The Best Dog Food for Weight Control

As pet parents, we love giving our dogs treats for just about anything. Before you know it, you look at your furry friend and realize they’ve gotten overweight. Sometimes it can be hard for pet owners to know if their pup is chubby. 

Vets will quickly tell you that your dog needs food restrictions, fewer treats, or an extra walk around the neighborhood. It doesn’t matter how your dog got fat, what matters is that there is food on the market that can help him slim down. 

You don’t have to be an expert on canine nutrition to help your dog lose weight. We’ve found the best kibble options for weight loss and weight control. While doing the digging to find these choices, we’ve found plenty of tips to help you along the way.

A-Z-Animals Top Picks for Dog Food for Weight Control

#1 Best Overall: Merrick Grain-Free Healthy Weight Recipe Dry Dog Food

Our selection as the best dog food for weight control is the Merrick Grain-Free Healthy Weight Receipe Dry Dog Food.

One of the main reasons we chose this food is because it doesn’t contain any cheap or unnecessary fillers or animal by-products. Plus, Merrick is known for using all-natural ingredients to help dogs maintain a healthy weight. 

This food has a high amount of protein (55%) and the main ingredients are deboned beef, turkey meal, and chicken meal. It also contains chondroitin and glucosamine to help maintain healthy joints. This is essential for overweight pups as the extra weight can put additional strain on their joints.

There are plenty of vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids added to this food to ensure that it is the very best quality for your beloved pet. It also contains probiotics to keep your pup’s digestive system running smoothly. Not only that, but this food is completely free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. It’s also a guaranteed gain-free option. However, it’s important to note that a grain-free diet may not be suitable for all pets.

Pros and Cons of the Merrick Grain-Free Healthy Weight Recipe Dry Dog Food

Overall Best

Merrick Grain-Free Healthy Weight Recipe Dry Dog Food

• No cheap or unnecessary fillers or animal by-products
• Contains a high amount of protein, which can help burn fat
• The main ingredients are deboned beef, turkey meal, chicken meal, and chicken fat
• Added glucosamine

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2. Best Value: NUTRO Natural Choice Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food

Whether you’re looking to save money or you’re on a tight budget, NUTRO Natural Choice Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food is a great choice when it comes to weight control dog food. 

This food is packed with tasty and nutritious ingredients. It contains chicken as the first ingredient as well containing healthy lentils and sweet potatoes, providing your dog with a tasty meal that won’t cause the scale to go up.

This food also contains amino amino acids and glucosamine to help your dog’s joints and digestive health. It also contains antioxidants to support a healthy immune system and natural fiber to promote a healthy digestive system.

However, one of the best features of this food is that it is made with non-GMO ingredients. It is also free from chicken by products, soy, wheat, and corn — making it great for dogs with allergies.

Unfortunately, a small number of customers reported that their pets din not like this food. Also, some found that the kibble size was too small for larger dogs.

Pros and Cons of the NUTRO Natural Choice Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food

Best Value

Nutro Natural Choice Healthy Weight

• Budget-friendly option
• Contains lentils, chicken, and sweet potatoes
• Packed with amino acids and glucosamine
• Made with non-GMO ingredients

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3. Best Dry Dog Food: Blue Buffalo Wilderness Healthy Weight Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

When it comes to the best kibble option, we think Blue Buffalo Wilderness Healthy Weight Grain-Free Dry Dog Food takes the cake. 

This top-notch option uses a high-protein formula to help manage your pup’s weight with real chicken as the first ingredient. It also includes unique “Lifesource Bits” that contain a specially selected mixture of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to provide support for your pet’s immune system. The added omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids also help to support skin and coat health. Not only that, but this food contains added L-carnitine to to aid the development of lean muscles.

This food is a grain-free option which means that it is completely free from soy, corn, and wheat. However, it’s important to consider your pup’s needs carefully before using this food as a grain-free diet may not be suitable for all dogs. Also, some customers reported that their pets were not fussed on eating this food.

Pros and Cons of the Blue Buffalo Wilderness Healthy Weight Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Best for Older Dogs

Blue Buffalo Wilderness Healthy Weight Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

• Ideal for older dogs who need to control their weight
• Nutrients include omega fatty acids from flaxseed and fish meal, which are beneficial to dogs' hair, skin, joints and eyesight.
• Chicory root is high in fiber to keep dogs satisfied longer
• High in protein

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4. Best For Small Breeds: Wellness Small Breed Complete Health Dog Food

We’d never forget about dog owners that have smaller pets which is why we’ve selected the Wellness Small Breed Complete Health Dog Food.

One thing that sets Wellness Complete Health apart from other kibbles for small dogs is that it has salmon meal, chicken meal, and turkey. There is plenty of protein in eat bite that will benefit your dog by helping them shed fat and build muscle. 

The main carbs in this food are rice and oats, which is a huge plus for dogs that have sensitive tummies. This food also contains flaxseed and salmon oil that provide essential omega fatty acids. The kibble is designed for small dogs and comes in bite-size pieces that are easy to chew and digest.

Unfortunately, some pet parents have mentioned there is a strong fish odor from the salmon oil.

Pros and Cons of the Wellness Small Breed Complete Health Dog Food

Best For Small Breeds

Wellness Small Breed Complete Health

• Contains salmon meal, chicken meal, and turkey
• High in protein
• Contains flaxseed and salmon oil that provide essential omega fatty acids
• Designed for small dogs

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Choosing the Best: What to Look For

There are several weight-control dog foods on the market, but that doesn’t mean they’re all healthy ones. The following are some of the factors you should look for while choosing a weight-control food. 

Reduced Caloric Intake

The majority of beneficial weight-control foods include fewer calories than regular meals. Such meals should, in theory, contain the same amount of volume so that your dog feels satisfied after eating. This is usually performed by increasing the fiber content of a diet. 

Fiber contains so few calories that can be used, but it takes up a lot of room in your dog’s belly. Furthermore, many weight-control meals have higher protein content and lower fat content. 

This lowers the caloric value of the meal because fat has more calories per weight than proteins or carbohydrates. The added protein ensures that your dog gets the nourishment it requires.

Nutritious

It’s critical that your pet’s diet includes the vitamins, minerals, and proper amounts of the key macromolecules like proteins, lipids, carbs, and nucleic acids that they require to stay healthy. Caloric content should be the key distinction between weight-control foods and regular meals.

Fortified with Probiotics and Healthy Fats

Probiotics are healthy microorganisms that aid in the proper functioning of your dog’s digestive system. Your dog will be less likely to have digestive discomfort while switching diets if you choose foods that include probiotics, and their body will be better equipped to digest their food.

Also, be on the lookout for kibble that contains healthy fats such as omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids. There are a ton of amazing benefits from healthy fats, including improved joints, better vision, and a shiny coat. 

Overall Taste 

If a decent weight-control meal doesn’t appeal to your dog’s taste buds they’ll quit eating. As a result, you’ll want to hunt for foods containing tasty proteins and fats to keep your dog from going on a hunger strike.

The Different Types of Dog Food for Weight Control: Pros and Cons Compared

Let’s talk a little bit about the advantages and disadvantages of the most common types of dog food that are designed to help your pooch control weight.

Dry Dog Food 

Soft Canned Food

Organic Dog Food 

Our Criteria and Experience

We wanted to provide you with the best weight control food options for your dog possible. By combing through the many options and by reading reviews we were able to make these outstanding selections. The food needed to be specially formulated for weight loss with fewer calories and more protein. Our picks are made with the highest quality ingredients by experts you can trust with the health and well being of your pet.

As usual, most of the negative reviews were from pet owners with dogs who wouldn’t eat the diet food – whether they were picky or just didn’t like the taste and texture. There were also some who didn’t like the price of special weight control food.

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