This post may contain affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a small commission. Thanks.
For our pets and even us, a good diet holds everything on proper growth, development, and fitness. As such, the question for the best dog food for American bulldogs is not about the cheapest label or even which has the richest ingredients. The perfect nutrition is which has the nutrients that your dog currently needs.
Funny to say, you should never pick a diet because you have come to find out it worked well on your neighbor’s dog. Every pet has its unique nutrition needs, which includes not only in terms of age but also the breed type.
With our subject, the American Bulldog, for instance, the pouch comes from a family of working dogs. Our ancestors used them for various farm tasks, such as guarding the property, herding, and even hunting. So, the dog has a good geometry of activeness and can build strong muscles if needed.
Even so, these aspects aren’t possible to achieve with improper feeding. Whether you’re using the raw kitchen-made recipes of commercial dog food, you should pick the right ingredients to get the best results.
Recommended article for you:
Key Takeaway:
Even before coming to the diet, you should know that the American bulldogs are not always safe. Of course, the breed is generally healthy, but the chances of the dogs becoming obese and or developing dental, plus skin infections are pretty high. Each of these disorders can lead to various long-term conditions, including bones and kidney diseases.
So, regular exercise is a must if you truly need to feel that soft warm coat for the next 10 or so years. And as your vet will always say, nothing is more important in training than the power from great nutrition.
Healthy Feeding for Your American bulldog
As we’ve just mentioned, every pet has its special needs that should conform to the food you give. You should provide your dog with only the ingredients that are helpful to his body and keep off what he doesn’t need.
For a model, the best dog food for American bulldogs with skin problems is not about protein content or whether there are grains. Also, an underweight pouch has different requirements from his sister with a normal weight score. Every ingredient in any dog food counts and the wrong choice could easily compromise the results you’re expecting.
With that, we have collected various canine recipes that we think might be great for the current situation of your bulldog. Each dog food has its unique formulation that consists of a precise blend of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins. Which means they all have different additional health benefits after replenishing the rumbling tummy.
Feeding Guide: American bully feeding secrets
These recipes for American bulldogs include:
1. Royal Canin Chicken Adult Bulldog Dry Dog Food
If your furry friend is 12 months or older, this diet can be a great option to serve his daily nutrition needs. It’s specifically for bulldogs, which is better shown by the exclusive tailor-made kibble that matches with the breed’s broad and unique jaws.
The dog food has excellent levels of protein from pork meal, egg product, and chicken by-product meal. This means it can be very significant when you want to develop lean and strong muscles in your dog. It does have oats, brown rice, and wheat gluten, which all are rich in natural carbs for providing energy to exercise.
Thanks to the added fish oil, this diet has EPA and DHA to promote brain functions and support muscle recovery. The two nutrients also work in hand with the present glucosamine and chondroitin minerals to maintain bone and joint health. Then, if your dog had a skin condition, the kibbles have omega-6 fatty acids to facilitate fast recovery and enhance a lustrous coat. Royal Canin is absolutely the best dog food for American bulldogs.
Still, the dog food has multiple vitamin supplements, including vitamin A that usually play’s a huge role in vision.
Pros:
- It has highly digestible proteins and high-quality carbs
- Uses natural flavor, mainly chicken
- Has precise fiber to improve digestion
- Can help reduce gas and stool odor
- Contains no synthetic preservative
- The kibbles are unique-shaped and easy to pick
Cons:
- Not ideal for dogs intolerant to grains, especially wheat
2. Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach Dry Dog Food
For a bulldog struggling with itchy skin, diarrhea, or any other skin and digestive issues, this diet can be the answer. It contains no corn, wheat, or soy, which are the common triggers of sensitive stomach symptoms. But has prebiotic fiber to promote the overall digestive health.
The dog food features real salmon as the first ingredient and main source of protein. Hence, offers your dog a lovely supply of EPA and DHA, which are great for suppressing inflammatory conditions like itchy skin.
The recipe has heavy carbs from ground rice and barley so that your dog can have optimal fuel for his active lifestyle. It also does contain sunflower oil and animal fat that should help maintain healthy skin and a shiny coat.
Furthermore, there are multiple vitamin supplements, including vitamin A to improve vision and minimize the risk of conditions like night blindness. The diet also does have calcium and a natural source of glucosamine. So, you can have a better chance to help promote the health of your dog’s bones and joints.
You may also like: Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach Salmon Reviews
Pros:
- It’s nutritious and well-balanced
- Has digestible proteins and carbs
- Very supportive in the digestive tract health
- Great for nourishing the intestinal “good” bacteria
- Uses natural flavor and preservative
- Prepared in the USA
- It’s available in multiple buying options
Cons:
- Like other salmon diets, this recipe has a strong nasty smell
- It’s relatively expensive.
3. Hill’s Science Diet Sensitive Stomach and Skin Dry Dog Food
This is another alternative dog food formula that you can get for your adult bulldog. It’s also a specialty diet that you can pour to your pet who’s a sensitive stomach and skin problems. But still, you can give to your healthy pouch and tend to his hunger while still nourishing his coat.
The dog food has a spectacular blend of vitamin E and omega-6 fatty acids, which are beneficial for skin health and appearance. It has a real, juicy chicken as the primary source of protein, but there are also yellow peas and egg product. So, your exercising dog can have a better boost for leaner and stronger muscles.
Speaking of exercises, this dog food has high-quality carbs from whole grain sorghum, brewers rice, and brown rice. Therefore, your bulky bulldog will have enough strength and energy to fuel his activities.
Another thing, the dog food has hardworking antioxidants from beta-carotene, apples, and cranberries. Thus, very supportive in enabling your dog’s body to destroy free radicals and fight off the disease-causing bacteria. The kibble, by the way, has lactic acid. So, there are minor chances of contamination by harmful bacteria like salmonella.
Pros:
- It’s rich in protein for growth and muscle development
- Smells very good
- Tasty and Highly digestible
- Has prebiotic fiber to support a healthy gut
- Includes vitamin A supplement for better vision
- Can help reduce the gassy issue
- It contains no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives
Cons:
- Advised for adult dogs
- Not recommended for a bulldog intolerant to grains.
4. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Dry Dog Food
Similar to other diets from the Blue, this dog food has real meat as the number #1 ingredient. The used meat is a real deboned chicken, which also happens to be the main source of protein besides peas and alfalfa meal. So, the recipe can be a great option if you want to see some bulky muscles in your bulldog.
The dog food has quality carbs from various sources, including sweet potatoes, barley, and brown rice, to keep your dog’s energy tanks full. Then, there’s flaxseed and chicken fat to give a good balance of Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids to promote the skin and coat health. That’s not all.
The dry dog food contains a precise blend of antioxidants from blueberries, cranberries, beta-carotene [carrots], and the exclusive Lifesource Bits. In which case they help enhance a robust immune system and minimize chances of bacterial infections.
Still, every kibble packs Vitamin D3 supplement, glucosamine, and calcium to strengthen the bones and minimize the risk of their disorder. It also has favorable amounts of taurine, plus vitamin b12 to improve the brain functions of your canine.
Check a comparison: Blue Buffalo vs Blue Wilderness
Pros:
- It features quality ingredients from natural sources
- Has optimal protein for muscle development
- Great for skin conditions
- Has hardworking antioxidants
- Contains no synthetic flavors or preservatives
- It’s vitamin A for improved vision
Cons:
- No ideal for a dog allergic to grains
- Can smell awful if not properly stored
5. Holistic Select Natural Chicken Dry Dog Food
Yet another choice for your bulldog, this dog food contains a perfect blend of minerals and vitamins to improve your pet’s overall wellness. It has powerful antioxidants from natural sources, including Apples, blueberries, and papayas.
Formulated with highly digestible proteins and carbs, the diet can serve as an alternative for your bulldog with digestive conditions. It even has prebiotics, probiotics, and natural dietary fiber to further enhance digestion while supporting digestive tract health.
The food is very supportive of the skin and coat, courtesy of the added biotin and omega-6 fatty acids from flaxseed. It also does have omega-3 fatty acids from nutrient-rich salmon oil. So, your dog can still benefit from a significant amount of EPA and DHA for soothing inflammatory conditions.
Moreover, this diet features taurine to support a healthy heart, and niacin which experts believe to boost brain function. It contains no artificial additives but natural chicken and cinnamon flavor, plus Mixed Tocopherols and rosemary extract for maintaining freshness. Thus, you need not worry about triggering a digestive upset unless your bulldog is intolerant to all grains.
Pros:
- It’s complete and well-balanced
- Has high-quality protein for growth and muscles development
- Great for normalizing the poop
- Contains the “friendly” intestinal microorganisms
- Prepared in the USA
- Can solve gas and bloating issues
- It’s budget-friendly.
Cons:
- The bag has a cheap packaging. Hence, will need proper storage for optimal freshness
6. Diamond Naturals Skin & Coat Dry Dog Food
Last on the list is another specialty nutrition that you can scoop for your dog with dry skin, itchiness, and or other skin conditions. It consists of premium ingredients, amongst them flaxseed, chia seed, and coconut that has natural omega-6 fatty acids to promote skin and coat health.
Even so, the dog food has a real salmon as the first ingredient and the main source of high-quality protein. Hence, promising your little friend good support for muscle development and excellent levels of selenium to boost metabolism and thyroid function.
For the case of field training, the kibbles in the bag have digestible carbs from potatoes and pumpkins. The manufacturers also added pea flour which has energy benefits too, even though it’s richer in fiber.
Therefore, the diet can be a great remedy to normalize poop and support digestive tract health. Yet still, it contains healthy probiotics to help restore the gut flora and reinforce the intestinal protective barrier.
More on that, the dog food has blueberries, beta-carotene, and vitamin E supplement that will provide antioxidant benefits. Thereby, enabling the body to repair damaged cells faster and scavenge disease-causing bacteria.
Pros:
- It’s rich in protein for better muscle development
- Has easy to digest carbs
- Contains no grains
- Fit for all life stages
- Great for a shiny coat
- It’s available at a friendly budget
Cons:
- It doesn’t smell the best due to the fish
- Some dogs develop diarrhea in the initial switch
How To Feed American Bulldogs For Noticeable Results
Each of the dog recipes above comprises the products we collected based on the best and healthy ingredients for canines. We also checked on the various recent customers who have also ordered the particular recipes and compared the highest positive scores.
As we stated earlier and we’ll mention again, however, your bulldog is not like mine or Jake’s. Every dog is just like us, individual, and has unique genetics and features that go with his special diet. Therefore, we can’t promise all the six diets that we’ve reviewed can work on your dog.
We would recommend sticking to your vet’s guidelines and if you don’t have one at the moment, monitor the condition of your pet. Then, check on the various ingredients that you’re positive will best benefit him.
After discerning the ingredients and received the diet that you believe is the perfect one, now you can fill the feeding bowl without hesitating. Just remember the American bulldogs are highly prone to becoming obese. So, you have to measure the particular diet respective to the dog’s nutrition needs.
The following are four pointers that can help guide you and ensure you do the feeding right.
How Much Food to Feed
When feeding your bulldog, or any other breed for that matter, the goal is to promote healthy growth. With the high likelihood of them becoming overweight, however, you have to design a strict plan that will work out for both of you. That’s, to meet the daily requirements of your pet and bring out the results that you’re hoping to see.
The amount you provide should not be a random guess, but instead depending on the age and weight.
Needless to say, the males might need more calories than the females, in which case the former requires around 2,100-3,600 calories. The highest amount should only come in place if your bulldog exercises heavy and he needs more nutrients for faster recovery and endurance. Even then, the amount should never overly exceed the recommended daily intake as per the weight.
Here is a feeding chart that you can contrast…
| Weight of the Dog | Average Feeding Requirements Cups per Day |
| 50 lbs. to 60 lbs. | 3 ¼ cups to 3 ⅔ cups |
| 61 lbs. to 70 lbs. | 3 ⅔ cups to 4 cups |
| 71 lbs. to 80 lbs. | 4 cups to 4 ½ cups |
| 81 lbs. to 90 lbs. | 4 ½ cups to 5 cups |
| 91 lbs. to 100 lbs. | 5 cups to 5 ⅓ cups |
| 101 lbs. to 110 lbs. | 5 ⅓ to 5 ¾ cups |
| 111 lbs. to 120 lbs. | 5 ¾ cups to 6 cups |
How Frequent Should You Feed
The worst thing you can do is overfeed your dog and then expect him to run comfortably. But bulldogs love to eat, which means they’re quite easy to overfeed.
Therefore, you have to follow the basic feeding rule that requires you to feed in portions. If your bulldog is less than 4 months old, he certainly has a smaller tummy but still energetic and playful. So, it would be nicer to divide his meals into four equal meals that you’ll give at different times of the day.
Once the dog is about 5 or 6 months old, you can reduce the frequency to three portions a day. Then, after the 7-month birthday, you can now switch to the adult feeding regime and start on the two meals a day.
What about the American Bulldog Puppy?
Like with most dogs, the bulldog puppy needs food richer in nutrients to support his weak immune system and support healthy growth. As a matter of fact, you might need to provide a larger quantity with this particular breed as they tend to grow pretty fast.
You should provide the food in four different portions, in which case each meal consists of about half to three-quarters of a cup. The last thing you would want is your pet becoming obese at such a young age. So, you should also ensure the diet isn’t too high in fat.
Ingredients to Avoid
When it comes to the question of the ingredients to avoid, the answer is a vague one as it depends on various factors. It’s not about A or B as many bloggers say it.
For a model, your bulldog can be intolerant to rice and barley, but your neighbor’s is not. You can even find a pet who tend to have diarrhea and itchy skin when he ingests on chicken. But that doesn’t mean that your dog will develop similar symptoms when he takes in a diet with poultry.
The kind of ingredients every owner should refrain from giving to his dog include food dyes, Ethoxyquin, BHA, and BHT. Their continuous exposure can trigger disorders of kidney and thyroid problems, which are quite common in bulldogs.
FAQ
What do you feed American bulldog puppies?
In the initial days, it’s of best to feed your pup with puppy diet which is rich in protein to promote healthy growth and development. It should have a moderate amount of fat to enhance digestion and palatability. The nutrition should also have a smart blend of vitamins and minerals to boost the health of their weak immune system, plus bones and joints.
Do American bulldogs have sensitive stomachs?
Luckily, a sensitive stomach is not on the list of the most common disorders in an American bulldog. Sad to say, however, your pet can be born with the problem or he comes to develop it in later stages. Irrespective of the cause, a diet rich in probiotics and dietary fiber could help improve digestion and gut health.
What is the best dog food for Bulldogs?
Dozens of different recipes targets on serving the needs of the bulldogs. So, the perfect one for you might vary with the requirements of your pet. A good example formula for the average, normal-looking bulldog, is the Royal Canin Bulldog Recipe. It’s complete, well-balanced, and with a precise blend of minerals, plus vitamins to support healthy growth and development. Royal canin overall best dog food for American bulldogs. You may check our previous post to know more about the best dog food for bulldogs.
Remember to Exercise
With their characteristic bulky bodies, the American bulldogs require the very best care to grow into that lean and muscular formation you want. The breed comes from a family of energetic and athletic dogs. So, you will need to provide a lot of exercises [under moderation] and not just the walk in the park.
You can play the old fashioned game of fetch, but instead of just a flat ground, you do it where there’re obstacles to jump. That way, your dog can have a better chance to strengthen and define his body muscles.
Just like with us, humans, though, a great exercise always works better with good nutrition. As such, you should provide your pet with a high-quality diet while not forgetting the water.
In the article, we’ve discussed various recipes that should help you make the right and healthy decision. We hope you found it informative and with the solution, you were seeking.
