What should I be feeding my XL Bully?
Part of maintaining the health and wellness of American bully dogs is providing them with the best XL pitbull diet that money can offer. And we are not talking about spending a fortune just to get your bully puppy fed.
With some knowledge of the most important nutrients required by bully XL dogs, you can create the perfect and healthy XL pitbull diet that will have the following benefits for your dog;
- Grow a strong skeletal structure
- Increase healthy muscle mass
- Maintain a healthy body mass
- Have the energy to live an active lifestyle
- Keep the dog calm and well-behaved
What is the best food for pit bulls?
The best pit bull diet is the one that meets all of the pit bull dog’s nutritional requirements. You have to be mindful of what your pitbull dog eats from when they are born to when they reach adulthood.
Pitbull dogs can benefit from both homemade and commercially bought food. Today you can find high-quality kibble designed for pitbull puppies and adult XL Pitbulls. Take your time to research the best dog food brands on the market and what they have to offer.
As a rule of thumb, read the dog food labels to ensure that your dog is only getting high-quality nutrition on its plate. In addition, you cannot go wrong with dog food brands that exceed the AAFCO guidelines for quality. Another great option is consulting a trained vet or a professional and experienced pitbull trainer on what to look for before you go out shopping.
Do not go for cheap dog food brands just to save money. Cheap dog food brands do not contain the important nutrients required by pitbull XL dogs. Moreover, some cheap dog food brands may contain harmful ingredients that can cause health issues with prolonged consumption.
Another cool trick is reinforcing your dog’s diet with pet supplements to ensure they are not missing important nutrients. The other option is homemade dog food for pit bulls as it gives you a chance to play around with ingredients and determine what works for your bully dog.
The best diet for an XL pitbull puppy
XL pitbull puppies should feed on the mother’s milk immediately after they are born. The bitch’s colostrum carries important nutrients that set the foundation for the puppy’s immunity and overall health.
Pitbull XL puppies should suckle for at least two months before they are weaned with solid foods. This builds a great foundation for their health and will make the transition to solid food easier for both puppy and dog owners.
In a nutshell, here are the full benefits of the mother’s milk as part of the pitbull diet;
- Great source of immunoglobulins
- Rich in healthy fats and carbohydrates
- Contains important hormones for growth and development
- High in proteins needed by puppies
- Contains antibodies for fighting allergies
- Colostrum helps fight bacteria that cause periodontal diseases in puppies
Best XL pitbull diet for adult dogs
XL pit bull puppies that are at least two months old are ready for weaning. As mentioned before, weaning can either be done with high-quality kibble or homemade dog food for pitbulls. In this section, we cover more of what a homemade pitbull diet entails.
Homemade dog food for pitbulls
American bullies can eat human food, but not everything is beneficial to them. We have a comprehensive list of the worst dog food for pitbulls right at the end.
When creating the best homemade dog food for pitbulls, these raw foods should be on the menu;
- Meat
- Offals or organs
- Eggs
- Fresh fruit
- Eggs
- Vegetables
- Yogurt
All these foods are filled with the full proteins or amino acids needed by American bully XL dogs to grow. Vegetables have important vitamins and minerals and aid in digestion. Yogurt is rich in probiotics that improve your dog’s gut health.
Remember, feeding a raw diet ensures your XL pitbull gets the highest nutrition value from the food it eats. Whichever homemade dog food plan you come up with, ensure the nutrients are balanced as follows;
- 50% healthy proteins
- 30% healthy fats
- 20% healthy carbs
Worst dog food for pitbulls
There are those foods pitbulls should not eat, whether homemade or commercially bought. These worst dog food for pitbulls may contain artificial ingredients or fillers that have no nutritional value to your dog.
Avoid commercially bought food with the following ingredients;
- Corn– is often used as a filler and has no nutritional value to an American bully.
- Meat by-products– meat by-products are often the leftovers of a slaughtered animal considered waste. As you guessed, these leftover parts have little to no nutritional value. Also, meat by-products often come from dead, disabled, or diseased animals which can be hazardous.
- Artificial flavoring and preservatives– artificial preservatives like ethoxyquin, BHA, and BHT can trigger allergic reactions in dogs. They are also carcinogenic.
- Rendered meat and fats- some kibble may contain rendered meat and fats which are often converted from dead animal tissue or other questionable ingredients not healthy for your dog.
- Propylene glycol– and artificial flavoring are often used in low-quality kibble. Long-term consumption of propylene glycol in dog food can be toxic to your dog.
On the other hand, avoid these ingredients when making a homemade XL pitbull diet;
- Alcohol– may cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. May also cause difficulty breathing, nervous issues, or raised body PH.
- Citrus foods– contain citric acid which can cause irritation and nervous depression in dogs with prolonged consumption.
- Grapes and raisins– contain a toxic compound that can trigger kidney failure in dogs.
- Nuts– nuts can cause vomiting and body weakness in dogs. Also, prolonged consumption of nuts may trigger hyperthermia and canine depression.
- Onion and garlic– contain compounds that can irritate the gut or damage red blood cells.
- Xylitol– is an artificial sweetener in candy, gum, chocolate, and most baked goods. Can cause an insulin spike in dogs, leading to liver failure.
Conclusion
The best XL pitbull diet should have a balance of proteins, fats, and healthy carbs. Throw in some veggies for added vitamins and minerals and to aid in digestion. Yogurt is good too as dogs need probiotics. Consult a professional vet or experienced pitbull breeder before deciding what to feed your American bully dog. There are worst dog foods for pitbulls you should be aware of too, and we cover most of them as a heads up.