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You are here: Home / Food / Puppy Food Reviews / Best Puppy Food for Boxers

Best Puppy Food for Boxers

September 18, 2020 By Shannon Cutts Leave a Comment

best puppy food for boxers

The best puppy food for Boxers is designed to promote healthy growth and development.

It will contain everything they need to stay fit and well, in a tasty, easy to eat package.

Boxer puppies should not eat food designed for adult dogs, as it will have a very different nutritional balance.

The best puppy food for Boxers will support puppies until they fully mature.

The Best Puppy Food for Boxers

Selecting the best dog food for Boxer puppies is just one piece of the whole puzzle of planning your Boxer puppy’s diet.

You also need to know the right amount to offer your pup for each stage of life.

And you need to know when to feed your Boxer puppy to keep growth at a steady, not too rapid rate.

Let’s take a close look at how often, how much, and what to feed Boxer puppies.

By the end, you’ll feel confident caring for your new fur baby in these vitally important first several months of life!

How Much Should a Boxer Puppy Eat?

As your Boxer puppy grows up, you will find that you need to adjust their portion sizes and feeding frequency.

But adjusting your puppy’s mealtime portions isn’t an exact science!

best puppy food for boxers

In determining portion sizes, typically the best approach is to follow the puppy food brand manufacturer’s feeding guidelines, which are usually presented based on weight.

But keep a good visual check on your pup. They should have a nipped in waist, but not a visible spine.

You will also want to divide up your portions into several meals, but may use them as training treats instead of putting them into the bowl.

Boxer Puppy Feeding Guide

It is amazing how fast a little Boxer puppy can transform into a fully grown 80-pound adult Boxer!

The typical weight range for Boxers when fully grown is 50 to 80 pounds, with females being about 10 to 15 pounds lighter than males.

Suffice it to say your little Boxer pup has a lot of growing up to do in the coming months!

The best puppy food for Boxers will support this growth.

Protein, Fat, and Mineral Content

All puppy foods should provide a complete diet.

When caring for a large breed dog like a Boxer, you want to keep the protein between 22 and 30 percent and 9 to 15 percent fat.

Aim for a calcium to phosphorus (Ca:Ph) ratio of anywhere from 1:1 to 1:3.

The overall calcium content of your Boxer puppy food should be around 3 g per 1,000 kcal of puppy food.

AAFCO Seal

Whenever possible, look for a puppy food that carries the AAFCO logo (American Association of Feed Control Officials).

Seeing the AAFCO logo is not an official endorsement and the AAFCO does not regulate or test dog food.

However, they do publish guidelines on what makes a dog food “complete and balanced”.

Only manufacturers who voluntarily comply with these guidelines can carry the AAFCO seal.

General Feeding Schedule

Young puppies (less than six months of age) often eat four times per day, spread evenly from morning until early evening.

Older puppies (six months of age to adulthood) typically transition to eating three times per day, then once or twice at adulthood.

Fresh water should always be available during the day, even when potty training.

But, before feeding, you need to find the best puppy food for Boxers.

What to Feed my Boxer Puppy

The best diet for Boxer puppies is typically going to be a diet of commercial puppy recipe dog food that is “complete and balanced.”

You want to look for these exact words on any puppy food you choose.

Start by continuing to feed the Boxer puppy food recommended by your pup’s breeder.

This will ease the stress of the rehoming process without upsetting your new puppy’s tummy.

Then, if you would like to transition to a new puppy food, start gradually over a 7-day period.

Mix the two foods together in gradually shifting rations, until your pup is only eating the new food.

When in doubt about transitioning to a new puppy food, always ask your dog’s vet for guidance!

Best Dry Food for Boxer Puppy

The best puppy food for Boxers is often a dry kibble that is commercially prepared to be “complete and balanced” nutritionally.

If your puppy is still quite young and has trouble grasping and chewing the hard kibble, you can always soften it with a little warm water or broth.

Otherwise, the hard kibble has another perk – it helps keep your puppy’s teeth clean!

Royal Canin

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Boxer Puppy Dry Dog Food is a dry puppy kibble with the nutritional needs of boxers in mind.

This food features 28 percent protein, plus added L-carnitine, prebiotics, vitamins and minerals.

There are antioxidants for immune system, measured weight and muscle gain, digestive health, and overall good health.

Hill’s Science Diet

Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Food, Large Breed Puppy is one of the leading vet-recommended dog food brands in North America.

This food contains vitamins C and E for healthy immune system, antioxidants.

It also contains glucosamine and chondroitin for healthy joint development.

So, it is definitely one of the best puppy foods for Boxers.

Iams

The veterinarian-recommended Iams PROACTIVE HEALTH Puppy Dry Dog Food is another great complete food.

Best Wet Boxer Puppy Dog Food

Wet puppy food can be a good choice for dogs that are reluctant eaters.

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The extra moisture content and high palatability of wet puppy food can help your unwell Boxer puppy stay hydrated too.

Whole Earth

The Whole Earth Farms Grain Free Canned Dog Food, Puppy Recipe is a nourishing, hydrating wet puppy food.

It comes in a palatable loaf that can be fed as a complete and balanced standalone meal if need be.

The grain-free recipe is suitable for sensitive stomach issues as well.

Wellness Complete

Wellness Complete Health Natural Wet Canned Dog Food is designed to be complete and balanced for your puppy.

It comes in a soothing pate featuring salmon, chicken, carrots, sweet potatoes, and flax seed for healthy digestion.

Blue Buffalo

Blue Buffalo Wilderness, Natural Puppy Food is a whole, complete and balanced wet food for puppies.

It is grain-free to avoid issues with allergies or sensitive stomachs.

It contains a full complement of vitamins and minerals plus DHA for brain health.

Best Puppy Food for Boxers: Grain-Free

Grain-free diets for dogs are very popular right now! So are grain free options the best puppy food for Boxers?

As it turns out, people are not the only ones who can struggle with gluten intolerance as well as reactivity to GMO ingredients.

While dogs have evolved to be omnivores like people, some pups just do better when they eat a grain-free diet.

If your puppy is having trouble digesting her dinner, it is definitely worth talking with your vet about going grain-free!

Taste of the Wild

We’re big fans of Taste of the Wild High Protein Dry Puppy Food.

This grain-free puppy food features smaller kibble to help young puppies grasp and chew more easily.

The recipe includes protein, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids with probiotics for healthy digestion.

Merrick Grain Free

Merrick Grain Free Puppy Recipe Dry Dog Food is complete and balanced for the nutritional needs of puppies.

It features a full range of vitamins, minerals and nutrients, including DHA for brain health.

Nulo

Nulo Puppy Dry Food Grain Free is a grain-free, complete and balanced dry puppy food.

It contains DHA, vitamins, minerals, and probiotics to support your growing puppy’s brain, digestion, and overall health.

Best Food for my Boxer Puppy with Sensitive Stomach

If your Boxer puppy is suffering from a sensitive stomach, you may want to talk with your vet about switching to a puppy food specifically designed for sensitive puppy tummies.

Tummy upsets are not uncommon during the short and stressful high-intensity growth period that takes place during puppyhood.

Royal Canin

Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Puppy Dry Dog Food for Puppies is a good choice.

This special veterinary diet gastrointestinal recipe features probiotics, essential fatty acids and nutrients to improve gut flora.

Plus additional protein, calcium, and phosphorus to help your puppy fully absorb all the nutrients required for healthy growth.

This kibble should be moistened with water or broth before serving.

Honest Kitchen

The Honest Kitchen Human Grade Dehydrated Grain Free Dog Food is complete and balanced dog food, designed for both puppies and adult dogs.

All you need to do is add warm water for a soothing and nourishing simple meal for your puppy.

This is a particularly great food to have on hand if your puppy is getting over any health issue or is on medication that is causing sensitive stomach issues.

   

Nature’s Variety

Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw is based on the principles of the raw diet.

But the protein is freeze-dried to protect your pup’s still-developing immune system.

This food is grain-free and known allergen-free and comes with a blend of freeze-dried protein and vitamin/mineral bits.

It includes probiotics, omega fatty acids, DHA, calcium, phosphorus, and antioxidants for overall healthy development.

Best Food to Feed a Boxer Puppy with Allergies

More and more pet dogs today are suffering from seasonal, environmental, and food allergies.

The truth is, as our world becomes more toxic, both people and pups struggle more to stay healthy!

The best puppy food for Boxers with food or other allergies is often a limited ingredient diet (L.I.D.) puppy food.

Not only does limiting the ingredients in your puppy’s foods help isolate any potential food-related allergy triggers, but these recipes tend to be soothing to eat.

Natural Balance

Natural Balance Limited Ingredient is simple, nourishing puppy food offers complete and balanced nutrition.

With a smaller size kibble that is easier to grasp and chew.

The recipe features just two main ingredients: potato and duck, along with a full complement of vitamins, minerals, and DHA.

Nulo

Nulo Freestyle Limited Plus Grain Free Puppy Dog Food is a limited ingredient puppy food comes in either salmon or turkey.

It has extra added probiotics, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, DHA for brain health and pure, healthy ingredients.

Canidae

CANIDAE Grain Free is a limited ingredient puppy food.

It has just nine ingredients plus vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and DHA.

This recipe is designed to be simple, highly palatable, and nourishing for puppies with sensitive stomachs due to any type of allergies.

Best Puppy Food for Boxers

The best puppy food for Boxers provides a complete, balanced nutritional meal.

It will promote steady, healthy growth and development.

References and Further Reading

  • Campbell, J., “Health Information: Medical Conditions Affecting the Boxer,” American Boxer Club, 2018. 
  • Chudasama, K., DVM, “Common Diseases in Boxers,” Peoria Area Veterinary Group, 2018. 
  • Freeman, L., DVM, PhD, DACVN, “A broken heart: Risk of heart disease in boutique or grain-free diets and exotic ingredients,” Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University, 2018. 
  • Hamilton, K., et al, “Boxer Bloat,” Northwest Boxer Rescue, 2018. 
  • DaLee, D., “Feeding,” Atlanta Boxer Rescue, 2018. 
  • Buzhardt, L., DVM, “Nutritional Requirements of Large and Giant Breed Puppies”, VCA Animal Hospital, 2017. 

 

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