Do you share our love for beagles? These adorable dogs are a bundle of joy, with their playful personalities and friendly dispositions. Their remarkable sense of smell often leads them on an olfactory adventure, chasing after tantalizing scents that pique their curiosity. But be warned, their discerning palates may turn away from subpar dog food.
Fear not, for there is a plethora of beagle-friendly dog food options available on the market. However, it is important to note that while beagles do not require large quantities of food, the quality of the ingredients is of the utmost importance. Feeding them is not overly complicated, as long as you pay close attention to their portion sizes.
If you’re searching for the best dog food for your beloved beagle, look no further. We have compiled a comprehensive list of the top-rated dog food options specifically tailored for beagles. Not only that, we’ve included a buyer’s guide to help you make an informed decision, a feeding guide to ensure your beagle is receiving the appropriate amount of food, and an FAQ section to address any concerns you may have. Read on to discover the perfect dog food to satisfy your beagle’s refined palate.
Buyer’s Guide
There are several things you should pay attention to when buying the best dog food for beagles. First and foremost, you should only consider quality dog foods from reliable brands. The market is packed with different brands, but your best bet might be to go for a well-known name.
However, even when you find the brand you like, ingredients lists should be your top priority. This breed requires a special diet that contains real meat, is well-balanced, and doesn’t have any artificial colors and flavors.
Beagles can eat any meat from pork, beef, and chicken to turkey and lamb. However, the meat must be wholesome and real while by-products should be avoided.
Another thing you want to pay attention to is the fat levels. Dietary fat is critical for your dog and its body cells, nerves, body tissues, and muscles. Low levels might lead to issues with fur and skin.
What to Look for in a Dog Food for Beagles
Complete and balanced nutrition
Beagles, just like any other breed, require a particular diet and nutrition in order to thrive. Of course, every dog is different, especially since some suffer from allergies. But, they all need balanced nutrition.
For this reason, make sure to buy only the most quality food. Check the label for ingredients and an AAFCO statement of nutritional adequacy.
The labels are sometimes tricky to understand but just look for the ingredients you know. Anything you don’t know what it means is best to stay away from.
Also, the food you choose should fit your dog’s life stage. Puppies and adult dogs have different needs in terms of nutrition. Seniors have even more special needs and often more severe food allergies.
Rich in animal proteins
Animal protein is crucial for beagles and other dogs. But, protein is often where manufacturers cut costs, adding different things like chicken meal and soy.
The best food has a single protein source that you can easily track where it came from. The main ingredient should be meat, preferably poultry or fish. You can also try beef and other meats if your Beagle eats it.
It’s always the safest to go for a single-source protein recipe to avoid triggering a food allergy. But, again, you should avoid food that has ingredients you’re not familiar with.
Low to moderate fat content
Beagles are quite active, but they can still be prone to obesity. This often happens when owners overfeed their dogs, especially if they use high-fat foods.
So, the first step is to feed your dog adequately. Avoid overfeeding your pet, but most importantly, choose foods with low to moderate fat content.
Think about your dog’s age and energy level when buying. Low to moderate fat content will ensure there’s less chance of obesity.
Also, make sure the fat comes from digestible animal sources. For example, chicken fat and salmon oil work the best for this breed.
High digestible ingredients
As we said, it’s always important to check the ingredients. This way, you’re making sure you’re using top-quality food.
Apart from getting a quality protein source, you should also look if other ingredients are digestible. Beagles don’t digest plant foods as well as animal ingredients. So, avoid using plant-based food.
Instead, make sure the food doesn’t have a high carbohydrate content. You might also want to use prebiotics and probiotics to help your pet digest food.
Again, all dogs are different. Your pet might struggle with some ingredients others don’t have a problem with. So, make sure to always test and try small quantities of each new recipe.
Limited Ingredient Diet
Beagles are among the breeds most commonly prone to allergies. The best way to combat this is to choose food with limited ingredients.
We already mentioned this – the fewer the ingredients, the better. Plus, these should be ingredients familiar to you, so avoid everything you don’t know.
Luckily, many brands offer limited-ingredient foods suitable for allergy-prone beagles. But, don’t avoid certain ingredients, like grain, if your dog isn’t allergic to them.
Best Dog Food For Beagles
Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Beagle
This Royal Canin formula is designed for the special needs of purebred beagles. It’s meant for dogs that are 12 months and older, so it might not be the best choice for puppies.
It comes in the form of kibble, so it’s dry and good for your dog’s teeth. The kibble is explicitly designed to help the dog chew it slowly and easily.
It contains a unique blend of fibers to help your dog feel full. Still, the formula promotes weight control since it includes the appropriate amount of calorie content. As a result, your dog has a bigger chance of maintaining the right weight and less possibility of becoming obese.
The blend contains chondroitin and glucosamine to support the bones and joints. It’s ideal for athletic and active dogs since it helps them have strong bones and healthy joints.
Pros:
- Big and small packs available
- Specifically made kibble
- Good for bones and joints
Cons:
- The smell might be too intense for people
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Purina ONE SmartBlend Natural Lamb Formula
The One SmartBlend formula by Purina comes in several sizes and flavors. The lamb and rice formula comes in a 40lbs bag though a few other sizes are also available.
This dog food, is excellent for your beagles teeth and jaw. The kibble isn’t too big either, so it’s unlikely your dog will struggle.
The Purina ONE dog food is made with high-quality protein coming from real lamb. Lamb is the #1 ingredient which is crucial for you to know in advance. It also contains Omega-6 fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins that support your pet’s skin and coat.
Its dual-defense antioxidant blend supports a healthy immune system which is essential for active dogs such as beagles. The formula is a natural source of glucosamine, helping healthy joints and bones.
Pros:
- Lamb as #1 ingredient
- Rich in vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids
- Supports a strong immune system
Cons:
- Might cause bad breath
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Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food
This one comes with easy-to-digest ingredients that help fuel the energy of your beagle. It’s suitable for other small breeds just as well, which is great if you have several pups.
The kibble is little, so it’s unlikely your dog would struggle to chew it. It’s a formula rich in Omega-6 fatty acids and vitamin E which helps healthy coat and skin.
It provides your beagle with high-quality protein for lean muscles and the energy required by active dogs. On top of that, this dog food for beagles promotes healthy digestion, which is especially important for adult dogs. It’s rich in natural fibers.
The formula is made with natural ingredients such as chicken and barley. It contains several other fruits and vegetables such as apples, carrots, broccoli, green peas, and others. Keep in mind that it also contains wheat, corn, and other ingredients that could potentially cause allergies.
Pros:
- USA-made
- Promotes healthy digestion
- Rich in vitamins and fatty acids
Cons:
- Contains grain
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Eagle Pack Natural Dry Dog Food
If you’re looking for -complete and balanced diet, you might want to try this Eagle Pack formula. Though it’s not explicitly made for beagles, it’s very much suitable for the breed.
It’s a dry dog food recipe containing everyday nutrition that’s necessary for your beagle. The reduced-fat formula is made with real pork, fish and chicken. It contains fewer calories than other Eagle Pack dog foods, which is ideal for maintaining a healthy weight.
This one also contains barley, ground brown rice, peas, tomato pomace, flaxseed, oatmeal, and rice. It’s rich in minerals, vitamins, and fatty acids. On top of that, the formula doesn’t have any corn, wheat, artificial colors, and flavors, or meat by-products.
Keep in mind that a single portion doesn’t have as many calories as other dog food from the brand.
Pros:
- Rich in vitamins
- Lots of different ingredients
- Great for weight loss
Cons:
- Picky eaters might not touch it
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Wellness Simple Natural Limited Ingredient
This Wellness formula is specially made to be easily digestible. It has fewer ingredients so that dogs with food sensitivities, ingredient intolerances, and allergies can enjoy it. It comes in 26lb and 4.5lb package sizes.
The formula starts with a single-source protein coming from a real duck. It also contains carbohydrates that are easily digestible for balanced and complete nutrition.
It contains only premium ingredients such as peas, oatmeal, flaxseed, ground rice, tomato pomace, potato protein, and green tea extract, among others. It’s a naturally preserved product that doesn’t contain any wheat, gluten, dairy, corn, eggs, meat by-products, and artificial colors and flavors.
Its ingredients support healthier teeth, gums, coat, skin, digestive system, eyes, and immune system. However, if your dog is sensitive to specific ingredients or is prone to allergies, you should incorporate the formula slowly and easily.
Pros:
- Limited ingredient diet
- Great for allergic and sensitive beagles
- Supports a healthy immune system
Cons:
- Picky dogs usually don’t like it
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Solid Gold Grain-Free Natural Chicken
If your beagle requires a low-calorie and fat diet, you should try this one. It’s a potato-free recipe that’s balanced and complete for a healthy weight and immune system.
The formula contains 20 Holistic superfoods such as sesame oil, pumpkin, and broccoli. This helps support your dog’s overall health and wellness, especially if it’s an active animal.
It features fresh-caught Alaskan Pollock as its first ingredient, so it’s quite rich in Omega-6 and -3 fatty acids. This helps promote your dog’s healthy skin and fur.
It’s combined with fibers and probiotics for a healthy optimal digestive and gut system. It’s not heavy on the stomach, so your active doggo won’t have any issues going back to activities right after eating.
The formula comes in several bags you can choose from depending on how many dogs you have.
Pros:
- Easily digestible
- Rich in fatty acids
- Helps overall health
Cons:
- The new formula contains chicken
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Merrick Grain-Free Healthy Weight
Have you noticed your beagle gaining some weight? If so, it might be time for some weight-management formula such as the Merrick Grain-Free Healthy Weight. It’s ideal for weight loss and management while still tasting delicious for most hounds.
The first ingredient here is deboned beef, which is something beagles usually like. Beef is a low-fat protein source and helps deliver high protein levels. As a result, the Healthy Weight formula contains some 32% of protein.
Its other four ingredients are a chicken meal, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and peas. This is something you want to think about because the chicken meal isn’t always the best choice. It’s not necessarily bad for your canine, but it might cause some sensitivities. Make sure to consult your vet if you’re unsure about it.
Pros:
- Rich in protein
- Great for weight management
- Contains deboned beef
Cons:
- Might cause some reactions
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Natural Balance LID Fish Dry Dog Food
If you’re looking for a grain-free formula, you should check out this dog food for your beagle. It contains sweet potato and fish, promoting healthy digestion.
Though it’s not explicitly made for beagles, it’s suitable for that and several other breeds. The best thing about it is that it contains no grains, artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors.
The package comes in different sizes you can choose from based on how many hounds you have. It’s a balanced formula that’s rich in minerals and vitamins to support your dog’s fur, skin, eyes, bones, teeth, joints, and digestive system.
Because it has such limited ingredients, the dog food is especially suitable for beagles that are prone to allergies and sensitivities. Some exceptions do exist, so make sure to check with your vet if your dog is highly sensitive.
Pros:
- Suitable for allergic dogs
- No grain
- Rich in vitamins
Cons:
- Might make your dog gassy
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Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe
This high-protein dog food contains a blend of meat for your beagle’s wild side. The formula helps your dog to build lean muscle mass and maintain perfect weight.
It’s a grain-free blend of healthy carbohydrates and Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. The sweet potato and peas inside help fuel your pet’s activities.
A great thing about it is that it contains LifeSource Bits. These are a blend of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins selected by animal nutritionists and veterinarians. It’s what supports a healthy immune system and oxidative balance.
While it does contain some quality ingredients, it doesn’t contain any chicken by-product meals, wheat, soy, corn, and artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
The package comes in several sizes ranging from 4lb to 22lb bags. It’s a great option if you have several beagles to feed every day.
Pros:
- No by-products
- Rich in fatty acids and vitamins
- Great for active dogs
Cons:
- Some dogs don’t like the vitamin bits
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Crave Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food
If your vet recommended protein-rich food, you should try this Crave formula. It’s in the form of kibble with protein coming from lamb and venison. In most cases, dogs love the taste, while the rich diet provides them with energy.
It doesn’t contain any soy or corn. Instead, the formula is rich in animal and plant proteins for balanced amino acid levels. All its ingredients are easily digestible since they come from quality sources such as pasture-fed lamb, fish, farm-raised chicken, and peas.
Since lamb is its first ingredient, the blend offers 34% of protein, which is a great thing for beagles with high activity levels. The scent isn’t too strong either, so your pet won’t get bad breath.
One of the best things about the formula is that it’s safe for other breeds as well.
Pros:
- No grains
- Quality source of protein
- Ideal for active dogs
Cons:
- Some dogs might experience gas
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Best Nutrition for Beagles
Beagles usually have from 25 to 30 pounds and require some 674 to 922 calories per day. However, this is the recommended amount, which means you should adjust it according to the activity of your canine. More active dogs need more calories than those that spend the day laying for the most part.
Most beagles are quite energetic and active, so if your dog is like this, you’ll probably have to include more caloric diet. Either way, you should always use the label instructions as guidance, and consult with your vet.
Luckily, most beagles aren’t picky eaters, and they’ll eat just about everything. Dry dog food for beagles is always recommended for their teeth. However, make sure to avoid free-feeding as it can lead to obesity. Check the daily requirement for your dog and split it into two or three meals.
Canned dog food is also an option, but it should be your everyday choice. Mix a little with dry food, but be careful not to exceed the recommended caloric intake.
Choose dog food that has fish, poultry, and whole meats among the first ingredients. Consider the critical fatty acids from fish oil, safflower, or sunflower as well. Fruits, veggies, and carbohydrates are good sources of fiber, too.
What to Avoid
First and foremost, you want to avoid feeding your dog too much. It’s kind of an obvious one, but beagles can become quite obese if you feed them too much too often.
On top of that, there are a few ingredients you should avoid. These are more or less bad for your dog and can trigger a series of different reactions, allergies, and conditions.
Ingredients like cereal grains, corn, and wheat can be hard for your dog to digest. Meat by-products are also often found in dog food and should be avoided. Instead, you should opt for easily digestible vegetables, fruits, and proteins.
You should also avoid chemical preservatives and artificial colors and flavors. These are always bad for animals and humans as well, and shouldn’t be in your beagle’s food. Instead, opt for natural preservatives like Vitamin C, and Vitamin E. Read the label in the back and avoid things like butylated hydroxyanisole, ethoxyquin, and butylated hydroxytoluene.
Common Health Problems
Luckily, beagles are generally healthy and don’t usually struggle with ailments. However, some do happen due to different influences such as genetics, lousy diet, lazy lifestyle, etc.
The lifespan of this breed is 12 to 15 years. Some specific ailments that we know tend to affect it are glaucoma, patellar luxation, central progressive retinal atrophy, distichiasis, hypothyroidism, cherry eye, chondrodysplasia, deafness, hemophilia A, cataract, epilepsy, and umbilical hernia.
Other health problems might also occur, but the possibilities are minimal, especially with regular visits to the vet. More serious ailments that could affect your beagle are intervertebral disk disease, and primary carnitine deficiency.
In most cases, all the disease and conditions are easy to identify with simple thyroid, hip, and eye tests. Make sure to observe your beagle for any change in behavior, stool, sleep cycle, and feeding habits. Have regular trips to the vet, so you’re sure the canine is always in its best health.
Feeding Guide
As we already mentioned, beagles can become quite obese rather quickly if not fed properly. In most cases, those that are free-fed every day with highly caloric food might gain some weight. To avoid this, you should feed your beagle the best dog food according to its life stage, lifestyle, activity, and several other factors.
Having a reliable feeding guide is critical for your dog’s health. While you can use the one on the back of the packaging, it’s always better to come up with your schedule.
Do use that info for reference on how big portion sizes should be. Professionals recommend a certain amount of calories for adults that’s different from what puppies need. For this reason, you want to be careful with how you approach the matter.
Puppy
During the first three to four weeks, a Beagle puppy should eat mostly the dam’s milk. By the time it’s four weeks old, you can slowly introduce it to solid dog foods. Mix some canine milk replacer with what the dam is eating. By the time your Beagle is six weeks old, you should only include a solid diet.
You should do scheduled feeding of three dog food meals per day before your pup turns six months. Once the dog is six months old, you can switch to two meals per day.
Adults
Adult beagles don’t have to eat as frequently as puppies and make sure you don’t offer too many snacks and treats either.
Fully grown beagles need some 45 calories per pound. This is the recommended daily intake, so separate it into a few meals if you must, but try not to exceed the number. You’ll also have to adjust the calorie intake and portion size depending on how active your dog is.
Seniors
Senior beagles are much like all senior dogs. They aren’t as active and will spend most of their time lying around. For this reason, they don’t require as many calories, but this is something you might want to check with your vet.
Because of their slower metabolism, seniors need some 42 calories per pound with 20% give or take. It depends on how active is your senior pet.
FAQ
Why Do Beagles Eat So Fast?
Beagles are considered canine opportunists and will use every chance they get to eat. For this reason, free-feeding isn’t the best option for the breed as you’ll notice your pet eats as much as you put out. In other words, beagles want to stuff their stomachs just in case there’s no more food coming.
You should feed the dog in scheduled meals and carefully measured portions. Eating too much at once might result in stomach issues.
What age should I switch from puppy food to dog food for beagles?
You should start transitioning from puppy to adult food once your beagle turns one year of age. Still, you must introduce solid foods to the dog much earlier in its life.
Going from puppy to adult dog food is a process and should be done slowly. You don’t want to shock the organism by feeding more calories and heavier foods too suddenly. Mix the two types of foods at first, and then slowly increase the ratio of adult to puppy food.
How many calories does my Beagle need?
The best way to determine how many calories your beagle needs is to compute its Resting Energy Requirement, otherwise known as RER. You can do this by taking its body weight in kilograms and multiplying it by 30.
Then, add it to 70, and you’ll get your dog’s RER. The number you get is the kcal your dog needs. But it doesn’t end there.
Take that number and multiply it by 1.6 if you have a neutered or spayed adult Beagle. If your dog isn’t neutered or spayed, you should multiply the number by 1.8.
Multiply it by 2, 3, or 4 if your dog is into light, moderate, or heavy work. You should multiply the RER by three if you have a Beagle puppy less than four months old.
All of this might sound a bit confusing, but you can always talk to your vet for some advice. Plus, many packages have feeding guidelines on the back of the label.
How often should my Beagle eat?
This depends on your dog’s age and activity level. Puppies should feed on their mother’s milk until at least eight weeks old. Once your pup has eight weeks, you can start feeding it solid but moist food.
But, keep in mind puppies need to eat more frequently than adult dogs. For example, young puppies should eat four times a day until they’re sixteen weeks old.
By the time your Beagle puppy is six months old, you can feed it twice a day.
On the other hand, adult dogs can eat once or twice a day, depending on their activity level.
Active dogs will be hungry more frequently than those used to lying around. Likewise, those playing and going on more walks will be hungrier than those napping most of the day.
Conclusion
Beagles are lovely to be around, and if you have a puppy, you’ll soon realize why people love them as much.
This is a special breed that requires quite some attention and care. Though the recommended diet is somewhat special, it shouldn’t be too hard to follow.
There are a few things you should be careful about, such as ingredients to avoid and calorie intake. Make sure to always read the ingredients list from start to finish ensuring there’s nothing that could harm your dog.
Also, pay some attention to how much and how frequently you feed the canine. Set scheduled feedings and limit the snacks and treats you give to your adult dog to ensure a long, healthy, and happy life.