The 9 Best High Calorie Dog Foods

Reviews

Purina ONE Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food for Adults

With up to 320 calories per cup, this rich-calorie formula from Purina ONE is another excellent option for properly gaining weight for your dog. It has a respectable protein level of 27%. In addition, it includes 13% fat, 5.5% fiber, and 13% water. As you can see from the ingredients, this meal is not designed to make your dog fat, but rather to increase its muscle mass.

This product’s principal flavoring component is turkey, which gives it a delicious flavor. Turkey is, of course, a fantastic source of high-quality protein. In addition, Purina ONE SmartBlend has a healthy amount of fiber to keep your dog feeling full for longer, as well as key vitamins and antioxidants to improve its general health.

In addition, all Purina ONE products undergo quality and safety testing. Therefore, you may be confident that your dog’s health is not in danger.

The main issue with this product is that the kibble size may be too large for tiny dogs, which prevented it from topping our list. Consequently, the Purina ONE SmartBlend Healthy Weight High Protein Formula is undoubtedly the most cost-effective high-calorie dog food.

Pros

• 320 calories per cup with little fat
• Turkey provides superior protein
• Vitamin- and antioxidant-rich
• Balanced diet
• Tested for safety
• Affordable

Cons

• Kibble dimensions might be reduced

 

Crave High Protein Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

This Crave dog food includes 424 calories per cup, making it one of the most calorically rich products available. Its makeup consists of 34% protein, 17% fat, 3.5% fiber, and 10% water.

This implies that it is great for hydrating energetic dogs with high metabolisms.

This food was created by Crave to imitate the diet of your dog’s ancestors. It contains white fish, chicken meal, fish meal, fish meal, pork meal, lentils, and split peas.

This allows your dog to consume food that they are genetically predisposed to consume. In addition, this dog food is rich in important vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids to promote general health.

You will also enjoy the absence of potentially harmful filler ingredients such as artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.

Despite its good quality, this product is too calorically rich for large dog breeds, thus we did not select it as the best overall option. However, the Crave High Protein Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is of the highest quality for active medium-sized and tiny dogs. Its pricing reflects this, therefore.

Pros

• Mimics ancestral dog diet
• Grain-free
• White fish source of high-quality protein
• Does not include fillers
• Contains several vitamins and minerals beneficial to overall health
• Premium quality

Cons

• Not recommended for huge breeds
• Pricey

 

Blue Buffalo Wilderness Dry Dog Food

Blue Buffalo Wilderness takes great satisfaction in inventing recipes based on the ancestral diets of dogs. These diets provide a high quantity of protein and are grain-free.

This product contains 30% protein, along with 13% fat, 10% fiber, and 10% moisture, respectively. This guarantees that your puppy obtains everything necessary for healthy development.

Again, this supplement contains L-carnitine to reduce fat accumulation. This substance not only supports the growth of lean muscular tissue but also stimulates the metabolism to burn fat.

The meat in this recipe is sourced from deboned chicken, ensuring that your dog enjoys every piece. In addition, it includes a variety of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants to strengthen the immune system.

In addition to containing no grains, this product is also devoid of maize, soy, wheat, and animal by-products. However, some dogs may not appreciate this flavor. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Recipe for Healthy Weight Chicken Per cup of Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, there are 353 calories.

Pros

• The high protein content of poultry
• Omega fatty acids are present for better skin and coat
• Beneficial minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants
• Grain-free
• Contains no filler ingredients

Cons

• The flavor may not appeal to all canines.

 

Ziwi Peak Beef Air-Dried Dog Food

Ziwi is a New Zealand-based producer that is rapidly becoming one of the industry’s most popular brands. This specific product has up to 312 calories per scoop, not per cup. At 38%, this composition has one of the highest protein percentages of any dog food. Additionally, the fat level is rather high at 30%.

This dish comprises a combination of fresh meat, organs, green mussels, and bones, so even your finicky animal companion will enjoy it. It contains glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health and taurine for cardiovascular health.

This Ziwi meal uses air-drying technology to organically preserve its contents, avoiding the need for preservatives. It also removes the need for rehydration, as air-dried kibbles contain more moisture than conventional dry kibble. This particular recipe has 14% moisture.

This product is nonetheless one of the most costly on the market.

Pros

• Meat from grass-fed, free-range animals
• Air-drying removes the use of preservatives.
• Excellent protein content
• For joint health, chondroitin and glucosamine are present.

Cons

• Expensive

 

Wellness Complete Health Senior Food for Dry Dogs

This Wellness Complete product is developed to suit the nutritional requirements of senior dogs. This recipe has 416 calories per cup, making it extremely calorically rich and guaranteeing rapid weight gain.

This dish has 22% protein, 10% fat, 4.25 % fiber, and 10% water per cup. The remainder consists of vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids that contribute to the dog’s health.

This dish is incredibly wonderful due to its great components, which include deboned chicken, carrots, blueberries, and apples. In addition, it includes chondroitin, glucosamine, and taurine for improved heart health.

However, it may not be suitable for finicky eaters.

Pros

• Formula comprised of deboned chicken is scrumptious.
• Contains glucosamine and chondroitin for healthy joints
• Contains taurine to benefit heart health
• Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for enhanced resistance
• Contains no soy, maize, wheat, by-products of animal origin, or artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.

Cons

• Not recommended for finicky eaters

 

High Energy Formula Dry Dog Food by VICTOR

This Victor Pet Foods meal has up to 412 calories per cup, making it a genuinely high-energy composition. 24% of these calories come from protein, 20% from fat, 3.8% from crude fiber, and 9% from water. L-carnitine, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, and omega fatty acids are additional components.

Due to its beef meal, chicken meal, and pork meal composition, this dog food is also exceptionally tasty.

Due to its high-fat content, however, this food is only recommended for dogs with high energy levels. Do not give it to a dog of a big breed unless it is a working dog.

Pros

• Tasty recipe
• Extremely calorie dense
• Minerals and vitamins added to improve general health

Cons

• High lipid content

 

Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast Dry Dog Food

This Earthborn product has 400 calories per cup and contains 32% protein, 18% fat, 4% fiber, and 10% water.

Bison meal is the key component in this recipe since it is an excellent source of protein. Additionally, it contains eggs, another wonderful source of protein. This meal contains L-carnitine to guarantee that your dog remains slim while gaining weight. The omega fatty acids also contribute to healthy skin and coat.

Don’t forget that this product contains several vitamins and minerals to enhance your dog’s general health. However, it is possible that a dog with a finicky appetite may reject it.

Pros

• Excellent protein content
• Includes an abundance of vitamins and minerals

Cons

• Some dogs might not appreciate it

Buyer's Guide

If you believe that a dog is underweight, you should first seek the advice of a veterinarian. You should not begin feeding your dog calorie-dense meals until the veterinarian has given his or her approval.

This is due to the fact that the majority of dog meals already contain quite high-calorie counts. Therefore, unless you are certain of a dog’s condition, feeding them high-calorie food can lead to obesity rapidly.

In this buyer’s guide, we will explore the most prevalent causes of weight loss in dogs and how to pick the finest high-calorie food.

Reasons for Dog Weight Loss

A malnourished dog is a reason for concern since it indicates that something is amiss with the animal. The following are some reasons for canine weight reduction.

Malnourishment

There are two factors. Malnutrition can be caused by either an extremely low-calorie diet or a diet deficient in key critical nutrients. The latter has a dull coat, and rotten dentures, and is in poor health overall. However, the former indicates that the dog is not receiving enough food. This is frequent among stray dogs and owners who abuse their pets.

Anxiety

When dogs experience stress, they tend to lose a substantial amount of weight. Because dogs must be comfortable to eat, this is the case. Therefore, if it is nervous about anything, it may not consume as much as it should, leading to weight loss. Continuous barking, digging, gnawing, and howling are all frequent signs of stress in dogs.

Dental Issues

Due to the discomfort, dental issues such as abscesses might hinder a puppy’s ability to chew. Therefore, if your dog hasn’t been eating recently, examine its teeth to ensure there are no issues there.

Parasites

When was the last time your puppy was dewormed? Tapeworms and other parasites can cause weight loss. This is due to the fact that intestinal parasites feed on the nutrients in the dog’s diet. This implies that your dog will derive minimal benefit from the food it consumes. A parasite infection can also result in recurrent diarrhea, which will badly impact your pet.

Considerations Prior to Purchasing High-Calorie Dog Food

There are discrepancies in content and quality between various items. Consequently, some are superior to others when it comes to safely increase your dog’s weight. To ensure the safety of your purchase, examine the following factors.

Calories per Cup

The majority of dog meals on the market offer high caloric content per serving. Consequently, high-calorie dog food should be above average. Any item that has more than 300 calories per cup is considered to be calorie-dense.

Protein Content

Most people’s initial reaction upon discovering that their dog is underweight is to increase the amount of food provided. However, might it be that the dog’s diet does not satisfy its nutritional requirements?

When searching for high-calorie dog food, seek for a product that offers a high proportion of protein. This is because protein is the most important ingredient for dog bodybuilding. A considerable portion of these calories will be used to construct lean muscle, as opposed to being stored as fat.

Superiority to Quantity

In order to enhance the number of their goods without increasing the price, several dog food producers use a large number of filler components in their products to attract consumers. Therefore, do not choose a product only because it appears to be a cost-effective alternative.

Instead, check the ingredient list to confirm that the product does not include filler ingredients such as maize, soy, or wheat.

Conclusion

There are a variety of reasons why a dog may be underweight. It remains a truth that something must be done about it. As previously indicated, take him or her to the veterinarian for an examination to obtain a professional opinion.

High-calorie dog meals will quickly cause your dog to gain weight. However, you must be cautious since they may transform your dog from underweight to overweight in an instant. Ensure that the puppy remains active throughout this phase.

Consider the Purina ONE SmartBlend Healthy Weight High Protein Formula if you are on a tight budget. It contains high-quality protein and is one of the safest high-calorie dog diets currently on the market. The other goods reviewed are also excellent picks.

We honestly appreciate your time in reading thus far. BestForPets (bestforpets.org) believes this article will assist you in selecting the best high calorie dog foods for your needs