Best Dog Food For Bull Terrier: Fueling Strength and Vitality

Choosing the best dog food for your Bull Terrier is crucial for ensuring their health, vitality, and overall well-being.

Known for their energetic and muscular build, Bull Terriers require a balanced diet rich in high-quality proteins, healthy fats, and essential nutrients.

The Bull Terrier dog breed is full of energy and affection. This breed requires a lot of attention and firm but friendly training to prevent them from becoming aggressive as they mature.

One of the most notable personality traits of Bull Terriers is their mischievous behavior; their ability to find hidden treats and toys throughout the house is known well by dog owners, but when given the right home, this breed is loyal, affectionate and protective of the entire family.

In this guide, we'll explore the top dog food options specifically tailored to meet the unique nutritional needs of Bull Terriers, helping you keep your loyal companion happy, healthy, and thriving.

Best Dog Food for Bull Terrier

1. Nom Nom Pork Potluck

Nom Nom is a dog food brand dedicated to providing “real, good food for dogs.”

Their recipes, crafted with restaurant-grade ingredients, are designed by a Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist alongside several PhD nutritionists, eliminating any guesswork for pet parents. 

For added convenience, the meals are pre-portioned to meet each canine's specific needs and delivered directly to your door.

One standout option, Pork Potluck, offers a unique protein source, ideal for dogs with food sensitivities and dietary restrictions. Its top five ingredients are pork, potatoes, green beans, squash, and kale.

When you sign up, Nom Nom recommends a meal plan based on your pet's age, weight, and health conditions. The meals are pre-portioned according to your pet's metabolism and caloric requirements. 

The recipes are prepared in small batches and shipped with dry ice and insulating liners to maintain freshness. Simply thaw, pour, and serve!

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2. American Journey Beef & Brown Rice Recipe

From Chewy's in-house brand, this meaty recipe from American Journey is an excellent option for those seeking high-quality dog food.

This formula features fresh deboned beef as the primary ingredient, offering a rich source of protein and taurine.

Additionally, the recipe includes chicken meal and turkey meal for extra protein, along with digestible whole-grain carbohydrates like brown rice.

It also contains fresh fruits and vegetables, providing natural sources of essential vitamins, while chelated minerals ensure optimal nutrient absorption.

Overall, this formula delivers 25% crude protein and 15% crude fat, balanced with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

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3. Taste of the Wild Wetlands Formula

Taste of the Wild has crafted an exceptional roasted fowl dry food that stands out at its price point. Featuring duck and duck meal as its primary animal protein sources, this dog food draws inspiration from the ancestral diet of prehistoric canines.

With 32% protein and 18% fat, these impressive figures surpass the average, providing excellent support for your dog's muscle and bone growth and maintenance. The high-fat content also plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy immune system.

It's important to note that some of the protein in this formula comes from additional sources such as peas, eggs, and fish.

While plant-based proteins can be harder for your dog to digest, this typically isn't an issue unless your dog has specific digestive concerns.

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4. Ollie Fresh Lamb with Cranberries

Ollie's recipe offers a nutritious and delicious meal for your dog, featuring premium, human-grade ingredients.

The primary ingredient, lamb, provides a rich source of high-quality protein, while cranberries add a burst of natural antioxidants and vitamins.

It also includes butternut squash, which is high in dietary fiber to aid digestion and a powerful source of antioxidants like beta carotene, along with a wealth of vitamins and minerals.

Additionally, it contains kale, a superfood packed with vitamins and minerals, which supports the immune system and promotes healthy skin and fur.

This recipe is carefully balanced with wholesome vegetables and essential nutrients to support your dog's overall health and well-being.

Pre-portioned and delivered fresh to your door, any of Ollie's food recipes ensures your furry friend enjoys a tasty, convenient, and nutritious diet.

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5. Instinct Frozen Raw Bites Alaskan Pollock

This food is perfect for balancing out your Bull Terriers specific needs with a standard diet consisting of real pollock, fruits and vegetables.

Guided by Instinct believes in supporting your pet with raw nutrition to help them maintain high levels of energy and an overall sense of happiness based on a diet that makes them feel good.

This food replicates dogs' ancestral diets, supporting lean muscles, dental health, and energy levels. The primary ingredient is pollock, including ground miscanthus grass for dietary fiber boost.

Beef liver and heart provide essential nutrients such as iron, niacin, and zinc. The recipe is complemented by nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables like apples, butternut squash, rosemary extract, blueberries, and spinach.

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids from ground pumpkin seeds and salmon oil help reduce inflammation, enhance coat health, and boost cognitive function.

All ingredients support your Bull Terriers specific needs with superfoods and antioxidants for a healthy immune system.

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6. ZIWI Peak Mackerel & Lamb

This is a high-protein dog food that offers the convenience of dry kibble combined with the nutrient density of fresh, raw food.

Designed to provide complete and balanced nutrition for dogs of all breeds and life stages, this air-dried recipe is an excellent raw food alternative.

Ziwi Peak uses their proprietary Z-TWINTECH™ air drying technology to preserve the meat, locking in nutrients from the raw ingredients without artificial preservatives.

This process results in a highly flavorful, nutritious meal that is free from pathogenic bacteria and retains more moisture than traditional dry kibble, eliminating the need for rehydration.

With 43% protein, this diet is particularly beneficial for most dogs, especially those needing weight management. This meat-dense formula, containing 96% fish, lamb, organs, and New Zealand green mussels, ensures that dogs feel fuller for longer, making a little go a long way.

Sourced from wild and sustainable whole blue mackerel from New Zealand’s North Island and ethically raised lamb fed on lush grass and clover, this recipe guarantees high-quality, easily digestible protein for your dog.

 

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7. Merrick Puppy Real Chicken and Sweet Potato

Providing the right nutrients at an early age is crucial for your Bully's healthy growth and cognitive development.

With deboned chicken as the first ingredient, Merrick ensures your puppy receives top-notch nutrition. This puppy food delivers high-quality protein to support the development and maintenance of healthy muscle tissue and energy levels in all breeds. 

Comprising 57% protein and healthy fats, along with 43% produce, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other natural ingredients, this complete and balanced meal is rich in both protein and fiber.

It includes DHA for healthy brain development and features smaller-sized kibble perfect for puppies. Omega fatty acids promote healthy skin and coat, while glucosamine and chondroitin maintain healthy hips and joints.

This grain-free dry dog food contains no corn, wheat, soy, gluten, or artificial preservatives, making it ideal for puppies suffering from food allergies.

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8. BIXBI Rawbble Turkey Recipe for Puppies

This grain free canned wet dog food for puppies features real, fresh meat without any meat meals, making it an excellent choice for your furry friend.

The limited-ingredient recipe includes sustainably sourced turkey and ingredients like pumpkin to promote digestive health.

Free from grains, BPA, and carrageenan, you can feel great about feeding it to your pup. This recipe is perfect for puppies who enjoy a bit more moisture and variety in their meals.

Comprising 92% turkey, turkey broth, and turkey liver, it can be served as a complete, balanced diet or as a nutritious topper for dry food. It is also a perfect meal for picky eaters.

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9. Nutro Ultra Senior

This senior dry dog food offers complete and balanced nutrition with a nutrient-dense formula featuring three types of protein and a unique superfood blend.

It includes chicken, lamb, and salmon, making it highly palatable, and is enriched with Omega fatty acids for joint, skin, and coat health.

The recipe, which is 26% protein, also contains dried egg product and pea protein. It supports joint health with naturally sourced glucosamine and chondroitin and promotes optimal digestion with fiber from whole ingredients.

Suitable for dogs aged 5 years and older, it contains superfoods like coconut, chia seeds, blueberries, carrots, kale, spinach, and pumpkin to boost the immune system.

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10. Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind Senior 

This is a wet food designed for dogs aged 7 and older to support their cognitive health. Purina's research indicates that enhanced botanical oils, specifically Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs), provide an additional energy source for the brain, promoting alertness and mental sharpness in senior dogs.

Made primarily with real beef, the formula is flavorful but also includes lesser-quality ingredients like unnamed animal products and wheat gluten, which may not be suitable for dogs with food sensitivities.

Despite this, many fur parents report increased activity, interaction, and excitement in their senior dogs after switching to this food.

While some dogs experienced softer stools, the overall reception is positive, with many pooches showing improved alertness and appetite.

This wet food is recommended for its ability to bring vitality and joy to senior dogs, making it worth trying for owners of aging pets.

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Why Quality Food Matters

Diet plays a significant role in the obedience and social aspect of the Bull Terrier because they are prone to aggression and poor behavior.

It’s important to understand that diet not only helps your dog feel better and healthier, but it helps them to behave better as well.

Since Bull Terriers are stubborn and difficult to train a positive change in diet to something with more whole foods and fewer chemicals might make a world of difference for your pet.

Common Health Issues A Good Food Can Help With

This breed is typically healthy and does not suffer from any serious health complications, but you may want to pay attention to these issues as Bull Terriers are prone to them:

Lethal Acrodermatitis (Zinc Deficiency) – The most significant health complication your Bull Terrier may face is zinc deficiency, and this is an inherited disorder known only to this breed.

Symptoms include weak growth, low immunity, and sores appearing primarily on the paws. Often the disease is diagnosed as a puppy because dogs with these issues do not typically live past six years.

Luckily, with scientific and dietary advancement bull terriers can live a full life if given the proper treatment. A lifelong zinc supplement paired with a healthy diet helps this breed to grow big and strong and stay that way for years to come.

Obesity – Like many dog breeds, a dog's weight is a problem, but you can quickly turn things around with a dietary change in your Bull Terrier’s habits.

These dogs require an incredible amount of activity to maintain their stocky physique, and it's not always possible to give them the full attention they need to stay healthy.

One way to make sure your pet remains at a healthy weight is by ensuring he receives the proper balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. If you are unsure if your dog is overweight, there are a few ways to tell.

Bull Terriers should have a lot of definition in their muscles especially around their ribs and shoulders. Also, pay attention to how often your bully is panting, if you feel the dog is overexerting itself too quickly you should consider a change in diet.

Kidney Disease – Kidney disease resulting in renal failure is a disorder common to terrier breeds. The kidneys regulate plasma and tissue fluid in the body, and they also help filter toxins out of the body through urination.

When the kidneys are not working properly, the toxins stay in the body putting stress on other organs and raising blood pressure. Symptoms are frequent urination, increased drinking, weight loss, and vomiting.

This disease is inherited through the breed, so it's difficult to pick up on and many dogs may live their entire life without being diagnosed even though they have it. A natural diet can help slow down development of these types of disorders.

What to Look For in a Quality Dog Food

As with any breed, it is essential to give your dog a well-balanced diet of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. The crucial thing to look at is where those proteins and fats are coming from because you want high-quality animal protein in your dog's diet to keep them at their best.

You want to pay attention to how much fat you are giving your Bull Terrier because of their heavyset build you want to give them as many healthy oils and animal fats as possible. Fish oil is the best for your dog, but you want to stay away from canola and vegetable oils that provide little nutritional value.

As research continues and we learn more about what we should be feeding our dogs, we are slowly drifting away from a high-carb, high grain diet.

You want to limit the amount of grain in your pet's food because the carbs translate into lethargy and ultimately excess weight. The carbohydrates in your bully’s diet should come from starchy vegetables.

Due to zinc deficiency in many canines within this breed, it's more important than ever to balance out their diet with plenty of antioxidants in fruits and vegetables to help support their immune system.

The vitamins and fiber they gain will also improve their metabolism and digestion while supporting their sensitive skin as well.

Ingredients to Avoid

We could probably write an entire article on the ingredients you want to avoid, but we’ll focus primarily on the most common ones you’ll find in the dog food at your local pet store.

Years ago meat and bone meal were incredibly popular in dog food because they were a cheaper alternative until agricultural regulating companies found that a lot of the by-products of these ingredients were dead animals and food waste from restaurants.

Fish meal is also commonly found in pet foods across the country, and it contains an ingredient called Ethoxyquin which is a chemical preservative that is illegal in human foods. It’s harmful when directly consumed, but it is still allowed in pet foods in the United States.

BHA and BHT are chemical preservatives that are highly common in most pet foods and are known to cause kidney and liver damage.

You want to pay close attention for these ingredients in your Bull Terrier’s food and make sure to put the bag back on the shelf if you find these abbreviations on it.

Lastly, food dyes are popular in pet food but completely unnecessary. They cause skin irritations and behavioral problems in your dog. Certain colorings are also classified as an animal carcinogen and should never be in your pet's diet.

Bad Dog Food Brands

There are many different brands you want to avoid because they lack any real nutritional value for your dog. They contain endless amounts of chemicals and fillers that do not help your Bull Terrier maintain a healthy weight and live a happy life.

• Everpet Dog Food: Open up the list of ingredients and then read the previous paragraphs and you’ll understand why this made the list. It contains nothing by corn meal, bone meal, rendered fat preserved with BHA, vegetable oil, caramel coloring; the list goes on and on with the horrible ingredients.
• Showtime Performance Formula: Another food with the first five ingredients being everything your dog should not have in their diet. Poultry meal, ground corn, fat preserved with BHA, fish meal followed by a variety of unidentifiable chemicals. Many of these ingredients are known by the World Health Organization to cause cancer.
• Purina Beneful: Based on the commercials and reputation you would expect better from this company, but their food contains ground corn and chicken by-product meal as the first ingredients like many others. There is also a whole list of food dyes and an excessive amount of sugar that your dog does not need in their diet.

 

Bull Terrier Feeding Chart

Bull Terriers need a strict diet with limited amounts of feeding per day so they can maintain a healthy weight. Your vet will instruct you on how to feed your dog correctly but here’s a guideline to help you get an idea.

• Puppies: Bull Terrier puppies should get fed a diet rich in protein and antioxidants explicitly made for puppies no more than three times a day
• Adults: Once they are a year old they only need to eat twice a day, and it's important not to feed them too much wet food because it contains a lot of sugar that translates into excess fat.
• Seniors: As Bull Terriers age and become less active than they were in their younger years, the obesity issue becomes more prominent. You want to feed them food made specifically for seniors and follow your vet's recommendations to make sure they maintain a healthy weight.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the best dog food for Bull Terriers, who are often more active than other breeds, is crucial for their health and longevity.

To ensure your Bull Terrier maintains an ideal weight and meets their nutritional requirements, it's important to choose a diet that supports their active lifestyle.

Opting for grain free food can be beneficial, as it often provides higher quality ingredients and better digestibility.

By selecting a diet that meets the specific needs of Bull Terriers, you can keep your dog healthy, support their well-being, and ensure they thrive throughout their life.