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The 7 Best Dog Foods For Bloodhounds

Bloodhounds are experiencing a bit of a renaissance. Trumpet, a 4-year-old bloodhound from Illinois, was named Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this year. Dog lovers all around the world are discovering what you already know: bloodhounds make excellent pets!

It might be difficult to choose the ideal meal for your bloodhound. Most adults weigh approximately 100 pounds, making feeding them a difficult task.

BestForPets (bestforpets.org) combed through hundreds of dog food products to identify the best dog foods for Bloodhounds. There are options for adults, puppies, older pets, and pets who have special dietary needs. 

Buyer's Guide: Choosing the Best Bloodhound Food

Finding the best dog food may be difficult. We’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions concerning bloodhound dietary requirements below.

Is a Special Diet Required for Bloodhounds?

A healthy adult bloodhound that is also a household pet does not require a particular diet. Any of our large breed formulas will suit their nutritional requirements. Your ultimate option is determined by your budget, ingredient choices, and your dog’s taste senses.

Bloodhounds that are hunting partners or working dogs may require a higher-calorie diet to meet their energy requirements. Consult your veterinarian about changing your dog’s nutrition during hunting season.

If your dog has a medical problem, is overweight or underweight, or has food allergies, your veterinarian may suggest a specific diet. Puppies and elderly dogs require different dietary requirements than adults.

How Do I Select the Best Food for My Bloodhound?

Your dog’s age, lifestyle, and overall health should be your key concerns when selecting food. You should also evaluate how simple it is to obtain a certain brand of dog food.

Subscription-based online services are a good option for busy families that don’t want to run out of food. Others like to buy dog food wherever they buy groceries and household supplies.

Grain-free pet meals are becoming more popular, but don’t be too eager to hop on board. The majority of dogs with food allergies or intolerances have difficulty digesting animal proteins rather than grains.

Even dogs that are allergic to maize, soy, or wheat may accept rice and barley. Before beginning a grain-free diet, consult with your veterinarian or a trained veterinary nutritionist.

How Long Does a Bloodhound Puppy Need to Eat Puppy Food?

In the first year, your bloodhound will develop from a little puppy you can hold in your hands to a 100-pound adult! Many bloodhound puppies may transition to adult food around their first birthday, although some will continue to grow. At your dog’s one-year check-up, ask your vet if your bloodhound is ready for adult dog food.

Conclusion

BestForPets (bestforpets.org) hopes these reviews help you find the best dog foods for bloodhounds.

Ollie’s fresh chicken and carrot dish is our top pick. This subscription-based service is ideal for those who do not want to go to the supermarket or are concerned about running out of dog food. Blue Buffalo’s Life Protection Formula The Large Breed Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe is our runner-up.

This brand is distinguished by its larger kibble size and smaller package. Our third option and premium brand is ORIJEN’s Amazing Grains Regional Red Dry Dog Food. If your veterinarian suggests a high-protein, grain-free food, consider ORIJEN.

Our fourth option is a puppy-specific diet, Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Chicken Meal & Oat Recipe. Finally, our fifth option is also our veterinarian’s choice: ACANA Wild Atlantic Grain-Free Dry Dog Food If your veterinarian suggests that your dog avoid wheat, steak, poultry, and lamb, this dish is a perfect choice.

Reviews

Best Value: Formula Blue Buffalo Life Protection Adult Dry Dog Food for Large Breeds

  • Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, oats, and barley are the main components.
  • Minimum protein content: 22.0%
  • Minimum fat content: 12.0%
  • Calorie content: 3,508 kcal/kg, 352 kcal/cup

Natural coloring is used in the Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed Adult. This recipe does not include any artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

Some big breed brands are only available in extra-large packaging. If you’re weary of hauling hefty dog food bags, the 15-pound bags will come in handy. The only item that causes us worry is “Natural Flavor.”

This component is at the bottom of the list, although some pet owners would prefer more transparency. Blue Buffalo manufactures dog food in two locations: Joplin, Missouri, and Richmond, Indiana. This dish is devoid of maize, wheat, and soy, but it contains grains such brown rice and barley.

The formula’s kibble bits are 11 to 13 millimeters in size and were created with bloodhounds and other big breeds in mind. Blue Buffalo’s Large Breed Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe is the finest dog food for bloodhounds for the money due to its low cost, high-quality ingredients, positive ratings, and availability.

Pros

  • There are no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
  • Various bag sizes
  • Made in the United States

Cons

  • “Natural Flavor” not defined

 

Amazing Grains Regional Red Dry Food ORIJEN

  • Beef, wild boar, lamb, beef liver, and pork are the main components.
  • Minimum protein content: 38%
  • Minimum fat content: 18%
  • Calories: 3860 kcal per kilogram, 483 kcal every 8oz cup

If your veterinarian suggests a high-protein dog food containing grains, this recipe is a terrific option. It’s pricey, and the normal home pet doesn’t require such a high-protein diet.

The grains are oat groats, millet, and whole oats, but the formula excludes soy, wheat, and maize, which are major allergens for the few dogs that have grain allergies.

Because ORIJEN Amazing Grains Regional Red has more calories than many other brands, adjust feeding quantities appropriately. Although it has hundreds of great ratings, a few owners say that their dog got an upset stomach after eating it.

Pros

  • There will be no soy, wheat, or corn.
  • A rare high-protein, grain-free dish

Cons

  • Expensive

 

Best for Puppies: Science Diet by Hill’s Large Breed Puppy Dry Food

  • Chicken meal, whole grain wheat, whole grain oats, whole grain sorghum, corn gluten meal are the main components.
  • Minimum protein content: 24.0%
  • Minimum fat content: 11.0%
  • 394 kilocalories per cup

Bloodhound pups have different dietary requirements than adults. Many pups enjoy the tastes of chicken, chicken liver, and hog liver in this formula. Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed dry dog food is a reasonably priced brand that does not contain artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. The “Natural Flavors” component is one we’d like to see greater openness on.

We appreciate that Science Diet gives a money-back guarantee. If you or your dog are unsatisfied with this recipe for any reason, you may receive your money back or a new product. This cuisine includes fish oil, and several customers complained that the odor was overpowering and slightly rotten.

Following the manufacturer’s storage guidelines will help you keep the food fresh. Store dry dog food in its original packaging in a cool, dry area. It can decay with extended exposure to temperatures of 120 degrees F or higher.

The firm manufactures dog food in the United States using ingredients purchased from across the world. Most dogs should consume puppy food until they reach their first birthday, but bigger breeds, such as bloodhounds, who continue to develop, may require a puppy formula for a longer period of time.

If you have any queries regarding what to feed your bloodhound puppy, consult with your veterinarian.

Pros

  • Made in the United States
  • Guaranteed 100% satisfaction
  • There are no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives in this product.

Cons

  • Occasional strong fish odor
  • “Natural Flavors” are unspecified.

 

Vet’s Choice: Grain-Free ACANA Wild Atlantic Dry Dog Food

  • Whole mackerel, whole herring, whole redfish, silver hake, and mackerel meal are the main components.
  • Minimum protein content: 33%
  • Minimum fat content: 17%
  • Calories: 392 kcal/cup, 3,440 kcal/kg

If your dog’s allergies and intolerances leave you scurrying for food, consider this ACANA Wild Atlantic Recipe. This formula is not only grain-free, but also devoid of meat, poultry, and lamb. Protein is provided by a variety of fish, while fiber is provided by apples and pumpkin.

This is a pricey formula, but bloodhounds seldom require such a specialist diet. Most dogs accept grains, but consult with your veterinarian before implementing this recipe.

Some dog owners say that the kibble bits are too large for their puppies, although kibble size is unlikely to be an issue for an adult bloodhound with good teeth.

ACANA’s food is manufactured in Edmonton, Alberta, and Auburn, Kentucky. The 4.5-pound package enables your dog to experiment with this recipe without breaking the budget.

Pros

  • Animal proteins that are novel
  • Smaller bags are available.

Cons

  • Expensive

 

Natural Choice Nutro Adult Dry Dog Food for Large Breeds

  • Chicken, full grain brown rice, whole grain sorghum, brewers rice, and chicken meal are the main components.
  • Minimum protein content: 20.0%
  • Minimum fat content: 12.0%
  • Calorie content: 3617 kcal/kg, 335 kcal/cup

If you want a GMO-free dog food filled with superfoods like chia seeds, flaxseed, coconut, and kale, this Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed will appeal to you. Some of Nutro’s recipes, including this one, were recently reformulated.

The most common criticism from long-term clients is that their dogs dislike the new recipes, but this will not be an issue if your bloodhound is new to Nutro.

When water or wet food is added to the kibble, it crumbles readily, according to a few dog owners. Depending on how soft your dog prefers their food, the texture may be an advantage or a drawback.

Pros

  • GMO-free

Cons

  • Some dogs enjoy the “traditional” recipe.

 

Stella & Chewy’s Stella’s Super Beef Freeze-Dried Raw Food

  • Beef, beef liver, beef kidney, beef heart, and beef tripe are the main components.
  • Minimum protein content: 44.0%
  • Minimum fat content: 35.0%
  • Calories per kilogram: 4,940, patty: 56.

Raw food diets are appealing to some dog owners, but they have disadvantages. Raw dog food must be refrigerated or frozen, and food preparation necessitates caution.

Stella’s Super Beef Freeze-Dried Stella’s Super Beef Freeze-Dried Stella’s Super Beef Freeze-Dried Stella’s Super This freeze-dried mix from Raw Chow takes the trouble out of feeding raw dog food.

You may feed it as is, combine it with regular dog food, or rehydrate it with cool or warm (not hot) water. According to the manufacturer, uncooked food should not be cooked or heated. This recipe will not help all bloodhounds.

Before switching to this or any other raw, high-protein, grain-free dog food, consult with your veterinarian. Stella & Chewy’s is out of reach for many pet owners, especially when used as a dog’s primary diet.

A 100-pound dog would need 22 patties if this is the only meal they consume, according to the manufacturer’s feeding instructions.

For dogs who require this sort of diet, there are less priced, high-protein, grain-free diets on the market. Stella & Chewy’s, on the other hand, made our list since it’s one of the few raw, freeze-dried dog meals available.

Pros

  • Refrigeration is not required.

Cons

  • Expensive

 

Nutrish Big Life Large Breed Dry Dog Food by Rachael Ray

  • Beef, chicken meal, soybean meal, dried peas, and ground whole corn are the main components.
  • Minimum protein content: 25.0%
  • Minimum fat content: 12.0%
  • Calories: 360 kcal/cup; 3505 kcal/kg

Rachael Ray’s Nutrish Big Life Large Breed is reasonably priced and readily accessible, and the beef and chicken tastes are popular with most dogs. Because the manufacturer does not specify the “Natural Flavor,” this product may be problematic for dogs with food allergies or intolerances.

The Rachael Ray Foundation, which helps animals in need, receives proceeds from the sale of this and other Nutrish formulations.

Pros

  • widely accessible in stores and on the internet
  • The proceeds go to help animals in need.

Cons

  • “Natural Flavor” not defined

Author Image

Dr. Deborah Fletcher

Deborah R. Fletcher, DVM, is a skilled veterinarian with more than 15 years of experience dealing with companion and exotic animals. She has experience caring for a variety of animals, including household cats and dogs, reptiles, birds of prey, and even primates. Dr. Fletcher is a valuable part of the BestForPets team, where she contributes to their aim of providing pets and their owners with the finest possible treatment and services.

Veterinarian (DVM) Dr. Deborah Fletcher

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