The Best High Protein Dog Food

A high protein diet sounds self-explanatory and for the most part, it is. High protein dog food contains more protein with higher percentages of meats and diary such as chicken, lamb, or milk than your run of the mill complete dog food. It can also contain plant derived sources as substitutes.

Dogs are omnivores, so while they can benefit from a high protein diet, they need a mixture of protein and other nutrition in their meals. Generally, an adult dog should get about two grams of protein per kilogram of their body weight.

For example, a ten-kilogram dog, should have on average 20 grams of protein per day. Protein should make up between 18% to 25% of their diet, but it’s important to note the amount you feed will depend on their age, health, and exercise requirements.

The amount of protein in a dog’s diet also depends on the quality of the source. You can feed a low-quality source of protein like animal derivatives where your pooch may struggle to digest it, particularly if they have a sensitive stomach. 

There are several benefits of a high protein diet and several types of dogs that will benefit from a little extra protein.

Active dogs like working dogs or even family dogs that go on hikes and lots of adventures benefit from the extra energy and muscle support of a high protein diet. All the extra activity can lead to lots of little strains and pulled muscle, but with added protein in their diet it will help support the repairing process.

There are occasions when other dogs would benefit from the extra protein. Pregnant dogs will need a higher nutritional diet and should be fed a high protein diet or a puppy diet, to help support the growth and development of their puppies.

Overweight dogs are often fed a high protein diet as the protein keeps them full for longer but isn’t too high in calories. Puppies who are growing need extra protein for their development and older dogs need protein to aid their joints and muscles as they naturally deteriorate with age.

There are some situations where a high protein diet can be detrimental to your pooch. If you’re adding an extra source of protein into a diet without choosing a specific food designed for overweight dogs, you run the risk of introducing too many calories to an already overweight dog and making the situation worse.

High protein diets formulated for active dogs will be denser with calories so while protein can help keep them feeling full, you must be mindful of what type of high protein diet you feed to an overweight dog.

If you have a pup who has kidney issues such as kidney disease, feeding a high protein diet would make them already struggling kidneys have to work extra hard to process it. A diet low in protein will help slow the progression of kidney disease by preserving the kidney function, so in some medical cases, too much protein can be detrimental – it’s always best to reach out to your vet for the right advice for your pooch.

High protein dog food can come in different forms, you can either buy as dry dog food or wet food, whichever bed suits your pooch. If your pup would benefit from the extra protein to help with growth, muscle repair or make sure they have the extra calories for busy days then you can consider changing them to a highly rated, high protein food.

When changing any dog’s food, it should be done over the course of a few weeks to make sure any changes to their diet doesn’t cause a stomach upset. Changing food too quickly can cause diarrhoea if not done slowly enough.

Barking Heads Chop Lickin Lamb contains a whopping 25% deboned lamb along with a further 20% dried lamb. With such a high and valuable source of protein, it makes the Barking Heads diet super palatable for even the fussiest eaters. No artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives, makes it’s great for dogs with any skin or tummy sensitivities.

This high protein diet comes in both small and large bags so whatever breed you have, you can be sure you never have any waste. They claim that regularly feeding a Barking Heads high protein diet to your pup will keep them healthy from within!

The AATU 80/20 Chicken contains a massive 80% chicken. The single source of protein helps to minimise the risk of triggering any intolerances and you also know exactly what you’re getting in every bag. The remaining 20% is made up of vegetables, fruits, and botanicals to make sure your pup is getting all the nutrition they need in every mouthful. All ingredients are sourced from the UK so you can keep your carbon footprint down at the same time.

For diets specifically designed for working or growing dogs who need an extra boost of protein along with all your other pooch essentials, visit us in-store or online.