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Maintaining your Pug’s weight can become quite challenging for some Pug owners, especially when considering a Pug’s tendency to eat whatever food they can find and their low-energy maintenance. Ideally, you’ll want to combat this dietary hurdle as soon as possible to help your Pug avoid developing canine obesity, joint issues, or diabetes. These are our top picks for best weight loss dog food for Pugs.
Are you having trouble finding quality food that can help you reduce your Pug’s weight while increasing their activity levels? Then, consider checking out our list of the best weight loss dog food for Pugs to encourage a healthy lifestyle for your dog. Since every Pug’s dietary needs and preferences differ, we’ve narrowed our picks based on several nutritional factors.

Here’s a list of the recommended foods that we’ll delve into:
- Royal Canin Pug Adult Breed-Specific Dry Dog Food
- Natural Balance Fat Dogs Low-Calorie Dry Dog Food
- Blue Buffalo True Solutions Fit & Healthy Natural Weight Control Adult Wet Dog Food
- JustFoodForDogs Pantry Fresh Dog Food
- Wellness CORE Small Breed Natural Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
- Nature’s Recipe Grain-Free Dog Food
- Purina Pro Plan High Protein Small Breed Dog Food
Looking for more articles about Pug health and weight? Check out our other posts here:
The Best Weight Loss Dog Food for Pugs
Let’s begin our rundown of this list to help you narrow down the best dog food that matches your Pug’s needs.
Best Overall for Pug Weight Loss: Royal Canin Pug Adult Breed-Specific Dry Dog Food
Our first entry on this list of the best weight loss dog food for Pugs is Royal Canin Pug Adult Breed-Specific Dry Dog Food because of its tailor-made design.
Since Pug’s have a short, squashed muzzle and thick lips, this dry food’s clover design makes it easier for them to pick up their food and chew it.
This formula is ideal for purebred Pugs ages ten months or older, making it an excellent option for transitioning your Pug from puppy food to adult dog food. Its balanced formula makes it an excellent option for maintaining a Pug’s ideal weight. Additionally, it maintains a dog’s healthy skin and muscle tone with its protein and L-carnitine content.
Its bag also has a feeding guide with serving size suggestions based on your Pug’s weight and activity level.
Best Low-Calorie Option: Natural Balance Fat Dogs Low-Calorie Dry Dog Food
If you’re looking for a low-calorie option for Pugs on the chunkier side, your best option is Natural Balance Fat Dogs Low-Calorie Dry Dog Food. We consider it one of our top options for the best weight loss dog food for Pugs because it keeps your Pug feeling full longer.
Its unique blend of fiber and protein satisfies their hunger and discourages them from snacking on any scraps they can find. It also contains several wholesome grains with fiber to improve your dog’s digestion.
Besides having an ideal amount of L-carnitine to help with weight maintenance, Natural Balance contains plenty of Vitamin E, zinc, and Vitamin C to keep your dog’s immunity in top condition.
The first ingredients listed are chicken and salmon meal, so it would be wise to check if your Pug has any allergies to these proteins before adding this dog food formula to their diet.
Best Wheat-Free Wet Food Option: Blue Buffalo True Solutions Fit & Healthy Natural Weight Control Adult Wet Dog Food
If you prefer giving your Pug wet food, consider adding Blue Buffalo True Solutions Fit & Healthy to their diet. It doesn’t contain corn, wheat, and soy, ensuring no artificial thickening in its formula. In addition, its first ingredient is quality chicken, making it ideal for Pug owners who prefer avoiding food with chicken by-product meals.
This wet food also has a high moisture content to give your Pug extra hydration throughout the day. Other natural ingredients, like cranberries, provide antioxidants and vitamins to improve your dog’s health and burn excess fat while exercising. It also has about 33% less fat than other Blue Buffalo wet foods.
Best Option with Fresh, Whole Food Ingredients: JustFoodForDogs Pantry Fresh Dog Food
JustFoodForDogs Pantry Fresh Dog Food is another low-fat option that’s great for Pug owners looking for something different yet healthy for their dogs. Its made with whole foods, offering more variety to your dog’s diet. It’s cooked fresh, ready to serve, and has a two-year shelf life.
It comes in several flavor options, but we recommend trying their Chicken and White Rice or Turkey and Whole Wheat Macaroni recipes if you prefer giving your dog leaner protein options. Since it’s made with fresh ingredients, it’s great for Pugs of any age, dogs with sensitive stomachs, and picky eaters.
It feeds up to a 25-pound dog per day, so if you’re monitoring your Pug’s nutritional intake, you can split the package into a few meals for one day.
Best Grain-Free Dry Dog Food Option: Wellness CORE Small Breed Natural Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
The next dog food on our list that we recommend for your Pug’s weight loss is Wellness CORE Small Breed Natural Grain-Free Dry Dog Food. This grain-free kibble is packed with protein to give your dog a leaner body mass and muscle tone, without worrying about potential allergic reactions to the ingredients.
Its kibble is small in size, making it easier for your dog to eat and low in calories. It also contains omega fatty acids that keep your Pug’s skin and fur extra healthy, prebiotics and probiotics for digestion improvement, and nutrients that maintain hip and joint health.
They incorporate deboned turkey in their recipe, making it an excellent alternative for anyone seeking quality lean protein for their dog. It’s also free of corn, wheat gluten, eggs, and soy.
Best for Any Pug Life Stage: Nature’s Recipe Grain-Free Dog Food
If you have multiple Pugs at home, it might feel overwhelming to afford multiple dog food formulas for dogs of differing ages. You can streamline this issue and keep your dog’s weight in check with Nature’s Recipe Grain-Free Dog Food. Their formula is ideal for dogs of any age, breed, and size.
It’s one of the best dog foods you should consider if you’re looking for something easy to digest. They’re available in three flavor options: lamb, chicken, and salmon. In addition, each recipe contains tasty sweet potato and pumpkin that provide plenty of grain-free fiber that aids with digestion.
It also has several nutrients that build strong bones and teeth, and support joint health and mobility.
Best Protein-Packed Dog Food: Purina Pro Plan High Protein Small Breed Dog Food
If you’re interested in weight loss dog food for Pugs packed with protein, consider Purina Pro Plan High Protein Small Breed Dog Food as your next go-to option. Their kibble contains lamb and rice as its prominent flavors, so your Pug can expect tastiness in every bite.
Their kibble contains lamb and rice as its prominent flavors, so your Pug can expect tastiness in every bite. Its small size and high protein content are ideal for most active small dog breeds, so balancing it with your Pug’s exercise is the perfect combination for burning their fat.
However, it does contain traces of corn gluten meal, soy, and wheat, so it might not be ideal for Pugs sensitive to grain. But, like many other weight loss dog food, it supports digestive, bone, and immune health.
Buyers Guide
Before narrowing down your top options for the best weight loss dog food for Pugs, there are several factors you should consider to ensure your dog gets the best nutrition and weight management.
Ingredients
One of the most crucial factors to consider when picking the best weight loss dog food for Pugs is its ingredients. Ideally, you should consider options containing plenty of lean meats, proteins, and nutrients. However, some proteins and grains might affect Pugs with sensitive stomachs or allergies, so check each food’s labels thoroughly.
Calorie and Fat Content
Ideally, the best weight loss dog food for Pugs should have less fat and calorie content than standard brands or formulas to ensure that they don’t overindulge during any meal. Plenty of low-fat and low-calorie dog food formulas have L-carnitine that burns fat and uses it as energy.
Your Dog’s Breed Size
Most Pugs weigh between 14 to 18 pounds, so it would be best to feed them dog food catered to smaller breeds. Many dry food for smaller dogs contain smaller kibble to help them eat easier. However, some weight loss foods are ideal for all breeds, so taking proper portion measurements is crucial for helping your Pug lose weight.
Age Range
Before buying weight loss dog food, it’s essential to check if its formula is ideal for a specific age range for your Pug. For instance, a puppy’s dietary needs differ from an adult Pug, so they should have the right food to keep them healthy.
Specific Benefits
Regardless of what weight loss wet or dry dog food you buy, each formula may have benefits that others might lack. So, if you’re looking for something grain-free or high in fiber, it’s essential to check out what each label offers to ensure you aren’t giving your Pug the wrong food.
Conclusion – Best Weight Loss Dog Food For Pugs
Although finding the best weight loss dog food for Pugs might feel overwhelming to some owners, it’s not impossible if you know what you’re looking for when feeding your dog and how you plan on improving their health. Don’t forget to check every detail of the food’s packaging to see what it offers.
Hopefully, our list can help you simplify your search and find the tastiest food for your dog while keeping them at a healthy weight.