Edited by: Mike Powell
Reviewed by: Abby TexasLast Update:
The American Bully is a relatively young breed, having been bred in the 90s. The Bully is a mix between the Pitbull Terrier and other similar dog breeds, with the intention of preserving the best qualities of both.
These guys are muscular, strong, and can look quite intimidating, but are mostly gentle, lovable, and very affectionate with their humans.
Because they’re built like pup-tanks, it’s crucial to feed them the best dog food for American Bully for them to live the healthiest life possible.
Table of Contents
- 10 Best Dog Food For American Bully
- Acana Regionals Grain Free Dry Dog Food
- Orijen Six Fish Grain Free Dry Dog Food
- Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete Real Meat Recipe
- Taste Of The Wild Ancient Prairie – Bison & Roasted Venison With Ancient Grains
- Wellness Core Natural Grain Free Senior Dry Dog Food
- Orijen Puppy Grain Free Dry Puppy Food
- Merrick Grain Free Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food Recipe
- Instinct Raw Boost Natural Dog Food
- Acana Singles Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food
- Bully Max High Performance Super Premium Dog Food
- Acana Regionals Grain Free Dry Dog Food
- Testing Protocol & Criteria Used For Evaluation
- Questions & Answers
10 Best Dog Food For American Bully
Acana Regionals Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Premium Option: Packed with fruits and vegetables
PROS
- 33% protein and 17% fat is just right for Bullies
- Uses various fish sources to make up the protein
- Contains DHA and EPA
- Perfect calcium/phosphorus ratio
CONS
- This food is not cheap, but the quality is worth the price
There is nothing bad we can say about this dog food, apart from it possibly being a little too expensive for some pet parents.
Acana follows a Biologically Appropriate philosophy, which believes that your dog’s food should contain only fresh, natural meat and carbohydrates that your pet would eat were they a wild animal.
They’re also very committed to avoiding synthetic ingredients, so the quality of this dry food can’t be disputed.
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Perfect Nutrient Counts
33% protein is perfect in a food for American Bullies, and 17% fat is a good number for both highly active and less energetic dogs. The calcium/phosphorus ratio is great, as are the Omega fatty acid counts. It also contains glucosamine (no chondroitin, but the glucosamine content is decent), and DHA and EPA amino acids, which help keep your pet’s skin supple, eyes sharp, and brain active. It’s great for all life stages.
Orijen Six Fish Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Best For Bullies With Skin Allergies: Avoids allergy-inducing ingredients
PROS
- Premium quality, multiple proteins
- Fish is great for hydrating skin
- Good Omega fatty acid levels
- Avoids the most common allergy-inducing ingredients
CONS
- Somewhat pricey, but on-par with other allergy-reducing foods
This dog food is perfect for dogs of all life stages with skin allergies, but be aware – the fishy smell can be a little strong.
If your American Bully suffers from allergies that relate to their skin, a dry food that uses fish as its primary protein source is a great option for them.
The oils from the fish help immensely to hydrate and moisturize the skin, reducing inflammation, itching, and dry skin.
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Multiple Fish Protein Sources
There are, as the name suggests, six different fish sources in this dog food (mackerel, herring, monkfish, redfish, flounder, and hake), as well as various fish oils, which contribute to the great Omega fatty acid levels. Your pup will be getting a whopping 38% protein in each meal, which is super for active Bullies.
Additional Supplements
This food for American Bullies provides a nice dose of glucosamine and chondroitin to keep their joints tough and strong, as well as DHA and EPA amino acids, which are vitamins usually seen in puppy food but are helpful for adults too. They promote healthy eyes and brain tissue, so they’re great for keeping your furry friend’s eyesight sharp and brain active.
Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete Real Meat Recipe
Best Value For Money: Easy on the pocket
PROS
- Extremely easy on the pocket but high-quality
- Perfect protein and fat counts for active Bullies
- Above-average Omega fatty acid numbers
- Contains good protein sources and antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies
CONS
- This particular recipe is only available in chicken flavor, so if your pet is sensitive to chicken you may need to go with another
This premium dog food is high in protein, fats, and contains all the necessary stuff to keep your pooch healthy and tough.
The ingredient list and guaranteed analysis list reads like any other premium dog food, so don’t let the low price put you off choosing this one – it would be an amazing quality, super healthy, and perfectly affordable option.
Both pup and human would be happy with this dog food!
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Best For Active Dogs
The protein count of 32% is great for both active and less active dogs, but the fat count is higher than average, making it an awesome dog food for pups who will be burning lots of energy during their day. 25% fat is a fantastic number for energetic pets as they’ll metabolize it nicely and easily to be used as fuel. Joint-strengthening supplements are also present, which is another thing that puts this food right in the high-quality category.
High Omega Levels
The Omega-6 count sits at 3,5%, which is about a whole 1% more than the average dog food. This is really nice for dogs such as an American Bully who has short fur and skin that is susceptible to allergies, as it keeps skin soft and supple and reduces itching and dry patches. Fats and oils also help digestion, which is useful for dogs like American Bullies who tend towards food and skin allergies.
Taste Of The Wild Ancient Prairie – Bison & Roasted Venison With Ancient Grains
Best With Grains: Easily digestible
PROS
- Contain ancient, healthy grains that are easily digestible
- Contains L-carnitine, which helps digestion and energy regulation
- High fatty acid levels, which promotes health
- Contains great nutritional supplements for Bullies
CONS
- Contain chicken ingredients
American Bullies can be sensitive to certain ingredients, and grains are one of those. The grains in this dog food, though, are gluten-free and very healthy and include sorghum, millet, and quinoa. These are generally quite easy on the tummy and your American Bully shouldn’t have any problems digesting them.
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Good Or Bad Grains?
Wheat, soy, and corn are seen in lower-quality dog foods, and are not easy for a dog’s system to digest. They contain gluten and don’t have any nutritional value in them.
The grains contained in this Taste of the Wild dog food, though, are of the good variety. Gluten-free, all-natural, and super healthy, they are far easier to digest than the lower-quality ones. They’re great sources of energy and also provide a fantastic bit of fiber that can only benefit your pup. These good grains include rice, barley, sorghum, millet, and quinoa – better than a grain free food.
Wellness Core Natural Grain Free Senior Dry Dog Food
Best For American Bully Seniors: Packed with antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruits
PROS
- Super low fat count for seniors who are less active
- The higher protein count is great for maintaining muscles
- High Omega fatty acid content which helps keep skin and fur healthy
- Grain free and packed with antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruits
CONS
- Slightly pricey, but great quality
- Not suitable for dogs who are sensitive to chicken
Even for powerful dogs like the American Bully, aging can cause a decrease in activity due to lowered energy levels. This dog food is created from superior quality ingredients, which already means that the protein, carb, and fat content is made up of all-natural, wholesome sources. The biggest key to this food is that the fat content is lower, as this is what active dogs use first and foremost as an energy source. The protein content remains high enough to maintain muscle. This food is perfect for American Bully seniors.
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Senior-Specific Nutrients
In addition to having a fantastic fat count and protein content for senior pups, the vitamins and minerals added are super helpful for promoting health in older dogs. The calcium/phosphorus levels are great for keeping older bones strong without making them brittle and prone to breaking, and the added glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate help with aging joints.
The guaranteed analysis list also contains vitamin A, vitamin E, and high levels of Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. There are also plenty of chelated minerals, which will aid in digestion, especially in later life stages.
Orijen Puppy Grain Free Dry Puppy Food
Best For American Bully Puppies: Biologically appropriate ingredients for puppies
PROS
- Biologically appropriate ingredients for a growing puppy
- Contains DHA and EPA amino acids
- Great levels of glucosamine to help your heavy puppy’s joints stay tough
- Grain free and packed with superfoods
CONS
- Somewhat pricey in comparison to some others
Feeding your puppy right from the start is essential, especially when it comes to more muscular pets like an American Bully. They need slightly different stuff to adult dogs, so it’s critical that you check the packaging before choosing a puppy food. This one contains all a growing puppy would need, and is loaded with first-class protein ingredients, whole fruits and vegetables, and vitamins and minerals that add a terrific dose of extra beneficial health-promoting goodness.
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WholePrey Meat Ratios
This food is crafted to fit the WholePrey biologically appropriate ratios of ingredients, to mirror a wild puppy’s diet. It contains 85% meat ingredients and 15% fresh veggies and fruit. Of the 85% protein, almost 70% of it is fresh, with the rest being raw and dehydrated or dried, which doesn’t diminish the quality at all.
The protein comes from 5 different sources, and in keeping with the “mirroring nature” idea, it includes muscle meat, organ meat, bone, and cartilage. Don’t let this put you off, though – there are nutrients in each of those that are very good for your puppy. It also doesn’t contain any meat by-products, which are things like beaks, hooves, and claws – in other words, things that contain no nutritional value.
Puppy-Specific Contents
DHA and EPA are crucial amino acids for a developing puppy. They assist in the development of eye and brain tissue, which means your little guy or girl will grow up with sharp physical and mental senses. Glucosamine and chondroitin are excellent supplements to start feeding your little one as early as possible, to make sure their bones and joints are well-supported from the start.
Merrick Grain Free Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food Recipe
Best For Weight Management: Lower in fat
PROS
- Lower in fat for dogs who are less active due to being overweight
- 55% meat and 45% healthy carbohydrates
- Grain free and easy on the stomach
- Good levels of glucosamine to help support joints
CONS
- Not suitable for pups who are sensitive to poultry
Bullies are naturally heavyset dogs, but it can be easy for them to become overweight if their calorie content and exercise aren’t moderated. This can be dangerous, as it puts more strain on their joints and bones, as well as kicking off health issues such as heart problems. This is our pick for the best dog food for an American Bully who needs to lose some weight – it has excellent nutrients and a slightly lower calorie count. It is essential that you do your maths, though – weight loss depends just as much on the quantity of food your dog is eating as it does on the quality.
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55% Meat Ingredients
Protein is essential, even for pups who are overweight, and this kibble contains a decent 34%. Deboned beef is first up on the ingredient list, with chicken meal and turkey meal filling out the protein content. It’s great to see both real meat and meat meal on the list, as real meat contains amino acids that can’t be found in meat meal, but meat meal contains almost quadruple the amount of protein in it than fresh meat does.
45% Fruits and Vegetables
These contribute to a great fiber level, which is important for a weight management food. They are easily digestible and the potatoes and sweet potatoes offer long-lasting energy for your pup without being too high in calories. Apples and blueberries add a dash of antioxidants and vitamins. All in all, this our pick for the best food for American Bullies needing to lose some weight or maintain a healthy weight.
Instinct Raw Boost Natural Dog Food
Best Intro to Raw: Mix of kibble and raw pieces
PROS
- Mix of kibble and raw pieces
- Packed with protein from premium sources
- High fat count to keep your pooch going throughout their day
- Great Omega fatty acid levels
CONS
- No joint-strengthening supplements on the list
- Some of the non-chicken flavors contain hidden poultry ingredients
An American Bully is a powerful, muscular dog and thrives on protein. A raw diet would be a great option for these pups, and there are a few options on the market that are high-quality, high in protein, all-natural foods that would be the best food to feed your pup if you wish to transition them over to a raw diet. This is one of those options – protein-rich kibble sprinkled with raw pieces. It’s packed with very high-quality protein sources, as well as some healthy veggies and fruits. It’s advisable to get your pooch a glucosamine supplement to add to their diet, but you can’t go wrong with this all-natural, protein-loaded meal.
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Multiple Protein Sources
Real meat is ingredient number one, followed by a couple of meat meal sources, which explains the high protein content of this food. Interestingly, they use a variety of animal proteins (beef, duck, turkey meal, chicken meal, and more), as well as egg product, which is one that isn’t used in all dog foods. Some of their ingredients are fresh and some are freeze-dried, but all are good quality.
Be aware that even the beef and duck recipes contain chicken in their ingredient list, although the venison and salmon flavors avoid chicken entirely. If your dog doesn’t handle chicken well, make sure to choose the right flavors for them.
Acana Singles Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food
Best Limited Ingredient: For sensitive tummies
PROS
- Nice protein and fat levels despite being limited ingredient
- Various flavours available
- Contain useful supplements
CONS
- Low levels of Omega fatty acids
- Somewhat expensive
No matter what dog breed you own, some pups’ immune system functions better on a limited ingredient diet. For an American Bully with a sensitive tummy or the tendency to develop many food allergies, a limited ingredient diet is a great idea as it really decreases the potential for your pup’s body to reject the food. The limited list of ingredients doesn’t take away from the quality, though, or the higher protein and fat numbers.
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Benefits of a Limited Ingredient Diet
Whatever flavor of this food you choose, you’ll find it has a single source of protein and comprises of 60% meat and 40% vegetables or fruit. This restricted ingredients approach means that there are minimal ingredients that your sensitive pet can have a bad reaction to, but still provides all the nutrients they need in a balanced diet.
PROS
- Higher than average Omega fatty acids
- Very nice fat content for active Bullies
- High calorie, meaning you will most likely have to feed your pet less per meal
- Bully Max food has never been recalled, so rest assured it’s safe
CONS
- Doesn’t contain real meat (only meat meal)
- No added glucosamine or chondroitin
- Not suitable for pups who are sensitive to chicken
The name of this food, Bully Max, tells us that it was created especially for the American Bully. It’s high in protein and quite high in fat, which is why we suggest it as the best dog food for an American Bully who is active, energetic, and burns plenty of calories during their day. The only downside is that there is no calcium/phosphorus ratio specified on the label (although we can assume this is within the normal ratio set by AAFCO), and it also doesn’t have glucosamine on the list, so a glucosamine supplement may be a good idea.
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Meat Meal And Good Quality Grains
Although there is no real meat in this recipe, Bully Max makes use of meat meal which is almost 4 times higher in protein than real meat. It’s also generally high-quality, so you don’t need to worry about the absence of real meat. The carbs in this food come in the form of gluten-free grains, including brown rice, sorghum, and barley. As long as your American Bully isn’t fussy about grains (otherwise get a grain free food), these ones are good quality and are gluten-free, meaning they are far easier to digest than the lower-quality alternatives.
The Omega fatty acid content is also among the highest we’ve seen and is made up of ground flaxseed, chicken fat, and menhaden fish oil. This balanced diet will help keep your American Bully’s digestive and immune system running smoothly, as well as hydrating skin and coat.
Testing Protocol & Criteria Used For Evaluation
Criteria 1 – Protein Count & Quality
The American Bully is a powerful-looking fellow, and those muscles don’t just come from nowhere. The best food contains a constant supply of high-quality protein to keep those muscles in prime condition, and this needs to come from good sources.
Animal protein is always the number one choice, as it provides the most comprehensive package of amino acids, vitamins and minerals that your pet needs in their diet. Plant protein doesn’t quite give the same mix of good stuff, and can also be a little more difficult to digest, although it’s usually a great source of fiber.
With this in mind, we’ve chosen only dog foods with great quality animal proteins (real meat or meat meal) as their primary sources and that contain upwards of 30% protein, unless we’ve specified something different.
Criteria 2 – Moderate Fat Count & Quality
Fat gets a bad rap when it comes to dog foods, but the right amount of fat is essential to keep your pet’s energy levels up, as it’s a super dense, easily-metabolized form of energy.
The key here is choosing the good, healthy kinds. The second important thing is making sure there’s enough of it to fuel your American Bully throughout his or her day. Carbs play a role to a certain degree, but fats are digested quicker and provide a more accessible form of energy to round out your dog’s nutritional needs.
We’ve chosen foods with more than 15% fat in them, and made sure that those fats come from superior sources.
Criteria 3 – Omega Fatty Acid Content
The American Bully can be prone to allergies, which affect both their digestion and their skin and coats. They are very short-haired dogs, which means skin irritation should be easy to see but it’s also quite exposed to the outside environment.
A high Omega fatty acid content and the addition of vitamins A and E are essential components of a balanced diet, so we’ve made sure each food we review contains high levels of Omega-3 and Omega-6, and has added vitamins and minerals to keep your American Bully’s immune system up and skin allergies to a minimum.
Criteria 4 – Joint Supplements
With the heavy bodies these pups have, it’s a no-brainer that their joints would need a little help. Glucosamine and chondroitin should be present in a balanced diet to help strengthen and maintain joints.
If a food doesn’t contain either one, it’s not the end of the world – you can purchase supplements to feed your dog separately. We’ve tried to go for dog foods that do contain them, though, because we’re a fan of an all-in-one package.
Criteria 5 – Affordability
Feeding your pup is like feeding your kid – they should be getting all the best nutrients while eating a meal that fills them up and that they enjoy at the same time. For most of us, though, we can’t just go wild and get our pooch or our kid the fanciest, most expensive stuff out there.
Our aim is always to please both pup and pet parent, and that’s why we include this on our criteria list. Our Best Value For Money option is aimed specifically at those who are looking for the best food at a low price.
Questions & Answers
What are the caloric requirements of an American Bully?
This question doesn’t quite have a definitive answer yet, as the breed is still fairly new and doesn’t have a lot of data to base research off of. It’s generally accepted that a food for American Bullies should provide between 35 and 40 calories per pound of bodyweight.
You’ll also need to take into consideration your pet’s activity level. More active American Bullies will need more calories than cuddly couch potatoes. It may also take some experimenting to get this right, and you might need to adjust numbers once or twice to hit their nutritional needs.
As much as these guys look like they need a bodybuilder style diet, it’s best to feed them in smaller but more frequent doses. You should feed your American Bully at least two, if not three meals a day.
What ingredients should I look for in the best dog food for the American Bully?
A great dry food for American Bullies should have all-natural ingredients to meet their nutritional needs. Real meat is a winner, and should be first on the list. Make sure it’s identified ( the animal it comes from has been named, for example, beef, chicken, lamb, etc).
Fat sources such as named animal fat, fish oil, canola oil, and flaxseed are super quality and will be found in the best food. Carbs should include some fruits and vegetables (sweet potatoes and squash are great), and grains that are acceptable include oats, rice, millet, barley, and sorghum. Corn, wheat, and soy must be avoided.
Other things you should keep an eye out for to make a balanced diet include glucosamine and chondroitin, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, calcium and phosphorus, and vitamins such as vitamin A and vitamin E.
What’s the difference between a Pitbull and an American Bully?
The American Bully and the Pitbull are two completely different breeds. Bullies were bred as a mix of the Pitbull and other similar breeds so they do have some overlapping characteristics, but they have many differences as well.
Pitbulls can be fairly aggressive, as they were bred to be fighters, but they also have a friendly streak. Bullies are far less antagonistic.
Bullies tend to be quite a bit bigger and more muscular than Pitbulls and can weigh up to 120 pounds. Pitbulls come to 70 pounds at the max.
Are there any particular health concerns I should be aware of with my American Bully?
This bully breed is relatively new, having been around for only 20 or so years. This means that there isn’t much info on this breed. We can make some fairly accurate assumptions about potential health issues based on the breeds they come from.
The bully breed is quite prone to hip and elbow dysplasia and luxating patella, which is compounded by the fact that they are pretty solid animals. Glucosamine can help with this, and should be given to your Bully breed from a young age.
Bully breeds are likely to suffer from congenital heart disease. Eye problems are also common, such as cherry eye, cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, entropion, and corneal ulcers. The bully breed can also struggle with skin issues, including demodectic mange (a parasitic condition), eczema, and allergic dermatitis.
Other things to watch out for are food allergies, hypothyroidism, obesity, and gassiness.