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11 Best Dog Foods for Bull Terriers – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks

Kristin Hitchcock

By Kristin Hitchcock

Miniature bull terrier dog sitting with bowl_Ermolaev Alexander_shutterstock While Bull Terriers tend to be a naturally healthy breed, as a pet owner, one of the most important things that you can do to influence the health and well-being of your dog is to ensure that they have a healthy, well-balanced, and nutritious diet.

Bull Terriers, like all dogs, are naturally carnivores, and it is therefore important that whatever food you choose for your dog has a high concentration of meat. Of course, your pet will also benefit from the vitamins and minerals found in other food types, so your dog’s diet should also contain small amounts of fruits, vegetables, and grains (although some dogs react badly to grains, and if this is the case with your dog, you will need to find a grain-free product).

Being strong and active dogs, Bull Terriers will, depending upon their weight, age, and activity levels will have unique dietary requirements, and working out exactly what to feed your dog can be a little tricky. Thankfully, in today’s modern world, you can avoid much of the guesswork by selecting from a range of complete and nutritious commercially manufactured dog foods. Yet, with hundreds, if not thousands, of products to choose from, this can be challenging.

So, to help you out, we’ve put together this list of reviews of the best dog foods for Bull Terriers.

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A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites of 2024

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Ollie Fresh Dog Food Subscription Ollie Fresh Dog Food Subscription
  • Made with fresh, healthy ingredients
  • Good option for dogs with food allergies
  • Delivered right to your door
  • Budget Buy
    Second place
    IAMS ProActive Health Large Breed IAMS ProActive Health Large Breed
  • Complete and balanced diet for dogs
  • Good quality
  • Price
  • Third place
    Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Dry Food Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Dry Food
  • Complete high protein diet
  • Formulated for puppies
  • Excellent quality
  • Blue Buffalo Grain-Free Dry Food Blue Buffalo Grain-Free Dry Food
  • Premium quality
  • High-protein formula
  • Contains real chicken
  • Nutro Wholesome Essentials Large Breed Nutro Wholesome Essentials Large Breed
  • Formulated for large dogs
  • High quality
  • Good reviews
  • The 11 Best Dog Foods for Bull Terriers

    1. Ollie Lamb With Cranberries Fresh Dog Food Subscription – Best Overall

    Ollie is a delivery service that brings the freshest, healthiest dog food recipes right to your door. There are several recipes to choose from, so you can opt for the one that’s best for your dog.

    Each recipe was developed by a team of veterinarians. Ollie also employs a Canine Council of animal nutritionists, scientists, and behaviorists to develop new recipes and products.

    The Ollie Lamb Dish With Cranberries Recipe is a good option for dogs that suffer from allergies and food sensitivities, making it the best dog food for Bull Terriers.
    The lamb provides plenty of protein while still being gentle on the digestive system. Cranberries give this food an antioxidant boost and provide calcium.

    Since Ollie uses only fresh ingredients, you can see the cranberries in the food. Some dogs may not like their tart taste, though.

    These food packages can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. Before serving the food to your dog, make sure to thaw it for 24 hours. Each initial Ollie box comes with a scoop and plastic food container to help you measure out the perfect serving size and have a place to thaw it. The only downside is that this can be time-consuming, and if you forget to thaw the food, your dog won’t have a meal ready to eat. It also takes up room in the fridge and freezer.

    Pros
    • Made with fresh, healthy ingredients
    • Good option for dogs with food allergies
    • Delivered right to your door
    • Recipes created by veterinarians
    Cons
    • Takes up space in the refrigerator and freezer
    • Time-consuming to thaw

    2. IAMS ProActive Health Adult Large Breed Dog Food – Budget Buy

    2Iams ProActive Health Adult Large Breed Dry Dog Food

    While premium brand dog foods are great, you don’t have to spend a fortune to get good quality dog food for your Bull Terrier. In our opinion, this adult dry dog food for large breeds from IAMS is good budget option.

    For starters, this IAMS dog food is a complete and balanced diet for an adult dog, which means you can be assured that it has been formulated to provide everything that your dog needs from a nutritional point of view. Secondly, we like that it contains meat (chicken) as the main ingredient, as dogs need a large amount of meat in their diet. Of course, as you’d expect with any budget brand, IAMS dog food is less expensive than premium brand foods.

    On the downside, quite a few reviews indicate that the product has a strong smell, and some people reported their dogs wouldn’t eat it. Of course, there were still plenty of reviewers who loved the product, so overall, we think it is well worth a try.

    Pros
    • Complete and balanced diet for dogs
    • Good quality
    • Price
    Cons
    • Lesser known brand
    • Mixed consumer reviews about taste and smell

    3. Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Dry Food

    3Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food

    When it comes to feeding puppies, it is important to realize that they have different nutritional requirements than an adult dog. Therefore, it is imperative that while your dog is young, you feed them dog food that has been formulated for puppies.

    There are quite a few puppy foods on the market, but this dry dog food from Merrick is a great choice. It contains 60% protein and healthy fats, with deboned chicken and real vegetables as its main ingredients. This product is also grain-free and may be good for a puppy that has a sensitive stomach.

    Pros
    • Complete high protein diet
    • Formulated for puppies
    • Excellent quality
    • Premium brand
    Cons
    • Price

    4. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Grain-Free Dog Food

    1Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

    When it comes to quality dog food brands, it’s hard to look past Blue Buffalo, and this Blue Wilderness Chicken Recipe dry dog food is an excellent choice for any Bull Terrier. With chicken as its main ingredient, it contains 30% protein, in addition to an array of vegetables and fruits to ensure that your dog also gets a complete balanced and nutritional meal.x`

    Available in a variety of different sized bags for ease or storage, this is a hard product to fault. It may be a little more expensive than some other dog food, but it is well worth the cost.

    Pros
    • Premium quality
    • High-protein formula
    • Contains real chicken
    • Grain-free
    • Contains a good mix of fruits and vegetables
    Cons
    • Price

    5. Nutro Wholesome Essentials Large Breed Dry Dog Food

    4Nutro Wholesome Essentials Large Breed Adult Farm Raised Chicken

    As a large breed dog, large Bull Terriers have different dietary requirements than small or even medium dogs, and one way to ensure that they get a suitable diet is to buy dog food that has been formulated for large dogs.

    Wholesome Essentials Large Breed Dry Dog Food from Nutro is a premium quality food that has been prepared to prove a complete diet for large dogs. Its main ingredient is chicken, and the product is both high in protein and has a good mix of grains and vegetables.

    Consumer reviews are overwhelmingly positive, which is always a good sign, as it means that most dogs like the taste of this food.

    Pros
    • Formulated for large dogs
    • High quality
    • Good reviews
    Cons
    • Price

    6. American Journey Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

    5American Journey Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

    American Journey Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is another dog food that you might want to consider if you’re specifically looking for a grain-free product. This product has been formulated to meet the required nutritional standards for all stages of life for dogs (including large breeds), which is important to check when buying grain-free food, and it has real meat as its main ingredient.

    The one thing that particularly stood out with this product is the number of positive consumer reviews from dog owners with fussy dogs. Sometimes it can be difficult to find a food that your dog likes. We feel this product could be a good choice for those with a Bull Terrier that is a little picky about what they eat.

    Pros
    • Good quality product
    • Meets standards for large breed nutrition
    • Suitable for fussy eaters
    • Grain-free product
    Cons
    • Price

    7. VICTOR Hi-Pro Plus Formula Dry Dog Food

    6VICTOR Hi-Pro Plus Formula Dry Dog Food

    This Hi-Pro Plus dog food from VICTOR has been specifically formulated for active dogs and could be a good choice for an energetic and active Bull Terrier. VICTOR brand dog foods are also considerably less expensive than some of the more premium brands and could be a good option if price is a deciding factor.

    That said, several people found that their dogs didn’t like this food, so we recommend that you first buy the small 5-lb. bag of this product to start with, rather than jumping straight to the money-saving 50-lb. bag.

    Pros
    • Price
    • Active dog formula
    Cons
    • Mixed consumer reviews about price and quality

    8. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed Dry Dog Food

    7Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food

    Specifically formulated for large breeds like the Bull Terrier, Blue Buffalo is a premium brand of dog food that contains a good mix of meats, grains, vegetables, and fruits to ensure that your dog gets a complete and healthy diet.

    Blue Buffalo dog foods are exceedingly popular and known for their quality. However, we’ve chosen to list this product lower on our list because it has attracted negative online reviews about the taste and smell of the product. You may want to buy a small bag first to ensure that your dog likes it before committing to a larger-sized bag, as it is quite an expensive dog food.

    Pros
    • Premium product
    • High quality
    • High in protein
    • Contains real chicken
    Cons
    • Price
    • Mixed consumer reviews about taste

    9. Diamond Naturals All Life Stages Dry Dog Food

    8Diamond Naturals Chicken & Rice Formula All Life Stages Dry Dog Food

    Diamond Naturals All Stage Dry Dog Food is a quality dog food that has been formulated to provide a complete and balanced diet for your dog. While it is specifically branded as being suitable for all stages of your dog’s life and will keep your dog healthy regardless of their age, we suggest that if you have a puppy or old dog, you might be better off with age-specific dog food that has been formulated to consider the specific needs of puppies or dogs in their later years.

    For an adult Bull Terrier, this product will be perfectly fine. It contains real chicken and rice, as well as a range of other ingredients to give your dog all the nutrients that they need to live a healthy life. Compared to other brands, it is also quite reasonably priced and could be a good choice if that is a deciding factor for you.

    Pros
    • Complete and balanced dog food
    • Price
    Cons
    • Mixed consumer reviews about quality and taste

    10. Wellness Complete Health Adult Dry Dog Food

    9Wellness Complete Health Adult Deboned Chicken & Oatmeal Recipe Dry Dog Food

    Wellness Complete is another premium brand of dog food that will provide your Bull Terrier with a complete and well-balanced diet. It contains the typical mix of meats, grains, fruits, and vegetables that you would expect, along with the usual vitamin and mineral supplements to keep your dog healthy.

    One downside to this product —apart from price, which is higher than many other brands — is that it has attracted consumer reviews from people indicating that their dogs don’t like the taste or that this food has caused their dogs to have an upset stomach. As with all dog foods, it is a good idea to purchase a smaller bag first to ensure that your dog likes the food before spending more money on a larger bag.

    Pros
    • Complete and well-balanced diet for dogs
    Cons
    • Price
    • Mixed consumer reviews about taste and quality

    11. Eukanuba Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food

    10Eukanuba Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food

    This adult large breed dog food by Eukanuba could be a good choice if you find that your Bull Terrier is a little fussy and doesn’t like some of the other products we’ve listed. Like most dogs, this brand will provide your pet with a complete and balanced diet.

    This product is, however, more expensive than most.

    Pros
    • Complete and balanced diet for dogs
    • Large breed specific
    Cons
    • Price

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    Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Dog Food For Bull Terriers

    When selecting dog food for your Bull Terrier, there are several things you need to consider. Let’s look at some of the most important factors to keep in mind.

    Age

    Puppies should eat primarily puppy food. Puppy food contains more nutrients, which puppies need because they are still growing. Not feeding your puppy an appropriate puppy food can lead to nutritional deficiencies and growth problems.

    You can switch to senior dog food when your canine hits their senior years. However, this isn’t necessary unless your dog is experiencing problems commonly associated with old age.

    Activity Level

    Some Bull Terriers are more active than others. Generally, these dogs do well on normal adult dog food. As a whole, they aren’t exceptionally active. However, some may need a higher calorie food if they are very active.

    More likely, you may need to choose a diet dog food, as Bull Terriers are prone to weight gain. If your dog starts gaining too much weight, it can affect their health and exacerbate the breathing problems common in this breed.

    It’s important to switch to diet dog food instead of just cutting back on your dog’s usual food. Diet dog food is more nutrient-dense, allowing your dog to get the nutrients they need in fewer calories. Simply cutting back on your dog’s usual food can lead to nutritional deficiencies.

    Health

    Bull Terriers are prone to a range of health problems, including allergies. These conditions may require some dietary management.

    For instance, if your dog has food allergies, you’ll need to avoid their allergen. Often, these are proteins that your dog has been exposed to the most, like chicken and beef. In fact, chicken is the top food allergen in dogs. You’ll likely need to try an elimination diet to figure out what your canine is allergic to exactly.

    bull terrier on green field
    Image Credit: tratong, Shutterstock

    Macronutrients

    Macronutrients include fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Dogs need these in particular amounts to thrive. As mostly omnivores, dogs need high amounts of protein and fat. They also need a small amount of carbohydrates.

    That said, carbs tend to be much cheaper than protein and fat. Therefore, dog food companies occasionally try to keep costs down by using tons of rice and veggies in their food. To combat this, select foods with some form of animal protein as the first ingredient.

    Be sure the company isn’t engaging in ingredient splitting, which is a way for them to push ingredients further down the ingredient list. For instance, a food may list “chicken” as the main ingredient. However, if it also lists “pea starch,” “pea protein,” and “pea fiber” high on the ingredient list, there is a good chance “peas” would be the first ingredient if they didn’t split it up.

    Protein Sources

    The exact type of protein you give your dog doesn’t matter all that much. Fish, chicken, beef, and lamb all provide plenty of nutrition. Lamb and similar proteins are often billed as “hypoallergenic.” However, that isn’t really the case. These proteins simply have fewer dogs allergic to them because they aren’t used as much in dog food. Of course, when fewer dogs eat a protein, that protein will produce fewer reactions. However, that doesn’t mean that your dog is less likely to have an allergic reaction to any of these proteins.

    The only protein with a significant nutritional difference is fish, as it contains high amounts of omega fatty acids. These fats are great for dogs with joint issues, and they are also good for the eyes and brain. Many foods include added fish oils to help add these fatty acids, though.

    bull terrier face
    Image Credit: Georgiy Myakashiv, Shutterstock

    Grain-Free vs. Grain-Inclusive

    There is tons of debate over whether or not to feed your dog grains. Typically, grains do just fine for most dogs. They provide much-needed fiber. Whole grains do best, as they have more fiber than refined grains. Grain-free foods usually do not have more meat in them. Instead, veggies like peas and potatoes are added instead of the grains. Therefore, don’t assume grain-free foods are high in protein. They usually aren’t.

    That said, some dogs can be allergic to grains in some cases. This isn’t as common as other food allergies, but it is possible. We recommend selecting a grain-inclusive food unless your dog is allergic to grain.

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    Final Verdict

    Hopefully, these reviews have helped you cut through some of the confusion that exists around choosing a dog food and given you a better idea of which dog food is right for you and your dog.

    To recap, our top picks for the best dog food for Bull Terriers are:


    Featured Image Credit: Ermolaev Alexander, Shutterstock

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