You know how amazing American bulldogs are. Your pooch has the goofy personality and loving spirit of their stockier cousins, but the physique and athleticism of a large breed dog.
These bullies really are the perfect package. And, the breed only has a handful of genetic health issues to worry about.
Still, keeping your American healthy and at an ideal weight takes a little work. And most importantly, a great dog food.
Let’s look at a few things to consider when shopping for a new food for your bully and the top three best dog foods for American bulldogs on the market this year.
Best Dog Foods for American Bulldogs
- For Active Bullies: Victor Hi-Pro Plus
- Best Weight Management: Merrick’s Healthy Weight
- Best For Puppy: Orijen’s Large Breed Puppy
Victor Hi-Pro Plus
Merrick’s Healthy Weight
Orijen’s Large Breed Puppy
Reviews of The Best Dog Foods for American Bulldogs
#1. Victor Hi-Pro Plus
For Active Bullies
88% animal ingredients
High protein and fat
Affordable
Calorie dense
Contains multiple grains
If you’re looking for the best dog food for American bulldogs with higher than average active lifestyles, then this is the food for you. Victor’s Hi-Pro Plus formula contains high protein to maintain healthy muscle mass and high fat to provide energy.
This food is made with quality animal ingredients like beef meal, pork meal, chicken meal, and fish meal. These high-density “meals” are nutrient rich with tons of quality protein and fat your dog was made to eat.
All that fat does mean this food is higher in calories than the average dog food and would not be a good choice for less active bullies or smaller bully breeds, such as a French bulldog. If you are looking for a quality food for them, check out this article on the best dog foods for French bulldogs.
If, on the other hand, your American bulldog spends their day running with you, competing in sports competitions, or just chasing the kids around the yard, this food is an excellent choice.
It’s made with quality natural ingredients to help your bully thrive. Best of all, this food is very budget friendly and cheaper than most dog foods with the same amount of protein. It’s also featured in our best cheap dog food article. Click here for more information on a truly quality low-priced dog food.
#2. Merrick’s Healthy Weight
Best Weight Management
Low calorie
High protein
Quality ingredients
Pricey
Some protein from peas
The next food on our list is specifically for those American bulldogs that struggle to stay trim or have less active lifestyles. Merrick’s Healthy Weight formula combines high protein with low fat to make a quality diet that won’t add unnecessary pounds.
This quality food contains beef, chicken meal, and turkey meal, plus a host of other high-nutrient plant ingredients like blueberries, alfalfa, and flaxseed oil.
What sets this food apart from most weight management formulas, is the impressive 32% protein. And, because it only contains 8% fat, it is the perfect food to help your American bully keep healthy muscle mass without bulking up.
This food also contains plenty of healthy omegas and glucosamine and chondroitin for healthy joints.
This diet will cost you more than our first choice pick, but it is well worth it to get a quality low-calorie food to support your American bulldog’s health and weight.
#3. Orijen’s Large Breed Puppy
Best For Puppy
High protein
Large breed puppy formula
Whole-food ingredients
Pricey
Our third choice food comes from Orijen, a company known for producing quality high-protein diets for dogs of all ages. And their large breed puppy formula is perfect for your growing American bulldog pup.
This food contains 15 quality animal ingredients at the top of the ingredient list. Things like chicken, turkey, flounder, and organ meat all add to the high 38% protein.
But most importantly, this food contains the right calorie density and calcium to phosphorus ratio to keep your big puppy growing at the right rate to become a healthy, big adult. And, like our number two choice, this food contains glucosamine and chondroitin for healthy joints.
What truly makes this the best food for American bulldog puppies is the commitment to biologically appropriate, whole-food ingredients. Things like turnip greens, kale, rosehips, and turmeric add the nutrients that most dog food companies use synthetic chemicals to supply.
All that quality doesn’t come cheap. But the high price of this food is worth it to get your American bulldog started out on the right paw.
What to Look for In a Quality American Bulldog Diet
As an American bulldog owner, you’re luckier than many owners with different breeds. When this breed first started to disappear after the second world war, a couple of very responsible breeders in the southern United States worked carefully to bring them back.
That diligence led to the relatively healthy bully breed we see today.
But, that doesn’t mean you can feed your bulldog any old food without concern.
Like their bulldog cousins, American’s need high-protein, low-carb foods to help them carry good muscle mass and not excess fat. Some especially heavy bulldogs may even require a weight loss formula to stay trim.
Weight isn’t just about vanity. Dog’s who are obese carry a higher risk for arthritis, according to Aubrey Animal Medical Center.
Finding a food with the right caloric density for your dog’s lifestyle and added glucosamine is a must.
As always, it is important to find a food made from quality ingredients with meat as the first listed. Foods with more named animal-sourced ingredients up front, like chicken, turkey, and fish, will provide more quality protein for your pup.
Avoid foods with cheap filler ingredients like corn and soy. Many bulldogs are allergic to these and they provide very little nutrition overall.
Frequently Asked Questions
American bulldogs can be anywhere from 60-120 pounds when fully grown. Most large breed dog foods are intended for dogs that will be over 50 or 70 pounds when fully grown.
To help support their growing joints, it is important to choose either a large breed puppy formula or one marketed as an “all-breed” formula to make sure your puppy doesn’t grow too quickly. Expedited growth in a large breed dog can cause joint issues later on in life.
Some American bullies do best on a diet food, especially if they cannot be exercised enough. But many will do well on smaller portions of a normal high-protein food and increased exercise.
Talk to your vet about how many calories your dog should be eating each day based on their lifestyle. And always remember to limit snacks and treats.
All bullies require high-protein foods to maintain proper muscle density, but American’s differ from smaller bully breeds in that they often need more fat and joint supporting nutrients to stay healthy. If you have a smaller bully, like an English bulldog, who needs a diet change, check out this article.
Like their larger breed bully cousins, they benefit from optimal calorie intake based on their activity level and age.
What Is the Best Dog Food for American Bulldogs?
After searching through a huge selection of quality, high protein dog foods, we chose Victor’s Hi-Pro Plus formula as the best dog food for American bulldogs. This recipe contains tons of quality animal ingredients and high protein and fat to keep your dog energized.
This food is perfect for building healthy muscle and powering the energetic nature of these bully clowns. Just make sure you don’t overfeed this calorie-dense food or add too many snacks on top of it.
If your pup is a little more couch-bound, we also highly recommend Merrick’s healthy weight formula for its high protein content and limited fat and calories. This food will help your dog maintain a healthy weight while still supporting muscle and full-body health.
