The american pit bull terrier is a breed that originated in the United States at the end of the 19th century, through crossbreeding of bulldog-type dogs with terriers. These dogs have unique characteristics that make it advisable to take care of certain aspects of their diet, which in other breeds are not so important.
If you want to know how a pitbull should be fed, here, on our site, we give you some basic tips so you know what is the best food for a puppy or adult pitbull. Keep reading!
Feeding the American Pit Bull Terrier
As has been mentioned, pitbulls come from crosses between old bulldog-type dogs with some breeds of terriers, to give them more agility in fights, which, unfortunately, were one of the purposes of the breed in its origins.
As the Pit Bull is a dog that needs robust conformation and good muscle development, it needs higher protein levels than dogs of other breeds. On the other hand, the diet of pit bulls should also be formulated to prevent joint problems
These characteristics are similar to those of other breeds such as the American Staffordshire Terrier (which has a common origin) or the Staffordshire Bull Terrier (originally from the United Kingdom, smaller than the previous ones), so the feeding of these can follow similar principles.
Feeding a Pit Bull Puppy
As with other breeds, until approximately month and a half or two months of life, the puppies feed on breast milk, although after a month they can begin to eat some solid foods.
The transition from being exclusively milk-based to eating solid foods is called weaning and it is from then on, and not before, when it is advisable to take in the animal.
If, for some reason, you have had no choice but to adopt a lactating pit bull, it is recommended to give him specific milk formula for dogs, which is specifically formulated for the canine species and is more advisable than cow's or goat's milk
Introduction to solid food
As of one month of life, while still drinking milk, the animal can begin to be presented dry feed or wet food, specific for young puppies, and see the reaction of the animal, but without forcing it to eat.
With two months of life, the puppy should already have given up milk and started eating dry food. At first it may be helpful to moisten the feed with water or broth (without onion and without s alt) so that you find it more comfortable to eat or more appetizing, although this not usually necessary.
Food for pitbull puppy
Thereafter, and until approximately one year of the animal's life, a specific feed must be provided for young animals or puppies, to medium or medium/large breed dogs (this varies depending on the brand of food), and follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding daily ration and frequency of meals. You'll find it labeled as puppy food or " puppy".
However, ad libitum feeding, also known as ad libitum, which involves keeping the animal's feeder permanently full, does not is a poor choice in pitbull puppies.
In any case, especially in younger puppies, it is preferable that they eat too much than that they suffer from nutritional deficiencies that can negatively affect their development.
On the other hand, since pit bulls are dogs with the specific needs that have been pointed out, in the puppy's development stage it is advisable to provide a high-quality feed quality.
Feeding an adult pit bull
Regarding the frequency and quantity of food, it is important to follow the manufacturer's instructions. In general, adult dogs can be fed once a day, however, in pit bulls it is advisable to distribute the amount of food in two feedings (or even three), to prevent them from eating a large amount of food at one time.
I think for an adult pitbull
On the other hand, a specific feed should be supplied for medium or large breeds, since, first of all, they have a small size of kibble appropriate to the size of the animal (thus preventing them from eating too quickly) and, secondly, they are formulated to prevent certain problems that can appear in large dogs (such as joint problems).
The amount that should be given to an adult pit bull should be that recommended by the manufacturer of the pit bull, although it may be somewhat higher in some cases. specimens with high physical activity. We recommend checking the product packaging to ensure that the amount we offer is adequate.
Also, as pit bulls are very active animals, in some cases it could be beneficial to provide a specific food rich in energy, for dogs of great activity, but this should only be done if the animal exercises regularly. Otherwise, you could appear overweight, because energy feeds provide a lot of calories.
As has been pointed out, it is important that the feed given to the pitbull has adequate levels of protein (it should not drop 25%), and it is interesting that this protein is of high quality, easily assimilated by the animal's organism.
On the other hand, it is more beneficial for the protein to come from meat than from meat by-products. This can be known by looking at the label of the feed, where the ingredients are reflected. It is very important to know the composition of the dog food to know if it really is a suitable product or not.
Are there other diets for a pit bull?
Not all owners consider feed to be a good option. That's because you can't control the quantity or quality of food, which is why many people opt for the BARF diet or ACBA (acronym for Raw Food Biologically Appropriate) or by the homemade diets, lightly cooked
These are two options that will help us better control the origin of our dog's food, but they must be supervised by a professionalto ensure that the dog does not suffer nutritional deficiencies.
As we have seen, by following a few simple feeding guidelines it is easy to ensure that your pitbulldog stays he althy, vital and can develop everything the potential of this wonderful breed.
