Getting the perfect food for senior dogs is something of a balancing act.
Not only do you have to ensure that they have enough protein and fat without giving them too many calories, but micronutrients can be a problem also. Damage can be done by over supplementation.
And it’s bad enough to have to clean up runny dog poop, you don’t want to inadvertently cause your dog ill health too by feeding them inappropriate dog food.
The trick to solving this issue is to read articles like this one, and sourcing the best possible dog food for your senior dog that provides a full and balanced diet with all the nutrients they need.
That way you never have to worry about over supplementation.
We’ve been checking out some of the best dog food out there for senior dogs, and we’d love to share our findings with you. We’re going to be reviewing a handpicked selection of our top 5 favorite dog foods for senior dogs.
But we get that you really want to make the right decision for your pooch, which is why we’re also providing you with a handy buying guide, to spell out exactly what to look for and what to avoid.
Then we’re going to top that off with a section where we answer some of your most frequently asked questions on the subject.
If nothing else, this article will certainly give you some food for thought.
And without further ado…
Contents
Best Dog Food For Senior Dogs Reviews
Purina ONE SmartBlend Vibrant Maturity Senior 7+ Formula Dog Food
Now, this is a super popular dog food, with well over 9,000 customer ratings on Amazon. And better yet, more than 80% of customers gave it a full 5 stars out of 5.
But that’s not the reason we love it. We love it because of the ingredient quality and nutritional value. And you don’t have to take our word for it in this regard – it’s also recommended by the veterinarians.
The number one ingredient is real chicken, and as such the food is naturally very high in protein. (But there’s also a turkey and barley version if you prefer.)
But of course, that’s not all, there’s also whole grain corn, and a whole lot of important vitamins and minerals (we’re not kidding!) Please head over to the product page if you want the full list of ingredients.
These nutrients have multiple benefits. There’s fuel for exercise, and protein for building good strong muscles, a strong immune system, and a radiant coat.
The micronutrients, meanwhile, can promote your dog’s sharpness, and the glucosamine supports joint health.
It’s available in two different forms, as dry kibble, or as wet dog food. And your dog should have no qualms about eating it. Customers gave it 4 and a half stars for flavor and 5 stars for freshness.
Plus there are no artificial flavors or preservatives that might cause an allergic reaction in your dog.
It’s available in containers of different sizes, so you can buy in bulk if you want to save money. Alternatively however, this dog food is also available in Amazon’s Subscribe and Save Scheme.
With this scheme you can save 10% on repeat deliveries, at a frequency of your choosing and you can cancel anytime.
It’s also available as a bundle deal with supplements for various ailments or concerns, but we would advise caution on purchasing these without the recommendation of your veterinarian.
Pros
- Bestseller with excellent ratings
- Recommended by veterinarians
- Packed with lots of great nutrients
- Dogs just love the taste of it!
- Save 10% on subscription scheme
Cons
- Some dogs will pick out their favorites bits of the dog food and leave the bits they don’t like
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Natural Senior Dry Dog Food
This dog food formula is selling in its thousands – there have been well over 6,000 customer ratings on Amazon alone. And better yet, more than 80% of them gave it a full 5 stars out of 5.
And with this level of good nutritional quality, we can certainly see why.
First off, the main ingredient is high quality protein from real chicken – and without any chicken by-products. This is important for your dog’s muscles.
Other main ingredients include brown rice, barley and oatmeal to maintain your dog’s energy levels. And there are garden vegetables and fruit in every bite.
But that’s not all. There’s also glucosamine and chondroitin to support your dog’s joint health and mobility.
And there’s a precise blend of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, selected by veterinarians designed to support your dog’s immune system, and help fight the symptoms of ageing.
And there’s omega 3 & 6 fatty acids to help preserve a shiny coat, along with calcium and phosphorus for strong teeth and bones.
There are no hidden nasties to worry about, such as artificial flavors or preservatives. Neither are there any corn, wheat or soy.
It’s available in containers of different sizes, so you can buy in bulk if you want to save money. Alternatively however, this dog food is also available in Amazon’s Subscribe and Save Scheme.
With this scheme you can save 10% on repeat deliveries, at a frequency of your choosing and you can cancel anytime.
If you click on “Check Price” you will be taken to the product page, where there’s a handy guide on how to transition your dog to eating this new formula.
Pros
- Bestseller with excellent ratings
- Nutrients selected by veterinarians
- Packed with lots of important nutrients
- No artificial flavors or preservatives
- Save 10% on subscription scheme
Cons
- It’s significantly more expensive than it’s Purina ONE counterpart
Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult 11+ for Senior Dogs
If your dog is very senior, say 11 years or older, then this would be the best choice of dog food for your dog.
It has proved very popular with customers, having earned on Amazon for example, a 4 and a half star average customer rating, even after well over 3,000 individual ratings.
We’re pleased to report that this formula uses only natural ingredients and is veterinarian recommended.
The main ingredients in this formula are chicken meal, barley, and brown rice. These ingredients supply your dog with all the protein and energy they need.
But beyond these essential ingredients, there are a great many other great nutrients as well. Other ingredients include the likes of apples, broccoli, carrots, cranberries, and green peas.
There’s omega 3 for joint health and mobility. There’s omega 6 and vitamin E for a healthy skin and glossy coat, and there’s a balanced range of minerals for heart, kidney, and bladder health.
It’s available as dry dog food only and is recommended for small breeds, due to the particular makeup and the extra small kibble size which is a fraction of the size of gaming dice.
You can buy it as a 4.5 pound pack or as a 15.5 pound pack. The 4.5 pound pack is relatively expensive compared to other dog foods, coming in at over $3 per pound of dog food.
You do make a saving by buying in bulk and going for the 15.5 pound pack, but this is still relatively expensive.
However, if your dog is over 11 years old, taking care of their health in this manner is absolutely worth the extra cost.
This dog food is also available in Amazon’s Subscribe and Save Scheme. With this scheme you can save 10% on repeat deliveries, at a frequency of your choosing and you can cancel anytime.
It’s made right here in the USA, and it’s also backed by a 100% money back guarantee.
Pros
- It’s a bestseller with excellent ratings
- Comes recommended by veterinarians
- Packed with lots of important nutrients
- It’s made with only natural ingredients
- Save 10% on subscription scheme
Cons
- Not recommended for large breeds
- Premium product at a premium price
Purina Pro Plan Adult 7+ High Protein Senior Dog Food
This is Purina’s premium line of dog food for senior dogs. It has all the benefits of their other line of dog food that we showed you earlier, but it also has a few nice extras, and unfortunately costs more money.
It’s available in two different flavors, namely chicken and rice or beef and rice. And it’s available in two different forms, as dry food or as wet food. This review is for the dry chicken and rice.
It offers advanced nutrition, and there’s a full breakdown on the back of the pack of all the different nutrients it contains. (You can get to it by clicking “Check Price, which opens the product page in a new browser tab.) Needless to say, it’s recommended by veterinarians.
The main ingredient is real chicken, and this helps to form the 29% protein content. And there’s also the perfect amount of fat and carbs for energy.
Beyond that, there’s also EPA, an omega 3 fatty acid and glucosamine to help support your dog’s joint health and mobility.
But that has now become standard for dog food for seniors. But where the Purina Pro Plan really stands out is how it is fortified with live probiotics, which can make a huge difference to your dog’s digestive system, as well as to their immune system.
There’s a mixture of hard kibble together with tender shredded pieces, and dogs just love the different tastes and textures.
And it’s made right here in the USA.
It’s available in packs of different weights, so you can buy in bulk if you want to save money. Alternatively however, this dog food is also available in Amazon’s Subscribe and Save Scheme.
With this scheme you can save 10% on repeat deliveries, at a frequency of your choosing and you can cancel anytime.
Despite the relatively high price, customers are buying it in their thousands and give it rave ratings and reviews with the leading online retail stores.
Pros
- Comes recommended by veterinarians
- Packed with lots of important nutrients
- Probiotics for digestive & immune system
- You can save 10% on subscription scheme
Cons
- Contains poultry by-products
- Doesn’t contain any fruit or vegetables
- Premium product at a premium price
IAMS Senior Dry Dog Food
Now, this is an excellent pick for the more budget conscious you.
We thought that at this price, it won’t have much to offer compared to the more expensive brands, but we were very pleasantly surprised. It’s definitely earned a place on our shortlist.
There are two different versions of this formula, one for medium breed dogs and one for large breeds. This review is for IAMS’ medium-breed dog food.
It’s made with natural ingredients, with no artificial preservatives or flavors and provides 100% nutrition with zero fillers.
The main ingredient is real farm raised chicken to help maintain good strong muscles, and other key ingredients include wholesome grains for energy.
But that’s not all. There’s also DHA gold for mental sharpness, a selection of nutrients to support joint health and mobility, and another selection for boosting your dog’s immune system.
And there’s even a specially tailored blend of natural fiber and prebiotics to boost their digestive system.
Moreover, crunching the kibble helps to scrub your dog’s teeth, and this helps to reduce plaque build up, and in turn this reduces bad breath.
It comes recommended by veterinarians and is made right here in the USA.
It’s available in packs of different weights, namely 7 pounds, 15 pounds, and 29.1 pounds. And the good news is that whichever size pack you decide to go for, it will cost less than $1.50 per pound. Bargain price.
Pros
- It’s a bestseller with excellent ratings
- Comes recommended by veterinarians
- Packed with lots of important nutrients
- It’s made with only natural ingredients
- Bargain affordable price point
Cons
- Not available on Amazon’s Subscribe and Save Scheme
Buyer’s Guide
As promised, here’s your buying guide. Here we’re going to guide you through some of the key points to consider before making your purchase.
Rule Number One
One of the most important things you can do for your senior dog is to only feed them food that has been labelled as intended for senior dogs.
Food intended for younger dogs or for puppies will not have the right levels of the nutrients that come to depend on as they go on in years.
Supplementation
As we mentioned in our introduction earlier, over supplementation can actually cause damage to your dog’s health.
So, for that reason, we only recommend giving supplements to your senior dog if it has been specifically suggested by your dog’s veterinarian.
Hydration
Keeping your dog as healthy as possible is not just about food and exercise. Never forget that like us, and like younger dogs, your senior dog needs to be kept properly hydrated.
You should always place a water bowl next to their food bowls that 1, you fill up on a frequent basis, and 2, that they can access on a frequent basis.
Brand
There’s a lot to be said for buying from a top, well established brand that the nation has grown to love and trust. And there are certain brands of dog food that dominate the best seller charts with the leading online retailers.
These include the likes of Purina ONE, Hill’s Science Diet, Purina Pro Plan, and Blue Buffalo. It should be of no surprise to you that these top brands feature in our shortlist.
Customer Ratings and Reviews
Shopping online is a great opportunity to see what other dog owners have to say about dog foods, and whether the dog enjoys the food, and whether they see any improvements in their dog’s vigor and health.
Value for Money
You may feel that any dog food that helps support your senior dog into their older years is worth any price. But, let’s be real, dog food costs can really rack up over time. Especially for dogs with big appetites.
For this reason we recommend that you try to buy in bulk wherever possible to save yourself a few dollars.
Or if you decide to buy dog food online, you could save yourself some money by signing up for Amazon’s Subscribe and Save Scheme.
This scheme makes it possible to have your chosen dog food delivered directly to your door on a regular basis of your choosing. And better yet, you also get a discount for subscribing.
And remember, the price of dog food is often also given as the price per pound, and this is a great way to compare the costs of different dog foods.
You can get some that cost as little as $1 per pound, and at the other end of the spectrum, some that cost over $4 per pound.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Nutrients Do Senior Dogs Need?
You know what? This is quite a question to answer. Senior dogs need the perfect balance of all kinds of macro- and micro nutrients.
If you want to explore this in more depth, we recommend that you start by checking out the Wikipedia page on the subject, which is available on this link.
The Wikipedia page covers all manner of different things, including energy requirements, protein, bone and joint health, gastrointestinal health, brain and cognitive health, skin and coat health, and immune system health.
