7 Best Weight Loss Dog Foods For Beagles
If you have a Beagle that has gained weight, you’re probably anxious to find the best weight loss dog food that will help him lose those extra pounds. Beagles tend to gain weight easily. They are stocky by nature and not a pooch that demands a ton of activity, especially as they age. Beagles are also highly motivated by food, and I doubt there are many Beagles that have ever turned down a meal.
What are the best weight loss dog foods for Beagles?
Here are the seven best weight loss dog foods for your Beagle:
- Blue Buffalo Life Protection Healthy Weight
- Hills Prescription Diet
- Pedigree Healthy Weight
- IAMS Adult Healthy Weight Control
- Purina Pro Plans Adult Weight Management
- Nutro Ultra Essentials Healthy Weight
- Nom Nom
We all know that weight loss can be complicated. We know the formula: “calories in must equal calories out.” The more calories we consume, the more we need to burn. But, just like us humans, this isn’t always as easy as it sounds for our dogs.
Food is fuel for them and they don’t know how to count calories or track their steps on a watch. They need our help, and we need to know what kind of help they need and when.
I’ve been a dog owner and lover all my life. And I know, just like for myself, once one of my furry friends puts on some pounds, it can be a challenge to get them off. But I also know it’s important for their overall happiness, health, and longevity.
I’ve spent some time researching the top dog foods that will help your Beagle get to and stay at a healthy weight.
Beagles are terrific pets. They are friendly, super smart, easy to care for, and just overall great family dogs. But, these little guys love to eat!
Fueling up is inherent to their genetics. Beagles were bred to be hunting dogs and therefore know they need calories to perform at their peak. Beagles are also joyful dogs that find joy in everything they do – eating included!
Beagle lovers have no interest in changing their four-legged friend’s personalities. We just need to help ensure they stay at a healthy weight so we can have them in our lives for a good long while.
1. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Healthy Weight
Cost: $2.20/pound
Blue Buffalo is a company known for its commitment to quality dog foods and has a whole line of different formulas designed for dogs with specific dietary needs, including weight management, like this one. Blue Buffalo is not only proud of the ingredients they put into their foods, but also of what they don’t.
Started as a way to make healthier food for their dog, Blue, the makers of Blue Buffalo dog foods believe in making products that contain high-quality ingredients and that are all real meat-based.
They don’t use soy products, corn, or wheat, all fillers that can add unnecessary pounds to your pooch.
They also stay away from artificial flavors and preservatives and stick with high grains and proteins as well as foods that are rich in fiber and antioxidants, like carrots, blueberries, and flax seeds.
Do some of these ingredients sound like things your Beagle is going to turn away from? Based on thousands of reviews and its bestseller status, it sounds like that isn’t the case. Dogs love the chicken & rice flavor and clearly appreciate the freshness of this food
And, as vets are now recommending foods with high protein and grains for weight loss and management, Blue Buffalo is a good choice if your Beagle needs quality over quantity to help him maintain a healthy weight.
2. Hill’s Prescription Diet
Cost: $3.82/pound
For a Beagle who is at a weight that is starting to be more than just a bit of excess, but is actually concerning, Hill’s Prescription Diet is a highly effective choice for your pet.
With a variety of flavors, such as lamb, chicken, or tuna, your Beagle won’t be wondering where the taste went when you switch him to a food like Hill’s Prescription.
With ingredients that are highly digestible but also high in protein, pups with some significant extra pounds will feel full longer, a key factor especially important for Beagles, who really like to eat.
Hills claims that when pet owners switch their overweight pooch to their weight loss specific formula, more than 88% of dogs will lose weight within two months and that by keeping your Beagle on this brand, you’ll be able to keep that weight off.
The real question remains…will my Beagle like it? Based on all the reviews, most dogs take to Hill’s well, and doggie owners say that the food smells good and has appealing textures – something we all look for when choosing what we are going to eat.
3. Pedigree Healthy Weight
Cost: $1.24/pound
Pedigree has long been a name in the dog food world and with good reason. Their products are of high quality, have withstood the test of time, and are cost-effective. Pedigree is synonymous with happy dogs, and budget-conscious owners.
For particularly picky Beagles, I included the Pedigree Healthy Weight wet dog food as an option if your buddy is really stubborn about not wanting to switch foods.
Wet dog foods oftentimes have the added benefit of being a bit more flavorful than dry ones, and there is something about the stronger smell that can be attractive to even the most reluctant Beagle.
Pedigree Healthy Weight comes in a variety of flavors: chicken and rice, beef and liver. Since its price point is low, you won’t be wasting money if you need to try a few different flavors before finding the one that your Beagle finds satisfactory (and satisfying!)
Though it’s low in calories and fat, this canned option is still high in protein and flavor, making it a great option for your overweight Beagle.
4. IAMS Adult Healthy Weight Control
Cost: $1.64/pound
When you think of high-quality, customized dog foods, IAMS is a name that repeatedly comes to mind. IAMS was among the first dog food companies to recognize the need to feed our pets high-quality, protein-based foods.
IAMS sees dogs as who they are – carnivores. And with that came their line of highly popular pet products with a ton of options, based on your doggy’s needs.
IAMS Adult Dry Dog Food for Healthy Weight is a great choice when contemplating switching your Beagle to a food that will help them shed unwanted pounds. Its main ingredients are chicken and egg, both of which give your guy a good serving of lean protein. It also contains a good amount of fiber and probiotics, both ingredients that help with digestion and keep your Beagle feeling full for longer.
As with the other dog foods on this list, IAMS Healthy Weight focuses on low-calorie/low-fat servings while still making sure your Beagle likes the taste. After all, even when weight loss is necessary, no one is happy with the food that doesn’t taste good, right? Especially not a Beagle!
5. Purina Pro Plans Adult Weight Management
Cost: $1.73/pound
Purina…a name definitely associated with dogs. Purina has been making dog food for over 90 years and has continued to find innovative ways to keep up with pet owners’ increasing insistence on having quality foods to feed their animals, while also keeping costs down and their products affordable.
Purina Pro Plan is one of Purina’s top-of-the-line products and contains high-quality ingredients specially formulated for weight control in older dogs. If your Beagle is starting to gain weight because of inactivity and age, this is a good option for your pet and your pocketbook.
The first two ingredients listed in Purina Pro Plan are meat and rice.
Lean meats, as we now know, are high in protein and will help your Beagle have the fuel he needs without the fat. Rice is a carbohydrate and will keep him moving and grooving throughout his day, which will also aid in burning calories. The added probiotics will keep his digestive system running smoothly as well.
Don’t overlook Purina Pro Plan when trying to find the right food for your overweight Beagle. Purina has worked hard to improve the quality of their pet foods and keep up with this rapidly growing industry that now offers so many options for pet owners.
6. Nutro Ultra Essentials Healthy Weight
Cost: $1.80/pound
Nutro may not be for every Beagle. This dog food is very low in calories, coming in at only 245 calories per cup. For some Beagles, that might be too drastic of a caloric reduction, as most dog foods have over 400 calories per cup, and the weight loss dog foods on this list have at least 300 calories.
That said, if your vet has suggested that your Beagle needs to cut weight quickly, Nutro is a good option. Yes, it’s lean in calories, but not in quality or taste.
As with many of the other dog foods on this list, the first ingredient listed is chicken, a perfect choice for lean protein. It also has grains (good for that gut health), chia seeds, and dried spinach and kale.
Does a low-calorie kibble with dried spinach and kale sound like something your Beagle is going to turn his nose away from? According to its rave reviews, Nutro Ultra Essentials is actually very popular with the pooches that eat it. Clearly, less fat and calories don’t have to mean less taste.
7. Nom Nom
Cost: $3-10/pound (depending on dog)
For those Beagle owners who really want to stay as pure as possible while helping their pal lose weight, Nom Nom is an exciting option.
This is dog food that almost looks like you could eat it. Or, what you would make for your pooch if you had the time.
Nom Nom is made with all fresh ingredients and custom-made, based on your dog’s age, weight, breed, and any health issues they may have. After you share your pup’s information, his food will be delivered directly to your door in environmentally-friendly packaging. They also offer a trial period to see how your dog takes to their product. (Believe me, it’s hard to believe any dog wouldn’t!)
Clearly, Nom Nom has a few limitations. Price, as you can imagine, is one. This food also needs to be stored the way you’d store your own, since everything is fresh and can spoil much more quickly than any other dog food.
But, if money isn’t an object and space isn’t either, Nom Nom may be what you and your Beagle are looking for to help him shed those unwanted pounds.
How to Keep Your Beagle at a Healthy Weight
Just like us, once your Beagle has gotten a bit thick around the middle, it may take some time, work, and patience to get him back to a weight that is most healthy for him. Once he hits his goal, there are several things you can do to help him stay there.
More Activity
As we already discussed, staying at a healthy weight won’t just happen with a change in diet. Your Beagle needs to move, not just for his waistline but for his mental health, heart health, and overall happiness.
Beagles don’t require as much exercise as some breeds. They love to sleep and cuddle and are perfectly satisfied with spending more of their day lounging around.
But this is part of the problem. Beagles, especially once they’ve gained some weight, may need to be pushed to exercise. Though they are sweet-natured and always aiming to please, they can also be stubborn and insistent on doing things their way.
Many Beagle owners learn early to use treats as a form of motivation for Beagles. Now you may have to find some other recourse if snacking is no longer an option for your pup.
Regardless of the challenge, remember that helping get your Beagle moving is going to make a big difference in his weight loss journey.
And, the more he loses, the more he will be willing to move. Even short, quick walks around the block to start are better than nothing. And if he’d rather chase you or a ball around the backyard, that also counts as calorie-burning exercise!
Less Stress
It may sound strange, but stress can actually lead to weight gain. Beagles are sensitive, empathetic dogs. Anxiety and unhappiness can cause them to gain weight, as they may eat more, sleep more, and just have an overall sense of malaise when they are feeling unsettled in their environment.
A big cause of a Beagle’s stress is separation. These pooches like their packmates and when they are separated from them for long periods it can cause them a lot of anxiety. A Beagle that has to spend endless hours home alone or crated away from others is not going to be happy. And that unhappiness may manifest itself in more weight gain.
A Beagle who is home alone will also tend to move much less, which goes back to the idea of less exercise/more weight.
An ideal rule of thumb is to try and not leave your Beagle by himself for more than 4-5 hours a day. If he is going to be alone for longer than that, consider enrolling him in a doggy daycare, or having a pet sitter come in to walk him once a day. Any sort of stimulation will be advantageous to your pup’s overall health and happiness.
Continue to Feed Him Quality Food
This point I can’t emphasize enough. Once your Beagle is back to an ideal weight, it’s important to continue to feed him high-quality dog food. Though you may decide to wean him off the weight-loss specific one, making sure he continues to get good calories from his food will ensure he keeps off the weight he worked hard to lose.
Your main priority when choosing what to feed your Beagle after weight loss is a food that is rich in animal protein. Animal proteins are not only full of the pure protein your dog needs, but they also are easy for them to digest.
Because a Beagle is prone to weight gain, it’s also a good idea to continue to feed him food that is low in fat. Fats are often added to give food more flavor, and not substance, so a Beagle will be left not feeling full and wanting more if a large chunk of his calories come from high-fat foods.
Beagles are also prone to more allergies, so finding a high-quality dog food that has limited ingredients may be a good idea as well. All of the brands I listed above pride themselves on having easy-to-decipher, minimal ingredients in their recipes.
