pet going to do all the hijinks and larks  it usually gets up to.

There is not much else in this recipe except for dried kelp (high in protein and the minerals that keep a dog’s glandular system working), yucca schidigera (keeps dog poop smell down), and a ton of vitamins and minerals to meet all of your dog’s daily nutritional requirement.

Key Takeaways

This is a nice weight loss food to give your senior pupper. It not only keeps weight gain in check and canine obesity controlled, but it also keeps food sensitivities at bay with its very limited ingredient formulation. 

The taste agrees with most pups we tested. It actually works well for hiding medication too, because most of the ones who tried it can’t help but gulp the food down instead of picking at it. 

It does smell strong, though, so be prepared for that. But the smell, which most of us owners are not fond of, seem to be the very thing that attracts our doogos to it.

Best for: Senior dogs who need weight management and senior support

What I like:

• Specifically made for seniors
• Certified kosher
•  Single animal protein diet

What I don't like:

• Smells a bit strong

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Go! Solutions Weight Management + Joint Care Grain-Free Chicken Recipe

Rating: 4.75/5
First 5 ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Peas, Chicken Meal, Potatoes, Chickpeas
Guaranteed analysis:

Sometimes weight management goes hand in hand with joint care. The pressure that big dogs put on their joints can be a problem. Helping your dog lose weight can go beyond just finding out how many calories his dog food contains. It can also mean supporting his joints that are already feeling less than topnotch, causing him to lose mobility.

This dry dog food is made with deboned chicken as its primary ingredient — and it’s one of the best kind. There’s no other animal protein here, just chicken, although there is also chicken meal to provide a bit of protein boost.

It’s a grain-free diet It also includes peas, chickpeas, and potatoes which supply plant-based protein as well as fiber that helps keep a dog’s weight in check by slowing down digestion and keeping it feeling fuller longer. 

And because this dry dog food for adult dogs is designed to support the joints, it's also fortified with glucosamine and chondroitin. These two play a big role in slowing down the deterioration of cartilage in joints. They also help reduce pain so that your pup gains more mobility.

Another benefit of this weight management dog food is that it contains L-carnitine, which is a natural amino acid that helps the body convert fat into energy. This can be especially helpful for chonky dogs who need to shed a few extra pounds.

Key Takeaways

I like the ingredients in this weight management formula. The company did not cut corners and put just any ingredient. It carefully selected quality ingredients with high functionality and put them together to create an excellent healthy weight loss recipe.

I only had a few testers for this grain-free diet food because there were only a few testers whose pups needed joint support. However, most dogs who tried this diet for many weeks were able to show significant weight loss. One owner laughingly said that they could finally feel their dog’s ribs slightly which were previously covered under layers and layers of fat.

One other thing. The joint care support in this grain-free food helped immensely with getting previously inactive dogs mobile, which also helped contribute to their weight loss journey.

Best for: Adult dogs (or seniors) who need a joint support and weight management dog food

What I like:

• Includes glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health
• Grain-free
• Keeps dogs more mobile and energetic

What I don't like:

• The price point may be a bit high for some dog owners

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Canidae Grain-Free PURE Healthy Weight Limited Ingredient Chicken & Pea Recipe

Rating: 4.75/5
First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas
Guaranteed analysis:

Canidae PURE Healthy Weight Limited Ingredient Chicken & Pea Recipe is specially formulated to help your dog lose weight while providing it with all the nutrients it needs without excess calories or fillers.

The grain-free weight loss recipe is made with real chicken as the first ingredient. Chicken is a great source of protein, and it's lean, so it won't contribute to unnecessary weight gain. 

Chicken meal and turkey meal (at second and third place in the order of volume) provide a big boost to the protein level, which stands at a really high 28%. This amount is usually enough for the friskiest and most active pup.

In addition to these high-quality proteins, this grain-free diet also includes sweet potatoes, peas, garbanzos, and potatoes, all of which provide the all-important fiber, vitamins, and minerals that support a healthy immune system. 

One of the most notable features of this recipe is that it contains just 9 key ingredients, making it a great choice for dogs with sensitive stomachs or allergies. It's also free from common allergens, so you can feel good about what you're feeding your dog.

The recipe is designed to keep your dog’s weight in check without sacrificing taste or nutrition. It's lower in fat and calories than many other dog foods, but it still provides all the essential nutrients your dog needs to stay healthy and happy.

Key Takeaways

Aside from the usual contents that good weight loss foods have, this weight management recipe by Canidae is also fortified with probiotics. A healthy digestive system is one of the keys to keeping a dog’s body healthy and functioning properly, and it is certainly essential in the weight loss journey.

I also especially like how limited the number of core ingredients are. This makes it ideal for pups with sensitivities as it makes the risk of triggering allergies lower. Two of my testers reported that the rashes in their dogs’ skin has cleared up.

According to a few of my testers, their dogs were beginning to feel a bit better after being put on this diet. This is evident by the uptick in the dogs’ activity and play time. Some were also able to trim down noticeably. 

Best for: Sensitive dogs  that need an effective weight loss food

What I like:

• The first three ingredients are all quality meats
• Contains only 9 main ingredients
• Has probiotics
• Helped clear up ras

What I don’t like:

• A little more expensive than regular dog food

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Nutro Natural Choice Healthy Weight Adult Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe

Rating: 4.75/5
First 5 ingredients: Deboned Lamb, Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Barley, Rice Bran, Whole Grain Brown Rice
Guaranteed analysis:

This weight loss recipe by Nutro features real lamb as its first ingredient. While lamb is higher in fat and calories than chicken, this food was formulated in such a way as to help your dog lose weight through its exceptional blend of protein (to give dogs plenty of energy) and fiber (to slow down digestion).

It is also a limited ingredient recipe, so you can trust that your dog is getting only what he needs.

The recipe contains whole brown rice, barley, and rice bran, all of which provide dietary fiber to support digestive health. It is free from any chicken or poultry by-product meals, corn, wheat, or soy, making it a great choice for dogs with food sensitivities.

Strangely enough, even with the inclusion of grains, the calorie count of this weight management recipe is really low. The kcal per cup is even lower than many of the grain-free dog foods I have reviewed above.

At only 240 kcal per cup, I doubt any pup will gain weight from eating this meal (which is a good thing, of course). But noting the ingredients and the nutrient content, I am sure your pup will still get all of his nutritional needs. 

The list of ingredients doesn’t end there. It’s a bit longer actually, but rest assured that all of the ingredients used are non-problematic. For example, there’s quite a bit of veggies here like tomato, pumpkin, kale, and spinach. These are all sources of fiber, which is an important part in helping a dog’s weight go down. 

Key Takeaways

Despite not being a grain-free food and being chock full of whole grains instead, this recipe has turned out to be one of the best dog foods for weight control, especially in terms of calorie count. The amount of calories in here is one of the lowest I have seen in dog foods for weight management. 

Nutro is also one of the brands that I trust. And my friends who have tried it, do too. This recipe has kept their dogs’ stomachs full until the next mealtime but does not cause them to gain weight either.

Because the fiber content is quite high, it slows the digestion down enough. Our tester pups’s blood sugar have been doing better on this diet too.

Best for: Adult dogs who need a high fiber diet

What I like:

• Extremely low in calories
• Made with non-GMO ingredients
• High in fiber

What I don’t like:

• Taste is not universally liked

How Can Your Dog Lose Weight?

Even if you feed your pup the best dog foods for weight loss, your dog’s journey to a slimmed down weight shouldn’t end there. Your dog still needs exercise. It has to stretch out and develop its muscles so that your dog can keep the weight off easily. An active dog is a healthy dog.

If your dog has been inactive for a long time, start slow. Let him walk for a few minutes for the first few times and then gradually increase the exercise over time. Make sure to watch for signs of overexertion, especially if your dog has a medical condition.

Remember, more important than the question of how many calories is consumed by your pup is how healthy your pup is overall. 

This article only serves as a guide to the best dog foods for weight loss, but ultimately it is your dog and its body that will decide which food is the most suitable.