The Boxer dog has been beloved throughout the world for decades. Their impressive build along with an affectionate and playful personality has earned a place in many dog lovers’ hearts.
This large and muscular breed burns through a lot of energy every day, so it’s key that we feed them correctly. That’s why today, we’re going to cover absolutely everything you need to know about feeding the Boxer dog.
Below you can find what we will be covering in this article – feel free to click a section to jump straight to it!
- What is the Best Dog Food for Boxer Puppies?
- What is the Best Dog Food for Adult Boxers?
- How Much Should I Feed My Boxer Dog?
- Common Health Issues for Boxer Dogs
- Keeping Your Boxer Dog Healthy & Happy
What is the Best Dog Food for Boxer Puppies?
As a young puppy, your Boxer is going to be undergoing several rapid growth spurts. This, along with their naturally high energy, means your puppy needs a lot of calories each day!
Boxer puppies especially need food that contains a good amount of protein to ensure they grow and develop healthily. At this stage in their life, their diet should contain a higher amount of protein than what you would find in an adult diet. A moderate amount of healthy fats should also be present.
An important thing to note with large breeds such as the Boxer is that they require puppy food that is properly balanced to help them grow at a healthy speed. An imbalanced diet will result in them growing too fast, increasing the risk of various growth disorders.
The best food for a Boxer puppy also needs to be filled with the highest quality ingredients, free from any nasty artificial ingredients or fillers. Our article here goes over everything to look for (and avoid) in your Boxer puppy’s food!
What is the Best Dog Food for Boxer Adults?
An adult diet should provide a slightly lower percentage of protein to account for the fact that your Boxer dog isn’t growing anymore. Their food also shouldn’t be too calorically dense, as large mature breeds have slower metabolisms.
When your Boxer dog is fully-grown, you can make the switch to an adult diet. However, there is no exact time for when a Boxer finishes growing, as it can vary from dog to dog.
On average, most Boxers are fully grown at around 16-18 months, though some may take up to 24 months. It’s best to work with your vet to ensure that you make the dietary switch at the right time. Doing it too early could lead to some developmental issues, while a late change may lead to your Boxer pup gaining weight from the unneeded excess in calories.
To make the transition from a puppy diet to an adult diet, you should slowly introduce the new meal over several days. At first, mix in just a small amount of adult food with your Boxer puppy food. If there are no problems, you can slowly increase the ratio of adult food to puppy food every day until they are fully transitioned onto their new diet.
A Boxer dog diet should also include a moderate amount of healthy treats, to help supplement their main diet. It’s important to go with high-quality treats here – some treats can be filled with all kinds of unhealthy ingredients. Our delicious organic treats are created with human-grade ingredients and make for a fantastic choice!
How Much Should I Feed My Boxer Dog?
Choosing a high-quality food isn’t everything; you also need to portion it correctly. Many owners accidentally overfeed their Boxers, which can quickly lead to obesity.
The amount you feed your Boxer pup each day is subject to many factors, such as their age, activity level, health conditions, weight, and so on.
Because of this, it’s impossible to give a specific amount. However, you can use the table below for a good starting point. For a better idea of how much you should be feeding your Boxer dog each day, consult a veterinarian or a qualified canine nutritionist.
Keep in mind, puppies require more calories per pound of body weight. For example, if your puppy is 20lb, you should be feeding them around 1100 calories per day. Once your Boxer matures, they will require fewer calories per pound of body weight.
It’s also important that their meals are properly spread out across the day. Puppies under 12 weeks old can be free-fed, to ensure they always have access to food during this period of rapid growth. From here to the two-year mark, you should now begin to schedule their meals; one in the morning, one at lunch, and one in the evening.
Once your Boxer is over two years old, you can reduce this down to two meals per day.
Common Health Issues for Boxer Dogs
Unfortunately, the Boxer is prone to several health issues that can be related to their diet.
Firstly, they can be prone to heart issues. The main heart problem seen within Boxer dogs is Arrthymogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, or as it’s otherwise known, Boxer cardiomyopathy. It can cause an irregular heartbeat in those affected.
If your Boxer is struggling with heart problems, you may find it beneficial to make some dietary changes. See our article here for all you need to know.
A second serious health issue that is prevalent within Boxers is bloat. This is where the stomach fills with gas and then twists, obstructing proper blood flow. It can be fatal if it is not treated promptly.
To prevent this from ever occurring, Boxer pups should be encouraged to eat slowly. You can do this by properly spacing out their meals to ensure they aren’t ravenous when mealtime comes around. Slow-feed dog bowls can also be a huge help.
This breed is also at an increased risk of obesity. It’s doubly important that you ensure that you are feeding your Boxer high-quality food and in the right amounts, along with fulfilling their exercise needs each day.
Finally, food allergies, skin allergies, and gas can all make an appearance within this breed. Allergies can cause significant discomfort to your pooch, while gas causes significant discomfort to everyone who is unlucky enough to be near your farting pup! Take a look at our guide to allergies here and our article on treating gas here.
Keeping Your Boxer Dog Healthy & Happy
A happy and healthy Boxer will be well-trained and socialized, with plenty of opportunities to play to their heart’s content. They should be fed high-quality food that is properly formulated to their age.
But how do you find Boxer dog food that fulfils all their dietary needs without any of the nasties? Luckily, you’re already in the right place!
Our meals at PetPlate provide everything a Boxer needs, created with only fresh human-grade ingredients and formulated by our very own expert canine nutritionist. Each of our meals is tailor-made to your particular doggo then delivered directly to your door!
There’s nothing artificial and nothing filler in our food – it’s simply filled to the brim with the nutrition necessary for your Boxer to lead their best life. If you’re looking for natural Boxer dog food that is both delicious and 100% healthy, take our quiz now to get started!