How to Make My Pitbull Gain Weight and Muscle

By Coty Perry

There are three primary ways to help your pitbull gain muscle, they are:

  1. Feed your pitbull a high protein diet consisting of real meat as the first ingredient.
  2. Consider using supplements for joint and digestive health where needed.
  3. Allow your pitbull plenty of exercise and work in weight training activities.

For years I had an undersized pitbull and while I never worried about their health, I always wondered how to make your pitbull gain weight and muscle. 

After a lot of research and multiple trips to the vet, I discovered that the best way to help them gain muscle is through proper nutrition and exercise. Go figure, right? 

But in reality, don’t worry if you think your pitbull is smaller or leaner than they should be, this breed comes in many shapes and sizes. 

Here are some of the things you can do to help them bulk up. 

How Can I Bulk up My Pitbull Naturally?

The solution to making your pitbull muscular has three parts. This information is not new and it’s likely nothing you haven’t heard before. 

One difference is that I’m going to dive a little deeper than you likely have in the past to help you better understand the components of your bullies diet to see if you can figure out what may be lacking. 

Diet 

Pitbulls require a lot of protein because they’re an active breed and it’s important that they get enough protein to grow and repair muscles. 

Protein is also an important aspect of their immune system so they’ll need it to keep their joints and bones strong as they age. In fact, the younger your dog is, the more protein their body requires. 

In most cases a proper diet for pit bulls contains at least 40% protein. This can be difficult at times so that’s why it’s important to feed your pitbull a premium dog food to help them build muscle mass. Bully Max dog food is one brand that is well known for having the right mix of protein for pit bulls.

Beyond protein, they also crave healthy fats. Fat might seem like a bad component for us but most dog breeds need it because they’re so active and it also helps with digestion. Fat is important when recovering from injury or even when resting after a long day of play. 

Carbohydrates have also received a lot of criticism over the years but there is still no research stating that grain is bad for dogs. As a result, your pitbull should be eating around 30% carbohydrates from great sources such as healthy grains and vegetables. 

It’s crucial to understand that pitbulls actually suffer from a wide array of digestive issues. This is something their breed is known for and it can require a grain-free diet in many cases. This is one of the only situations where we would specifically recommend going grain-free without being directly told to by a veterinarian. 

Beyond the nutritional value of of the dog food you feed your pitbull, you also want to be conscious of how many meals per day you are feeding them. A larger number of small meals will help your dog achieve an anabolic muscle building state, which will help them when bulking up.

Supplements

If you’re happy with the dog food you’re feeding your pit bull, that’s okay too. You don’t need to get rid of everything and start from scratch. In some cases, throwing some extra supplements into your dog’s food can help them bulk up into a muscular dog. 

Glucosamine is one of the most important supplements for dogs joints and this is especially true for pitbulls because they’re prone to hip problems. The supplement comes in many forms so it’s easy to incorporate into your dog’s diet. 

Probiotics that aid in digestion are also important because digestion plays a major role in your pitbulls weight and muscle. If they’re digesting regularly and eating a healthy diet, they’ll feel better. When they feel better, they’ll experience more and grow bigger and stronger. 

Exercise

The last piece of the puzzle is exercise and this is a no-brainer. You know your pitbull needs exercise to get ripped and if they’re gaining all the healthy nutrients and fat from the dog food and supplements, they’ll be ready to turn that into bulky muscle. 

Running, dog sleds, weight pulling, and more are all great activities for a pitbull. Since this breed performs actual weight lifting activities, it’s just another reason why everything starts and ends with their diet. 

What to Feed a Pitbull to Get Bigger

When it comes to dog foods, the most important thing to look at are the ingredients. You want to make sure real meat is always the first ingredient in any dog food you give to your pit bull.

How to Build Pitbull Jaw Muscle

Strong and durable chew toys are the best way to build a pitbulls jaw. Tug of war when interacting and independent chew toys when you’re not will help them strengthen their jaw and increase their bite. 

How Can I Make My Pitbulls Neck Bigger?

Unfortunately, a lot of sites out there will tell you to pile chains around their neck and have them run around, we don’t condone that type of activity here. Allow your pitbull to develop as naturally as possible by doing the things they love. Do not force them to do things that could cause irreversible damage like this. You want to give your pitbull the exercise they need, without overdoing it.

Exercises to build your dog’s muscles

Some of the best exercises for pitbulls to build muscle are: 

  • Weight pull training (such weight sleds)
  • Sprints
  • Spring pole

These three exercises are safe, humane, and fun for your dog too! It’s like the dog equivalent to high intensity cardio training.

Final Thoughts 

Pit bull breeds are fun, energetic, and loving breeds but they require a lot of careful diet planning and exercise routines. It’s important for dog owners to understand that. 

The best way to ensure they gain proper weight and start building muscle is by feeding them the best dog food you can find that’s rich in protein. It doesn’t matter if it’s store bought dog food or homemade dog food, as long as it has the proper components of a muscle building diet Good luck! 

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AUTHOR
Coty Perry
Coty is a self-proclaimed cat whisperer and animal lover. Growing up his mom ran a dog training business out of his childhood home so you can say it was complete chaos 24/7. Today, when he comes home after a long day of writing about animals, he’s greeted by his two loving cats Marley and Cozmo.