American Bullies are a new breed with old roots. They’re closely related to Pit Bull Terriers and Bulldogs, and their strong, muscular forms require a lot of fuel. When you’re looking for food to keep your Bully going, look for something with natural ingredients, no harmful fillers, and a higher percentage of protein and fat than most dog foods.

Like all dogs, your Bully’s needs depend on their stage of life, so whether you own a puppy or a super-senior, make sure you get the right food for your pooch. This article will help get you started!

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The 8 Best Dog Foods for American Bullies

1. Nom Nom Fresh Dog Food Subscription — Best Overall

Fresh foods are a great option for all dogs, and especially for active, muscular breeds like American Bullies. Nom Nom’s Beef Mash is the overall best choice for American Bullies because of its great balance of nutrients and its easy subscription service. With Nom Nom, you pick what foods you want to have shipped and how often you want them to arrive, and fresh-prepared recipes show up right at your door, packaged for easy feeding.

Nom Nom’s Beef Fare is one of the more protein-heavy recipes on this list, with 8% crude protein and 77% moisture—that’s the equivalent of 37% protein on a dry matter basis. The hearty beef fare is supplemented with vegetables like potatoes, peas, and carrots. The ingredient list doesn’t include any grains, making it a great choice for dogs with allergies or stomach sensitivities. Although Nom Nom is a slightly more expensive option than dry or canned dog food, it is a great choice for Bullies.

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2. Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete Dog Food — Budget Buy

If you’re going to go with dry food, Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete Dog Food is one of the best options for your money. This food is made with a variety of healthy ingredients, with chicken as its main protein base. It uses whole grains like barley and flaxseed to fill out its food instead of less healthy alternatives like corn or soy and has a variety of fruits and vegetables added that give it a strong base of vitamins and minerals.

This variety of natural ingredients helps give your furry friend all the nutrition she needs. This food is about 25% crude fat and 32% crude protein. That’s a great mix for active dogs, but older or less active dogs should probably pick food with less fat to avoid obesity. Most American Bullies are happiest when they’re active, so this is a great choice for your healthy adult Bully. One drawback of this ingredient list is that if your dog has any allergies or intolerances, it might be hard to figure out what it is. For this reason, a different food would be better for some dogs with sensitive stomachs.

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3. Spot & Tango Lamb and Brown Rice Fresh Dog Food

Another great fresh food option is Spot & Tango’s Lamb and Brown Rice meal. These meals are freshly prepared and delivered straight to your door, making it easy to feed your dog the best. This food uses a mix of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that put it a step above most dog foods.

The protein comes from lamb, a less common meat that can be great for dogs with allergies. It is at least 11.8% crude protein and 6.64% crude fat, compared to a maximum of 70.1% moisture. That means that the dry protein content is at around 39% and the dry fat content is about 22%. This impressively high protein and fat content will require monitoring to make sure you aren’t overfeeding your dog, but because American Bullies are usually very active breeds, the extra protein and fat are generally good for them as long as you prepare the right portions. This is one of the most expensive options on the list, but the extra nutrition is worth it.

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4. Orijen Puppy Large Grain-Free Dry Puppy Food

Growing puppies need a lot of fuel, and puppy-formula food is designed to help with that. The Orijen Puppy Large Grain-Free Dry Puppy Food is ta great option for American Bully Pups. It is made using all parts of the animal, including organ and bone ingredients, to give your puppy complete nutrition.

This food is more than 85% animal protein in the form of a poultry and fish blend. It is high in proteins and fats, with a crude protein of 38% and a crude fat content of 16%. The high protein will keep your puppy fueled for growth so that he can have maximum health. The biggest drawback of this food is that it is significantly more expensive than most dry foods.

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5. Blue Buffalo Life Protection

Blue Buffalo’s Life Protection food is a popular dry dog food with high ratings, and it isn’t hard to see why! This kibble is made with a mix of real meat, whole grains, healthy veggies, and added nutrients. The proteins and fats are primarily animal-based and high quality, fueling your dog’s active lifestyle. It is at 24% crude protein and 14% crude fat, making it slightly lower protein and higher fat than many of the other options listed here, but it is still a great option for many bullies. The grains that supplement this food are whole grains that are more nutritious, including barley, oatmeal, and brown rice. These grains can give some dogs stomach trouble, but most will be just fine.

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6. Canidae All Life Stages Chicken and Rice Canned Food

If your dog doesn’t love dry food, Canidae All Life Stages Chicken and Rice is a great alternative. This canned food recipe is a good alternative to kibble or fresh food with some of the advantages of both. It has a nice, palatable chicken protein base that is healthy for most dogs, and it has a much higher moisture content than dry food, which can help with canine enjoyment or with some digestion issues. It has about 10% crude protein and 6.5% crude fat content, which translates to around 40% dry protein and 29% dry fat. This high fat and protein content is good for active dogs, but it isn’t ideal for some dogs who are less active or overweight.

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7. Victor Purpose Senior Dog Food

Bigger dogs tend to age more quickly than smaller ones, so Bullies generally fall into the senior stage of life at around 7–10 years. A senior-formulated dog food can help your older dog stay healthy and avoid weight gain as activity and metabolism slow. Victor Purpose Senior Dog Food has excellent reviews from owners of all types of dogs. This high-protein dog food is fortified with vitamins, minerals, and other healthy additions to keep your dog happy and healthy into his golden years. Of course, not every dog food is for every dog. Some seniors struggle to eat kibble and will prefer fresh or wet dog food. This dog food is also grain-heavy, which may upset the stomachs of sensitive seniors.

As dogs age, their metabolism slows and their vitamin needs change, requiring some changes to diet. If your American Bully is reaching her senior years, you’ll want to adjust by giving smaller servings of an all life stages food or switching to a purpose-designed senior food. We love Victor Purpose Senior Dog Food because it has great reviews and everything your senior dog needs to age gracefully. This dog food is still high in proteins, but a slightly lower ratio of fat to protein (11.5% fat to 27% protein) makes it ideal for less active dogs. It also has modified vitamins and minerals to promote joint health and combat other health issues common in older dogs. Although we love this food, it is worth noting that many seniors with dental or digestive problems may struggle to eat kibble as they age, necessitating a switch to wet foods.

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8. Wellness Complete Health Puppy

Wellness Complete Health Puppy Food is an awesome option for fueling your growing pup. This food formula relies on a mix of chicken and salmon to fuel puppies, along with whole grains and veggies. It has a high percentage of fat and protein, with 29% protein and 18% fat, and uses natural preservatives to help keep your food fresh longer.

This food has caused some controversy because it contains garlic in the ingredients. Normally garlic is considered a no-no that can cause tummy troubles in dogs, but some vets claim that in small enough amounts, garlic can boost your dog’s immune system. The amount of garlic should be small enough to not cause noticeable issues, but if your pup seems to be having stomach issues you can switch to a garlic-free alternative.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Dog Food for American Bullies

Your Bully’s Nutritional Needs

All dogs need the right mix of high-quality proteins, carbohydrates, and fats or lipids to keep them healthy and happy. They also need vitamins and minerals that dog food should provide. Most of your dog’s energy comes from protein calories, but fat and carbs also provide some energy. Fat plays an important role in many metabolic functions. Dogs have developed to eat some amount of plant matter, but every dog has different digestive needs. Corn, refined wheat, and soy are some of the least nutritious plants, while whole grains and healthy fruits and vegetables are better for them.

American Bullies are high-energy dogs with a higher muscle mass, so getting enough protein is especially important for them. High protein and slightly higher levels of fat are generally good for them if they get sufficient exercise.

Nutrition Across Age Groups

You might notice that dog foods are often formulated for a specific age group—for instance, puppies or seniors. Dogs vary in nutritional needs throughout their lifetimes. Young dogs need the most calories because they are still growing, while older dogs have slower metabolisms and are less active. Dogs also have slightly different micronutrients needs throughout their life—for example, many senior dog foods include supplements that promote joint health.

How to Pick the Best Food

Now that you know how nutrition works for dogs, you can look for foods that will meet your dog’s needs. You’ll want to pick a food that’s appropriate for your dog’s stage of life and that has mostly healthy natural ingredients. Avoid processed grains in favor of whole grains and look for a variety of proteins, fruits, and vegetables. Animal proteins should always be in the top ingredients and the main source of protein.

Should You Go Grain-Free?

Many dog food brands today offer grain-free lines, and sometimes grain-free diets are promoted as more natural and healthier, but that’s been called into question. Dogs need a mix of nutrition from vegetable and animal matter, and most grain-free foods aren’t higher protein or more nutrient-dense—they just replace the grains with starchy vegetables like potatoes or yams that aren’t very different nutritionally speaking. Although some grains like corn and wheat are less healthy, dogs benefit from a diet based on good quality animal protein.

A recent FDA study suggests a link between grain-free foods and some heart conditions in dogs. Although the link isn’t certain yet, that suggests that a little bit of grain is good for your dog. On the other hand, grains are a common allergen in dog food, and many dogs with digestive issues or allergies will do better on a grain-free diet.

Conclusion

There’s no one perfect option for dog foods because every dog has different activity levels and nutritional needs. That being said, some foods are better than others. We found Nom Nom’s Beef Fare to be the best overall food for American Bullies, with Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete coming in as a good value option. For puppies, we loved the Orijen Puppy Large Grain-Free Dry Food. Whatever dog food you choose, we hope these reviews have helped you to explore your options.

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Featured Image Credit: Cynoclub, Shutterstock