The 8 Best Dog Foods For Weight Management, According To More Than 400 Dogs And Their Guardians

Best Overall, Wet and Dry

Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight Dog Food

$95 At Amazon $58 At Chewy $86 At PETCO

To help your dog lose weight in a sustainable way, it's important to feed them food they will enjoy. Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight dog food is available as a dry kibble and a canned wet food, and you can even mix the two— in accordance with the serving size guidance on the packaging—to keep things interesting. Proven results from the hundreds of satisfied dog parents we polled along with guaranteed analysis in each batch makes this our top recommendation for most dog who need to lose a few pounds.

Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight line of dog food was developed by scientist and veterinarians to find the optimal balance of protein, fat, and calories a dog needs to lose weight while supporting lean muscle and overall wellness. To bolster a dog's metabolism for a healthy body weight, each formula is high in protein and fiber and enriched with L-carnitine, a naturally occurring chemical that the body uses to turn fat into energy, and coconut oil, which offers a wide range of benefits, like easing inflammation and nourishing skin and coat.

The Perfect Weight collection consists of dry kibble in one flavor—chicken—and wet canned food in two flavors— hearty vegetables & chicken stew and chicken & vegetable entree. The dry kibble is formulated according to a dog's ideal weight, small/mini breed for dogs under 23 pounds, large breed for dogs over 50 pounds, and adult for dogs in between.

All recipes are made with chicken as the first ingredient along with added vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants to keep internal processes, like the digestive tract and the immune system, functioning properly. But if your dog is sensitive to poultry, this dog food might not work for you.

The food is made in the United States from globally sourced ingredients and is free of artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Plus, Hill's Pet offers a money back guarantee which we feel makes it more enticing to try, but always transition your dog's food slowly to avoid gastrointestinal issues.

_{Type: Dry, wet | Life Stage: Adult, senior | Flavors: Chicken (dry), Hearty vegetables & chicken stew (wet), chicken & vegetable entree (wet) | Packaging: 4, 12, 25-pound bags; 12.5 ounce cans | Breed Sizes: Small/mini (less than 23 pounds), large (over 50 pounds)}

Best Kibble

Purina Pro Plan Weight Management Dog Food

$72 At Amazon $72 At Chewy $72 At Walmart

Purina Pro Plan's Weight Management Formula line of dry dog food provides proper balanced nutrition while helping to reduce a dog's daily caloric intake. It's our recommendation for most dog parents who feed their dog kibble because dogs seem to enjoy the flavor and hundreds of real pet parents we surveyed have experienced beneficial results.

As with all pet food from Purina Pro Plan, the products within the Weight Management collection were developed by scientists and veterinarians in the United States. This line is commonly recommended by veterinarians for dogs of all shapes and sizes that need to shed extra weight in order to maintain optimal health. For adult dogs over the age of one, there are three size categories to choose from depending on their optimal weight bracket—Large Breed for dogs over 50 pounds, Small Breed for dogs under 20 pounds, and Adult for dogs 20-50 pounds.

The Weight Management food is available in two forms Chicken & Rice, a standard kibble, or Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice, incorporating both crunchy kibble and chewy pieces. Both recipes are made with real chicken as the first ingredient along with rice, whole grain wheat, barely, and eggs. But they also contain poultry and fish by-product meals. The parts of an animal used to create a by-product meal are typically less expensive, but that does not mean they lack nutritional benefits of animal-source protein.

Each serving has a guaranteed protein-to-fat ratio that has been carefully measured to help a dog maintain muscle mass while losing weight, and prebiotic fiber to help a dog feel full and support their digestive system. The food also provides EHA and DHA omega-6 fatty acids and Vitamin A, which benefits your dog's coat.

On each package of Purina Pro Plan Weight Management Formula dog food you'll find straightforward feeding instructions, with serving size determined by your dog's weight, with guidance for weight maintenance as well as weight loss. There is also a canned dog food option within the Weight Management product line, but it only comes in one flavor, Turkey & Rice Entree, made with real turkey, liver, and chicken.

_{Type: Dry, wet | Life Stage: Adult, senior | Flavors: Chicken & rice, shredded blend chicken & rice | Packaging: 6, 18, 34-pound bags | Breed Sizes: Small (less than 20 pounds), large (over 50 pounds)}

Best Wet Food

Blue Buffalo Homestyle Healthy Weight

$32 At Amazon $36 At Chewy $9 At Walmart

Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Healthy Weight wet dog food is high in protein and made with real chicken as the first ingredient. The food is suitable for adult dogs of all sizes, and is formulated to help each dog maintain or loose a few pounds, depending on their individual needs.

The Healthy Weight recipe is made with cranberries, carrots, and peas, and like all dog food from Blue Buffalo, contains no corn, soy, or wheat, and is free of artificial flavors, preservatives, and by-product meals. There is only one flavor, chicken dinner with garden vegetables, but dogs seem to enjoy this food on its own or mixed with kibble, like Blue Buffalo's Life Protection Formula Healthy Weight dry dog food.  

The food comes in 12.5 ounce BPA-free cans, and Blue Buffalo recommends serving 1/2 to 3/4 of a can per every 10 pounds of your dog's weight per day. Any leftover food in an opened can should be refrigerated, but if you have a bigger dog, you might need to serve more than one can a day which can get expensive. If you plan to mix this food, be sure to adhere to the serving instructions provided by Blue Buffalo to avoid overfeeding.

_{Type: Wet | Life Stage: Adult, senior | Flavor: Chicken dinner with garden vegetables | Packaging: 12.5 ounces | Breed Sizes: All}

Best for Small Breeds

Royal Canin Weight Care Dog Food

$62 At Amazon $62 At Chewy $25 At PETCO

For little dogs who are prone to gaining weight or need to lose a few pounds, Royal Canin offers two formulations of their Weight Care dry food—small for dogs 9-22 pounds and extra-small for dogs who weigh up to eight pounds. The food was developed by scientist to help dogs maintain muscle mass while supporting healthy weight loss, and it has a flavor dogs seem to enjoy.

Each serving is high in protein, contains a mix of fiber, and provides L-carnitine to help a dog's body metabolize fat into energy. Plus, the dry kibble pieces are smaller in size to align with tiny mouths.

The dry food comes in two sizes, 2.5 or 13 pounds, both of which are packaged in resealable bags. If your dog craves variety, the dry kibble can be mixed with Royal Canin Weight Care Loaf in Sauce Canned Dog Food that is available in a smaller than usual sized can, 5.2 ounces. But pay careful attention to the serving guidelines to avoid overfeeding your little dog while they are on their weight loss journey.

Royal Canin is often recommended by veterinarians and is a trusted source for balanced nutrition. Both wet and dry foods contain animal source protein by-product meals as the second ingredient (chicken for dry and pork for wet). By-product meals are made from a mix of less expensive parts of an animal, like organs that are nutrient rich. The use of by-product meals helps reduce food waste, and doesn't necessarily degrade the overall value of a food item. Corn is also a primary ingredient Royal Canin uses in their Weight Care line. The natural and abundant crop provides protein, carbohydrates, linoleic acid (skin and coat health), and antioxidants. But if your dog is sensitive to grains, this food might aggravate their digestive system.

_{Type: Dry, wet | Life Stage: Adult, senior | Flavors: Chicken (dry), pork (wet) | Packaging: 2.5, 13 pound bags | Breed Sizes: X-small (up to 8 pounds, small (9-22 pounds)}

Best for Large Breeds

Fromm Weight Management Gold Dog Food

$46 At Amazon View On Gofromm.com View On Petflow.com

Customized for large and giant breeds weighing over 50 pounds, Fromm Large Breed Weight Management Gold Dog Food helps big dogs that got a little too heavy reach their optimal weight. The dry kibble is made to satisfy a big dog's appetite while giving them the proper balance of protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and vitamins to help them lose weight.

Each serving of the Weight Management Gold formula includes glucosamine, chondroitin, and collagen for muscle and joint support, probiotics for digestive regularity, and L-carnitine to stimulate the metabolism. Turkey liver and turkey broth are the primary ingredients providing essential amino acids and nutrients, and a mix of whole grains contribute complex carbohydrates to give your dog energy and fiber.

The Large Breed Weight Management Gold dog food from Fromm is made in the United States and comes in two bag sizes, 15 or 30 pounds. But the food is usually more expensive than other options that made our list. To prevent your dog from consuming too many calories, carefully follow the feeding instructions on the packaging according to weight bracket that aligns with their size.

_{Type: Dry | Life Stage: Adult | Flavors: Turkey | Packaging: 15, 30 pound bags | Breed Sizes: Large, giant (over 50 pounds)}

Best Budget

Iams ProActive Health Healthy Weight Dog Food

$30 At Amazon $46 At Chewy $47 At Walmart

IAMS Proactive Health Healthy Weight dog food is made with high quality ingredients providing a protein-rich and nutritionally balanced meal at an approachable price, so you can help your dog shed the extra weight without overspending.

The Healthy Weight line from IAMS has two formulations, adult for dogs 10 to 100 pounds and large breed for 50 to 140 pounds. If your dog's target weight is within the overlap size range, we recommend the large breed formula which has a slightly higher amount of protein along with glucosamine and chondroitin for joint and cartilage health. All recipes are enriched with L-carnitine to bolster a dog's metabolism along with wholesome fiber and natural prebiotics to keep a dog's digestive system functioning properly. But there isn't a Healthy Weight kibble for smaller breeds weighing under 10 pounds, and there isn't a Healthy Weight canned food to mix with the kibble.

IAMS Proactive Health Healthy Weight dog food comes in three bag sizes, 7, 15, 29.1 pounds, and is readily available online and at supermarkets.

_{Type: Dry | Life Stage: Adult | Flavor: Chicken | Packaging: 7, 15, 29.1 pound bags | Breed Sizes: Medium, large}

Best for Seniors

Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight & Joint Support Dog Food

$59 At Amazon $26 At Chewy $88 At PETCO

Carrying around extra weight puts strain on joints, and many dogs, especially seniors, experience issues in their hips. Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight & Joint Support Dry Dog Food is formulated with fish oil to provide omega-3 fatty acids for joint health, and added glucosamine and chondroitin to support healthy cartilage and lean muscle maintenance.

This dry dog food is made with chicken as the first ingredient, and similar to our choice for Best Overall, the Perfect Weight & Joint Support formula is designed to help dogs achieve and maintain their ideal body. There are two products within this line from Hill's Pet to meet the specific needs of medium sized breeds (under 50 pounds) and large breeds (over 50 pounds), but the Perfect Weight & Joint Support formula is not made for small or mini breeds, and the kibble size is too big for their small mouths. If you have a smaller senior dog (under 23 pounds), you can give them a fish oil supplement along with Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight for small/mini breeds.

_{Type: Dry | Life Stage: Adult, senior | Flavors: Chicken | Packaging: 3.5, 12, 25 pound bags | Breed Sizes: Medium, large}

Best Subscription

The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food

View On Thefarmersdog.com

Farmer's Dog is a subscription services that bring packs of frozen dog food right to your door. Within each pack there will either be one or four servings, depending on your dog's size, age, and their daily caloric needs.

To help each dog achieve and maintain a healthy weight, Farmer's Dog first asks you a series of questions about your dog's current health and weight, daily activity level, sensitivities, breed, and age. If you have a rescue, an approximation for birthday and breed composition is suitable. From there you are able to choose up to four recipes—beef, chicken, pork, and turkey—to be included in your dog's personal meal plan. We found that our dog enjoyed beef and turkey the most out, but your pup's palette is likely to differ.

Each food formulation, made with USDA animal meat, was developed with veterinarian nutritionists to ensure the right mix of nutrients, vitamins, fat, protein, and fiber are included in each serving. Recipes also include starches—such as lentils, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, vegetables—such as broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots, and salmon oil.

Certain dogs can metabolize faster than others, so plans can be adjusted before each delivery to help your dog maintain a healthy routine.

_{Type: Frozen | Life Stage: All |  Flavors: Chicken, beef, pork, turkey | Packaging: Varies | Breed Sizes: All}