What is the best food for huskies to gain weight

11 Best Dog Foods for Huskies to Gain Weight in 2024: Reviews & Top Picks

It can be stressful to have a dog that is underweight, and Huskies are a breed that are particularly prone to this because of their high activity level. It can also be difficult to determine your Huskys body composition due to their thick coat. If you suspect your dog is underweight, your first option should be a vet visit to rule out medical causes.

Once your dog has gotten a clean bill of health, you may need to start looking into high protein and high fat foods to help put weight on your pup. Weve reviewed the best foods to help aid in weight gain for your Husky to make this time easier and less confusing for you.

Disclaimer: The foods reviewed here were chosen because they have certain characteristics that might help with some of the causes or consequences of this medical condition. However, they are not a medical treatment or a substitute for medical treatment. Keep in mind that each medical case is different and what works for some pets may not work for others. Your veterinarian is the right person to advise you on the best diet for your pets individual case.

A Glance at Our Top Picks (2024 Update)

The 11 Best Dog Foods for Huskies to Gain Weight

1. The Farmers Dog Fresh Dog Food Best Overall

When youre serious about getting your husky to put on some weight, youre not going to find a better option than The Farmers Dog Fresh Dog Food. Theyve worked with vets to develop and customize their recipes, and they tweak each plan to match exactly what your husky needs.

Not only that, but once your pup gets to the right weight, theyll adjust the meals again to keep them at their ideal weight. They pre-portion every meal and deliver it directly to your door, so all you need to do is feed them at mealtimes!

They only use the highest-quality ingredients that your pup will love, and its an extremely easy service to sign up for and use. However, while theres a lot to love about The Farmers Dog, its undoubtedly one of the more expensive options out there. But for everything you get, we think its well worth every penny and its easily the best overall dog food for huskies to gain weight.

Pros

• Customized diet plans
• Extremely high-quality ingredients
• Great for picky eaters
• Easy to sign up for and use
• Meals delivered directly to your door

2. Iams Proactive Health Active Budget Buy

The best dog food for Huskies to gain weight for the money is Iams Proactive Health Active food. This food has a 30% protein content with moderate fat at 18%. It comes in at 418 kcal per cup, making this a nutrient dense option. This budget-friendly food uses eggs, chicken, and turkey to pack a protein punch, but it isnt a good option for dogs with a sensitivity to chicken.

Its a good source of L-carnitine, which supports energy levels and healthy fat metabolism. A special blend of wholesome grains supports sustained energy levels throughout the day, and its a good source of essential minerals that support bone and joint health.

Pros

• Best value
• 30% protein content
• Moderate fat content
• Multiple protein sources
• Good source of L-carnitine to support energy levels and fat metabolism
• Supports sustained energy levels and bone health

3. Orijen Six Fish

Orijen Six Fish dog food is another good dog food pick for helping your Husky gain weight. This food has 38% protein from a blend of mackerel, herring, monkfish, Acadian redfish, hake, and a variety of other fishes. This is a moderate-fat food, but it is a great source of omega fatty acids, which support skin, coat, joint, heart, and brain health.

It contains probiotics to support healthy digestion, and this food is free of proteins that are common allergens in dogs, like chicken and beef. The kibbles are coated with freeze-dried raw food to enhance the palatability of the food.

This food does retail for a premium price, and it is a grain-free food, which is not ideal for many dogs and should be discussed with your vet prior to switching.

Pros

• 38% protein content
• Moderate fat content
• Great source of omega fatty acids
• Contains probiotics for digestive health
• Free of common protein allergens
• Freeze-dried raw coated kibbles are highly palatable

Cons

• Premium price
• Grain-free food

4. Eukanuba Premium Performance Puppy Best for Puppies

If youve got a skinny Husky puppy to feed, our favorite food pick is Eukanuba Premium Performance Puppy. This food contains 28% protein and moderate fat content. It does use chicken by-product meal as the primary protein. Many people mistakenly believe that meat by-product meals are not healthy for their dog, but this is actually a nutrient dense addition to dog food, although this does contain chicken protein.

This food is a good source of DHA, which is a fatty acid that supports brain development in growing puppies. It contains a tailored antioxidant complex that helps your puppy recover from exercise and activity more effectively. Glucosamine and chondroitin in this food both help support musculoskeletal growth and development.

Pros

• Top pick for puppies
• 28% protein content
• Moderate fat content
• Good source of DHA for brain health and development
• Tailored antioxidant complex supports exercise recovery
• Glucosamine and chondroitin support healthy bones, joints, and muscles

5. Farmina N&D Ocean

If youre looking for a diet to help your dog gain weight, the Farmina N&D Ocean food might be a good option. This dog food contains 30% protein from cod and herring, and its a moderate-fat recipe, although its a great source of omega fatty acids. This food is free of common protein allergens, and its a good source of wholesome and nutrient dense grains that support healthy energy levels.

This is a low-glycemic food, which means that it wont cause blood sugar spikes. This may make it appropriate for dogs with diabetes and other blood sugar problems, although you should discuss this with your vet first. The vitamins in this food are specially coated so the food retains maximum nutritional value after cooking. This food does retail for a premium price.

Pros

• 30% protein content
• Moderate fat content
• Great source of omega fatty acids
• Free of common protein allergens
• Supports healthy energy levels and is a low-glycemic food

6. Purina One True Instinct High Protein

Purina One True Instinct High Protein food is another great dog food to help your Husky gain weight. This food has a 32% protein content, but a moderate fat content at 17%, which may make it suitable for dogs requiring moderate fat diets. It has 358 kcal per cup, and it has protein from beef, chicken, and salmon. Due to containing chicken, this food may not be suitable for dogs with sensitivities to chicken, though.

Its a good source of glucosamine to support your dogs joint health. It contains kibbles and meaty bits that enhance the palatability of the food. This food helps support your dogs immune system, healthy energy levels, and metabolism.

Pros

• 32% protein content
• Moderate fat content
• Multiple protein sources
• Good source of glucosamine
• Meaty bits enhance palatability
• Supports immune and metabolic health

7. Victor Purpose Nutra Pro

Victor Purpose Nutra Pro is a nutrient-dense food option that is formulated for puppies and pregnant and nursing female dogs, but it can also be used to support weight gain. It has 38% protein from chicken, fish, and beef, and its a moderate-fat food.

It contains gluten-free grains that help support healthy energy levels in active dogs. The VPRO Blend in this food supports healthy digestion and immune system function. Its a good source of omega fatty acids, and its fortified with vitamins and minerals for overall health.

This food does contain blood meal, which is a good source of iron, but this may also lead to a darkening of your dogs stools and discoloration around the mouth in light-colored dogs.

Pros

• Formulated for puppies and pregnant and nursing dogs
• 38% protein content
• Moderate fat content
• Gluten-free grains support healthy energy levels
• VPRO Blend supports digestion and immunity
• Good source of omega fatty acids and iron

Cons

• Contains chicken
• May cause discoloration around the mouth and darkening of stools

8. Inukshuk 32/32

If youre looking for a high calorie, high fat food for your dog, Inukshuk 32/32 is a great option. This food contains a whopping 720 kcal per cup, and it offers 32% protein and fat content. Because this is a concentrated food formula, it may reduce the amount of waste your dog produces.

Its a good source of prebiotics and chelated minerals, which support digestive health, and omega fatty acids to support skin, coat, and joint health. It does contain chicken as its primary protein, so its not suitable for dogs with sensitivities to chicken. This is a budget-friendly formula for how long a bag of food should last most dogs. Because this is such a rich food, it may cause digestive upset in some dogs.

Pros

• 720 kcal per cup
• 32% protein and fat content is ideal for working dogs
• Concentrated formula reduces waste production
• Supports digestive health
• Good source of omega fatty acids
• Budget-friendly option

Cons

• Contains chicken
• May cause digestive upset in some dogs

9. Purina Pro Plan Performance 30/20

Purina Pro Plan Performance 30/20 is a good option for dogs needing a little less protein than some of the other weight gain foods offer. This is a calorie dense food at 518 kcal per cup, making it one of the most dense foods we reviewed. This density means that your dog will likely produce less waste on this food.

The primary protein is turkey, but this food does contain poultry by-product meal, so you may need to reach out to the manufacturer to ask for specifics if your dog has a sensitivity to chicken. It also contains quail and duck, which are often good protein sources for dogs with food sensitivities.

Its a good source of omega fatty acids and vitamin A, which all support joint, skin, and coat health, as well as amino acids that support muscle development and repair after exercise. It promotes digestive health and immune system function. This is a premium priced food.

Pros

• 30% protein content
• 518 kcal per cup
• Nutrient dense formula may reduce waste production
• Contains multiple protein sources
• Good source of omega fatty acids and vitamin A
• Supports muscle health and repair

Cons

• May contain chicken
• Premium price

10. JustFoodForDogs Turkey & Whole Wheat Macaroni Recipe

If youre looking for a great wet food option to help your Husky gain weight, JustFoodForDogs Turkey & Whole Wheat Macaroni Recipe is a great option. This food contains 32% protein on a dry matter basis but is low in fat at only 13% on a dry matter basis. It is a calorie dense food at 49 kcal per ounce, or 882 kcal per pack.

It contains healthy grains that support energy levels, thanks to whole wheat macaroni. It also contains a variety of nutrients from ingredients like carrots, cranberries, and zucchini. Its a good source of omega fatty acids from fish oil. This food only contains turkey proteins, and it is free of beef and chicken proteins. This is a premium priced diet option, especially if feeding a large or underweight dog.

Pros

• 32% protein on a dry matter basis
• Low in fat
• Calorie dense
• Free of common protein allergens
• Good source of omega fatty acids

11. Country Vet Naturals 30/20 Active Athlete

Country Vet Naturals 30/20 Active Athlete is a good dry food option for helping your Husky to gain weight. It contains 30% protein and moderate fat at 20%. It contains 430 kcal per cup, making this a relatively calorie dense food. It contains probiotics to support digestive health, and it is a good source of omega fatty acids. Its also a good source of vitamins B12, D3, and E, which support immune function and energy levels.

This food does use chicken as its primary protein source, but it is one of the more budget-friendly options for feeding an underweight dog. Some people have reported their picky dogs refusing to eat this food.

Pros

• 30% protein content
• Moderate fat content
• Good source of omega fatty acids and probiotics
• Supports immune function and healthy energy levels
• Budget-friendly option

Cons

• Contains chicken
• May not be suitable for picky dogs

Buyers Guide: How to Select the Best Dog Food for Huskies to Gain Weight

What Supports Weight Gain?

When it comes to helping your Husky gain weight, its important to understand what nutrients will help your dog gain and maintain its body weight. Of course, this is assuming that there is no underlying medical reason for your dog to be underweight, which your vet can determine for you.

Protein, fat, and calories are all going to be an important part of helping your dog gain weight. Your vet or a veterinary nutritionist can help you determine what your dogs baseline caloric needs are, which serves as a guide to help you determine how many calories your dog needs daily to lose, maintain, or gain weight.

Fat is a calorie dense nutrient, which means that it can help your dog gain weight. However, very few dogs need a high fat diet since this can lead to medical problems. Protein is the most important nutrient for helping your dog gain weight. Protein supports healthy metabolic activity and recovery from exercise, as well as developing and maintaining muscle mass.

Final Thoughts

If your dog needs a little extra support to get to a healthy body weight, then you can rely on the foods in these reviews to help guide you to select the best option for your dogs needs.

The best overall dog food to support your Huskys weight gain is The Farmers Dog Fresh Dog Food, which is a good source of protein and is suitable for dogs needing extra help bulking up without unhealthy fillers. For tighter budgets, the top pick is the Iams Proactive Health Active recipe, which contains slightly less protein but only moderate fat. For higher budgets, a great option is the Orijen Six Fish food, which is a great source of omega fatty acids and is high in protein.

For puppies, the best food for weight gain is Eukanuba Premium Performance Puppy food, which supports healthy growth and development.

Featured Image Credit: Pixel-Shot, Shutterstock