Do you have a dog that needs to put some weight on?
If you’re canine companion has been through a bout of illness or has gone off their food, you may be desperate to get your pup to put some pounds on.
Before we go any further, if you haven’t already spoken to your vet about your dog’s weight loss, you should call your local clinic and make an appointment now.
This article is supposed to be informative in nature but we’re not veterinarians or nutritionists so you should speak to the experts if you have any concerns about your dog’s diet.
There could be a number of different reasons why your dog might not be gaining weight as they should be and it’s not something you want to leave unattended.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at some fresh dog food companies who can help your dog on their weight-gain journey by providing balanced and complete meals.
So without further ado, let’s take a closer look at the best dog food for weight gain in the UK right now.
Editor's note: The content on this website is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as veterinary, medical or professional advice. The content of our articles does not constitute veterinary advice. It’s always best to speak with your vet or a certified pet nutritionist before making any changes to your pet's diet or feeding routine.
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Why Dogs Might Not Gain Weight
Irish Setter eating out of dog bowl (Photo: Adobe Stock)
As we mentioned at the start of the article, we’re not vets or nutritionists but dogs owners like you so you should speak to your local animal health expert to have your dog’s weight assessed.
Having said that, there are some common reasons why dogs might not be gaining weight as expected – and you can discuss these with your vet to understand in greater details each specific reason.
• Picky eaters – As someone who had a picky eater in my home, I know what life can be like if you’ve got a fussy pup who turns their nose up at their food. My female Alaskan Klee Kai is significantly slimmer than her brother because she can be unpredictable when it comes to mealtime. If your dog is a fussy eater, it could be indicative of a health problem or a behavioral issue.
• Stress levels – If you’ve recently gone through a big life change such as moving home or bringing home a baby, your dog may feel slightly more stressed than usual. This could affect their appetite. My Klee Kai stopped eating her food for a couple of weeks when we brought home our daughter from the hospital as she tried to figure out a new day-to-day routine.
• Exercise – In my experience, my Klee Kai can have a significantly reduced appetite if I’m unable to give her sufficient exercise. While her brother’s appetite isn’t affected by his exercise levels, his sister won’t eat her food if she hasn’t received her customary 60-minute morning walk.
• Sign of illness – You probably won’t be surprised to learn that a loss of appetite could be a sign of illness. If you’ve noticed your dog showing a disinterest in their food and losing weight with their rib cage visible, you shouldn’t hesitate to call your vet to have your dog checked over.
• Old age – As your dog gets older, they may start to lose weight. This could be the result of reduced activity. If your dog has struggled orally and has some teeth removed, they may find it difficult to chew their food. That’s why fresh dog meals could be a good options as this type of pet nutrition isn’t as difficult to chew as kibble.
How Fresh Dog Food Companies Can Help
Jack Russell Terrier (Photo: Adobe Stock)
There has been a big shift from kibble and wet food to fresh dog food meals over the past few years.
British dog owners are ditching the store-bought dog food in favour of tailored meals that are balanced and complete to promote a happy and healthy lifestyle for canines in the UK.
We like that fresh dog food companies can customize their recipes to meet your dog’s specific needs, which is perfect for pet parents who want their dogs to gain some weight.
For instance, Butternut Box explain how they calculate how many calories an underweight dog needs each day to kick-start some weight gain.
Using a combination of the latest scientific literature, the expertise of our veterinary nutrition consultant, and data learning, we have devised our very own “nutritional calculator”. This accounts for each dog’s age, weight, breed, body condition score, and activity level. It even adjusts for treats and calculates daily feeding requirements to the closest 50 calories.
These fresh dog food companies have recipes that have been designed with dogs that need to gain weight in mind.
If you have any questions about their recipes, feeding plan or ingredients, you can call or email the customer services team of the brands listed in this article and they’ll be able to work with you and their team of nutritionists to ensure your dog’s needs are taken care of.
Best Dog Food For Weight Gain UK
Now that we’ve taken a look at some of the reasons why your dog might be underweight and why fresh dog food companies can help, let’s take a look at our three top picks for the best dog food for weight gain in the UK right now.
1) Butternut Box
Website: butternutbox.com
Alaskan Klee Kai Copper with his Butternut Box delivery (Photo: @lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
Butternut Box are a great option if you want your dog to gain some weight. They’re already feeding over 170,000 British dogs. Butternut Box have a range of recipes that are perfect for dogs who are underweight and need to put on some pounds. Butternut Box offer Beef It Up, Wham Bam Lamb, Pork This Way, Duo Of Duck & Chicken that all have a higher calorie content. Using their nutritional calculator and incorporating the information provided by dog owners in their sign-up questionnaire, Butternut Box will portion your dog’s meals. This fresh dog food company only use human-quality meat and fresh vegetables, there are no additives or nasties and they cook their food at low temperatures to retain all the nutritional goodness. What’s more, the meals will be delivered directly to your door!
We have an exclusive offer for helloBARK! readers who are thinking about signing up to Butternut Box. You can get 50% off your first Butternut Box order and 50% off your second Butternut Box order by clicking here.
2) Different Dog
Website: differentdog.com
Skye and Different Dog’s Health+ range (Photo: lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
Different Dog are another fresh dog food company who have a stellar reputation for feeding high-quality meals to dogs in the UK. Their meals use the finest cuts of meat combined with fresh fruit and vegetables. They’ve got some rich recipes that are full of flavour that should encourage your underweight dog to relish mealtime once more. For instance, Different Dog offer Braised Beef, Hearty Beef & Berries, Venison & Thyme and Lamb Hotpot. Their recipes are formulated by their team of experts so you can be confident your dog is getting all the necessary minerals and vitamins in their diet. Different Dog cook their meals in their kitchen, as opposed to a factory. So you can have confidence knowing that your dog’s balanced and complete meals have been lovingly crafted.
If you would like to purchase Different Dog, you can get a 35% discount off your first 2 boxes by entering the HELLOBARKCC35 coupon code at checkout. To place your first order, click here.
3) Bella & Duke
Website: www.bellaandduke.com
Bella and Duke (Photo: lifewithkleekai)
We wanted to include a raw-dog food option in this article in case there are some dog owners who have a desire to give this particular pet-food format a try. Bella & Duke are one of the leading raw dog food companies in the UK. Based in Scotland, Bella & Duke like to keep themselves at the “cutting edge” of pet nutrition. You can work with Bella & Duke to help get your dog onto a recipe that can help your canine companion return to a healthy weight. Their range includes options for adult dogs, puppies and senior dogs so there’s something for dogs of all ages.
Anything Else To Consider?
We recommend that you book an appointment with your vet and discuss with them before you make a change to your dog’s diet.
When you’re dealing with a dog that has lost some weight and needs to put pounds on, it’s important to get advice from your vet and make a slow transition to a new dog food.
If you make the switch too quickly, you could risk upsetting your dog’s stomach and taking some steps backwards rather than moving forwards.
It’s usually a good idea to slowly introduce the new dog food to the current dog food that your pup is eating and increase the amount of new food over the course of two weeks.
Wrapping Up – Our Final Thoughts
Butternut Box recipes (Photo: helloBARK!)
We’ve reached the end of our article on the best dog food for underweight dogs in the UK.
Our top pick is Butternut Box based upon their tasty range of recipes that are high in calories to help dogs put on some healthy weight.
They’ll tailor their meals to meet your dog’s specific needs so Butternut Box will ensure your canine’s meals are perfectly portioned.
However, Different Dog and Bella & Duke are also good options for dog owners who want to try something new to help their underweight dog.
You can get 50% off your first Butternut Box order and 50% off your second Butternut Box delivery. So you can enjoy a big discount on your first two Butternut Box orders. To avail of this generous offer, simply click here to ensure the discount is applied at the checkout.
