5 Best Dog Foods for Pitbulls to Gain Muscle & Weight
Alex Vicente • Updated on August 18, 2023
- This review contains affiliate links. Read more here.
- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best dog food for pitbulls to gain muscle and weight is, then we recommend the Bully Max High Performance Super Premium Dog Food as the best one.
Like any pet parent, you want your furry friend to thrive and get the proper nutrients he needs. But what if your canine companion is naturally athletic and needs more proteins and fats to gain muscle and maintain optimal weight—like a pitbull?
Pitbulls need a special diet to stay healthy and energized. Luckily, we discuss some of the best dog foods for Pitbulls to gain muscle and weight.
ALSO READ: Best Dog Food for Senior Small Breeds
Dog Foods for Pitbull Muscle and Weight Gain: Our Top Picks
We’ve rounded up a list of the best dog foods that can bulk up your Pitbull while providing him with essential nutrients.
Improve your Dog’s Physique and health within weeks.
Most dog foods are plant-based. Crafted in the U.S. with an all-natural, meat-based formula, Bully Max High-Performance dog food packs 30% more protein and 20% more fat than traditional options.
Bully Max Dog food uses real meat as the number one ingredient. Specially formulated for Pitbulls and other highly active breeds, Bully Max contains 535 calories in just one cup. That means your pup won’t have to eat as much to get his fill, saving you tons of money.
This dog food doesn’t contain corn, wheat, or soy. So if your Pitbull has a sensitivity to grains, you don’t have to worry. It’s also free of artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.
Because the recipe is meat-based, it has a 30 percent protein and 20 percent fat formulation. This is an excellent formula that supports healthy weight and muscle gain.
If you’re a pet parent who often worries about recalls, this brand of dog food may help ease your mind. They have a triple-check system that tests the food’s quality three times before it leaves the manufacturing facility. Due to this system, their dog food has never had issues with recalls.
- Pros
- Calorie dense
- Triple-check system
- Abundant meat content
- All-natural ingredients
- Grain-free
- Cons
- No sample or small quantity available for testing out
- Pricey
- Kibble size isn’t consistent
- All-natural ingredients
- Grain-free
ALSO READ: Best Dog Food for Huskies
Fine-Tuned Nutrition for Strength and Endurance.
Pro Plan Sport is specially crafted to fuel the champion in dogs at all life stages, including puppies and reproducing females.
Purina Pro Plan is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a high-protein dog food that’s AAFCO approved. This dog food can help your Pit gain weight, but it can also boost his performance and endurance during exercise.
It helps with endurance because it contains nutrients such as amino acids, glucosamine, and omega-3 fatty acids. This formula works together to aid your pup’s post-exercise recovery, joint health, and mobility.
For added nutrition, Purina Pro Plan contains vitamins and minerals to help your Pitbull stay healthy and nourished. Because after all, his health matters, especially when you consider how much exercise Pitbulls need.
Delivering 496 calories per cup, Purina Pro Plan’s balanced protein and fat formula is ideal for optimizing metabolism and developing lean muscle. On the other hand, it contains a below-average amount of carbs. However, since your Pittie’s main source of energy comes from fats and not carbs, this works out just fine.
- Pros
- Excellent for athletic breeds like Pitbulls
- AAFCO approved as a feeding regime
- Maximizes oxygen metabolism
- Rich in protein and fats
- Improves endurance
- Cons
- Contains a high amount of grains
- Contains gluten and by-products
- Somewhat overpowering odor
- Rich in protein and fats
- Improves endurance
Maximum Bully All Life Stages Formula.
Packed with 32% protein and 22% fat, our formulated dry dog food also includes a powerful yeast protein perfect for building strong muscles and optimum health.
Just by analyzing its ingredient profile, the Maximum Bully Elite K9 Nutrition Dog Food appears to be an above-average dry product. The protein content of 32 percent, balanced with a 22 percent fat content is an excellent ratio for a weight gaining dog food, due to calories per cup that are ultimately intended to maintain optimal weight on adult dogs.
A mixture of cranberry, pumpkin, oatmeal, and more makes this kibble extremely full in nutrition, providing your dog all the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants required for a long and safe life.
Offer your fur friend a kibble made with a high percentage of real chicken and pork, a product so full of natural flavor that even you will be tempted to take a bite.
Bottom line? The Maximum Bully Dog Food is a grain-inclusive dry dog food using a significant amount of named meat meals as its main source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars. Enthusiastically recommended.
Help your dog gain a few points with this high-quality kibble, where every bite counts towards a healthier weight, a happier dog and an improved muscle mass.
- Pros
- 32% protein and 22% fat
- Amino acids and antioxidants
- 481 calories per cup
- Real chicken and pork
- Cons
- Synthetic form of vitamin K
- Recipe contains chicken (may not be suitable for dogs with poultry allergies)
- 481 calories per cup
- Real chicken and pork
Satisfy your dog’s ancestral desires with search CRAVE premium grain free dry dog food that’s made with high-quality animal protein, the full meaty flavor canines love.
CRAVE appreciates a dog’s instincts to eat like his ancestors by enriching their product with real animal protein.
With farm-raised chicken being its first ingredient, this 34 percent high-protein dog food can help your pup put on the pounds and gain lean muscle. It’s also useful for helping your Pitbull maintain his weight and muscle mass without delivering empty calories.
What’s impressive about this product is that it doesn’t contain chicken by-product meal, corn, wheat, or soy. It’s also free of artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.
To replace the carbs that grains typically add, the brand uses peas for a complex carbohydrate. The recipe also includes lamb and pork meal for a well-rounded protein diet.
The dog food was processed and manufactured in U.S. facilities, ensuring that your pup is getting the highest quality dog food possible.
- Pros
- Manufactured in U.S. facilities
- Contains chicken fat, which is high in Omega-6 fatty acids
- Has a high meat content
- Grain-free
- Works well for picky eaters
- Cons
- Contains beet pulp, a controversial ingredient
- Fairly pricey
- Recipe contains chicken, (may not be suitable for dogs with poultry allergies)
- Grain-free
- Works well for picky eaters
It’s CRUNCH Time! Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast fulfills your dog’s ancestral dietary cravings by providing lean, bison and beef meal proteins. With these highly digestible proteins, you can be sure your dog is getting all the nutrition and great taste needed to live a long and happy life.
If you’re looking for a high-protein dog food that’s environmentally-friendly and more holistic, then Earthborn’s Grain Free Dog Food is a viable option.
Grain-free and gluten-free, this dog food contains lean, red meat proteins, such as bison meal and beef meal. These proteins are not only highly digestible, but they’re also rich in balanced amino acids. Providing 400 calories per cup, Earthborn Holistic Grain Free Dog Food can keep your pet fuller for longer.
Containing 32 percent protein and 18 percent fat, this dog food can help you plump up your Pitbull. But at the same time, it can provide him with a nutrient-rich diet with fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants. So you’ll be putting weight on him without sacrificing his health.
But what sets Earthborn apart from other high-protein dog food manufacturers is that the packaging is BPA-free, resalable, and recyclable. Plus, the brand has its very own recycling program called Earthborn ReBorn and TerraCycle Recycling. They’ve recycled over 700,000 dog food bags.
- Pros
- Contains highly digestible proteins
- Grain- and gluten-free
- Enriched with taurine
- Packed with vitamins and minerals
- Great source of Omega fatty acids
- Cons
- Velcro bags don’t seal well
- Pricey
- Kibbles crumble easily
- Packed with vitamins and minerals
- Great source of Omega fatty acids
Everything we recommend
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Table of Contents
Things to Do Before Choosing Dog Food for Your Pitbull
When it comes to choosing dog food, many pet lovers take a “grab-and-go” approach—grab the dog food that appeals to them the most and checkout.
That used to be me. As a pet parent myself, there was no system to how I chose my dogs’ food, except for how the packaging looked.
This was before I knew that other factors matter a lot more than the way dog food manufacturers decided to package their product.
Choose a Superior Dog Food Brand
With so many dog foods on the market, it can be challenging to pinpoint those with the highest quality ingredients and nutrients.
Finding the best dog food for your pitbull’s weight gain can be so mentally draining that it could cause you to rush your decision. But it’s crucial to take the time to choose a quality dog food brand.
If you’re like some pet parents, you might not trust larger pet food companies. You may believe that smaller brands make better and safer products.
Yet, 73 of 88 recalls within five years are linked to smaller brands. This is likely because smaller brands simply don’t have as many financial resources to ensure the quality of their products as larger dog food companies.
Since Pitbulls need lots of nutrients to support their muscle and weight gain, you should ensure your chosen brand manufactures nutritionally complete and balanced food.
To determine the nutritional quality of a particular brand’s dog food, see if it performs nutritional content testing. Be sure to find out if they conduct laboratory analysis or run feeding trials. Also, research the brand and make sure to follow the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) recommendations for selecting the right pet food. This will ensure that your Pittie is getting the essential nutrients necessary for every life stage, whether it’s adult maintenance or growth and reproduction.
ALSO READ: Best Food for Bulldogs
Check the Labels
Since Pitties require lots of activity, it’s easy for them to burn calories, making it difficult for them to gain weight or maintain their current weight. For lean muscle and weight gain, your Pitbull needs a high-protein and high-fat diet.
The extra protein will aid in muscle recovery, while the extra fat will help with energy. So your muscular four-legged friend will need protein-based dog food. The protein should come from meat because of its high protein and fat content. Studies show that Pitbulls get 70 to 90 percent of their energy from fat metabolism, which is why a high-fat diet is vital.
Your Pitbull’s diet will also require a higher than average calorie content. His diet should include additional vitamins and minerals, especially if he’ll be getting a lot of exercise.
Pitties tend to develop hip and joint problems, so the ingredients must protect these vulnerable limbs when he’s constantly putting pressure on them.
And of course, make sure your chosen brand contains essential nutrients that any dog can benefit from. Antioxidants (from fruit and vegetable sources), as well as Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, are key ingredients you want to look for in a dog food. Antioxidants support healthy immune function, while fatty acids help with proper brain development.
Think About Health Conditions That Commonly Affect Pitbulls
When I would shop dog food for my Pitbull, breed was not something I thought about when I made my decision. And that’s not a wise way to shop. Your pup’s breed will determine how he reacts to a particular brand of food.
For example, Pitbulls—like many other breeds—are susceptible to certain health conditions. Based on these risks, you should choose pet food that doesn’t aggravate or cause symptoms.
Some Pitbulls may be prone to food allergies. So you might consider switching your Pittie to grain-free since grains are a common allergy.
Aortic stenosis, a type of heart condition, can affect Pitbulls as well. This medical problem is treatable with proper monitoring and medications.
However, your Pit’s diet is also crucial in keeping this illness under control. For example, feeding your pet low-sodium dog food that’s high in Omega fatty acids can support his heart health.
Pitbulls are predisposed to elbow and hip dysplasia. So feeding your dog a diet with too much calcium and vitamin D can hinder bone and cartilage development. Therefore, you should examine the vitamin content of his food, especially when your Pit is a puppy, and bone development is critical.
Still Trying To Decide On The Best Dog Food for Pitbulls to Gain Muscle and Weight?
Overall, the best dog food for Pitbulls to gain weight is Bully Max’s High Performance Dog Food. It has the highest fat-to-protein ratio and contains the highest amount of calories.
Compared with other brands, it contains a significant amount of meat. Since weight gain is the goal, this product winds, hands-down.
However, it comes with other benefits too. The brand tests the product three times before it leaves the factory, so there are no recalls. It’s also grain-free, which is great for Pitbulls with food allergies.
The fact that this dog food contains Omega fatty acids is another bonus as they support heart health and reduce inflammation in the joints.
While the dog food choices we discussed are still contenders, Bully Max has the edge with its triple-tested, high-protein, meat-abundant, grain-free, and nutrient-rich formula.
About Alex Vicente
Dog Lover, Founder & Chief Editor at Paws Insider
I’ve been rescuing dogs since a very early age. I got my first dog when I was 9 years old and I remember how he, out of a litter of 6 puppies, started running towards me. He’d just chosen me. Ever since then, my love for dogs only grows stronger and I want what’s best for them. My mission is to let our readers know about the best products in the market for our best friends, as well as providing guides and tips on how we can take better care of them.