Helping Your Pup Bulk Up: Guide to the Best Dog Food for Weight Gain

Helping your pup reach and maintain a healthy weight is crucial for their overall health and happiness. Some dogs struggle to keep weight on due to medical reasons, behavioral or environmental conditions, or their current life stage.

No matter the underlying cause, ensuring your pup receives a complete and balanced diet rich in the nutrients they genuinely need is key to healthy weight gain. Additionally, dogs have no biological requirement for carbohydrates like rice in their diet, even when gaining weight.

In this detailed guide, we will explore the common causes of weight loss in dogs and what to look for in dog food for weight gain to promote healthy, lean mass. We will discuss the different types of food options available, along with some practical feeding tips you may want to enact to support your pup's journey.

Common Causes of Weight Loss in Dogs

It's always a good idea to consult with your veterinarian to determine your pup's ideal weight, especially if their weight has been fluctuating consistently. While sudden or unexplained weight loss could indicate more serious underlying health concerns, it may also be related to manageable factors.

If you are noticing a rapid decrease in your dog’s weight, you should make an appointment with your vet to try to find the underlying cause.

Medical Reasons Causing Weight Loss

Several medical-related reasons can lead to unhealthy weight loss in dogs. Common medical reasons include:

• •Dental issues

• •Food allergies or food sensitivities

• •Presence of foreign objects or parasites in their digestive system

• •Diabetes

• •Kidney, liver, or heart disease

• •Cancer

• •Chronic infections

Dental Issues Causing Weight Loss in Dogs

One common health-related issue is dental disease. Just like humans, dogs can suffer from painful dental problems if their teeth are not cleaned regularly. Dogs can suffer from tooth decay, gingivitis, and abscesses.

If your pup has sore or infected teeth, eating dry, hard kibble could be painful, potentially causing them to avoid eating altogether.

Parasites

Parasites are another leading cause of a lack of appetite or weight loss in dogs. They tend to live in a pup’s gastrointestinal (GI) tract and can cause significant damage to the stomach and intestinal lining. Some symptoms to watch for with a parasitic infection in dogs include diarrhea and loss of appetite.

When a dog is experiencing poor nutrient absorption due to parasites, they are ultimately discarding more nutrients than they can consume. Fortunately, most parasites are easy to treat, and preventative care can help avoid future infections.

Dog Food Allergies or Sensitivities

Food allergies or sensitivities may also be to blame for your pup’s weight loss. If your dog regularly experiences diarrhea after eating or shows a general disinterest in their meals, it could be a reaction to a specific ingredient in their food.

Identifying and removing that allergen from their meal could make a big difference in your pup’s overall health. Your veterinarian can help you come up with an elimination plan to rule out ingredients that may be causing food sensitivities for your dog.

Foreign Objects

Dogs are naturally curious animals who tend to bite, chew, and swallow just about anything, whether it be their toys or your clothing. Unfortunately, sometimes the things they ingest get stuck in their GI tract, causing an obstruction. This can prevent food from properly moving throughout their system.

In these scenarios, surgery may be required to remove the blockage, and it’s best to consult with your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Chronic Health Conditions

In more serious cases, chronic health conditions such as thyroid disorders, diabetes, GI issues, kidney diseases, liver disease, heart problems, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), and cancer can interfere with your pup’s ability to maintain or gain weight.

If you are concerned that your dog may be experiencing one of these conditions, you should have them professionally evaluated so they can have the appropriate tests performed, and a treatment plan can be put in place.

Behavioral or Environmental Factors

Not all weight loss in dogs is the result of a medical condition. In fact, a behavioral or environmental stressor may be the cause of their weight loss. Stress, anxiety, or past trauma can all play a role in your dog’s eating habits.

If they recently had a significant change in their life, such as moving to a new home, routine changes, or the loss of a companion, they may feel uneasy, leading to a reduction or total loss of appetite. If there are multiple pups in a single household, competition for food may also be a problem for more submissive dogs.

Creating a stable, low-stress environment with consistent mealtimes for your pup can go a long way in encouraging healthy eating habits.

Life Stage and Breed

Sometimes, the reason your dog is losing weight is simply that they're not eating enough daily calories to meet their energy needs. This can be true for growing pups or highly active dogs who burn a lot of energy through walks, playing, and exercise.

Some breeds are known to have higher energy levels that naturally require more nutrient-dense food to keep up with their lifestyle. On the other hand, you may notice that pups tend to eat less as they age, potentially resulting in a decrease in calorie and nutrient intake.

Essential Nutrients to Support Healthy Weight Gain

When trying to help your dog gain weight, the focus should be on providing a diet rich in highly digestible, essential nutrients that support the building of lean muscle mass, not just fat:

• •Protein is crucial for energy production and muscle growth, helping ensure that any added weight is lean mass.

• •Healthy Fats provide a concentrated source of energy, support the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and help maintain a shiny coat and healthy skin.

• •Vitamins and Minerals play a vital role in supporting overall health, boosting the immune system, strengthening bones, and aiding vital bodily functions as your dog gains weight. Minerals, in particular, are needed daily to keep the body’s systems and structural functions running smoothly.

Dog Foods That Can Help Dogs Gain Weight

Choosing the right dog food for weight gain can be a challenge with all the options out there. Not all foods offer the same nutritional value, calorie density, digestibility, or palatability. Below, we'll explore several dietary approaches that can support healthy weight gain, focusing on what truly optimizes your dog's health.

Raw and Fresh Diets: The Optimal Choice

Raw food for dogs has gained significant popularity among pet owners who want more control over what goes into their pup’s meals and prioritize natural, species-appropriate nutrition. Raw diets are inherently calorie-dense and highly digestible because they are minimally processed and free from fillers. This allows dogs to thrive on smaller portions while still receiving all the nutritional value they need.

Since raw food doesn't contain filler ingredients like grains or unnecessary carbohydrates, dogs can eat less and still gain weight (plus, less food in means less waste coming out the other end). By upgrading your dog to higher-quality, biologically appropriate raw food, you'll likely notice an uptick in their overall energy, improved digestion, and healthy weight gain in the form of lean muscle.

High-Calorie Dry Food: A Processed Option

High-calorie dry dog food is often labeled as “performance” or “active dog” formulas and is designed for pups that require more calories to match their energy output. This can be helpful for dogs who are either not eating enough or who are burning more calories than they consume.

While calorie-dense, it's crucial to evaluate the ingredients carefully. High-calorie dry foods still contain significant amounts of carbohydrates and fillers. As you choose a high-calorie dry food, make sure you closely check the list of ingredients. Choose an option that lists real animal protein as the first ingredient and contains healthy fats to support weight gain.

Remember, however, that even the "best" kibble remains a highly processed food, which can affect digestibility and nutrient absorption.

Wet Dog Food: Enhancing Palatability and Hydration

Adding wet food to your pup’s current kibble, or even serving it on its own, can be an excellent way to encourage your dog to eat more. Wet food tends to have a stronger aroma and more appealing texture, which can make meals more enticing, especially for picky eaters or dogs with a reduced appetite. It’s also easier to chew and digest, making it a good option for senior pups or those with dental issues.

A key benefit of wet dog food is its higher water content, which is helpful in keeping your pup hydrated. While wet food can provide palatability and hydration benefits, it lacks the nutrient density and bioavailability of raw diets.

Feeding Tips to Promote a Healthy Weight

When it comes to helping your pup gain weight and maintain it in a healthy way, feeding strategies can be just as important as the food itself. Simply increasing the amount of food may not be enough to help your dog. How often you feed them and what you mix into their meals can also impact their appetite and nutrient intake.

No matter the cause of your pup’s weight loss, adjusting mealtime routines and enhancing their diet can lead to meaningful results.

Adjust Portion Size and Frequency

Feeding your pup smaller meals more frequently can support better digestion and nutrient absorption, helping them gain and retain weight more effectively. Instead of offering one or two large meals, consider splitting their daily food intake into three or four evenly spaced meals.

This steady intake of calories throughout the day helps support healthy weight gain without overwhelming their digestive system.

Mix Food Types

If your dog is a picky eater or seems uninterested in their usual food, mixing different types of food can help spark their interest in eating and stimulate their appetite. Combining raw or wet food with their regular kibble can improve both the flavor and texture of their meals, making them more appealing for your pup.

For a convenient and highly nutritious boost, We Feed Raw's freeze-dried beef and chicken recipes for adult dogs make an excellent kibble topper. These recipes are carb-free, packed with real meat protein, and add an irresistible flavor and nutrient density to any meal, without needing rehydration.

You can also enhance their food with small, nutritious additions, like a spoonful of plain, unsalted peanut butter (in moderation) or small amounts of cooked, lean meat-based proteins. These flavorful add-ons can make mealtimes more exciting, all while increasing your pup’s caloric and nutrient consumption.

The We Feed Raw Advantage: Supporting Healthy Weight Gain

Whether your dog is underweight due to medical conditions, high activity levels, or natural life stages, addressing the root cause and providing the right nutritional support is key. From understanding the common causes of weight loss to selecting the right foods, there are many ways to support your pup’s weight gain journey.

At We Feed Raw, we work with you to find the best solution for your dog by creating a custom meal plan tailored to their needs. Our frozen raw recipes (chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, and duck) and freeze-dried raw recipes (beef and chicken) are complete and balanced, offering high-quality protein and fat without unnecessary carbohydrates, helping your dog gain lean mass and improve their overall well-being.

Discover why raw could be the weight management solution you’re looking for. Complete your pet’s profile today to get started on a path to optimal health and a healthy weight.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the best dog food for weight gain to ensure healthy muscle mass, not just fat?

The best dog food for weight gain that promotes healthy muscle mass, rather than just fat, is one rich in high-quality animal protein and healthy fats, with minimal to no unnecessary carbohydrates.

Raw diets are ideal because they provide highly digestible protein that supports lean muscle development and efficient energy from fats. This helps your dog gain healthy weight in a biologically appropriate way, avoiding the empty calories often found in processed foods.

2. How much dog food for weight gain should I feed my underweight pup?

The amount of dog food for weight gain your underweight pup needs varies greatly depending on their current weight, ideal weight, activity level, and the specific food's calorie density. It's often recommended to start by feeding 2-3% of their ideal body weight in a nutrient-dense raw diet.

However, for active or very underweight dogs, this might be increased to 4-5%. When you choose We Feed Raw, we ask questions about your pup's weight, activity level, age, and more to help calculate the perfect portions of our frozen or freeze-dried raw dog food.

3. Can kibble truly be effective as a dog food for weight gain, or are there better options?

While some high-calorie kibbles are marketed as dog food for weight gain, their effectiveness can be limited by their processing and ingredient quality. Kibble contains high amounts of carbohydrates and fillers that are not optimally utilized by a dog's digestive system.

More biologically appropriate options, such as raw diets, are generally more effective because they offer superior digestibility and nutrient bioavailability, meaning your dog can absorb and use more of the essential proteins and fats needed for healthy weight gain.

4. What type of dog food for weight gain is best for a picky eater?

For a picky eater needing dog food for weight gain, palatability is key. Raw diets, both frozen and freeze-dried, are often highly appealing due to their natural aroma, texture, and taste. The high moisture content (when thawed/rehydrated) and rich flavor can entice even the most reluctant eaters.

Additionally, convenient options like We Feed Raw's freeze-dried beef and chicken recipes can be used as a carb-free kibble topper to enhance the appeal and nutritional density of your dog's current meal.

5. Besides diet, what else contributes to successful dog food for weight gain strategies?

Beyond choosing the right dog food for weight gain, several other factors contribute to success. Ensuring your dog is free from underlying medical conditions (like parasites or dental issues) is paramount. Feeding smaller, more frequent meals can improve digestion and absorption. Creating a stable, low-stress feeding environment can also encourage better eating habits. Consistent, appropriate exercise helps ensure that gained weight is lean muscle, not just fat, complementing the nutritional benefits of their diet.