Best Dog Food For Labs 2025 – Buyer’s Guide
Table of Contents
- 1 Factors to Consider When Choosing Dog Food for Labs
- 2 How Much to Feed a Lab Puppy?
- 3 How Much to Feed a Senior Lab?
- 4 Top 10 Dog Food for Labs
- 4.1 Merrick Grain Free Senior Dry Dog Food
- 4.2 Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Labrador Retriever Adult
- 4.3 Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain Free, Natural Adult Dry Dog Food
- 4.4 Taste of the Wild
- 4.5 Orijen Adult Dog Food
- 4.6 Fromm Family Foods 33 lb. Gold Nutritionals Dog Food
- 4.7 BLUE Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe High Protein Grain Free Adult Dry Dog Food
- 4.8 Eagle Pack Natural Dry Dog Food
- 4.9 Brothers Complete Turkey Meal & Egg Formula Advanced Allergy
- 4.10 Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain
- 5 Lab Dog Food Advice
- 6 Final Thoughts
Here is the deal:
If you’re a new pet owner or you’re looking for an easy-to-read resource about the best dog food for labs, you’ve have come to the right place.
In this post, we are going to walk you through the pros and cons of top rated dog food for labs as well as answer frequently asked questions relating to the dog food for labs.
Let’s jump in.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Dog Food for Labs
There are quite so many things to put into consideration before choosing the best food for your dog, and the main factor is the breed of your dog.
Each breed of dog is entitled to feed on certain foods to avoid issues like obesity and many other matters relating to dog foods.
In case you’re a lab owner, it is recommended to consider the following things when purchasing dog foods for them.
Ingredients
Ideal dog food for your pooch should contain a well-balanced diet. The food should contain meat, whole grain, vegetables, and fruits.
These ingredients will make your pup to look healthy with ideal body weight that matches their age and breed size.
Ensure the dog food package has a designation of the Association of American Feed Control Officials that confirms it has a complete and balanced ingredient.
Weight of the Dog
A lot of dogs struggle with weight, and some of them tend to become obese. The factor implies that it is recommended to check it before feeding your furry friend with certain dog foods.
It is recommended to choose a dog food that has a well-balanced diet to help your pooch maintain healthy body weight.
Dogs that are struggling with weight loss, it is advisable to consider dog foods that are suitable for weight loss. Avoid overfeeding your furry friend since he or she is prone to obesity.
Age of the Dog
It is good to note that dog food for lab puppies is different from dog foods for adult lab dogs. This is because different dog age has different nutritional requirements.
When shopping the dog food for your furry friend, always keep in mind their age or else you will buy something that will not add nutritional value to their general health.
Nutrition and Sensitivity
Some labs are susceptible to allergies of whole grains, and in case your pooch is a victim then consider dog foods that are free from whole grains.
It is advisable to consider contacting the manufacturer of particular dog food in case you doubt their nutritional value. I’m sure they will respond to your question in case they care and love dogs.
Also, consider if your lab stomach is either sensitive to wet or dry food. If you notice your lab stomach react to damp dog food, then find dry dog food and vice versa.
However, in case your furry friend begins throwing up after eating any food, it is recommended to consult a professional vet for diagnosis.
How Much to Feed a Lab Puppy?
Overfeeding lab puppies is quite easy. These lab pooches have a high level of appetite, and they are very active. The activeness feature promotes loss of energy, and that is why they have an elevated taste.
However, some lab puppies eat more, but they are less active, and this might hurt their general health.
Excess food intake with low exercise results in the conversion of the food into fat, which later foster the development of obesity.
Therefore, it is recommended to watch how you feed your lab puppies in case you mind the health and body weight.
It is recommended to divide the dog food into three different portions and feed them at different times of the day. If you happen to feed them as a go, then expect to notice some form of diarrhea in the long run.
In case you have a lab puppy that is between the age of eight and twelve weeks, then consider dividing the food into four portions.
Space the meals into at least three hours in a day that is breakfast, lunch, before super and during supper. Space gives the pups enough time to digest the food already eaten.
Feed your pup two hours earlier before taking them for a bath and bed. In case of a three-month puppy divide the food into three portions while those over six months divide the meal into three.
How Much to Feed a Senior Lab?
Labs are large breeds of dogs, and the chances of them gaining more weight are higher compared to other dog breeds like Chihuahua.
The lab owner needs to be very cautious when feeding senior labs. These dogs are prone to obesity hence learn how much to feed them to maintain their healthy body weight.
Most lab owners prefer to feed them twice in a day or once in case they are over twelve months. This is the most recommended rate for feeding these dog breeds.
Also, check the portion that you’re feeding your dog. Research shows that large meals make them grow more prominent, which is not advisable.
It is recommended to split the meal into two portions that are for morning and evening. This will help them maintain a healthy weight gain.
The dog kibbles have the required amount of food needed for any dog, but the ingredients vary from one brand to another. We recommend feeding lab dogs with a third less amount recommend.
You should note that lab dogs need fewer kibbles as compared to other breeds of dogs. This will make it easy to control and manage their weight.
Top 10 Dog Food for Labs
| Food Product | Main Ingredients | Ratings | Features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrick Grain Free Senior Dry Dog Food | Chicken Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Deboned Chicken | 5 star | Grain Free, Suitable for Large Breeds, Highly Nutritious | Check Price |
| Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Labrador Retriever Adult | Oat Groats, Corn Gluten Meal, Pork Meal, Natural Flavors | 5 star | Large Size Kibbles, Ideal for Large Dogs | Check Price |
| Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain Free, Natural Adult Dry Dog Food | Deboned Duck, Peas, Fish Meal, Dried Tomato Pomace | 5 star | Premium Ingredients, Tasty, Delicious | Check Price |
| Taste of the Wild | Smoked Salmon, Real Meat, Fruits | 4.8 star | Lack Artificial Flavors, Natural Ingredients, Tasty | Check Price |
| Orijen Adult Dog Food | Fresh Meat, Vegetables, Fruits, Chicken, Turkey | 4.9 star | High Level Protiens, Delicious, Non-Allergic | Check Price |
| Fromm Family Foods 33 lb. Gold Nutritionals Dog Food | Chicken, Eggs, Turkeys, Ducks | 4.6 star | Low fat content, Balanced Nutrients, Tasty | Check Price |
| BLUE Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe High Protein Grain Free Adult Dry Dog Food | Chicken Meal, Deboned Bison, Peas, Potatoes | 5 star | Grain, Natural Flavors, Delicious | Check Price |
| Eagle Pack Natural Dry Dog Food | Lamb Meal, Ground Brown Rice, Tomato Pomace | 4.9 star | High Quality, Antioxidant Properties, Healthy Nutrients | Check Price |
| Brothers Complete Turkey Meal & Egg Formula Advanced Allergy | Animal Meat, Fruits, Vegetables | 5 star | Grain Free, Large Size Kibbles, High Proteins | Check Price |
| Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain | Almond Oil, Turkey Meat, Turkey Meal, Beet Pulp | 4.5 star | Natural Flavors, No Artificial Flavors, Tasty | Check Price |
Now that you got hints about the best dog food for your lab. Let’s now have a look at the top 10 best dogs for labs that you can choose from.
Let’s get started now:
Merrick Grain Free Senior Dry Dog Food
It is considered to be the overall best dog food for older labs. The food comes with packed vitamins, proteins, and minerals.
Merrick grain free dog food provides all the nutritional requirements for your pooch. It contains ingredients that are considered to facilitate healthy body weight and growth for your lab.
Some of the main ingredients found in the dog food are peas, chicken meal, sweet potatoes, deboned chicken, salmon meal, apples, blueberries, and salt, among many others.
The omega three fatty acids found the food make the skin coat glossy and shiny. The mineral ingredients help in bone development so that the labs can support their body weight with ease.
The presence of Glucosamine and Chondroitin in the dog food are also significant for the health of your lab hip and joint.
Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Labrador Retriever Adult
Royal Canin is the best dog food for health and also the best dog food for labs weight loss. It is an incredible food for those labs struggling with weight loss.
The dog food contains some of the premium ingredients that are suitable for control and management of weight gain. A lab that has gained a lot of weight is susceptible to obesity that comes with other health risks.
Royal Canin premium ingredients are brown rice, oat groats, corn gluten meal, pork meal, natural flavors, and chicken by-product meal. These ingredients can increase dog appetite, and this is the reason why you need to control the feeding habits of your lab.
The dog food is specially designed for labs that are more than 15 months of age. The nutritional needs in the diet help to enhance healthy growth.
The kibble size and shape are suitable for large dog breeds like lab since it gives them an easy time to eat without facing any difficulties.
The royal canin contain the optimum amount of fats and calories that are suitable for the weight gain of your lab. It also contains minerals that help to support bone development of the dog.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain Free, Natural Adult Dry Dog Food
This is a top rate dog food for those labs with a sensitive stomach. The dog food contains all the nutritional requirements and helps them also to stay energetic.
The food has low-fat content and optimum amount of proteins that help to facilitate the development of lean muscles in your lab.
Guess what?
The dog food does not contain those indigestible chicken by-products — the fatty acid content help to enhance healthy skin coat due to its moisturizing ability.
The dog food formula contains incredible ingredients such as deboned duck, peas, fish meal, dried tomato pomace, natural flavors, and sweet potatoes, among many others.
That’s not all.
The taste and the size of the kibbles are mouthwatering. You need to control the eating habits of your lab in case you opt for this kind of dog food.
The food product is free from grains, and this is the reason why it is suitable for labs with a sensitive stomach. The antioxidant properties of the nutrients help to fight off infection, causing diseases.
Taste of the Wild
This is a portion of incredible dog food for hunting labs. It is also regarded as the best organic dog food for labs. The dog food is delicious, healthy, and quite affordable. The pooch food is viewed to best for those lab owners with low budget.
That’s not all.
Some of the top ingredients found in the food formula are smoked Salmon, real meat, fruits, and vegetables, among many others.
The good thing about this dog food formula is that they do not contain whole grain, corn, wheat, artificial flavors, food colors, and preservatives.
It is also known to contain natural probiotics and prebiotics that help to boost the immune system of the lab when it comes to fighting off infection-causing diseases.
The grain-free feature makes the dog food formula suitable for those labs with sensitive stomachs. The omega three fatty acids help to facilitate a healthy and shiny skin coat.
Orijen Adult Dog Food
Orijen is unique dog food and is considered suitable for those labs with dry or shedding skin fur. It has some sweet raw tasting that makes the dogs love it.
The significant percentage of dog food contains meat that makes the labs to enjoy while eating. The high protein content from the dog food provides energy for these active pooches.
If your furry friend is under the age of twelve months, then this is not suitable food for them since it will make them gain a lot of weight.
Pup labs can damage their skeleton once they become overweight, and this is why it is strictly meant for adult labs. The meat found the food is fresh and has a taste of being raw.
The nutrients from the dog food are absorbed faster in the dog body, making them grow healthy and also maintain weight gain.
The dog food has some premium ingredients that make it stand out from dog food formulas in the market. Here are the most common element in the food formula fresh meat, vegetables, fruits, chicken, turkey, and fish among many others
Fromm Family Foods 33 lb. Gold Nutritionals Dog Food
Another dog food formula that we cannot skip to mention is Fromm Family Foods for labs. This dog food has dry kibbles that make them suitable for adult labs with skin issues.
The dog food formula is typically meant for large size dog breeds that are over 50lbs. It has an optimum amount of proteins and fat. Thus help to control and maintain weight gain in labs.
The fat and protein content help to supply your lab with sufficient energy for moving up and down around the homestead.
Most of these nutrients are obtained from chicken, eggs, turkeys, and ducks. These incredible features make the dog food top rated for labs.
That’s not all.
The dog food formula has probiotics and salmon oil that help to facilitate proper digestion of the labs. Note that this food is not suitable for labs with poultry allergies. The fatty acids promote healthy skin and coat.
The fibers from flaxseed, brown rice, and barley help to keep the labs filled up. The dog food is also suitable for weight loss in labs.
BLUE Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe High Protein Grain Free Adult Dry Dog Food
Dog owners with mobile labs are advice to feed them with blue wilderness food formula. The kibbles have a natural taste, and this is the reason why labs love them most when compared to other food formulas.
The dog food formula has all the requirements as far as nutritional diet is a concern. Some of the top ingredients found in the food formula are a chicken meal, deboned bison, peas, potatoes, fish meal, flaxseeds, and tomato pomace among many others.
That’s not all.
The lab food formula does not contain wheat, corn, soy, artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives hence making it suitable for sensitive stomach pooch.
The probiotics help to fight off infections, causing diseases while the fatty acids promote healthy skin and coat of the dog.
Eagle Pack Natural Dry Dog Food
This is a natural dry food typically meant for feeding large dog breeds like labs. The chicken and lamb meat offer double protein sources for the dog.
Nutrients such as DHA promote brain development while minerals like calcium and phosphorus enhance the development of lab’s bones.
The micro-nutrients in the dog food make them suitable for boosting the immune system of the dog from diseases or infection.
Some of the top ingredients of the dog food formula are lamb meal, ground brown rice, tomato pomace, flaxseed, and chicken meat.
Brothers Complete Turkey Meal & Egg Formula Advanced Allergy
This is another suitable food formula that is known to be the best dog food for labs with allergies. It does not contain any traces of grain and artificial flavors that trigger allergic reactions.
Instead, dog food contains nutrients that help to facilitate healthy growth and weight gain in furry friends. It has well-balanced proteins and fat content.
Some of the premium ingredients of the dog food are pastured animal meat, fruits, and vegetables. The omega three fatty acids promote healthy skin and coat.
Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain
The dog food formula is worth your money. It is the reason why it is regarded as the best dog food for labs for the money.
The food formula is grain free, and this makes them suitable for dogs with allergic problems. The dog food has some unique ingredients and nutrients that make it to top notch in the market.
Some of the main ingredients are salmon oil, turkey meat, turkey meal, beet pulp, peas, potatoes, and vegetables, among many others.
Lab Dog Food Advice
The search for the best dog food for the lab can be overwhelming for the owners. It is a journey that is full of so many challenges, like checking the quality and the ingredients.
Guess what?
We got your back covered. Here are some of the things to put into consideration when you’re in the hunt for the best dog for your lab. Let’s dive in:
Brand of the Food
Consider purchasing dog food from companies that value the health and well-being of your pooch. There are some companies out there that are a concern with profits but not your dog. This is common among big companies but not all of them. Pay attention to more beautiful things in each brand before buying.
Stomach Sensitivity
If your lab has historical records of having a sensitive stomach, then consider purchasing dog foods that are allergy friendly. Hypoallergenic dog foods are free from gluten and soy that happen to be common allergens.
Once you have identified the right food for your lab, then stick to it. It is an indication that he or she is thriving on it. Pay keen attention to the skin coat, weight gain, and stool of the dog before switching the food.
Nutritional Requirements
Dogs have different dietary needs depending on their age or breed. Adult dogs need more food as compared to puppies.
Ensure your lab has a well-balanced diet which will enhance healthy body weight. The nutritional needs for labs should contain an equal amount of protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
Labs are active dogs, so they will benefit a lot from dog foods that contain a high amount of proteins. The high energy food makes them more productive.
Final Thoughts
There is no exact routine of feeding your lab. All labs are different, and they happen to have different needs. Overweight lab dogs need less food, while the underweight lab dogs need more food.
Some lab dogs are allergic to different dog foods. Therefore, you need to examine your furry friend health and food requirement before feeding them.
According to our list of best dog food for labs, we recommend foods that have a decent amount of proteins that will foster optimal growth and weight gain.
Also, observe the eating habits of your pooch and if he is that dog that gobbles the whole food in the dish then never leave food in it.
If you’re planning to switch the food brand, then do it gradually. You can mix the food for some weeks before turning completely.
Giving your pooch an abrupt food switch, he or she is likely to experience digestion problem. Gradual transitioning provide a better food experience for your pooch.
Sources and References
- “10 FAQ’s About Dog Feeding Guidelines” Medic Animal.
- Katherine Kam. “Dog Nutrition for a Healthy Coat”
- “QUESTION / ANSWER” Fromm Family.
