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In this guide we’ll take a look at the best dog food for Boxers.
We’ve compared the quality of ingredients, nutritional information, and value for money.
Our top recommended Boxer dog food is Taste of the Wild High Prairie.
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Boxers are known for being intelligent, loyal and of course full of energy! Unfortunately, they are prone to some health conditions. Here’s some general advice on choosing a diet to support your Boxer’s health.
Of course, all dogs are unique, so your vet remains the best person to advise you on the best nutrition for your pup’s individual needs.
Since large breeds are slower to mature than small breeds, Boxer puppies will benefit from a large breed puppy food until they are around 15 months old. This will support a good rate of growth (not too fast).
Amongst other things, Boxers are prone to skin allergies and skin fold dermatitis. This means sore, inflamed skin in the skin folds around their face. Choosing a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) can help to support healthy skin and a healthy coat.
Boxers are athletic, so need a high quality, highly digestible protein to support healthy muscles.
Sadly, Boxers are prone to hip dysplasia, where the hip joint doesn’t fit together smoothly. This leads to arthritis. Diets enriched with glucosamine, chondroitin or omega-3 fatty acids can help to support their joints.
Whilst not all Boxers will experience heart problems, the breed is prone to cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle). Some Boxer-specific diets are enriched with antioxidants and vitamins specifically chosen to support a healthy heart, such as taurine, EPA and DHA.
There is a great selection of diets available for your Boxer. Some kibble shapes are even specifically designed to suit a Boxer’s short muzzle and tendency to an underbite!
All of our dog food suggestions are carefully selected by professionals. We extensively research the products to check if they’ve been approved by governing bodies before making recommendations. You can read more about our stringent review standards here. And remember, always consult your veterinarian first, before changing your dog’s food.
Taste of the Wild High Prairie offers Boxer owners an exceptional quality food at a price that is easily affordable for most families. A diet that is completely free from grains, this food takes buffalo as its primary ingredient, a novel protein that is lean and easy for dogs to digest. Since buffalo is a not often seen protein in dog foods, it is unlikely to trigger an allergic reaction in Boxers that suffer from food-related allergies.
Often rated among the best dog foods for Boxers, Taste of the Wild High Prairie bases its carbohydrate content on fruits and vegetables that are rich in fiber and antioxidants. These super foods provide a vital help in encouraging good digestion and a healthy immune system.
In addition to being grain-free, this diet contains no corn, wheat, filler, artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. A powerful probiotic has been added to assist with establishing healthy gut flora.
Nulo Freestyle Grain-Free Adult is a top tier diet that has been optimized to encourage health and wellness in working breeds like the Boxer. A diet that is free from grains, Nulo Freestyle Grain-Free Adult is protein-rich, including salmon, menhaden fish meal, and turkey meal as its primary ingredients. This emphasis on lean proteins ensures ample amounts of amino acids to support a healthy body.
Probiotics have been added to this diet, considered to be one of the best dog foods for Boxers, to boost digestive health.
Halo Holistic Adult is an exceptional food formulation that has been designed to meet the nutritional needs of active breeds like the Boxer. This diet places a high emphasis on easily digestible proteins, taking chicken and chicken liver as its two main ingredients. These meats are rich in amino acids to support healthy muscles in the athletic Boxer.
A grain-inclusive formula, Halo Holistic Adult includes whole grains, fruits, and vegetables in its recipe to ensure a well-rounded approach to nutrition. Each ingredient was selected for its abundance of fiber and antioxidants to assist with fluid digestive processing and a thriving immune system.
A supplement blend known as DreamCoat has been included in this diet, considered to be one of the best dog foods for Boxers on the market today, to provide support for coat and skin health.
Halo Holistic Adult contains no artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
For a diet that offers exceptional nutrition at a reasonable price point, it’s hard to go wrong with Merrick Backcountry Freeze-Dried Raw. This top shelf food formulation is rich in fish-based proteins such as salmon, whitefish, and trout. This selection of proteins provides a wide base of nutrients to ensure coat and skin health and fuel for strong energy reserves in the active Boxer.
A diet that is well-renowned for its exceptional flavor, Merrick Backcountry Freeze-Dried Raw includes both freeze-dried meat pieces and kibble in its recipe, increasing its taste for dogs to enjoy. A grain-free diet, this food includes fruits and vegetables that are rich in both antioxidants and fiber to lay a good foundation for good digestion and strong immunity.
One of the best dog foods for Boxers on the market today, Merrick Backcountry Freeze-Dried Raw is free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. To help boost joint functionality, glucosamine and chondroitin have been included in this formula.
FirstMate LID Grain-Free, a diet considered to be among the best dog foods for Boxers, is comprised of top tier ingredients to support optimal health and wellness in this hearty working breed. This food formulation contains only one protein: ocean fish meal, a meat blend that is rich in the essential fatty acids Boxers need to fuel their energy levels and encourage coat and skin health.
A diet that has been carefully formulated to be easily digestible and free from common allergens, FirstMate LID Grain-Free makes use of fruits and vegetables that are nutrient-dense to form the basis of its carbohydrate content. This diet is often used alongside elimination diets to help owners determine which foods their Boxer may be expressing a sensitivity to. Its recipe contains no corn, wheat, or soy, foods that are common allergens for many dogs.
The Boxer is a goofball at heart with its comical, playful ways. A dog breed that has energy to spare, the Boxer has a natural exuberance for life and takes great delight in getting up to mischief. A breed that enjoys a long puppyhood, the Boxer does not reach full maturity until age three.
A breed that is innately intelligent, the Boxer is a dog that remains on high alert. The breed is naturally exceptionally brave but also possesses a very social side. A deeply loving family companion, the Boxer craves quality time with those it loves most; however, this breed can be challenging to train due to an obstinate streak.
The Boxer is a natural with children with whom it displays a gentle tenderness. The breed does require regular daily exercise to remain physically and mentally content.
This distinctive and elegant breed traces its roots to Germany and takes its name from its unique play style which is reminiscent of a boxing or batting of the paws.
While the Boxer is typically a very healthy breed, they can be prone to both allergies and bloat. Allergies can be environmental or food-related, but owners can work alongside their veterinarian to determine an effective treatment plan.
As a large breed dog, the Boxer can be predisposed to developing the life threatening condition known as bloat. Experts agree that it is not known what factors must combine for a dog to succumb to this problem; however, it is generally believed that eating too much or too rapidly may contribute to it. For this reason, it Is best to feed the Boxer a food designed for dogs its size as it will encourage the dog to eat at a slower pace; hopefully, thwarting the possibility of bloat.
The best dog foods for Boxers contain a minimum of 18 percent protein and 5 percent fat. Though this active breed is not known for becoming overweight, it Is still recommended that the Boxer not be free fed.
Since the Boxer is a natural born athlete with energy to spare, this breed requires a diet that can fuel its high activity level. Determining how much of a food to feed the Boxer can be almost as challenging as selecting the right kind. The best dog foods for Boxers list suggested serving sizes on their packaging. Owners can use these as a starting point with adjustments made until the correct portion size is found.
The Boxer’s daily meals should be carefully measured. To ensure a healthy body condition, this breed’s intake, including both meals and treats, should be monitored.
The Boxer requires meat in its diet in order to maintain optimal health and wellness. The best dog foods for Boxers include either a whole meat or meat meal as their first ingredient. By-products are derived from less desirable portions of an animal and can be difficult for the Boxer to digest. It is recommended that foods that base their formula on these items be avoided.
Soy, corn, and wheat, the most common plant-based proteins, are allergens for many dogs including the Boxer. It is best to leave foods with these ingredients in their recipe on the shelf. In addition to this, other ingredients to avoid include chemicals, additives, fillers, preservatives, artificial flavors, and colors.
Carbohydrates help the Boxer to enjoy good digestion and a healthy immune system. Boxers that have previously expressed sensitivities to grains may do best on a grain-free diet; otherwise, the carbohydrates in a food can come from fruits, vegetables, or whole grains. Of utmost importance in any included carbohydrate is its abundance of antioxidants and fiber.
From healthy fats, the Boxer is able to enjoy strong energy reserves and excellent coat and skin health. These fats are best found in animal sources and include such foods as chicken fat and oily fish. However, the plant-based oils coconut, canola, and safflower also offer ample servings of these vital nutrients.
Diets containing supplements offer additional health benefits for the Boxer. The most beneficial supplements to look for in a food include prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in the best dog food for a Boxer:
Boxers are carnivores, and thus, do best on a diet that lists a meat as its primary ingredient. Whole meats and meat meals are the ideal options. By-products and plant-based proteins such as corn, wheat, and soy are not of sufficient nutritional quality to meet the Boxer’s needs and should be avoided.
Chemicals, fillers, artificial flavorings and colorings, and mystery ingredients provide no nutritional benefit to the Boxer. Diets which include any of these items in their formulation are undesirable for this breed and can lead to skin issues or future allergic reactions.
Supplements help a diet to work its most effectively. The ideal supplements for the Boxer include prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
All foods appropriate for the Boxer should bear the AAFCO seal of approval, indicating it meets the standards for a complete and balanced food.
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