Best Dog Foods For Boxers

Dog Food Nutrition December 12, 2023
Best Dog Foods For Boxers

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Best Dog Foods For Boxers

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Best Dog Foods For Boxers

A Boxer is a dog breed developed in Germany that is often medium-sized and has short hair. Having his descents from Molossus, this working-class dog has solid, strong jaws and broad, short skulls. They also have smooth and tight-fitting coats, a square muzzle, and an underbite.

This attention seeker is brave, energetic, playful, determined, intelligent, modest, clean, cheerful, honest, and loyal. Moreover, the boxer is an instinctive guardian who is prone to dental problems and obesity.

Compare Best Dog Foods For Boxers

OVERALL BEST
Orijen Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food

1. Orijen Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food

BEST FOR ALLERGIES
Blue Buffalo Basics

2. Blue Buffalo Basics

BEST FOR WEIGHT LOSS
Annamaet Grain Free Lean Dry Dog Food

3. Annamaet Grain Free Lean Dry Dog Food

BEST FOR SENIORS
Hill's Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult, Large Breed, Chicken & Barley Recipe

4. Hill's Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult, Large Breed, Chicken & Barley Recipe

BEST FOR PUPPIES
Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Recipe Dry Dog Food

5. Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Recipe Dry Dog Food

Protein
38% Min
Protein
20% Min
Protein
20% Min
Protein
20% Min
Protein
28% Min
Fat
18% Min
Fat
12% Min
Fat
9% Min
Fat
11.5% Min
Fat
16% Min
Fiber
4% Max
Fiber
6% Max
Fiber
3.5% Max
Fiber
4% Max
Fiber
4.5% Max
Calories
3940 kcal/kg ; 449 kcal per 8 oz. cup
Calories
371 kcal/cup
Calories
350 kcal/cup
Calories
363 kcal/8-oz cup
Calories
381 kcal/cup

Our criteria

As much as possible, we try to follow the criteria of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association when choosing the best dog foods for Boxers and other dogs.

We look for dog foods that meet the following criteria:

  • AAFCO-approved foods, especially foods that have undergone food trials.
  • Dog food companies that invest in nutritional research
  • We prefer dog foods that have been formulated by veterinary nutritionists.
  • We value good quality control.
  • We value nutrition over clever marketing. Remember that you won’t be eating the dog food; your dog will. It’s important to choose the food that is best for your dog, even if the ingredients don’t sound appealing to you.

We also take into consideration the warning from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about a possible link between grain-free dog foods and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs. The FDA’s investigation has now expanded to include exotic proteins in dog foods. You can read the latest research in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association .

For this reason, we don’t generally recommend grain-free dog foods for most dogs. If your veterinarian recommends a grain-free dog food for health reasons, you should definitely follow his or her advice. If your dog has a food allergy, food sensitivity, or some other health issue that makes it difficult for him to eat foods with grains or cereals, please work with your vet to select a food for your Boxers.

These are the reasons why you won’t find some of the most popular grain-free dog foods listed here. We follow current veterinary health research and try to provide you with the best advice possible for your dog.

Top 5 Best Rated Dog Foods For Boxers Reviewed

The feeding requirements vary according to age, environment, and activity.

There are so many brands and flavors of dog food in dog food markets all over the world.

To help with this process, we have come up with some of the best-loved and reviewed them in categories so that you will get a need-specific food for your dear pet. Here are some of the best dog foods for Boxers. 

OVERALL BEST
1.

Orijen Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food

Product Info

  • Protein: 38% Min
  • Fat: 18% Min
  • Fiber: 4% Max
  • Calories: 3940 kcal/kg ; 449 kcal per 8 oz. cup
Pros
  • Great digestive system support
  • Optimal calcium and phosphorus levels
  • No artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or potatoes
Cons
  • Quite expensive
Listed as one of our best dog food brands, Orijen Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food is the best dog food for Boxers. This unmatched and enriched formula is rich in protein, low in carbohydrates and has no grain, which is suitable for all the life stages of Boxers.

The protein content is gotten from six different animals in WholePrey ratios including fresh meat, bones, fresh whole fish, organs, whole eggs, and cartilage.

With one-third of its meat gotten from air-dried chicken and turkey, and two-thirds either refrigerated (fresh) or flash-frozen (raw), this meal is biologically appropriate for Boxers.

The liver content serves to boost the flavor of this dog food and make it more delicious for your Boxers. Furthermore, other nourishing ingredients include fruits, vegetables, peas, russet potatoes, cranberries, apples and grasses.
BEST FOR ALLERGIES
2.

Blue Buffalo Basics

Product Info

  • Protein: 20% Min
  • Fat: 12% Min
  • Fiber: 6% Max
  • Calories: 371 kcal/cup
Pros
  • Very large kibble
  • Contains glucosamine and chondrotin for joint support
  • Nutrients for your dog’s heart
Cons
  • Not suitable for puppies
Blue Buffalo Basics are the best dog food for Boxers of all life stages with skin allergies and sensitive stomachs. For your dog’s eating pleasure, Blue Basics contains real meat from deboned turkey as the main source of protein, easy to digest potatoes to provide carbohydrate, along with essential fruits and vegetables.

It has LifeSource Bits which comprises vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that will boost your Boxers’ immune system and preserve nutrient potency while providing them with a healthy oxidative balance.

This dog food is developed with calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins needed to keep your Boxers’ teeth healthy and their bones strong.

The presence of fatty acids will ensure your Boxers have healthy skin as well as gleaming coat.

Flavored with a rich blend of turkey and potato recipe, this grain-free diet is delicious with fewer ingredients carefully selected to help dogs with sensitive stomachs.
BEST FOR WEIGHT LOSS
3.

Annamaet Grain Free Lean Dry Dog Food

Product Info

  • Protein: 20% Min
  • Fat: 9% Min
  • Fiber: 3.5% Max
  • Calories: 350 kcal/cup
Pros
  • Great for weight management
  • Contains natural fiber and healthy grains
  • Chelated minerals for effective utilization
Cons
  • Above market average in cost
Annamaet Grain-Free Lean Dry Dog Food is the best dog food for overweight Boxers. Made in the USA, this dog food is the perfect solution for overweight dogs and adult dogs with pancreatitis.

Mainly composed of chicken, herring, and duck, this formula is grain-free, rich, nourishing, complete, and preserved naturally.

It also has a lean formula comprising of chelated minerals for effective utilization and strengthening of your dog’s immune system, prebiotics to aid digestion, L-Carnitine and DHA for supporting brain development and improving cognitive function, and algae to provide your pet with Omega 3 fatty acids.

This is one low-fat dog food that is capable of giving your dog a healthy weight as well as a shiny coat.
BEST FOR SENIORS
4.

Hill's Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult, Large Breed, Chicken & Barley Recipe

Product Info

  • Protein: 20% Min
  • Fat: 11.5% Min
  • Fiber: 4% Max
  • Calories: 363 kcal/8-oz cup
Pros
  • Chicken is the first ingredient
  • Has small morsels that are easy to chew and digest
  • Helps with allergies and gastrointestinal problems
Cons
  • Hill’s is currently recalling some of its Science Diet and Prescription canned foods because of excess Vitamin D. This only affects canned foods but it may cause some customers to be concerned.
Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food is the best dog food for senior Boxers. It has chicken as its main ingredient with rice as fiber in a nice blend that will not upset your dog’s stomach. It is enriched with a sufficient amount of protein to give your Boxer a healthy weight.

Additional nutrition is added by vegetables and fruit gotten from apples, carrots, and cranberries to boost your dog’s immune system and natural defenses.

Moreover, the fiber content in the rice and flaxseed helps digestion and also keeps the Boxer’s skin and coat very healthy. This meal will give your senior Boxer complete nutrition in the right proportions.
BEST FOR PUPPIES
5.

Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Recipe Dry Dog Food

Product Info

  • Protein: 28% Min
  • Fat: 16% Min
  • Fiber: 4.5% Max
  • Calories: 381 kcal/cup
Pros
  • Keeps teeth white with no bad breath
  • Affordable and of good quality
  • Suitable for puppies
Cons
  • The kibble is quite small for chewers
  • Formula is inconsistent
Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Recipe Dry is the best dog food for Boxer puppies. Made of mainly deboned chicken, chicken meal, potatoes, peas and sweet potatoes, this dog food provides your puppies with balanced nutrition using whole home-grown foods.

This natural and grain-free recipe was cooked in the USA and boasts of 55% protein and 45% vitamins, minerals and fresh produce. Delicious and enriched with Omega6 and Omega 3 fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin, this food will improve your puppies’ skin, coat, hips, and joints. DHA is also added for the development of a healthy brain.

Boxers Dietary Needs

Boxers, with their medium size and muscled appearance, have an energy level that is really high.

The major dietary need of your dog is water—a clean, fresh, and constant supply of water. Boxers depend on animal-sourced protein for building and optimally developing their muscles and ease digestion.

More so, your boxers require a well-balanced amount of carbohydrates for energy.

Fats, on the other hand, provide concentrated energy and should complement the carbohydrates. If the carbohydrate content in your dog food is sufficient, it is advisable to reduce the fat content. You do this to prevent them from being overweight.

Your boxers will also benefit a lot from chondroitin, glucosamine, and probiotic microorganisms in their diet to help strengthen their joints as well as improve their digestion process.

Taurine, minerals like calcium, and amino acids like L-carnitine are also very important in your Boxers’ diet to help in the development of the brain, heart function, blood flow, sight, weight loss, contraction of skeletal muscles, and overall optimum health.

Furthermore, your Boxers should not eat caffeine, candies, gums, fat trimmings, garlic, onions, chocolates, or yeast dough.

Nutritional Requirements

These are bouncy dogs with high energy levels. Boxers are prone to having stomach problems and gaining too much weight. Therefore, you should avoid foods high in calorie content. Here is a breakdown of the major nutritional requirements for your boxers.

  • Protein: This should make up a minimum of 25–30% of your boxer’s food daily because of their size and energy levels. Additionally, your boxer needs a protein that is lean and animal-based to increase stamina, improve their muscular health, aid in the growth of bones, and also aid in the repair of tissues. Therefore, sources of protein that will be beneficial to your boxer include turkey, lamb, lean chicken, duck, and tuna.
  • Carbs: You should also add complex carbohydrates to your boxer’s diet so that it will not break down easily. This will thereby keep them energetic for a long time. Carbs are very good sources of energy, and your dog requires a lot of them to stay active. Furthermore, some sources of complex carbs are sweet potatoes, green peas, brown rice, and flaxseeds. 
  • Fats: Fats should make up about 15% of your boxer’s daily diet. This nutritional requirement provides Boxers with additional energy, maintains proper food digestion, and stabilizes body temperature. Moreover, fats also help to maintain a healthy heart, provide joint support, and keep their coats soft and shiny. Prone to weight gain, fats should also be kept at a minimum level. Sources of fat that will do your boxers good include fish, salmon, and flaxseeds.
  • Minerals and Vitamins: Boxers love to play and require strong bones, joints, and muscles to allow them to enjoy their playful nature. Thus, a lot of calcium helps to encourage mobility, irrespective of your boxer’s age. Your dog also requires taurine and L-carnitine to maintain a healthy heart.

How Much Should You Feed Your Boxers by Age?

Boxers require varying amounts of nutrition based on their age. Puppies are the most demanding of all, and the quantity of food you give them will determine how healthy they will be, how fast they will grow, and how well-behaved they will be. Furthermore, when they grow up to become adults, they will eat less.

However, they should be given quality food for good health and a longer lifespan. At 7 years old, your boxer becomes older, lazier, and more prone to being overweight.

At this stage, they require foods with fewer calories and more fiber in their diet. Puppies that are 2–6 months old should be fed 1-2 cups of dog food four times a day. Older puppies, from 6 months to 1 year old, should be fed the same 1-2 cups of dog food three times a day. 

  • Adults can be fed twice a day with about 4-5 cups of dry kibbles per meal. Usually, a smaller meal is eaten in the morning and a larger one at night.
  • Seniors do not undergo a lot of exercise but require diets that will aid their digestion. Protein, fats, and fiber should not be allowed to make you overweight.

Boxers Food Allergies And Food-Related Health Issues

Boxers have different food allergies that can come from different ingredients in some food brands.

Basically, artificial flavors, by-products, artificial coloring, and allergy triggers should not be part of your boxers’ diet.

When your boxers are suffering from an allergic reaction, they tend to lick their paws and legs.

This causes the skin to become red, broken, and hairless. Moreover, protein, being one of their basic dietary needs, is one of their allergens.

However, some boxers are also allergic to proteins, in particular meats or gains. Therefore, it is important to find out what particular meat your dog reacts to and look for a different brand of food immediately.

Final Thoughts

Conclusively, Boxers are very valuable dogs that deserve very special treatment.

The best way to treat your dog is to give him the best dog food. Look out for your dog so you do not miss any changes resulting from his diet.

If you see negative reactions, take him to see a vet regularly. There will certainly be food that your dog will love among the reviews above. So, give your boxer a treat by getting him one of them.

Anne is a wellness writer with a lifelong love of animals large and small. As a former veterinary technician, she has a passion for your pet’s well-being. Anne rescues and rehabilitates animals in need. She shares her farm with lots of critters including horses, sheep, dogs, cats, rabbits, and chickens
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