5 Best Dog Food for Overweight Pug 2021

Pugs are a small energetic breed that brings so much joy to their owners. However, alongside their fun personality comes special nutritional needs. Pugs are one of the many dog breeds that are very likely to become overweight.

Every pug owner should know that the kind of food their pet takes can easily affect their weight. Trying to pick the best dog food brands available in the market can be very overwhelming. To help you make the right choice for your dog, we have put together a guide on the five best dog foods for overweight pugs.

What are the special dietary needs of an overweight pug?

A diet of an overweight pug should target weight loss. The best option is to give your dog a natural, unprocessed, calorie-restricted diet. However, for some owners, feeding their pug kibble is the only option.

If you want to feed your pug commercial food, you should pick a specially-made product for overweight dogs. These products have less calorie consumption than regular kibble and wet canned food. 

Providing high-quality food at a moderate amount is very important in a complete and balanced diet of a pug as they love to eat, hence being very prone to excessive weight gain. Weight issues with pugs can be serious because they’re connected to other health risks such as joint and breathing problems.

How to Know If Your Pug Is Overweight

The healthy weight of a pug, no matter what the gender, is around 6.3 and 8.2 kilograms (14 to 18 pounds). Aside from checking their weight, there are also additional signs that may show that your pug is on the pudgy side. 

• No visible waistline – You should be able to see their chest and rib cage. A pug’s upper half should slim down to a “waist.” If you can’t see your pug’s waist, they may be carrying a few extra pounds. 
• A hard time with self-grooming – If your pug is struggling to scratch and lick itself, your dog may be too round. 
• Shortness of breath – An overweight pug will have a hard time with exercise. They will pant a lot and be easily worn out after a short walk. 

If you have observed these three signs with your pug, you might be giving it a little too many treats. Consult a veterinarian to give you a better insight into how to handle your pug’s weight management.

What ingredients to look for in the best pug dog food?

When checking the products’ ingredients, having a combination of healthy fats and proteins is always good however, some brands, despite claiming to have these, contain fillers instead. Fillers will cause your pug to stay hungry despite eating the recommended amount.

When buying dog foods for pugs, look for products with real meat protein, fish, or poultry in them. These ingredients could also be in the form of a “meat meal.”

Meat meals are ground-up meat that has been dried and cooked to remove excess water. “Whole meat” is different from “meat meal.” Meat meal consists of 65% protein and 10% water, while “whole meat” has 70% water and 18% protein. Getting the product with meat meal will be the healthier choice to help with your pug’s weight management.

5 Healthiest and Best Dog Food for Overweight Pugs

We love our pug buddies, and as much as we love to see them eat happily, we are also responsible for keeping them healthy. You don’t want your pug gaining excess weight and getting other health problems. To help your pug live a life in good shape, here are our top recommendations on healthy dog food for overweight pugs:

Type:

Real meat as the first ingredient.

Main Ingredients:

Chicken Meal, Pea Starch, Brown Rice, Barley, Oatmeal, Deboned Chicken, and Flaxseed (a great source of Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids)

Benefits:

• The product contains high-quality protein from real chicken. It also has whole grains, veggies, and fruit.
• This product includes calcium, essential vitamins, and minerals that support your dog’s bones and teeth.
• It does not contain wheat, soy, or corn fillers.
• Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula has all-natural ingredients.

Room for Improvement:

Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula is an excellent choice to support your dog’s diet. However, if your pug has food sensitivities such as a grain-free diet, pea protein, lamb, chicken, or fish, this may not be the product for your dog. Save 30% on your first Autoship Order with Chewy!

Type:

Small breed food for weight management.

Main Ingredients:

Chicken, Brown Rice, Pea Fiber, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken Meal, Cracked Pearled Barley, and Oat Fiber, among others.

Benefits:

• The product is made with natural ingredients.
• This product also supports lean muscle maintenance.
• It has lean protein as its first ingredient.
• Hill’s Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight Small & Mini has no artificial flavoring.

Room for Improvement:

Hill’s Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight is affordable for weight management dog food. It has an adequate amount of protein and little amounts of grains. However, other dog owners find the pellet sizes small compared to other kinds of kibble. Save 30% on your first Autoship Order with Chewy!

Type:

Mini bites with real farm-raised chicken.

Main Ingredients:

Chicken, Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Barley, Soybean Meal, Whole Grain Wheat, and Corn Gluten Meal, among others.  

Benefits:

• The product has real carrots, sweet potatoes, and spinach for variety.
• This product has a nutrient-rich formula that supports small dogs’ high metabolism.
• It has no artificial flavors with real farm-raised chicken as its #1 ingredient.
•  Purina Beneful Incredibites is reasonably priced.

Room for Improvement:

Purina Beneful Incredibites contain a low level of fats and a good amount of proteins. However, it’s not grain-free. It has allergenic grains such as wheat, soy, corn, and gluten. If your pug is not sensitive to these ingredients, this product is worth trying. Save 30% on your first Autoship Order with Chewy!

Type:

A blend of fiber and prebiotics.

Main Ingredients:

Chicken By-Product Meal, Chicken, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, and Ground Whole Grain Corn, among others.

Benefits:

• The product contains high-quality animal protein.
• This product has no artificial preservatives, flavors, and fillers.
• It has an affordable price.
•  IAMS PROACTIVE HEALTH Minichunks also promotes coat health for your pug.

Room for Improvement:

IAMS PROACTIVE HEALTH contains grains and corn in its ingredients that may lead to digestive issues. A lot of dog owners see corn as a concerning ingredient. However, if your pug is not sensitive to corn, this dry dog food is a good product for dogs of all ages. Save 30% on your first Autoship Order with Chewy!

Type:

Dry dog food with beef, chicken, pork, and fish meals.

Main Ingredients:

Beef Meal, Pork Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal (source of DHA-Docosahexaenoic Acid), Whole Grain Millet, Whole Grain Brown Rice, and Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), among others.

Benefits:

• The product is made for less-active older dogs and overweight adult dogs.
• This dry dog food has ingredients that promote joint health.
• Its protein content is above-average compared to senior dog food products.
• Victor Senior Healthy Weight has a wide range of meat and fish ingredients.

Room for Improvement:

Victor Senior Healthy Weight contains a lot of protein. However, the product doesn’t have many fruits and vegetables incorporated in it. Be that as it may, this dry dog food for pugs will provide complete and balanced nutrition for your overweight companion. Save 30% on your first Autoship Order with Chewy!

Giving your pug a healthy diet is one of the responsibilities you have to do right as an owner. As products are not made equally, a lot of factors should be considered when buying the best food for pugs, especially if they’re avoiding any more weight gain. Choose the perfect dry dog food for your furry friend, and they’ll thank you for supporting their healthy lifestyle.