Want to make sure your Pitbull gets the best? Pitbulls are famously strong, muscular dogs, and the best way to power those muscles and keep them in shape is with the right food.
Keep reading for everything you need to know about the best dog food for Pitbulls, followed by our top product picks for different needs and preferences. If you’re reading this in preparation for life with a new Pit, check out our list of the 100 best dog names for Pitbulls, too!
Nutritional Needs of Pitbulls
Pitbulls are a medium-sized breed with a stocky, strong build that requires a high-protein (18-22%) and low-fat (around 5%) diet to maintain lean muscles, a healthy weight, and sustained energy levels.
Adult Pitties should eat 2-3 cups of food per day split between two meals, whilst young pups should eat smaller more frequent meals, and seniors should eat less as they slow down. Age-tailored nutrition is also important.
Every dog should eat complete and balanced foods with essential vitamins and minerals powered by real, natural ingredients like high-quality meat, fish, grains, fruits, and vegetables, without the use of additives or fillers.
However, certain nutrients are more important for maintaining good health in Pitbulls. Omega fatty acids and minerals like chondroitin and glucosamine, for example, can help to keep their joints strong, which is key with age due to their heavy, muscular builds. Omegas, zinc, biotin, and vitamin E are also crucial for healthy skin, something Pitbulls tend to struggle with.
Whilst Pits don’t tend to be sensitive or picky eaters, some are. Foods with higher moisture content, as well as fresh and slow-cooked or freeze-dried foods are best for enticing fussy pups, whilst grain-free formulas, hypoallergenic recipes, and high-fiber foods with added probiotics are best for sensitive Pits and Pitties with allergies.
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Top Picks
- Best Air Dried – Sundays For Dogs Turkey Recipe
- Best Freeze-Dried – Dr Marty’s Dog Food Nature’s Blend
- Best Raw – We Feed Raw
- Best Budget Raw – RawPawsPetFood
- Best Subscription Dog Food Delivery Service – Ollie
- Best High-Protein – Raised Right Human-Grade Dog Food
- Best Kibble – Bully Max 30/20 Adult High-Protein & Fat Chicken Dry Dog Food
- Best Wet Canned Food: Victor Lamb & Rice Pate
- Best Budget Pick – The Pets Table
Best Air Dried: Sundays For Dogs Turkey Recipe
Sundays For Dogs Turkey Recipe is our top air-dried pick. It comes in three flavors, but the Turkey recipe is our favorite for Pitbulls as it’s great for dogs with skin allergies and sensitivities, but it also comes in beef and chicken flavors.
Key features:
- Created by vets
- Natural and human-grade
- 83-91% meat recipes
- With fruits, veggies, seeds, and grains
- Complete and balanced nutrition
- Noticeably improves health
- Picky-eater approved
- Easy to store and serve
- Free from fillers and synthetics
- 36% cheaper
- Made in the USA
- Subscription service
What we like:
Founded by vets using all-natural, human-grade ingredients, it contains over 80% meat with real fruits, veggies, seeds, and whole grains for whole nutrition and no fillers or synthetics. It also comes picky-eater-approved according to the brand; with customer research finding that dogs were 40% more excited to eat this food, winning a third-party taste test 39-0.
It’s made in the USA for ensured quality and it’s easy to store and serve. The brand’s customer survey also found that dogs who ate their food regularly saw improved overall health and well-being, including better digestion, softer coat, more energy, and improved weight.
What to consider:
It’s a subscription-only service, which won’t suit everyone. However, they offer customized plans at 36% cheaper than similar competitors.
Sundays for Dogs is an air-dried, human-grade dog food made with real beef and superfoods. It’s grain-free, chicken-free, and perfect for picky eaters or dogs with sensitive stomachs.
Best Freeze-Dried: Dr Marty’s Dog Food Nature’s Blend
Dr Marty’s Dog Food Nature’s Blend is an all-natural blend of turkey, beef, salmon, and duck. It’s suitable for adult dogs of all breeds and sizes and you can make a one-off purchase or sign up for a discounted subscription.
Key features:
- Freeze-dried raw food
- 100% natural ingredients
- Ranch-raised meats
- Turkey, beef, salmon, and duck
- Premium quality superfoods
- Promotes healthy energy and digestion
- Supports healthy joints, teeth, and skin
- Suitable for all adult dogs
- No fillers or synthetics
- Trial-sized bags available
- Discounted subscriptions
- 90-day money-back guarantee
What we like:
Their protein-packed formula contains four types of meat including ranch-raised beef and duck, with premium-quality organ meats, fruits, veggies, and seeds like liver, pumpkin seed, carrots, and apples. The superfood-rich recipe promotes youthful energy levels, easy digestion, and healthy teeth and skin, as well as good mobility and long lifespan without fillers or additives.
What to consider:
It’s on the pricey side, but it also comes in trial-sized bags so that you can try it before committing to a bigger purchase, and they offer a 90-day money-back guarantee if you’re not happy.
This formula combines premium-quality raw meat with hand-selected fruits and vegetables — to give your dog the nutrition they need to live a full, healthy life. Because of its unique freeze-drying process, Dr. Marty Nature's Blend is the most effective formula for canine longevity.
Best Raw: We Feed Raw
If you’re looking to go raw, we highly recommend We Feed Raw. They’re the #1 pre-made raw dog food delivery company in the US and tailor your dog’s meal plan according to their breed, age, and more, so you can get just what you need for your Pittie!
Key features:
- #1 pre-made raw dog food delivery company
- 100% raw and minimally processed
- Tailored meal plans
- Six protein source options
- Human-grade meats
- Cold-pressed to eliminate bacteria
- Formulated by PhD animal nutritionist
- Nutritionally complete and balanced
- Optimal protein and essential nutrients
- Improves whole body health
- Highly digestible
- No fillers or additives
- Safely prepared, packaged, and shipped
- AAFCO and USDA-compliant
- Biodegradable packaging
- Subscription service
- Free cold-shipping nationwide
What we like:
All of their meals are 100% raw and minimally processed with no cooking for maximum digestibility, just a cold pressure treatment to remove any harmful bacteria and keep your family safe. In fact, they’re the most minimally processed foods of their kind on the market, with no fillers or additives, and more variety than any of their competitors.
There are six delicious protein sources to choose from, including chicken, beef, venison, and duck. All of which were formulated to be nutritionally whole by a PhD animal nutritionist with optimal protein levels from human-grade meats.
According to the brand, benefits include more mealtime excitement, better weight control, higher energy levels, and healthier skin and coat, as well as fewer allergy symptoms and improved digestion in dogs with sensitivities. Your dog’s meals will be safely shipped in well-insulated, biodegradable packaging at no extra cost.
What to consider:
If the idea of raw food freaks you out or sounds inconvenient for your kitchen, they’ve also just come out with a freeze-dried range. It’s still raw but freeze-dried for a longer shelf-life with no refrigeration and a crunchy kibble-like texture.
Premade raw meals, delivered to your doorstep. A balanced raw diet for dogs can be tailored to your pet's size, age, and tastes. They've made it easy to get started with a raw diet for your dog in just a few clicks.
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Best Budget Raw: RawPawsPetFood
If you want raw on a budget, RawPawsPetFood is perfect. They sell raw rolls in two sizes and a variety of flavors, including chicken, beef, and goat tripe for an excellent price. They’re also a family-owned business that supports animal charities, so you can feel extra good about shopping with them.
Key features:
- 100% raw rolls
- Variety of flavors
- 80% meat, 10% organ, and 10% bone
- Free range Indiana sourced meat
- Conveniently prepared
- Must be refrigerated
- Delivered frozen
- No hormones, steroids, or antibiotics
- No artificial ingredients, additives, or fillers
- Available in two sizes
- Made in small batches in the USA
- Strict quality and safety standards
- Charitable family-owned business
What we like:
All of the recipes contain 80% meat, 10% organ, and 10% bone from Indiana-sourced meat, which is raised free-range without the use of hormones, steroids, or antibiotics. There are zero fillers or artificial ingredients and they’re super easy to slice up and portion for your dog’s mealtimes. They’re also made in small batches in a licensed, inspected US facility with strict quality and safety standards.
What to consider:
They must be stored in the fridge, which can be annoying, but they come compactly prepared to take up minimal space.
Best Subscription Dog Food Delivery Service: Ollie
If you want a subscription service to streamline your dog’s meal times, Ollie is our top pick. They offer a comprehensive service that tailors your pup’s meal plan to improve or maintain their health, according to their needs, breed, age, and more, with a variety of plans including fresh, baked, and mixed plans, plus treats and supplements.
Key features:
- Tailored subscription service
- Fresh, baked, and mixed plans
- Variety of flavor options
- Vet-designed formulas
- Human-grade ingredients
- Responsibly sourced
- Minimally processed
- Gut health and allergy relief
- High energy and weight control
- No fillers or additives
- No corn, wheat, or soy
- Hassle-free packaging
- Made in US facilities
- Comes with a welcome kit
- App management
- Free health screening
What we like:
After a simple one-minute quiz, you’ll be sent a starter box containing a two-week supply of food and a welcome kit with a feeding guide, a puptainer, a scoop, and app access for easy account management. Plus a free health screening for personalized advice from their team!
With five fresh and two baked options to choose from, including chicken and beef flavors, your pup will never get bored. All of the recipes are designed by vets and made with human-grade, responsibly sourced ingredients without the use of hormones, fillers, artificial additives, and no common allergens like corn, wheat, and soy.
They’re also minimally processed for easy digestion and crafted to improve your pup’s overall health, with better weight control, higher energy levels, and fewer allergy symptoms.
What to consider:
If you like the look of their fresh food but find it too pricey, we recommend taking a look at their mixed plan, which provides half fresh and half baked foods for a fraction of the price of full fresh.
Fresh, human-grade food made from real ingredients for a healthier pup today and tomorrow. Recipes made from whole food ingredients, slow cooked for nutrition and flavor and always fresh.
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Best High-Protein: Raised Right Human-Grade Dog Food
If you’ve got a particularly active Pittie, Raised Right Human-Grade Dog Food could be the best option for you. They specialize in high-protein, low-carb meals for active dogs and puppies, plus cats and kittens, so it’s a good pick for puppies and multi-pet homes, too.
Key features:
- High-protein low-carb formulas
- Vet-designed and lab-tested
- Dog, cat, puppy, and kitten recipes
- Ground foods and pates
- Variety of flavors
- Limited ingredients
- Human-grade quality
- Check Your Pet Food approved
- Innovation Award winner
- Plastic-neutral certified
- Carbonfree® shipping
- Sample boxes available
- One-off buys and subscription options
What we like:
Their adult food comes in several flavors, including turkey & pumpkin and pork & pumpkin, all gently cooked and frozen to be served fresh. All of their formulas are designed by vets with limited ingredients, like human-grade meats and organ meats, as well as fresh fruit and veggies and superfoods like organic dried kelp.
The brand prides itself on making homemade-style food for pets, with a rich agricultural history you can trust and lab safety-tested meals. They even won the Innovative Veterinary Care Journal’s Innovation Award for Nutrition and were the first company to submit their formula to Check Your Pet Food voluntarily.
They also offer one-off purchases and subscriptions for flexible buying, with sample boxes for new customers and plastic-neutral, carbon-free shipping.
What to consider:
Each of the recipes contains less than 2% carbohydrates, which is good for weight management and reducing inflammation in sick and senior dogs. However, low-carb diets aren’t right for every dog, so check with your vet if you’re unsure.
Raised Right works with veterinarian, Dr. Karen Becker to formulate limited ingredient recipes that are high in protein and low in carbs. Most of their recipes have less than 2% carbs because they use ZERO high carb fillers like potato, rice, oats, yam, squash, pasta, barley, parsnips, corn, or wheat.
Best Kibble: Bully Max 30/20 Adult High-Protein & Fat Chicken Dry Dog Food
The Bully Max 30/20 Adult High-Protein & Fat Chicken Dry Dog Food is our top dry food pick, as it’s specially designed for Bully Breeds like the American Pitbull. It’s suitable for puppies and adult dogs and comes rated 5/5 by Dog Food Advisor.
Key features:
- Chicken blend formula
- 535 calories per cup
- 30% protein 20% fat
- 60% smaller meals
- TruMune postbiotics
- Improves energy, coat, and digestion
- Suitable for puppies and adults
- Free from fillers and additives
- No poultry by-products, corn, wheat, or soy
- Rated 5/5 by Dog Food Advisor
- Third-party lab testing
- Made in the USA
What we like:
Designed for active, muscular dogs, each cup has 535 calories, which is around 200 calories more than most competitors, for smaller meals, fewer restocks, and higher impact. It contains 30% protein and 20% fat from chicken, fish, eggs, and brown rice, plus nutritious superfoods like organic dried kelp.
90% of customers report better digestion, shinier fur, and more energy thanks to the TruMune postbiotics, which come backed by hundreds of research studies. It’s also free from fillers, artificial additives, and poultry byproducts, as well as corn, wheat, and soy, and it’s manufactured in line with high safety standards using 3rd party lab testing in the USA.
What to consider:
The brand recommends you transition your Pittie to this food gradually as it’s such a rich formula, and be sure to stick to the product’s portion recommendations so you don’t overfeed them.
Bully Max 30/20 Adult High-Protein & Fat Chicken Dry Dog Food is packed with protein to help fuel your furbaby’s performance and energy. Chicken meal is the first ingredient, and since this recipe has tons of calories and protein, your pup will need less food during each meal.
Best Canned Food: Victor Lamb & Rice Pate
If your Pittie prefers wet food, the Merrick Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Wet Dog Food Real LamIf your Pittie prefers wet food, VICTOR Lamb & Rice Formula Pâté is our top canned pick. It starts with lamb, followed by beef broth and beef liver, and packs 562 calories into each 13.2-ounce can. The recipe is grain-inclusive, using brown rice, barley and oatmeal rather than relying on a grain-free formula.
It can be served as a complete meal or used as a topper, which is handy if you want to add some wet food without completely changing your dog’s current diet.
Key features:
- Lamb is the first ingredient
- Beef broth and beef liver
- Brown rice, barley and oatmeal
- 9% minimum crude protein
- 8% minimum crude fat
- 562 calories per 13.2-ounce can
- Fish oil and flaxseed meal
- Added vitamins and minerals
- No artificial flavors, colors or preservatives
- Pâté texture
- Grain-inclusive recipe
- Complete and balanced nutrition
- Can be fed alone or as a kibble topper
- Formulated for growth and maintenance
What we like:
Pit Bulls are muscular dogs, so I like seeing animal-based ingredients right at the beginning of the list. Lamb is the first ingredient, followed by beef broth and beef liver, with dried egg providing another source of animal protein farther down the ingredient list.
The recipe also includes fish oil, flaxseed meal and sunflower oil. These provide fatty acids that help support healthy skin and coat, which is particularly useful for Pitties since their short coats don’t exactly give you much wiggle room when their skin isn’t looking its best.
At 562 calories per can, it’s also fairly calorie-dense for a wet food. That can make it easier to meet the energy needs of an active Pit Bull without feeding an enormous volume of canned food. For dogs that eat kibble, you can also use a smaller amount as a topper to add moisture and make dinner considerably more interesting.
I also like that VICTOR didn’t automatically go the grain-free route here. Brown rice, barley and oatmeal provide carbohydrate sources for dogs that tolerate grains just fine.
What to consider:
Despite “Lamb & Rice” being right there in the name, this isn’t a limited-ingredient or single-protein food. It also contains beef broth, beef liver and dried egg, so it’s not a good substitute for the Merrick formula if you specifically chose that one for a Pittie with food sensitivities or allergies.
It’s also relatively calorie-dense at 562 calories per can. That’s useful for active dogs, but you’ll want to pay attention to portions for less-active Pitties, particularly if you’re using it as a topper in addition to their regular food.
Also, the brand had a voluntary recall in November of 2023, but it seems to have been a one-off. Every batch of VICTOR food goes through finished product testing and has tested negative for salmonella prior to entering the distribution network.
Lamb and Rice Formula Pâté is a super premium canned dog food formulated for growth and maintenance of puppies and active adult dogs; satisfy your pet's natural cravings with this well-balanced nutrition packed meal.
Best Budget Pick: The Pets Table
The Pets Table is our top budget-friendly pick because they offer a range of plans for different budgets. Simply take their quick quiz and get a personalized plan that suits you! They also offer a 2-week trial to make sure you’re on board and a money-back guarantee, just in case.
Key features:
- Four plans for different budgets
- 2-week trial period
- Money-back guarantee
- Variety of recipes
- Developed with vet-nutritionists
- Human-grade ingredients
- Real meats, grains, fruits, and veggies
- Complete and balanced nutrition
- High in fiber and vitamin A
- Added probiotics
- No fillers or additives
- Suitable for all life stages
- AAFCO compliant
- Made in the USA
What we like:
As mentioned above, they offer a range of plans; including air-dried, fresh, mixed, and a minified fresh plan, with 50% of your dog’s daily calories in the form of fresh toppers you can mix with your Pit’s current food.
There are a variety of flavors to choose from, including beef stew with carrots and beef with berries, all made with human-grade ingredients and air-dried or gently cooked and flash-frozen to nutritious, delicious perfection.
Every recipe was developed with vet nutritionists to provide whole nutrition for all life stages in line with AAFCO industry requirements, with fibrous fruits and veggies and probiotics for easy digestion. It’s also a rich source of vitamin A, an essential nutrient for whole-body health and wellness.
What to consider:
Some recipes are grain-inclusive and others are grain-free, so if your dog has a grain intolerance, be sure to choose your meals with care.
Every plan provided by The Pets Table ensures a balanced diet for your dog, packed with ingredients they will adore, all reviewed by their Board-Certified Veterinary Nutritionist.
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FAQs
Is wet food or dry food better for Pitbulls?
Dry foods tend to be lower in fat, so they are generally the better choice for such stocky dogs. However, there are some great wet foods out there. It’s all about the quality of the ingredients.
Are Pitbulls prone to food allergies?
Pitbulls can have food allergies, but they’re more prone to skin allergies. However, the right food can help to build up their immune system. If you think your dog has an allergy of any kind, you should look into product changes or elimination diets/allergy tests. Symptoms to look out for include cause changes to skin, coat, mood, and digestion.
Are Pitbulls picky eaters?
Pitties are not known to be picky eaters, but they can be. Either way, they still deserve the best; high-quality formulas, yummy ingredients, and interesting textures.
Do Pitbulls have sensitive stomachs?
Whilst Pitbulls are not especially sensitive, any dog can have a sensitive system depending on their genetics and history. It’s best to stick to complete and balanced foods with clean ingredients and look into high-fiber foods with added probiotics if your pup is sensitive.
Final Thoughts
Those are our best dog foods for Pitbulls! Let us know which one you’re going to try and if you’re drastically changing your Pit’s diet, don’t forget to transition them to their new food gradually. For some hardy Pittie treats, check out our list of the best dog bones for Pitbulls.
