12 Best Dog Foods for Pitbulls – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks

Choosing the right food for your Pitbull can be a real pain. While this breed tends to be quite muscular, it’s also prone to obesity and joint problems, so choosing the right food is essential to your dog’s health. A high-quality food that is appropriate for your dog’s age, weight, and health condition will ensure that your dog stays happy and healthy.

Ensure that your dog receives plenty of exercise and playtime every day, and if you’re unsure what’s appropriate for your dog, talk to your vet. These reviews can help guide you to a food that may be appropriate for your pup, but your vet will be able to give you the best advice when it comes to your dog.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024

The 10 Best Dog Foods for Pitbulls

1. The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food – Best Overall

The Farmer’s Dog is a dog food subscription plan that offers multiple dog food recipes, delivered straight to your front door as frequently as you need, saving you trips to the pet store. Human-grade ingredients, including meats, veggies, and fruits are prepared in USDA kitchens, ensuring the highest quality food for your dog. Each meal is prepared fresh in ways that best retain the nutrients in the ingredients.

Their recipes were developed by veterinarians, and they exceed AAFCO standards for nutrition in dog food. A vet designs a plan specifically for your dog, and each package of food is portioned and personalized.

As is often the case with pet food delivery services, The Farmer’s Dog is more expensive than traditional kibble but the quality and benefits it brings your growing dog are immeasurable.

---

2. Iams Proactive Health MiniChunks Chicken & Whole Grain Recipe – Budget Buy

The best dog food for Pitbulls for the money is the Iams Proactive Health MiniChunks Chicken & Whole Grain Recipe. This food is widely available in many stores, making it easy to find. Smaller kibble size can ease digestion but may cause fast eaters to eat too quickly, so a puzzle bowl or slow feeder may be necessary for some dogs.

It’s a great source of protein, with chicken as the first ingredient, and it provides prebiotic fiber for digestion and antioxidants for immunity. While corn often gets maligned in dog food, it’s an excellent source of carbohydrates that are easy to digest, making them quickly accessed by your dog’s body, not to mention that corn is a good source of linoleic acid, which is an omega-6 fatty acid that supports skin and coat health.

---

3. JustFoodForDogs Sampler Variety Box

If you’re looking for a highly nutritious, fresh-cooked food for your Pitbull, then the JustFoodForDogs Sampler Variety Box is a wonderful option. This sampler box includes seven recipes, and each is made with whole foods and delivered to your house frozen. This food is good for up to a year in the freezer but should be used within 4 days once thawed.

JustFoodForDogs uses gentle cooking methods to prepare their foods to maintain the most nutrients. Small batch preparation ensures the quality of the food, but this is a premium-priced food option, especially for a large Pitbull.

---

4. Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Formula Puppy Food – Best for Puppies

If you’ve got a Pitbull puppy to feed, the top food is the Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Formula Puppy Food. This food is formulated to support appropriate joint development in your large breed puppy, and it provides glucosamine to support joint health and function. DHA from fish oil supports your puppy’s brain and vision development, while lean protein from chicken supports muscle development and overall growth. Added minerals support healthy bones and teeth as your puppy develops.

Like many other Purina Pro Plan dry food formulas, this food is sometimes difficult to find due to supply chain issues.

---

5. Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach

Another great dog food for Pitbulls is the Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach food, with the salmon and rice formula being our top pick. Many Pitbulls suffer from skin allergies and sensitive stomach issues, and this food can help to support the health of the skin, coat, and digestive tract.

This food is high in protein, and it’s a good source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which support joint, skin, coat, and heart health. Antioxidants support your dog’s immune system, while the easily digestible barley, rice, and oatmeal provide healthy prebiotic fiber. Probiotics in this food further boost the health of the digestive tract.

Due to supply chain issues, this food has increased in price, and in some cases, it may be difficult to find.

---

6. Royal Canin Large Joint Care Dry Food

If you have a dog with joint problems, then the Royal Canin Large Joint Care Dry Food is a great option. It’s lower in calories than many other foods, at 314 kcal per cup, so it can help maintain a healthy body weight for your dog with joint problems. It’s formulated for dogs between 56 and 100 pounds, making it a great option for many Pitbulls, especially those that are overweight.

While meat by-product meals are often thought to be unhealthy, they are actually a nutrient-dense ingredient, and the chicken by-product meal in this food provides healthy protein, fat, and essential vitamins and minerals. Collagen in this food supports joint and bone health. This food is one of the more premium-priced foods we reviewed.

---

7. Hill’s Science Diet Adult 6+ Large Breed Chicken Recipe

The Hill’s Science Diet Adult 6+ Large Breed Chicken Recipe food is a good option for senior Pitbulls, and thanks to its lower protein content, it may be easier on your elderly dog’s kidney function, although you should talk to your vet before feeding this to a dog with kidney disease. Low calories per cup will help maintain your dog at a healthy body weight.

Glucosamine and chondroitin support your dog’s aging joints, while omega-6 fatty acids keep their skin and coat healthy and moisturized. An antioxidant, vitamin C, and vitamin E blend provides your dog with immune system support and health. This food is formulated for dogs between 55 and 110 pounds and beyond, so it’s a great option for many Pitbulls.

---

8. Acana Wholesome Grains Limited Ingredient Diet

If you’re looking for a food that is recommended by veterinarians to feed to your Pitbull, then you’ll love the Acana Wholesome Grains Limited Ingredient Diet. This food offers a single-animal protein source from lamb, so it’s a good option for pups with food sensitivities to other proteins.

Wholesome grains support digestive health, thanks to fiber and nutrients, while the proprietary heart-healthy vitamin pack ensures your dog’s heart stays healthy. This food is made in small batches by Acana in their kitchen in Kentucky, and all ingredients are sourced from trusted ranchers and farmers.

This food retails for a premium price due to the quality of its ingredients and its small batch production.

---

9. Nulo Frontrunner Ancient Grains Adult Food

The Nulo Frontrunner Ancient Grains Adult Food provides 77% animal-based protein, which provides amino acids that support healthy cardiac function and lean muscle mass. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids support skin, coat, joint, and heart health, while prebiotic fiber and probiotics support healthy digestion.

The grains in this food have a low glycemic index, which means they create minimal blood sugar spikes, don’t cause rapid blood sugar drops, and are more easily digested by the body. Some customers have reported their picky pups not going for this food, so it may not be suitable for picky dogs.

---

10. Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind Senior 7+ Wet Food

If you have a senior Pitbull that prefers wet food, the Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind Senior 7+ Wet Food is a top pick. This food is low in calories, so it will help support a healthy body weight for your senior. It’s also a great source of water, so it can help keep your dog hydrated.

Enhanced botanical oils in this food have shown promise in supporting brain health in senior dogs by increasing alertness and mental sharpness, with results showing in around 30 days.

This food comes in resealable, recyclable tubs, so you can keep it in the fridge if you don’t use the whole container at once. The manufacturer recommends feeding a container of this food for every 10–12.5 pounds of body weight, so it can get expensive quickly for a Pitbull if you are exclusively feeding this.

---

11. Nutro Ultra Weight Management Food

The Nutro Ultra Weight Management Food is a wonderful option if you have an overweight Pitbull that needs help losing a few pounds. This food is low in fat and calories to support healthy body weight. It’s a great source of protein, which can support satiety longer between meals, while fiber helps your dog feel fuller faster and longer. It contains 15 “superfoods”, which are foods that are a good source of health-boosting antioxidants.

This food did recently go through a reformulation. And due to changes in the ingredients, as well as supply chain issues, it did go up in price.

---

12. Acana Wild Atlantic Recipe Grain-Free Food

If your dog needs a grain-free food, then you should check out the Acana Wild Atlantic Recipe Grain-Free Food. This food contains whole fish or fish meal as the first seven ingredients, and it’s very high in protein. Each kibble is coated in freeze-dried cod, boosting the palatability of this food for picky eaters. It’s a good source of fiber, with 30% fruit, vegetable, and botanical content. The other 70% of the food is healthy protein sources. This food is rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

It retails for a premium price, and since it is grain free and very high in protein, it’s not suitable for all dogs.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Dog Food for Pitbulls

Choosing a Food for Your Pitbull

Choosing a dog food can be confusing and challenging, and many companies use effective marketing strategies that can trick you into thinking that they are offering a healthier or superior product. Keep an eye out for companies that use flashy marketing, as well as boutique and exotic foods. Boutique, exotic, and grain-free (BEG) diets have been linked to cardiomyopathy in dogs and should only be given under the guidance of a veterinarian.

When narrowing down the best foods for your dog, consider your dog’s breed, age, health, body weight, and activity level. Pick an age-appropriate food, especially if your dog is a puppy. Puppy food is formulated specifically to meet the needs of puppies, and adult food won’t meet this need.

If your dog needs to lose weight, then a low-calorie food may be a good option, while underweight dogs may need foods higher in calories and protein to support muscle mass and weight gain. Working and extremely active dogs also have higher nutritional needs than your average pet or sedentary pup.

For dogs with health conditions, including diabetes, kidney disease, arthritis, joint dysplasia, and a history of pancreatitis, it’s best to talk to your vet before selecting a food. Some dogs need prescription or specialty foods to meet their needs, while others may simply need something specific from their food, like high fiber content or low fat.

Conclusion

Reviews are a good starting point to helping you find the right food for your Pitbull, but make sure to consider your dog’s needs before choosing a food. Talk to your vet if you’re unsure or confused.

The best overall food for Pitbulls is the The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food which have human-grade making each meal fresh. For tighter budgets, Iams Proactive Health MiniChunks Chicken & Whole Grain Recipe is a healthy choice that is usually easy to find in stores. The top premium pick for Pitbulls is foods from JustFoodForDogs Sampler Variety Box, which has highly nutritious, fresh-cooked ingredients. For puppies, the best food is Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Formula Puppy Food, which supports healthy growth and development in large breed puppies. If you’re looking for a vet-recommended food, look no further than Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach, which is ideal because supports skin, coats, and helps with digestive issues.

See Also:

• 10 Best Dog Food for Pitbulls at PetSmart – Reviews & Top Picks
• Pitbull vs. Bulldog

---

Feature Image Credit: Roberto Cabrera Castro, Shutterstock