The Mastiff is known as the gentle giants of the dog world. With an adorable face, this breed is well known for his puppy dog eyes, no matter how old they are!
When you are looking for the perfect dog food for your Mastiff, you might feel overwhelmed by choice considering how many dog food brands are out there. Since this breed is especially large, they’re known to have quite the appetite and given their proclivity towards energetic pursuits – that means that they need a higher caloric intake.
One consideration for this breed is their predisposition toward digestive issues; they bloat easier than your average small to medium-sized dogs. To avoid this, and other tummy upsets – you need to make sure that you are giving them a high fiber food that won’t cause intolerance or allergy issues.
Best Dog Food for Mastiffs
1. CANIDAE All Life Stages
Canidae All Life Stages
Features
- OPTIMAL PROTEIN FOR ALL DOGS: All Life Stages is crafted from lamb meal and rice providing an optimal level of nutrition for all breeds and sizes.
- CREATED WITHOUT ANY WHEAT, CORN, or SOY: There’s nothing questionable in a bowl of Canidae All Life Stages.
- HEALTHPLUS SOLUTIONS IN EVERY BITE: Probiotics added to every kibble after cooking to support healthy digestion, antioxidants to support a healthy immune system, and omega 6 & 3 fatty acids to support beautiful skin and coat.
- FLAVORS & TYPES: With 5 different varieties there’s a Canidae All Life Stages product that your dogs will love.
- WE MAKE PET FOOD SIMPLE: Canidae All Life Stages dog food uses simple, whole-food recipes made right here in our Texas facility. Because pet food shouldn’t be complicated.
Finding a brand that is good for your breed of dog is always the goal. The Mastiff is known to be sensitive to gluten, wheat, and corn. As the owner of one of these loveable giants, we’re going to have a focus on brands that don’t have those ingredients. The first dog food we recommend is Canidae All Life Stages.
Key Specifications
- Size – 30 lbs bag
- Flavor – Lamb meal and rice
- Why We Recommend – Mastiff breeders recommend this brand.
It’s recommended by multiple Mastiff breeders as a food that they trust to keep their dogs healthy. Canidae also happens to avoid ingredients like gluten, wheat, and corn.
Since the Mastiff suffers from digestive problems, this food benefits from having added probiotic cultures that will make their belly feel good all day. No more stomach problems for your beloved pooch!
But Canidae didn’t just think about your dog’s inner health, but their outer health too. And given the fact that one of the canine’s most common organs to be afflicted with maladies is the skin – they have added omega fatty acids to ensure that your four-legged friend looks bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and shiny as can be.
Since Mastiffs have a lot of energy, you will need to make sure that there is a ton of protein in their diet. The main four ingredients of this feed are chicken, lamb, fish, and turkey. That means it contains 24% protein. The more protein in your dog’s diet, the more they maintain a healthy weight.
Pros
- Contains chicken, turkey, lamb, and fish
- Contains omega fatty acids
- Suitable for a puppy, adult, and senior dogs
- Perfect for households with multiple dog breeds
- Uses premium ingredients
Cons
- Can cause upset tummies while they’re getting used to the new food
- Might not work for a picky eater
- A discrepancy in quality between bags
With a ton of antioxidants that will help with your Mastiff’s immune system, Canidae provides an overall balanced diet that should help to avoid trips to the vet in the future!
2. Wellness CORE
Wellness CORE
Features
- ADVANCED NATURAL NUTRITION TO FUEL YOUR LARGE BREED DOG'S BEST LIFE: Premium protein expertly balanced with nutrient rich superfoods for a complete and balanced dog food, with guaranteed levels of the nutrients your large breed dog needs to thrive
- SAVORY FOOD DOGS LOVE: Wellness CORE is available in grain and grain free recipes, as well as limited ingredient diets for dogs with food sensitivities
- LEANER BODY MASS AND MUSCLE TONE: Wellness CORE dog food is made with a high concentration of protein from fresh meat ingredients
- SUPPORTS HEALTHY SKIN AND COAT with guaranteed levels of omega fatty acids from ingredients such as flaxseed and salmon oil
- WHOLE BODY HEALTH: Supported by omega fatty acids, antioxidants, glucosamine, probiotics and taurine for a healthy heart
When looking for reliable dog food for your Mastiff, you will want to make sure that your chosen brand offers multiple protein sources such as Wellness. Why? Well, the Mastiff is no lap dog, he’s a big fella. And we’re not talking big, slow, goofballs here! Oh no, these goofy pups are as playful as can be, choosing to spend much of their time playing — when they’re not cuddling up with their owners that is!
Key Specifications
- Size –25 lbs bag
- Flavor – Chicken, and Turkey
- Why We Recommend – It includes high-quality protein and green veggies.
Wellness CORE is rich in protein from quality protein sources like chicken and turkey. So your dog will get the protein he deserves, without the unnecessary fillers of corn and gluten that can be harmful to his digestive system.
Mastiffs are obviously hard to miss, so it’s perhaps surprising that they are often forgotten about since a lot of the dog food market tailors to small and medium-sized dogs.
With added vitamins and minerals, this food is especially suited to your growing puppy as it provides your four-legged friend with all the building blocks he needs to grow into a healthy and strong dog!
There are two vitamins and minerals in this brand: glucosamine and chondroitin. These two were added for hip and joint support. These special ingredients will ensure that your Mastiff has an exciting life of running around and playing outside.
The Wellness CORE brand is specifically designed for larger dogs. The digestible kibble is made to be larger so that your dog will feel full for longer and it also supports his digestive health.
Pros
- Contains green veggies
- Packed with vitamins and minerals
- Designed for larger dogs
- Grain-free
- Made in the USA
Cons
- Can make your dog’s stool softer
- Some buyers have complained about mold in the food
- Might not be palatable to picky eaters
Another plus for the Wellness brand is that there are added green vegetables in it. Green veggies mean that there is more fiber which will provide even more assistance to your dog’s sensitive stomach.
3. Petcuraen Now Fresh
Features
- Balanced Proteins And Fats To Support An Active Lifestyle
- Omega Oils To Promote Skin And Coat Health
- Antioxidants To Support Increased Immunity
The next dog food we selected is Now Fresh. Why? Well, they understand what is necessary for large dogs! Lucky for you, they know what ingredients are important for your dog, and they know what will suit them well.
Key Specifications
- Size – 25 lbs bag
- Flavor – Turkey, salmon, and duck.
- Why We Recommend – The brand has the perfect sized kibble for your Mastiff.
This company created the perfect formula for large dogs because it is filled with coconut and canola oil, which provides a healthy source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. This is healthy for your Mastiff because it will leave your Mastiff with a beautiful coat and soft fur. This combined with other nutrients from the food with help your Mastiff live a longer and happier life.
If you are giving the wrong size kibble to your dog, it can be harmful to their digestive system. The breed already has a higher chance of having a sensitive stomach, and by feeding them a kibble that is too small in size, you increase their digestive troubles.
Why? Well, because a smaller kibble allows them to eat too quickly without properly chewing and breaking up their food – this will lead to stomach pains, and over time – dental issues.
These gentle giants will need food that will give them bigger and stronger bones as they age. Now Fresh contains glucosamine and chondroitin that supports healthy bones. This will leave your Mastiff bigger and stronger.
Pros
- Contains antioxidants
- Grain-free
- 27% Protein
- A good choice for picky eaters
Cons
- Not available as a canned food
- Only contains 10% moisture content
The Mastiff is an active dog, so when you’re looking for food, you want to make sure it contains healthy fat that will turn into lean muscles. Now Fresh contains L-Carnitine which will help your Mastiff maintain lean muscles.
4. NUTRO ULTRA
Nutro Ultra
Features
- Contains one (1) 30 lb. bag of NUTRO ULTRA Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food with a Trio of Proteins From Chicken, Lamb and Salmon
- Features trio of protein from chicken, lamb, and salmon—chicken is the #1 ingredient—specially formulated for large breed adult dogs
- Our premium dog food kibble is made with high-quality ingredients and provides complete and balanced nutrition for large breed adult dogs in every bowl
- Protein rich NUTRO ULTRA Dry Dog Food is made with high-quality protein and our blend of 15 vibrant superfoods, like coconut, chia, kale, blueberries, and other quality ingredients
- Made with no chicken by-product meal, corn, soy, or wheat, and no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives
When choosing your perfect dog food, you need to make sure it is filled with fiber and good veggies. That’s why we recommend Nutro Ultra. This dog food brand will help your Mastiff when they start to not feel their best.
Key Specifications
- Size – 25 lbs bag
- Flavor – Chicken, lamb, and salmon
- Why We Recommend – It’s made with healthy fats like chia, coconut, and kale.
If your Mastiff does suffer from bloating after meals, you may find that changing their dog food to Nutro Health will help them to feel so much better!
Packed full of great ingredients such as chia, coconut, and kale. These help to boost your canines digestive system, which will ultimately help your gentle giant live a happier and healthier life. Another plus side to Nutro Health is that they have no artificial preservatives, chemical colors, or harmful flavors!
As Mastiff’s age, they can start to show signs of unhealthy symptoms like hip and elbow problems. The good thing about this dog food is that it has healthy vitamins and minerals such as glucosamine and chondroitin. What these do is help strengthen your Mastiff if they start to show any signs of aging. These two vitamins support bone health. This could help to give your Mastiff a longer and healthier life!
Pros
- Number one ingredient is chicken
- Does not have artificial ingredients
- Tailored specifically for large dogs
- Contains high-quality protein
Cons
- Contains grains
- Can cause skin irritation in some dogs
- Not a good choice for picky pooches
If you are worried that your current dog food isn’t doing the right job, discuss with your veterinarian whether they think a change to Nutro Ultra could be the right fit.
5. Eagle Pack
Features
- LEAN BODY MASS FOR OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE: This food features optimal protein, fat and carbohydrate levels for large breed dogs; expertly balanced to help large breed dogs stay lean and fit
- WHOLE BODY HEALTH: Glucosamine supports healthy joints, omega fatty acids support healthy skin and coat and antioxidants promote a strong immune system; made with no corn, wheat, meat byproducts, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives
- TRIED, TRUSTED AND TRUE: Natural Performance Proven Nutrition, loved by dogs for over 30 years
- Made in the USA using only the finest globally sourced ingredients, we prepare each of our diets in our own state of the art facility; we craft delicious natural recipes with wholesome ingredients chosen for their nutritional benefits
- PERFORMANCE NUTRITION: At Eagle Pack, we’re proud to support the champion spirit in every dog; our Performance Proven Nutrition is specially formulated to support your dog’s everyday health needs
Your dog definitely needs fat in his diet; it helps him to maintain his healthy skin and coat. As well as animal fats or oils, it’s important to have fatty acids as part of a healthy canine’s diet and Eagle Pack knows it.
Key Specifications
- Size – 15 lbs bag
- Flavor – Lamb, chicken, and fish.
- Why We Recommend – It supports bone health and has no harmful fillers.
While many can assume that fat isn’t healthy, in fact, having no fat at all in your four-legged friend’s diet can be just as – if not more harmful.
But why? Well, a lack of fat in the diet can weaken the immune system, and cause the body to be more prone to illness, injury – and even cause faster aging.
In our last and final brand, we introduce the Eagle Pack brand. First of all, let’s talk about those fatty acids that are packed inside the kibble! Did you know that a dog food high in fatty acid can improve your dog’s vision? And by golly, if we didn’t tell you about enough benefits already – maybe the fact that it helps to keep the brain healthy will convince you!
Eagle Pack also contains yummy protein like lamb, chicken, and fish. Mastiffs need protein for their active lifestyles. Since they are bigger dogs, they tend to use more energy than your average small and medium-sized dogs. These proteins are listed as the main ingredients, so you know your Mastiff is getting the good stuff and plenty of it!
Pros
- Contains high-quality protein like lamb, chicken, and fish
- Contains no artificial colors and preservatives
- Specifically formulated for large and giant puppies
- Made in the USA
Cons
- Contains more carbohydrates like potatoes
- Kibble size is perhaps too big
- Can cause severe diarrhea
Another thing most people forget about while picking out dog food for their best friend is that feeding your Mastiff artificial colors and preservatives causes extra stress to their digestive system.
Bottom Line
The clear winner for us has to be CANIDAE. When you have Mastiff breeders recommending the brand, you know it must be good.
Canidae uses premium ingredients, like chicken, turkey, lamb and there are absolutely no preservatives or extra fillers.
Completely free from corn, wheat, and soy, and boasting a healthy dose of omega fatty acids, and a ton of antioxidants which will help with your Mastiff’s immune system.
It supports bone and heart health because it is packed with vitamins and minerals. If you want a dog food that will help your furry mate stay happy and healthy, Canidae is the perfect brand.
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Nadia
Nadia is passionate about all things dog related and is one of the leading writers at Dog Struggles. Her attention to detail and expertise means you can rest assured knowing her product recommendations & reviews are the best of the best.
