Pit Bulls are naturally very strong and agile dogs, so they require a healthy, high-protein diet. It’s very important that you provide the diet right, because obesity in Pit Bulls often leads to hip and elbow dysplasia. Providing your Pit Bull a healthy diet will not only keep obesity related complications away, but also improve your dog’s skin and coat. Most importantly, a healthy dog is a happy dog! Therefore, make sure that you follow these Pit Bull feeding tips.
Read more about common Pit Bull health problems here.
Nutrition
Pit Bulls are large and energetic, which means that the most important nutrient of a Pit Bull’s diet is Protein. If you’re buying dog food from the store, make sure that the key ingredient of that particular brand of dog food is meat. Homemade meals should have a proportion of meat between two to four percent of your Pit Bull’s weight.
Make sure that your Pit Bull’s diet doesn’t include wheat, corn and potatoes as most Pit Bulls are allergic to them which causes skin and coat problems.
Diet Options
There’s nothing wrong with feeding your Pit Bull store-bought food as long as the quality is good. Pay close attention to the key ingredients of such dog food to make sure that the primary ingredient is meat. Dry dog food is much healthier than moist food that contain more calories and fat.
Refrigerated meat-based food is also a great choice, especially if you’re someone who wants to give your Pit Bull a homemade diet, but doesn’t have a lot of time in your hands.
Feeding your Pit Bull raw food is a great idea, but make sure that you learn well about it. A raw food diet isn’t all about feeding your dog raw meat and bones. Include vegetables and fruits that are healthy for dogs into your Pit Bull’s daily diet.
Make sure that you wash utensils and surfaces well to get rid of any contaminating bacteria. It’s also a good idea to consult your vet before going for homemade food to make sure that you get the balance of the diet right.
Feeding
Pit Bulls younger than 12 months require three meals a day. Feeding young puppies softened dry food is a good idea. Adult Pit Bulls require two meals a day. Therefore, make sure that you divide your Pit Bull’s daily requirement of food into those two meals.
It’s good to reduce the number of meals to one for obese Pit Bulls. However, it’s important to remember that some dogs can become restless when you reduce the number of meals.
Most Pit Bulls gobble up food without taking breaks to chew. That can lead to a number of problems such as gas, diarrhea and even bloat which is life-threatening. If your Pit Bull eats fast, break the number of meals to 2-3 small meals per day.
Avoid exercising your Pit Bull or letting him run right after meals. A full stomach sways in the abdominal cavity which can cause bloat. Do not elevate your dog’s food bowl as it increases the chances of bloat. Many wrongly believe that it’s the other way around.
