Best Dog Foods for Weimaraners
Weimaraners are large dogs weighing 55 to 90 pounds, with males standing 25 to 27 inches and females 23 to 25 inches tall.
They are prone to food allergies, skin problems, hip and elbow dysplasia, and bloat.
To manage food allergies, avoid common triggers like beef, dairy, chicken, lamb, fish, eggs, corn, wheat, and soy. Symptoms include itching, redness, hair loss, and skin infections.
Weimaraners need a balanced diet of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Puppies require at least 23% protein and 8% fat, while adults need 18% protein and 6% fat.
Senior Weimaraners benefit from a digestible, high-quality diet with lower calories. It’s essential to research and choose the right food, focusing on variety and quality to ensure optimal health for your Weimaraner.
Key considerations include understanding essential nutrients, proper feeding amounts, and reading dog food labels.
What are the six essential nutrients?
Here are six essential nutrients for dogs that help maintain overall health and wellness.
- Water: Comprising 70% to 80% of your Weimaraner’s body weight, water is vital for transporting nutrients, regulating body temperature, digesting food, and flushing waste. Dogs should drink about one ounce of water per pound of body weight daily.
- Proteins: Made of 23 amino acids, proteins build tissues. Dogs must obtain ten essential amino acids from their diet, so look for high-quality protein sources like whole meats and meat meals as the first ingredient.
- Fats: Essential fatty acids, like Omega-3 and Omega-6, provide energy and promote healthy skin and coat.
- Carbohydrates: Important for energy and digestion, carbohydrates come from plant sources like grains and vegetables, providing sugars, starches, and fiber.
- Vitamins: Necessary for growth and maintenance, vitamins support various bodily functions, including immune health.
- Minerals: Essential for bone formation, nerve function, and oxygen transport, minerals like calcium, iron, and zinc play vital roles in your dog’s health.
What to look for on your dog food labels
Food labels detail the ingredients and their percentage of essential nutrients.
Ingredients are listed by weight, with the first five accounting for 80% of the content. Understanding this list helps you make informed feeding choices.
The Guaranteed Analysis (GA) on the back provides the nutrient profile, including minimum crude protein, minimum crude fat, and maximum crude fiber, ensuring you know exactly what your dog is receiving in their diet.
The name game when decoding the label
The first five or ten ingredients on a dog food label indicate the quality of its contents.
Ideally, protein should be the first ingredient, and it should be real meat.
For instance, if a bag labeled “Beef Dog Food” lists beef first, it must constitute 95% of the product.
In contrast, if the label states “Beef Dinner,” “Beef Recipe,” or “Beef Flavor,” the beef content can be as low as 25%. This distinction is essential for ensuring that your Weimaraner receives the necessary protein for optimal health.
What Are Fillers?
Fillers in dog food are ingredients added to make dogs feel full but provide little nutritional value.
These bulky, starchy, and carbohydrate-rich components, like corn, wheat, rice, and unspecified by-products, are often cheap for manufacturers.
They may cause allergies or sensitivities in some dogs while being seen as healthy by others.
Best Dog Food for Weimaraners
- Best Overall Dry Dog Food: Merrick Real Chicken + Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food $79.98 per 30-lb bag ($2.67-lb)
- Best Overall Wet Dog Food: Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Plate Recipe Canned Food $39.36 per case of 12 x 12.7-oz cans ($3.28 per can)
- Best for Overall Health Maintenance: Wellness CORE Grain-Free Wild Game Recipe Dry Dog Food $74.99 per 26-lb bag ($2.88-lb)
- Best for Large Breeds: Canidae All Life Stages Dry Dog Food for Large Breeds $74.99 per 44-lb bag ($1.70-lb)
- Best for Senior Dogs: American Journey Senior Chicken and Sweet Potato Grain-Free Dry Dog Food $49.99 per 24-lb bag ($2.08-lb)
- Best Price-Effective: Diamond Naturals Beef Meal and Rice Dry Dog Food $40.99 40-lb bag ($1.04-lb)
Merrick Real Chicken + Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food
Merrick Real Chicken + Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food is an excellent-quality, grain-free option with deboned chicken as the first ingredient.
It has no artificial ingredients or allergens like corn, wheat, or soy. Ideal for active breeds like Weimaraners, it provides balanced nutrition with high protein and quality fats.
- First 5 Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein 30% min, Crude Fat 17% min, Crude Fiber 3.5% Max
- Calories: 388 kcal per 8-oz cup
- Suitable for which dogs: Large breed adult dogs
- Feeding: one 8-oz cup of food for every 25 pounds of its body weight
- Key Benefits: Includes glucosamine and chondroitin to help maintain healthy hips and joints through your dog’s active adult life and help prevent chronic arthritis-related pain in its golden years.
- Price: $79.98 per 30-lb bag ($2.67-lb)
Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Plate Recipe Canned Food
Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Plate Beef Recipe Canned Food is a top-quality wet food with balanced protein, fat, and carbs.
It features deboned beef, beef broth, and beef liver, along with DHA for cognitive development.
Free of artificial ingredients, it’s ideal for puppies prone to food allergies.
- First 5 Ingredients: Deboned Beef, Beef Broth, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Apples
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein 8% min, Crude Fat 3% min, Crude Fiber 3% Max
- Calories: 348 kcal per 12.7-oz can
- Suitable for which dogs: Puppies of all breeds are prone to food allergies.
- Feeding: one 12.7-oz can for every 10 pounds of the puppy’s body weight.
- Key Benefit: This beef recipe offers pups the protein they need to thrive, while Merrick’s limited-ingredient recipe is free of ingredients like chicken, corn, wheat, and soy, creating peak hypoallergenic nutrition.
- Price: $39.36 per case of 12 x 12.7-oz cans ($3.28 per can)
Wellness CORE Grain-Free Wild Game Recipe Dry Dog Food
Wellness CORE Grain-Free Wild Game Recipe is a high-quality dog food with excellent protein, fat, and carb balance.
Free of artificial preservatives, fillers, and grains, it includes premium meats like duck, turkey, and rabbit.
This nutrient-rich formula promotes lean muscle and skin health, ideal for large breeds like Weimaraners.
- First 5 Ingredients: Duck, Lamb Meal (source of Glucosamine), Chickpeas, Chicken Meal (source of Chondroitin Sulfate), Peas
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein 34% min, Crude Fat 16% min, Crude Fiber 6% Max
- Calories: 379 kcal per 8-oz cup
- Suitable for which dogs: All breeds from small Border Terriers to Giants like Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs and large breeds like Weimaraners.
- Feeding: one 8-oz cup of food for every 25 pounds of its body weight.
- Key Benefits: Features high-protein duck, lamb, turkey, wild boar, rabbit, and easily digestible legumes formulated for dogs with food sensitivities.
- Price: $74.99 per 26-lb bag ($2.88-lb)
Canidae All Life Stages Dry Dog Food for Large Breed
CANIDAE All Life Stages Turkey Meal & Rice Formula is a high-quality, low-priced dry dog food.
Free of controversial ingredients and artificial additives, it provides excellent protein and fat content.
Ideal for large, active dogs like Weimaraners, it offers nutrient-dense support for their high-energy needs.
- First 5 Ingredients: Turkey Meal, Brown Rice, Peas, Oatmeal, Barley
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein 24% min, Crude Fat 13% min, Crude Fiber 4.5% Max
- Calories: 516 kcal per 8-oz cup
- Suitable for which dogs: All active breeds, from your Weimaraner to the little Scottish Terrier and the massive Neapolitan Mastiff.
- Feeding: one 8-oz cup of food for every 25 pounds of its body weight.
- Key Benefit: Veterinarian-formulated specifically for large breed dogs of all ages.
- Price: $74.99 per 44-lb bag ($1.70-lb)
American Journey Senior Chicken and Sweet Potato Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
American Journey Senior Chicken & Sweet Potato Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is a nutrient-rich option for senior dogs.
With real chicken as the first ingredient, it supports brain, joint, and immune health.
Free from grains, corn, and soy, it’s ideal for dogs with food sensitivities. Highly recommended for large breed seniors.
- First 5 Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal (a source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate), Turkey Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein 30% min, Crude Fat 11% min, Crude Fiber 7% max.
- Calories: 355 kcal per 8-oz cup
- Suitable for which dogs: Large breeds like Weimaraners, Samoyed Huskies, and Airedale Terriers.
- Feeding: one 8-oz cup of food for every 25 pounds of its body weight
- Key benefit: Promotes lean muscle maintenance and joint health in senior dogs with animal protein, chondroitin sulfate, and glucosamine.
- Price: $49.99 per 24-lb bag ($2.08-lb)
Diamond Naturals Beef Meal and Rice Dry Dog Food
Diamond Naturals Beef Meal and Rice Dry Dog Food is a budget-friendly, good-quality option.
It contains real beef, fish protein, fruits, and vegetables, with no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.
While it has high carbs, it offers excellent meat and fat quality, earning our best-for-budget recommendation.
- First 5 Ingredients: Beef Meal, Grain Sorghum, Ground White Rice, Dried Yeast, Egg Product
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein 25% min, Crude Fat 15% min, Crude Fiber 3.5% Max
- Calories: 399 kcal per 8-oz cup
- Suitable for which dogs: Grain-sensitive Adult breed dogs like Dalmatians and Weimaraners
- Feeding: one 8-oz cup of food for every 25 pounds of its body weight.
- Key Benefit: With real pasture-raised beef protein as the #1 ingredient, this recipe helps support bones, joints, and lean, strong muscles.
- Price: $40.99 40-lb bag ($1.04-lb)
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula Dry Dog Food
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula is a low-priced, good-quality dog food with no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.
Although it contains ocean fish meal of unspecified origin, it’s not a major ingredient. Despite this, we recommend this formula for Weimaraner puppies.
- First 5 Ingredients: Water Buffalo, Lamb Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Egg Product, Pea Protein
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein 28% min, Crude Fat 17% min, Crude Fiber 5% max.
- Calories: 415 kcal per 8-oz cup
- Suitable for which dogs: All breed puppies with food sensitivities.
- Feeding: one 8-oz cup of food for every 25 pounds of its body weight
- Key Benefit: Made without grains, corn, wheat, artificial flavors, or artificial colors
- Price: $55.99 per 28-lb bag ($2.00-lb)
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Dry Dog Food
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe is an affordable dry dog food made with real meat, whole grains, veggies, and fruits.
It has no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors and is free of corn, wheat, soy, or poultry by-product meals, making it ideal for dogs with allergies.
- First 5 Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Barley, Oatmeal
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein 24% min, Crude Fat 14% min, Crude Fiber 5% Max
- Calories: 377kcal per 8-oz cup
- Suitable for which dogs: All breeds predisposed to food allergies, like Weimaraners and Huskies.
- Feeding: one 8-oz cup of food for every 25 pounds of its body weight.
- Key Benefit: Blue Buffalo Basics is a limited-ingredient, grain-free dog food that doesn’t contain any chicken, beef, corn, wheat, soy, dairy, or eggs, making it a good option for dogs with food sensitivities.
- Price: $40.00 per 30-lb bag ($1.33-lb)
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Senior Dry Dog Food
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Senior Dry Dog Food is designed for senior large breeds, featuring real chicken for protein, glucosamine, and chondroitin for joint health, and essential antioxidants.
Made with non-GMO ingredients and free from common allergens, it offers decent nutrition at an affordable price, though it’s higher in carbs.
- First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal (source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate), Whole Grain Brown Rice, Brewers Rice
- Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein 22% min, Crude Fat 10% min, Crude Fiber 4% max.
- Calories: 304 kcal per 8-oz cup
- Suitable for which dogs: Senior dogs of all breeds like Weimaraners, Basset Hounds, and German Shepherds.
- Feeding: one 8-oz cup of food for every 25 pounds of its body weight
- Key Benefit: Made without ingredients that commonly cause food sensitivities in pets, like corn, wheat, and soy.
- Price: $49.49 per 30-lb bag ($1.65-lb)
What You Should Consider While Buying Dog Foods for Weimaraners?
Weimaraners thrive on a high-quality diet that meets their nutritional needs while addressing their food allergy tendencies. Suitable options include:
- Kibble Diet: Processed and balanced dry food containing essential proteins, fats, carbs, vitamins, and minerals. It meets legal nutritional requirements.
- Raw Diet: Includes organ meat, muscle meat, and vegetables. Variants include freeze-dried, dehydrated, BARF, and PMR. Consult a nutritionist before feeding raw.
- Home-Cooked Diet: Custom meals with proteins and veggies, supplemented to meet nutritional needs, overseen by a veterinary nutritionist.
Health Considerations:
- Skin Allergies: Often linked to food, manifesting in hot spots, ear infections, and digestion issues.
- Obesity: Preventable with portion control; overfeeding can lead to joint issues, heart disease, and life-threatening bloat.
What Ingredients Should You Avoid in Dog Food for Weimaraners?
Not all dog food ingredients are safe for your Weimaraner. Some offer little nutritional value, while others may pose serious health risks. Here are key ingredients to avoid:
- BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole): A preservative linked to cancer, it can cause liver and kidney damage.
- White Flour: Stripped of nutrients, it can spike blood sugar levels and contribute to obesity.
- Unspecified Meals: These could contain low-quality or even rotten meat, serving only as cheap fillers.
- Artificial Colors/Flavors: Harmful additives with no nutritional value, linked to allergic reactions.
- Corn Syrup: This cheap sweetener can lead to diabetes and obesity.
- Rendered Fat: Poor-quality fat that may harbor harmful microorganisms.
- Farmed Salmon: Often contaminated with toxins and less nutritious than wild salmon.
- Melamine: A plastic filler that can cause kidney failure, previously responsible for a major pet food recall.
Inspect labels carefully to keep your Weimaraner safe and healthy.
Should Weimaraners Avoid Grain?
While not all Weimaraners need to avoid grains, those with grain allergies should be cautious.
However, since the breed is predisposed to food-related allergies, it’s essential to consult a vet before choosing grain-free options. Here are some healthy grains and those to avoid:
Healthy Grains:
- Whole Wheat: Rich in fiber, it nourishes gut bacteria.
- Brown Rice: Offers fiber, B vitamins, and minerals like magnesium and selenium.
- Barley: High in energy and fiber, particularly in its non-hulled form (barley groats).
- Oats: Low glycemic and high in protein, ideal for sensitive dogs.
- Millet: Gluten-free and rich in antioxidants.
- Quinoa: Nutrient-dense and contains calcium, though it has minimal saponin.
- Sorghum: Low glycemic and rich in minerals and antioxidants.
- Rye: Beneficial for weight control, but not suitable for gluten-sensitive dogs.
- Corn: Controversial; while some dogs are allergic, it provides digestible carbohydrates and essential fatty acids.
Grains to Avoid:
- Grain By-Products: Often manufacturing waste with little nutritional value.
- Wheat Gluten: A cheap protein source that can cause allergies.
- Corn Gluten Meal: Poorly digestible protein by-product.
- Wheat Middlings: Low nutritional value, often considered “floor sweepings.”
- Cereal Fines: Unknown origin and nutritional value.
- Grain Hulls: By-products with limited nutritional benefits compared to whole grains.
Selecting whole grains over by-products ensures a healthier diet for your Weimaraner.
