Top 10 Best Dog Foods for American Bulldogs
Your American Bulldog is a born athlete with a stocky, muscular frame. To fuel its many activities and keep it healthy, your dog needs high-quality food with plenty of protein and fiber. Luckily, there are quite a few great dog food brands on the market. So how do you pick the best one for your Bulldog?
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There are several high-quality brands that will suit your Bulldog. To help you pick your new favorite brand, we’ve put together this list of the best dog food brands for American Bulldogs.
For each product, we’ve written a detailed review, looking carefully at price, ingredients, flavor, nutritional information, and guarantees so you can feel confident in your choice. And if you’re still wondering which variety you should choose, take a look at our buyer’s guide, which will walk you through your options and the major ingredients available. Delicious, healthy Bulldog food is just around the corner!
Is fiber content important in dog foods for American Bulldogs?
Yes, fiber is very important as it enhances digestive health and makes your bulldog healthier. American Bulldogs also tend to have more sensitive stomachs, so abundant quality fiber is always better.
The 10 Best Dog Foods for American Bulldogs
Royal Canin Bulldog Dry Dog Food – Best for Puppies
If you’re shopping for a puppy, you may be interested in the Royal Canin Bulldog Puppy Dry Dog Food, which we also find to be the best dog food for American Bulldogs for the money.
This moderately-priced dog food comes in 30-pound bags. The small kibble is specifically designed for Bulldog puppies, aged two to 12 months, based on their jaws and biting patterns. This dog food contains 28% protein and 4% fiber, plus antioxidants like vitamin E.
This product’s first ingredient is chicken by-product, which is protein-rich and nutrient-heavy but may also be lower quality. We found that this food could be too rich and may not work as well for sensitive stomachs. Royal Canin offers a great 100% satisfaction guarantee.
- Made with potentially lower-quality chicken by-product
- May be too rich or upset sensitive stomachs
- 28% protein and 4% fiber, with antioxidants
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
- Specifically designed for Bulldog puppies
- Moderately-priced
Nom Nom Fresh Dog Food Subscription – Best Overall
If you’re looking for the best overall dog food for American Bulldogs, look no further than Nom Nom. While it’s pricier than most other food options, when you look at everything that you’re getting, it’s well worth the cost.
Every recipe comes personalized and proportioned for your dog and addresses any medical needs that they might have. Even better, the formulas all come from a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, and only the best-quality ingredients are used for each portion.
Nom Nom has multiple recipes, so your pup won’t have to eat the same food day after day, and it all comes from the United States. The recipes are tailored specifically for your pup, which is ideal if your dog has a sensitive stomach or food allergies.
Even better, signing up for Nom Nom is easy, and it will auto-renew with the exact amount of food that you need, so there’s no waste or leftovers. When your pup deserves the best of the best, there’s no better choice than Nom Nom.
- Expensive
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Only the best quality ingredients
- Formulated recipes by board-certified veterinary nutritionists
- Personalized and pre-portioned meals for your pup
- Different recipes
Purina ONE Adult Dry Dog Food
One of our favorites is Purina’s ONE SmartBlend Adult Dry Dog Food, which is inexpensive and contains high-quality ingredients.
This low-cost dog food comes in 27.5-pound bags, as well as several other sizes. At 30% protein, this food is made with real salmon and tuna. It naturally contains Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants and is made without poultry by-products, preservatives, and artificial flavors.
When we tested this dog food, we found that it had plenty of protein and provided quite a bit of energy for active Bulldogs. It also works well for dogs with sensitive stomachs. We did find that it sometimes arrived stale, and some bags may contain bugs. Purina offers a great money-back guarantee.
- May arrive stale
- Some bags may contain bugs
- No poultry by-products or artificial flavors and preservatives
- Contains Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, works well for sensitive stomachs
- Inexpensive, with a choice of bag size
- 30% protein from real salmon and tuna
- Money-back guarantee
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Dry Dog Food
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Dry Dog Food is made from a combination of meat, grains, vegetables, and Blue Buffalo’s LifeSource Bits. These LifeSource Bits include a combination of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They offer omega fatty acids for improved skin and coat health. They can aid in good eye health because of the inclusion of taurine. They also contain vitamin B12, D, and L-Carnitine to further support good health.
The Life Protection Formula Adult Dry Dog Food contains 24% protein, which could be a little higher to help maintain your American Bulldog’s muscles and joints. Its main ingredients are deboned chicken and chicken meal, which are a good source of protein. Other significant ingredients include rice, barley, and oatmeal. This is a grain-inclusive food, which means that it might not be suitable for dogs with food sensitivities and allergies.
Although the Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Dry Dog Food is a little more expensive than some of those on the list, many of its ingredients are high quality and provide a balanced and nutritional diet. However, a handful of ingredients are considered low-cost, low-quality fillers. Pea protein and alfalfa meal, for example, do not provide much nutritional benefit. The ingredients also include garlic. Although the small amount used means that it is unlikely to be toxic, you may choose to steer clear of this ingredient for the sake of your dog’s health.
- 24% protein could be higher
- Main ingredient is chicken
- Fortified with vitamins and chelated minerals
- Provides a good, balanced diet
Rachael Ray Nutrish Dry Dog Food
The Rachael Ray Nutrish Dry Dog Food is an inexpensive option made with lamb meal and limited ingredients.
This dog food comes in 28-pound bags and features lamb meal and brown rice, plus chicken fat and pork flavor. It doesn’t have dairy, egg, beef, potato, corn, wheat, soy, or gluten, and isn’t made with poultry by-product. This dog food contains fiber, vitamin B, and easily digestible carbohydrates. A portion of the profits goes to the Rachael Ray Foundation for animals in need.
When we tested this dog food, we found that it sometimes arrived stale and too hard for weaker teeth. It also contains multiple animal proteins and may upset sensitive stomachs. Nutrish offers a full refund guarantee.
- Multiple animal proteins may upset sensitive stomachs
- May arrive stale and very hard
- No dairy, egg, beef, potato, corn, wheat, soy, gluten, or poultry by-product
- Full refund guarantee
- Inexpensive, with a portion of the profits donated
- Made with lamb meal and brown rice, with fiber and vitamin B
Natural Balance Diets Dry Dog Food
The Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Dry Dog Food is reasonably-priced and made with a single animal protein and limited ingredients, making it a good choice for sensitive stomachs.
This dog food comes in 26-pound bags and a range of flavors like sweet potato and bison and potato and duck. It’s grain-free, with no artificial colors or flavors, and contains Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids for healthier coats. This is a low-calorie, low-protein option, with only 20% protein and 10% fat. This dog food is made without poultry by-product and naturally contains amino acids and fiber.
When we tested this dog food, we found that it sometimes arrived stale or moldy. The formula isn’t suitable for all sensitive stomachs and contains more ingredients than advertised. This dog food also isn’t a great choice if you’re looking to bulk up your Bulldog and may not offer enough calories for an active dog. Natural Balance offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
- May arrive stale or moldy
- Won’t help your dog build muscle and can be too low-calorie
- Not fully suitable for sensitive stomachs
- Grain-free, with fatty acids, amino acids, and fiber
- 20% protein and 10% fat, with no poultry by-product
- Reasonably-priced with a choice of flavors
- Made with a single animal protein like bison, duck, or chicken
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
Royal Canin Bulldog Adult Dry Dog Food
Royal Canin’s Bulldog Adult Dry Dog Food is well-priced, designed specifically for adult Bulldogs, and contains healthy fatty acids. It also contains some lower-quality ingredients and may not work for Bulldogs will allergies.
This dog food comes in fairly-priced 30-pound bags and has 22% protein, 12% fat, and 4.1% fiber. It contains EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids for bone and joint health. It may also help reduce gas and stool odor with easily digestible proteins.
This dog food contains chicken by-products and wheat, so it may not work for Bulldogs with allergies. The large kibble may also be too large for younger dogs. Royal Canin offers a money-back guarantee.
- Contains chicken by-products and wheat
- May not work well for dogs with allergies
- Kibble may be too large for puppies
- May help reduce gas and stool odor
- Money-back guarantee
- Well-priced and contains Omega-3 fatty acids
- Wave-shaped kibble designed for adult Bulldogs
Holistic Select Natural Dry Dog Food
Another option is the Holistic Select Natural Dry Dog Food, which is fairly-priced and fish-based but doesn’t come with a guarantee.
This dog food comes in 30-pound bags and is made with anchovies, sardines, and salmon. It contains Omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, digestive enzymes, and live yogurt cultures. There aren’t any meat by-products, wheat gluten, potato, or artificial flavors. This food has 25% protein, 13% fat, and a high 4.5% fiber.
We found that not all dogs were drawn to the fish flavor, and the unusual ingredients could upset sensitive stomachs. However, if your dog has wheat or chicken allergies, it may be a good choice. Holistic Select doesn’t offer a guarantee.
- No guarantee
- May upset sensitive stomachs
- Flavors may be less appealing
- Fairly-priced with 25% protein, 13% fat, and 4.5% fiber
- Made with anchovies, sardines, and salmon, plus live yogurt cultures and digestive enzymes
- No meat by-products, poultry, wheat gluten, potato, or artificial flavors
Zignature Turkey Formula Dry Dog Food
The Zignature Turkey Formula Dry Dog Food is fairly-priced and made with US-sourced turkey. It’s designed to be similar to dogs’ ancient diets but doesn’t come with a guarantee and may have less appealing flavors.
This dog food comes in 27-pound bags and is made with turkey sourced from the American Midwest. It contains no corn, wheat, soy, dairy, or chicken and naturally has riboflavin, phosphorus, selenium. This food is high in protein, grain-free, and low in saturated fat.
Zignature’s dog food does encourage healthy skin and shiny coats. We did find that the turkey flavor doesn’t appeal to all dogs, and this food won’t help your Bulldog bulk up. There isn’t a guarantee.
- No guarantee
- Less appealing turkey flavor
- Won’t help your Bulldog bulk up
- High protein, grain-free, and low in saturated fat
- Contains riboflavin, phosphorus, selenium
- Well-priced and made with US-sourced turkey
- No corn, wheat, soy, dairy, chicken
NUTRO Adult Dry Dog Food
Our least favorite brand is NUTRO’s Adult Dry Dog Food, which is fairly-priced and comes in a choice of proteins but may arrive stale and has a less appealing flavor.
This dog food comes in small 22-pound bags in a choice of venison, lamb, salmon, or duck. It’s grain-free, non-GMO, and contains limited ingredients like potatoes and chickpeas. This dog food isn’t made with corn, wheat, soy, chicken, or beef, and contains 20% protein, 14% fat, and a low 3.5% fiber.
This dog food isn’t designed for puppies, and we found that it sometimes arrived stale. The flavors may be less appealing to your dog, and the ingredients aren’t quite as limited as you might prefer. NUTRO does offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
- Less appealing flavors
- Not especially limited ingredients
- Not small enough for puppies
- May arrive stale
- Low in fiber
- No corn, wheat, soy, chicken, or beef
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
- Fairly-priced, grain-free, and non-GMO, with a choice of proteins
- 20% protein, 14% fat, and 3.5% fiber
Supreme Source Premium Dry Dog Food
The Supreme Source Premium Dry Dog Food is inexpensive and grain-free but doesn’t come with a guarantee and has unusual ingredients that may upset sensitive stomachs.
This dog food comes in smaller 22-pound bags and is made with lamb meal, peas, lentils, and potatoes. It doesn’t contain corn, wheat, chicken, or soy and has 26% protein, 11% fat, and a high 6.5% fiber. This food contains quite a few vitamins and minerals like zinc, iron, vitamins A, D, and E, and even Organic seaweed.
When we tested this food, we found that the small kibbles worked especially well for puppies, and the lack of poultry may help with sensitive skin and allergies. The more unusual ingredients, however, may bother your dog’s stomach. Supreme Source doesn’t offer a guarantee.
- No guarantee
- Unusual ingredients may bother sensitive stomachs
- 26% protein, 11% fat, and an impressive 6.5% fiber
- No chicken, corn, wheat, or soy
- Inexpensive and grain-free
- Many vitamins and minerals like zinc, iron, and vitamins A, D, and E
- Small kibble works well for puppies
Buyer’s Guide – Finding the Best Dog Food for American Bulldogs
Now that you’ve seen our list of the best dog foods for American Bulldogs, it’s time to make your choice. But which brand best will suit your dog and your wallet? Keep reading for our guide to your major options.
How do I introduce my dog to its new food?
To avoid upsetting your dog’s stomach, experts recommend gradually introducing new foods. This multiple-day process involves slowly exposing your dog’s digestive system to new ingredients. Start with a proportion of 25% new food and 75% old food. Over the next few days, slowly increase the proportion of new food until you reach 100%. Try to maintain your dog’s regular feeding schedule. If your Bulldog is a picky eater, you may want to encourage it by adding warm water to the bowl or hand-feeding the new kibble as a treat.
Major Ingredients
- When you’re choosing a dog food, you’ll probably want to think about your dog’s specific nutritional needs. American Bulldogs are muscular, strong, and compact. Though they’re only about 15 inches tall, they can weigh up to 50 pounds, meaning their bones and joints need plenty of nutritional support to grow properly. This generally means food with high protein levels, in the range of 25 to 30%.
- Bulldogs are also very athletic and need quite a bit of exercise. To fuel all of that activity, you’ll want to feed them plenty of calories. Our premium pick, the Bully Max Super Premium Dog Food, is especially high-calorie, but many dog foods will provide sufficient nutrition. If your Bulldog is less active, overweight or needs to maintain its weight, you may want to choose dog food with fewer calories and leaner proteins like salmon or turkey.
- To help with digestion, you’ll also want to feed your Bulldog plenty of fiber. Fiber levels in the dog foods we reviewed here can range from 3.5% up to 6.5%, so you’ll want to decide how much fiber your dog needs. If you’re not sure, you may want to consult your veterinarian.
Minor Ingredients
Many of the dog foods we reviewed contain additional nutritional ingredients like vitamins and minerals. They may contain minerals like zinc, iron, and phosphorus and vitamins A, D, and E. Some contain more unusual additions like seaweed or live yogurt cultures. These additional ingredients may support healthy skin, shiny coats, and general digestion.
Allergies
Is your Bulldog allergic to wheat, gluten, or chicken? Don’t worry, there are plenty of dog food brands that don’t contain these ingredients. You’ll want to pay attention to the ingredient lists on each brand to be sure that you’re choosing food that won’t cause rashes or upset stomachs. Gluten-free dog food can be made with potatoes, sweet potatoes, or chickpeas.
Protein Sources
- What kind of protein does your dog like? The healthiest food choice for your dog will depend on its preferences and nutritional needs. Many dogs prefer the strong, meaty flavors of dog foods made with chicken, lamb, or bison. Fish-based dog foods, generally made with salmon, tuna, anchovies, or sardines, may naturally contain additional health-boosting antioxidants, fatty acids, and vitamins. This type of dog food may also be lower calorie, but keep in mind that not all dogs will be drawn to the aroma and flavor. If your dog is a picky eater, you may prefer a more traditional meat-based product.
- What about animal by-products and meals? These labels mean that the manufacturer is using animal parts other than typical cuts of meat, like organs or fatty tissue, which are then blended and cooked. Dog food made with ingredients like chicken by-products or lamb meal is generally high in protein and less expensive but contains lower-quality meat products.
Kibble Size
- If you have a puppy, you’ll want dog food with kibbles small enough for its mouth. As your dog grows, you can graduate to a larger kibble size. Some of the dog food brands we reviewed, like Royal Canin, specifically design their kibble for Bulldog jaws and biting patterns. If you’re concerned about kibble working for your dog, you may want to choose one of these.
- You may also want to choose a dog food that’s designed for your dog’s age in order to ensure the right number of calories and the best nutrition. Most dog foods advertise recommended ages, like adult Bulldogs over 12 months or all life stages four weeks and older.
Price
How large is your dog food budget? Dog food can range from about a dollar per pound up to three or four. Keep in mind that this will be a regular expense and you probably won’t want to change your dog’s food brand very often. Your budget may also depend on how much food your dog consumes for each meal.
Guarantee
Many high-quality dog foods come with money-back guarantees, which may cover 30 days or longer. These guarantees can be useful if your dog gets sick or refuses to eat its new food, or if you receive a bag that’s stale, moldy, or has bugs in it.
The results are in! Our top pick for the best dog food for American Bulldogs is Nom Nom due to its use of premium quality ingredients. If you’re shopping for American Bulldog puppy food, you may prefer the Royal Canin Bulldog Puppy Dry Dog Food, which is specifically designed for Bulldog puppies and supports bone and joint health.
Finding the best dog food brand for your American Bulldog can be frustrating and time-consuming. We hope that this list of the 11 best dog food brands for American Bulldogs available this year, complete with in-depth reviews and a handy buyer’s guide, helps you efficiently shop for your dog’s new favorite food. The right dog food will keep your Bulldog happy, healthy, and full!
