The Best dog food for weimaraners is one that meets AAFCO nutritional requirements and uses natural or organic ingredients that are biologically appropriate for the breed. The exact food that’s best for your Weimaraner will depend in their phase of life and their unique health concerns.
In this article we look at the best dog foods for weimaraners at all life stages. We also recommend foods based on common health issues like allergies. But before we get into the actual recommendations, let’s take a closer look at the nutritional needs of the weimaraner dog breed.
Nutritional needs of weimaraners
Weimaraners aren’t picky eaters. Like other active large breed dogs Weimaraners should be fed dog food with moderately high protein. However the exact nutritional needs will vary a little throughout the life stages of a Weimaraner.
Nutritional needs of a weimaraner puppy
Weimaraner puppies grow faster than other smaller dog breeds. As result they will eat more food. It’s important that the puppy food for your weimaraner is high in protein and includes calcium as well as vitamins and minerals.
These nutrients will help fuel the bone and muscle growth of a weimaraner puppy. You also want a puppy food that’s lower in fat. As a rule of thumb for large breed puppy food, a good ratio protein to fat is 30% protein and 9% fat.
It’s also important that the protein in your weimaraner’s puppy food is a high quality protein. Some dog food brands use fillers in their food. These fillers are unhealthy ingredients that take the place of actual healthy ingredients.
Nutritional needs for adult weimaraner
The nutritional needs of adult weimaraners doesn’t differ much from the nutritional needs of smaller dogs, with a few caveats. Large and giant breed dogs are more affected by health issues such as obesity, bloat, and orthopedic disease. The risks for these health problems can be mitigated by a healthy diet of complete and balanced food.
Weimaraner owners will want to avoid food with high fat content. Protein is still an important part of an adult weimaraner’s diet, though the percentage of protein in adult food should be a bit lower than in puppy food.
A reputable large breed dog food formula should provide all the necessary nutrients for your Weimaraner. If you are ever in doubt about your weimaraner’s food you can always double check your dog’s diet with your vet.
Nutritional needs of senior weimaraner
Senior Weirmaraners will need at least 25% of their total calorie intake to come from protein. This is because the muscles of senior weimaraners lose mass overtime, and their bodies start to lose protein reserves. Even though there’s less muscle mass a senior Weimaraner still needs protein for their immune system.
A good senior dog food for weimaraners will also include increased fiber. Fiber helps with constipation and other digestive issues often experienced by older Weimaraners.
Recommended weimaraner diet
As you can see there is no one size fits all when it comes to the best dog food for weimaraners. The best dog food for your Weimaraner will depend on their age and any individual health concerns they might have.
In this article we’ll share recommended dog foods for weimaraners at each life stage. We’ll share some food options for specific diets or common health issues such as allergies and sensitive stomachs.
If you ever have any doubts or concerns remember to always consult your vet about the best diet for your Weimaraner!
Best Dog Foods for Weimaraners
Front of the Pack Air Dried Dog food
Best Overall Dog Food for Weimaraners
- Cage-free chicken
- Organic vegetables
- Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements
- Grain free & non-GMO
- Recipe crafted by veterinarians and animal nutritionists
Front of the Pack’s dog food is a high protein recipe augmented with organic vegetables, gluten free grains, and non-gmo oils. The recipe was crafted by a team of veterinarians, animal nutritionists, biochemists, and even a National Animal Supplement Council board member.
These experts formulated this dog food to provide the complete and balanced nutrients needed for a dog’s daily diet. Every ingredient in this recipe works toward supporting your dog’s general health. There’s absolutely no filler or shady ingredients here.
Front of the Pack uses a a state of the art air drying process to preserve the natural nutrients of animal protein while eliminating harmful bacteria. This means that Front of the Pack’s dog food has more naturally occurring nutrients than kibble and much less of the risk that comes with feeding a Weimaraner a raw diet.
You also don’t have to worry about this dog food going bad as it stays fresh for up to six months without refrigeration if unopened. Once the food has been opened is it is fresh for six weeks.
Needless to say, you’ll be hard pressed to find a food for weimaraners with better natural and balanced nutrition. When it comes to the optimal diet for adult weimaraners Front of the Pack is our top pick.
Wild Earth Complete Protein. Dog food
Best Plant based dog food for weimaraners
- Cruelty free
- Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements
- Includes prebiotics and natural fiber to support digestion
- Includes essential fatty acids like omega -3, -6, -9
- Sustainably produced
Wild Earth is one of the best regarded dog food brands in the plant based movement. Initially made famous by its appearance on Shark Tank, Wild Earth’s Complete protein Dog food provides dogs with essential nutrition within the framework a plant-based or vegan diet.
But don’t think that because this food is plant based it lacks something your dog’s body needs. This recipe is 31% crude protein and over 10% crude fat. In addition to a healthy ratio of protein and fat, Wild Earth also includes fiber and natural prebiotics to aid your dog in digestion.
Add in the fact that this dog food complies with the AAFCO’s nutritional requirements for dog food for maintenance, and that this food is cruelty free and sustainably produced, it’s hard not choose Wild Earth as the best dog food for weimaraners on a plant based diet.
We Feed Raw
Best Dog food for weimaraner raw food diet
- Sourced from human-grade USDA meats
- No artificial flavors or preservatives
- Meets AAFCO nutrition standards
- Made with a cold-pressure process to help eliminate harmful pathogens
Dog owners who keep dogs on raw diets know that it requires a lot of work to feed your pup with well balanced raw meals everyday. Each meal has to include the right ratio of muscle meat, organ meat, and bone. Trying to find all those ingredients and mixing them together isn’t easy.
We Feed Raw takes the pain and confusion out of the raw diet equation. Their meals are balanced and include the exact ratio of healthy meats and bone your Weimaraner needs. In fact all of their recipes are formulated by an animal nutritionist and meet AAFCO standards. The meat used by We Feed Raw is preservative free.
If you want to make the switch to a raw diet with your Weimaraner then We Feed Raw is the ideal choice. They even provide free cold shipping!
ORIJEN Senior Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Best dog food for senior weimaraner
- Healthy mix of animal protein including organs and bone
- Recipe formulated to support lean muscle mass
- 8% crude fiber
Orijen’s senior dog food recipe is designed for two things: to support lean muscle mass and weight maintenance for older dogs. This food uses a mix of whole animal ingredients to mimic a whole prey diet.
Given that the weimaraner was bred as a hunting dog, this type of food is biologically appropriate for the breed.
The high protein content will help senior Weimaraners maintain their muscle mass. This dog food is also made up of 8% crude fiber, which will also help your older dog with his or her digestion.
Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potatoes Recipe Dry Dog Food
Best Weimaraner Dog Food for allergies
- Salmon is the main ingredient
- No grains, chicken fat, or chicken meal
- Nutrient rich
This Salmon and Sweet potatoes recipe from Natural balance is a great food for weimaraners that have allergies. Typically allergies in Weimaraners are triggered by a specific protein.
This recipe includes a single protein: salmon. It’s also gluten free, soy free, and grain free. Even though the ingredients of this food are limited, the nutrition isn’t. The salmon along with sweet potatoes, flaxseed, and other natural ingredients ensure that your weimaraner gets a balanced meal even if they have allergies.
Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula
Best dog food for Weimaraner with sensitive stomach
- Live probiotics and prebiotic fiber to support digestion
- Omega fatty acids and healthy fats
- Nutrient rich recipe helps sensitive skin and stomach
- Wheat, soy, and corn free
This dry dog food is especially made to support a healthy immune system and good digestion. In addition to probiotics and prebiotic fiber there’s also healthy dose of omega fatty acids to support healthy joints and a vibrant coat, making this one of the best dog foods for weimaraners with sensitive stomachs.
American Journey Active Life Formula Large Breed Puppy Chicken, Brown Rice & Vegetables Recipe Dry Dog Food
Best dog food for weimaraner puppy
- Phosphorus and calcium to support healthy bone development
- Made with real deboned chicken
- Includes essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
- Formulated to large breed active puppies
American Journey’s Active Life large breed puppy formula is our pick as the best food for weimaraner puppies. This recipe targets the most important aspects of a weimaraner puppy’s development. There’s DHA and ARA (fatty acids that support brain and vision development), Calcium for bone growth, antioxidants, and all kinds of other nutrients weimaraner puppies need as they grow and become active dogs.
Weimaraner feeding guide
How much food should a Weimaraner eat?
A full grown weimaraner should eat around 4-5 cups of adult food a day. That being said, each Weimaraner is different and the exact amount can very from dog to dog. A weimaraner puppy will eat anywhere from 1 to 3 cups of puppy food each day, but this depends on gender, age, and weight.
Weimaraner feeding chart
Here’s a Weimaraner feeding chart to give you an idea of how much to feed your dog based on their weight.
| Body Weight | Cups of Food |
|---|---|
| 5 to 10 lbs | 1/2 – 1 |
| 10 to 20 lbs | 1 – 2 |
| 20 – 30 lbs | 1.5 – 2.5 |
| 30 – 50 lbs | 2.5 – 3 |
| 50 – 70+ lbs | 3 – 4 |
When in doubt about how much to feed your weimaraner it’s best to consult a vet.
How often should a Weimaraner eat?
Weimaraner puppies should eat about three or four times per day up until they are six months old. After six months you can start reducing the number of meals to twice a day. The important thing at this stage is to be consistent with your weimaraner’s feeding schedule.
An adult weimaraner dog should also eat two meals each day.
Note that feedings shouldn’t happen right after heavy exercise or play sessions. Give your weimaraner and their body time to calm down before feeding.
Should Weimaraners eat grain free food?
There is no medical evidence to prove that feeding your weimaraner a grain free diet has any inherent benefits over one that includes grain. However not all grains are created equal, and some are better for weimaraners that others.
Many experts suggest to avoid feeding your weimaraner high amounts of the following grains:
A healthy adult weimaraner doesn’t have to avoid eating legumes or peas altogether. Consult your veteranarian if you are unsure whether or not your weimaraner should be on a grain free diet.
Can Weimaraners eat raw meat?
There’s a bit of controversy in the pet community around whether or not its better when dogs eat a raw diet. On one hand some pet parents and veterinarians don’t recommend a raw diet because there’s a lack of evidence and research showing its benefits. They’re also quick to mention the higher risk of exposure to harmful bacteria and pathogens that comes with eating raw.
On the other hand supports of the raw diet claim their dogs (weimaraners included), show better joint health, a smaller stool, and healthier skin while eating biologically appropriate raw meals. Supports of the raw diet also point out that one reason there’s a lack of research on raw meat meals for dogs is because dog food research is usually funded by dry dog food companies. These brands have no incentive to support research on a diet that doesn’t include their dog foods.
There’s a lot that goes into a raw diet. You can’t just through your active weimaraner a slab of raw steak and call it a day. There are different meat types that need to be served in the right proportions, and there are some meat and bone types you shouldn’t feed your weimaraner at all.
If you’re considering a raw diet a food like We Feed Raw will be a good way to start as it’s already nutritionally balanced and goes through a cold press process to help eliminate harmful bacteria.
Do Weimaraners have food allergies?
Weimaraners have been known to develop food allergies. If you think your weimaraner has a food allergy it’s best to consult your vet or try to pinpoint the ingredient your dog is allergic to. Limited ingredient dog foods will help you discover the source of the allergy by process of elimination. There there are some allergies some common to weimaraners than others, these common allergies are goog starting point if you’re trying to figure out what your weimaraner is allergic to.
Common weimaraner allergies
Often times these allergies are triggered by grass or grains. In some cases though a weimaraner develop an allergic reaction to a protein as well. If your weimaraner is exhibiting signs of allergies it might be a good idea to try switching to a grain free feeding regime to start out.
